portrait lighting kits.

Hi all,
Im looking at trying to get into portrait work, and am looking at this kit,
would this be ok for what i want.

backdrops
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250669635479&ssPageName=STR...
lighting kit.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200501729119&ssPageName=STR...

Thanks in advance.

Don't know about the lights though, don't look trust worthy and I doubt the quality.
This was suggested to me for lights and I thought they looked good. www.photodeals.co.uk
Here is the suggestion. link

I had and used the interfit ex150 studio lighting kit for some time, which was a good budget set. I expanded it by another umbrella, light stand, remote flash unit and bracket for my flashgun. I used the flash gun with the soft box and the two lights with the umbrellas making it very versatile for the cost.

two routes I'd suggest:

One: buy professional name brands new or used (used can be a lot cheaper if you catch somebody quitting the business).

or

Two: go the strobist way (save on flash units, spend on the radio slave) and buy vivitar 285's or any decent flash like the pentax af 500 ftz's.

buying cheap or off brand studio strobes is not a safe bet. Waiting for repairs or parts is money out the window... What about accessories? Daily studio use is hard on equipment, and cheap units aren't up to the task.

If money is a real problem, skip the strobes and go real cheap with daylight balanced l.e.d. or cfl lights.....

here is a cheap rig (start to finish) for a portrait artist on a fairly tight budgetcanadian dollars)

2 cheap clamp on style work light fixtures ($4.00 to $14.00 each)



2 paper chinese lanterns ($5.00 to $25.00 each)



45-65 watt cfl (daylight balanced) (18-65 dollars)



Pentax kx and 50mm 1.4 ($800.00 to $950)



Epson 13x19 printer ($400.00 to $900.00)



add in a large reflector with stand, a backdrop kit or just buy a roll of seamless, or even tape drapes or sheets to a wall...
after that it between your imagination and image editing software, where you go from there!
good luck!
here is one I shot with a single vivitar 283:

thanks all so far,
i have seen a review of the next kit don on ebay which seemed very positive, as for parts there standard fit bulbs(i have been informed)
an it comes with a years warrenty.
also has any one used a Polaris lightmeter
like this.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Polaris-flash-meter-/150472437709?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_Defau...

The "Dongguan Fushitong Photographic Accessories Factory" look quite impressive.
Even their website is on Alibaba.com

I noticed a national D&P retailer had some FST flash units for baby pics.
I was amazed how small they were for 200 watts.

I think you can buy them on ebay.

You should look there for quality/price: http://www.studio-flash.com/

I use the polaris.
tested side by side with a sekonic and an older minolta.
it is always within 1/10th of a stop of the much more expensive meters.
can't argue with that....

thanks don, i will get one for £40 delivered then.