Best
Photography Lighting Kits
iMore
2019
Whether you’re a professional photographer or an amateur videographer, one key component determines the quality of your projects: lighting. Having adequate lighting in your setup will help ensure that all of your images look breathtakingly professional. Lighting will also help fuel your creativity through what you choose to illuminate and what you choose to keep in the dark. We recommend the Fovitec Studio Pro 2500 Watt photography lighting kit. It has three different lighting sources and abilities to control individual bulbs through the easy flick of a switch.
Best Overall: Fovitec Studio Pro 2500 Watt
The Fovitec Studio Pro is a great photography lighting kit for anyone who is looking to perfectly illuminate a small to medium-sized area such as an apartment or small studio. This kit comes equipped with two five socket head softboxes offering 2500 watts of power. The heights for these softboxes can be adjusted from 2’8” to 7’6” high to suit the needs of each photoshoot. The softboxes can also be tilted forward and backward with ease.
If you’re interested in photographing portraits, products, or filming videos, the main light, boom hair light, and fill light offer a range of lighting abilities to capture the perfect picture. You can also adjust the lighting settings, down to which bulb you want to be powered, through an attached control panel.
Another benefit to this photography lighting set is that you can use any camera with it. There is no syncing needed at all to capture bold and unique images.
If you’re someone who enjoys filming YouTube tutorials or taking photographs of portraits or products, then this is the perfect set for you. Some users have mentioned that the instructions included with this package can be confusing to follow, making set up difficult at first.
Pros:
- Can control individual bulbs through a control panel
- Great for small to medium-sized areas
- 2500 watts
Cons:
- Set up can be confusing
- Pricey
Best Overall
Fovitec Studio Pro 2500 Watt
Lighting kit with a control panel to adjust brightness
The Favitek Studio Pro 2500 Watt photography lighting kit comes equipped with two five socket head softboxes that can be adjusted through a control panel.
Best Value: Weifeng ePhoto Portrait Lighting Kit
The Weifeng ePhoto Portrait Lighting Kit is a great value bundle. It comes stocked with a multitude of equipment including two black umbrellas, two white umbrellas, four 45 watt bulbs, and three backdrops. The black and white umbrellas are used to accentuate shadows and modify light to make your portraits pop.
The backdrops come in three different colors, including green, black, and white, which are all perfect for taking portraits or filming scenes. Each backdrop measures at 6 x 9 feet and is made out of a thin fabric that is easy to manipulate.
The entire kit is pretty easy to set up as most of the equipment is reasonably straight forward. There isn’t a need for syncing any devices to the tools for them to work correctly. Another plus to this kit is that when you’re finished with your photoshoot, you can easily place all of the items back into the handy carrying case. The case also makes this photography lighting set easy to carry from project to project — a great feature for anyone who works in multiple studio spaces, including the outdoors.
The included four 45 watt bulbs are not as bright as some other lighting sets. Knowing about angles and positioning to illuminate the object of your project will come in handy.
Pros:
- Comes with black and white umbrellas
- Has three backdrops
- Great price for amount of equipment
- Has a carry case
Cons:
- No power controls for the lighting
- Not very bright
Best Value
Weifeng ePhoto Portrait Lighting Kit
A multitude of equipment for a great price
The WeiFeng ePhoto Portrait Lighting Kit comes with two black umbrellas, two white umbrellas, three backdrops, four 45 watt bulbs, and a carry case for an affordable price.
Best for Experienced Users: LimoStudio 800 Watt
The LimoStudio 800 Watt lighting set is an excellent option for both experienced and beginner photographers and videographers. However, this set does not come with written and detailed instructions, which makes it better suited for a seasoned professional in the industry.
This lighting kit comes with two white nylon umbrellas intended to diffuse and soften any additional light. The height on the umbrella stands is adjustable so you can control the balance of light in your shoot. Attached to the umbrella stands is a double-head photo lighting holder that is universal. It can hold one or two 45 watt light bulbs. Each holder is conveniently equipped with its own power switch so that you can decide precisely how much luminosity you need.
Also contained in the LimoStudio 800 Watt photography kit are three 6 x 9-foot backdrops and a support that measures 10 feet across. The backdrops consist of three different colors: green, black, and white. This is excellent for controlling the setting of your production for both videographers and photographers.
This lighting system is excellent for use indoor and outdoor as it is equipped with enough support to balance out the light creating superb picture content. Another great feature is that this photography lighting kit can be carried around easily with the included carry bag.
Pros:
- Comes with three different colored backdrops
- Double head photo lighting holder
- Comes with carry case
Best for Experienced Users
LimoStudio 800 Watt
Double head universal lighting holder and three backdrops
The LimoStudio 800 Watt photography lighting kit comes ready with two double head universal lighting holders and three different colored backdrops.
Best for Beginners: StudioFX 2400 Watt
An excellent choice for beginners, the StudioFX 2400 Watt is a three-piece photography lighting kit. It is comprised of three main softboxes, three light stands, and three light-heads. This kit is extremely straight forward. It makes it easy to figure out what each piece of equipment is used for and how to set it up. That makes it fantastic for anyone who is just starting in their videography or photography journey.
The softbox units measure at 16 x 24 inches and come equipped with their own diffusers and built-in control panels. That allows you to adjust the brightness of your set with ease during your photoshoot. Each softbox includes four 45 watt florescent bulbs, which are excellent for digital photography and DLSR cameras. A great feature of these bulbs is that they have low heat. You don’t have to worry about them burning you or giving off excess heat on a hot day as some other bulbs can.
The three light stands feature a sturdy three-legged base and are adjustable from 53 inches to 84 inches. You don’t have to worry about them tipping over, and you can adapt your lighting needs quickly for close and far ranged shoots.
Some customers have mentioned that although this is a great starter kit, the softboxes are smaller than expected. The entire kit weighs approximately 29 pounds, which can make it a little too heavy to carry around to sets.
Pros:
- Great for beginners
- Bulbs are low heat
- Easy to set up
Cons:
- Weighs approximately 29 pounds
- Softbox smaller than expected
Best for Beginners
StudioFX 2400 Watt
Easy to set up lighting kit for beginners
The StudioFX 2400 Watt photography lighting set is excellent for beginners and is extremely straight forward in terms of setup.
Best for Product Photography: *ESDDI Photo Studio Light Box *
Although the ESDDI Photo Studio Light Box isn’t technically a photography lighting set, it is a fantastic piece of equipment to have when photographing products. If you sell items for a living and want to elevate your brand’s digital appearance through amazing product photography, then this lightbox is a must-have for you.
Included in this bundle are 120 carefully placed LED lamps, which can be adjusted to the brightness level that suits your needs with a simple turn of a knob. The ESDDI Photo Studio Light Box also comes prepared with four different colored backboards. The black, white, grey, and orange backboards make isolating your products and creating captivating themes for your images as easy as pie. Although, some customers mention that it would be great if the backboards covered the entire cube rather than just one side.
The box itself is small enough to fit on a desk. The box also features an aluminum shell light plate that has excellent heat dissipation. That means you don’t have to worry about damaging any electronic devices that you may be photographing due to overheating. The inside of the box also features a silver reflective fabric that is perfect for reflecting light and allowing you to take professional-looking photos from any camera or cellphone. If you’re not happy with the placement of your object or the angle of your shot, you can reposition yourself through one of the multiple available openings.
The box is made from a one-piece structure that can be folded into a cube through velcro siding. When you’re finished creating your project for the day, simply unstick the velcro, unfold your studio, and head out the door. The outer material is made from oxford cloth and is waterproof.
Pros:
- Excellent for product photography
- Great for taking photos with any cellphone or camera
- Extremely portable and easy to use
Cons:
- Backboard only covers one side of cube
Best for Product Photography
ESDDI Photo Studio Light Box
Portable light box for excellent product photography
This portable lightbox features four different backboards and allows you to take professional-looking photographs with any camera or cellphone effortlessly.
Bottom line
Proper lighting can set your photographs apart from the amateurs. It emphasizes certain parts of an image through the strategic use of shadows and brightness. Lighting also sets the tone and mood for your projects. That’s why it is so important to take your lighting needs seriously.
Investing in a good lighting kit is a great way to boost the quality of your images. We recommend the Fovitec Studio Pro 2500 Watt photography lighting kit because it offers everything you need to get started on your way to becoming a successful photographer. This set is excellent for anyone who is working in a small to a medium-sized room to film videos. You can easily create youtube tutorials, take portrait photographs, and even capture product images for your e-commerce business.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Camille Sanghera is a freelance writer who loves using the power of words to give individuals and objects a voice. When she is not content writing, you can find her running trails with her dogs or writing fiction and self-help books. Check out her blog at www.happycoconut.ca.
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