Our top pick is compact, easy to set up and store, and has placeable, dimmable LEDs to light your products perfectly. [Note: ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here].
What Is the Best Light Box For Photography?
Before we look at why we’ve chosen each of our recommended light boxes, here is a summary of all our suggestions. Now let’s look at the products in more detail, starting with our top pick. SAMTIAN is a name you should know when it comes to photography light boxes. There are two on our list, and this is the smaller of the two. This is the 16″ cube. It’s more than enough for the small and medium-sized items you need to capture. The 84-piece LED light comes in strips. And they can be placed in multiple positions to ensure there’s lighting everywhere you need. It’s easy to set up and easy to carry, making it very portable. This can go on-location to any indoor/outdoor environment. There are six different backgrounds, allowing versatility in the products and items you shoot. The reflective silver sides bounce the color you are using to keep it consistent. The MyStudio PS5 Studio light box will meet all your portable and professional needs. This tabletop kit provides a great base to work on. Unlike other light boxes, this one does require a little construction. But the benefit is that you can incorporate any background with this frame quickly and easily. This isn’t just a light box. It is an entire kit. This means you get lighting, too, which is color corrected for daylight at 5000K. If this is your first light box, then this will be helpful. Inside the pack, you will find a camera tip sheet aimed at getting you started immediately. This might be of interest to you, but a little small. If you are looking for a bigger version, see number 1 on our list. There are many features regarding this light box. And all of them are a huge benefit to your photography and workflow. It takes less than a minute to set up. So this is perfect for any indoor or outdoor shoot where you are pushed for time. It’s also very portable. It collapses into a thin case, allowing you to take it anywhere with you. The light box that you enjoy using is the one you will shoot with the most. This allows you to take great product images. This is one of the largest light boxes on this list. This makes it perfect for those medium-sized items. On top of these benefits, you will find built-in 5600K daylight-balanced LEDs. There is nothing else you need except your camera and some time. Neewer is a camera gear company that offers cheaper alternatives to many camera gear items. For photo light boxes, there is no difference. Neewer is here with their 24 x 24″ version, which might be enough for those capturing some of the smaller to mid-sized products. Don’t be mistaken. This is the basic kit, meaning all you get is the light box. So you will find no lights alongside this fabric cube. But you get four different colored backgrounds and a carrying case for portability. The only problem with this kit is that folding and refolding can cause wrinkles in the backdrop fabric. On top of that, you will need lights to turn this into a light box. If you’re looking, we recommend the EMART LED Continuous 5500K Light Lamps. Another 16″ photo light box that is great to use is the LimoStudio 16 x 16″ Light Tent Kit. Because it’s a kit, it comes with many features that make it a joy to work with. Firstly, the four different backgrounds allow you to capture most items when white does not quite fit. It comes with a mini camera stand that’s adjustable to 8″ in total. The two tabletop LED lights reach 600 lumens. Lighting the product through the fabric walls will not be a problem. The fabric is polyester, making it easier to clean for those more experimental shoots. This SAMTIAN photo light box is the big brother of number 5 on our list. This beast is large enough to photograph almost anything except for an electric scooter. As you would imagine due to its size, there are quite a few LED lights. There are 126 pieces in total. They come in beads, allowing them to be placed in many different in-box configurations. One of the biggest advantages of this photo light box is the dimmer switch. This allows for moody lighting or a strong blast to separate the items from the white infinity curve. The thing I like the most is the multi-angle shooting option. You can open the front completely. Or close it so a small window lets you capture a situation where light doesn’t escape. Even top-down shooting is possible. The MyStudio MS20LED Professional photo light box is the professional version of number 3 on our list. It’s larger and stronger with a price to match. Similar to its younger brother, the MS20 gives you a base construction to work from. You can attach any card or paper you wish, allowing for any tone, shade, or color. White works the best, as you get a premade infinity curve and corners to reflect the light. The infinity curve helps to cut down on time in post-production editing. This gives you more time to experiment, shoot, and ensure your images are tack sharp. This kit comes with lighting that has a color temperature of 5000K. This makes it easy to ensure a “white” and correct exposure. I like the size, as it is expandable and versatile. The lighting gives it more of a professional edge and it’s easy to set up. It is an all-in-one kit, but it’s not built for portability. The PULUZ Photo Studio Box is a compact design perfect for carrying. Despite its size, it has enough space for many kinds of smaller objects to fit in. The PULUZ mini light box features an integrated light bar with 20 pieces of high-quality SMD LED beads. This provides the perfect lighting to achieve high-quality results. The light box allows multi-angle shooting thanks to its horizontal and vertical windows. If you are a photographer, you can even bring this light box to your customer’s shops or offices. That’s how easy it is to carry and set up. The box is completely detachable and all the installation is made with velcro.
How to Choose the Best Light Box for Photography
There are some important things to consider when choosing your light box.
Size, Ease of Use, and Portability
You need a box that will comfortably work with the products you want to photograph. And if you will be going to clients to take photos, it needs to be easily portable. No one wants to wait around while the photographer fiddles endlessly with their kit. If you have plenty of space to leave a light box up and ready to use at any moment, then a bigger, more substantial product might be the best fit for you.
Lighting
Nearly all of these light boxes have their own light source. If you have studio lights already, then you might not need another one. It’s important to know if the lights can be dimmed. Bright light is important in many circumstances. But if you want a wide aperture, for instance, you might need to lower the light output. You’ll want lights that maintain the color temperature whatever the brilliance.
Shooting Apertures and Backdrops
Some of these light boxes allow you to shoot from above. This is really helpful for a range of products. Being able to shoot through a narrow aperture at the front of the box is essential for very reflective objects. Other light boxes have different colored backdrops for you to use. The ones that came with a cheap unbranded light box I bought are too shiny to be of any use. So it’s worth checking that.
Conclusion
Whether you are a product photographer or an entrepreneur, having a photo light box will make your life easier. You will be able to take great shots of your products, highlighting their features and drawing attention. A light box for photography is a great addition to any photographer’s toolkit. It’s perfect for product and food photography, as well as for photographing small items or details. Our top pick is the SAMTIAN 16″ light box. It offers excellent value for money, with a range of features that will suit most needs.
