Last Updated on March 16, 2021
No matter what type of product photography you shoot you will need quality lighting to make your products looks their best. And high quality product pictures will help you make more sales as it improves trust and desirability. They are also great for still life and even macro photography.
A photo light box can help you improve your images by creating true and consistent lighting. They are surprisingly easy to use and the benefits are well worth the investment. For this article I have reviewed the most popular models on the market and narrowed it down to the top lightboxes available. Check the links below for customer reviews and prices or just read on for the full review.
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What Is a Photo Light Box?
A high quality light box will instantly improve your image quality. Lighting can take a drab photo and really make your subject pop, grabbing your audiences attention. Whether you shoot products, still life or marcro photography like plants and insects, a light box is an awesome way to quickly improve your images. You will find the picks below with the increasing quality as you go through the list.
Neewer 24 x 24″ Light Cube
- The front opening is large and removable
- The white nylon fabric is translucent and light diffusing
- It comes with a custom carrying case with shoulder and hand holds
- 24″ x 24″ dimensions
Neewer is a producer of solid quality budget options and this light box fits the mold. There are higher quality options on the list but this is the model for you if you want to get the lowest price point option that still provides solid quality. This 24″ by 24″ version is a good size for small and medium sized subjects. This kit is just the light box and lights and there are no frills. One important note, when folded down there are wrinkles that form in the material. These will have to be smoothed out to avoid showing in your images. On the positive side you do receive four different colored backgrounds and the carrying case. Overall this is a solid basic light box kit at a budget friendly price. The included lights are not top end but they are solid and will definitely work well for the price.
BrightBox Portable Mini Photo Studio
- Portable all in one studio lightbox
- Constructed of a hard polypropylene with a matte finish
- LED lights that are powered via included Micro USB cable
- Includes a white and a black background
- Includes a product photography e-book.
This studio setup is an upgrade over the previous model. It offers a portable and durable design that is better equipped to handle being packed up and setup multiple times. Since it is not a fabric style you do not have to worry about wrinkles creating problems with your images. The built in LED lights work pretty well meaning you won’t have to buy additional lights. You may find you will want to upgrade them but they are fine for starting out. The lights are powered through a micro USB cable that can be plugged into an outlet or even your laptop. You get a white and a black background and everything you need to get up and running at budget friendly price. So do not expect to get professional level performance, but it really is a solid value overall.
MyStudio PS5 Portable Studio Lightbox
- Portable tabletop design
- 24 inches wide
- The white background is seamless
- Included 5000k color corrected lighting
- Multiple colored background options
- Plugs into a standard outlet
I really like the portable design. Even though it is designed to be packed up and mobile, it is still very stable when in use. It gives you plenty of flexibility in backgrounds and very little time is required to setup and get shooting. This all in one lighting and light box kit is a great option for those looking to get up and running quick. The color corrected daylight bulbs offer a great white illumination. Picture quality is definitely a step up from the light box above. It also comes in multiple different sizes so no matter how big your subjects are you should be able to get a box that is big enough. The price is a little bit higher than the budget models but it is still an excellent value for the performance you get.
Amazon Basics Portable Photo Studio Box
- Very easy to setup with no assembly needed
- Folds up small and portable, easy to store away when not in use
- Functional dimensions are 25″ x 30″ x 25″ will fit most products
- Good quality lights, 5600k daylight balanced LED
Amazon has been busy creating solid quality alternative options to compete with name brand items and this portable photo light box is a great example. It offers a solid studio lighting effect in a very affordable package. It is particularly great as a portable option as it folds up small quick and is easy to travel with or store away when not in use. The ease of use can really improve your productivity if you do not have a dedicated studio for photography. It also boasts a larger size than most options on the market making it great for most product sizes. The built in LED lights offer a great daylight balance for high quality images. This is a very solid all in one lightbox option especially for those who need portability and a larger box.
ESDDI Photo Studio Light Box
- Included LED lamps with a dimmer feature
- Easy to use and very portable
- Lights offer 26100 lumens and 5500k color temperature
- Versatile with multiple openings for different camera positions
- Four different color backgrounds – White, black, orange, gray
This model offers improved lighting over the picks above. The LED lamps provide bright and true color for consistent product images. It also has a light dimming feature that can be gradually turned up or down to get the perfect level. The color temperature is 5500k with 26100 lumens. Another great feature is for this box they removed the front flaps which gives you ample space to adjust your angle and perspective. This is another portable model that folds down well making it easy to store out of the way and even travel with. Overall this is a great model especially with the improved lighting over the other models above. Solid performer at a good price makes this an excellent option.
SAMTIAN Portable 16 x 16 x 16″
- Includes six different color backgrounds – White, black, red, gray, beige
- Built in 84 Led lights
- Dimmer feature for lighting
- Very easy to setup and use
- Portable and lightweight
Samtian makes a solid light box as evidenced by the fact that two made the top picks list. This photography light box is the smallest of the two models and is a great little option. At 16″ there is ample room for small and most medium sized subjects. I like the open design as it makes positioning easy. The LED light strips are built right in and provide excellent light coverage. There 84 LED’s throughout the strips and they are positioned well. Setup is quick and so is folding it down. It stores away and is portable as well. It is particularly well suited for setting up outside or on the road. You get a whopping six included background colors too, and they include white, black, gray, red and beige. This is a very solid performer and the price is not bad either.
LimoStudio 16 x 16″ Light Tent Kit
- Includes 1 mini tripod
- Includes 1 white tent
- Includes 2 Tabletop LED lights
- Includes 1 cell phone clip holder
- Multiple color backgrounds – White, black, red, and blue
- Mini camera stand
- Lights are 5500 kelvin 600 lumens
Here is a very good quality all in one kit set. The LimoStudio light tent is 16″ by 16″ and provides just about everything you need (minus the camera and the subject). It is quite simple to setup and take back down, but not the easiest on the list. It is a joy to work with though as it provides great lighting and ample space to work with. The multiple background color options are awesome for when white isn’t what you are looking for. The included camera stand is adjustable up to eight inches and is sturdy for clear and crisp shots. The fabric walls did not wrinkle that much when stored away but it is something to watch out for. Overall this is a very good all in one kit that has a lot of quality extras.
Emart 16 x 16″ Studio Box Kit
- 2 LED Lights – Table top and 15 watt
- Table top iPhone tripod
- Comes with color gel filters and four color backgrounds
- Portable and lightweight
- Wrinkle free backdrop fabric
- 5500 Kelvin and 600 lumens
The Emart studio box light set is ideal for those who need color options. This set not only offers four wrinkle free fabric backdrops, it also has four color get filters. The gel filters allow you to alter the color of the lighting for some excellent versatility. The two included lights provide 15 watts of LED illumination. The color temperature is 5500 k which is ideal for post production color edits. It is very quick to setup and folds away for easy storage and portability. The included iPhone tripod is great if you shoot with your phone, but it can just as easily be used with a camera with a different stand or tripod. This is a great option for those who want a lot of color options.
SAMTIAN Photo Light Box 32 x 32 x 32″
- Large lighting box
- Lights have a brightness dimmer
- 126 LED’s with 5500 k temperature and 13000 lumens
- Offers multiple openings for multiple perspectives
- Offers multiple background colors – White, black, orange, and red
This is a very large lightbox made to handle large subjects. It offers one of the largest in size on the list at 32″ x 32″ x 32″ and can handle most any product. It has a ton of LED lights to help you achieve the perfect lighting even when shooting those big subjects. There are 126 LED’s and they are well spaced. It also features a dimmer switch which gives you complete control over the lighting intensity. You can turn up the lights to full brightness for the infinity curve or bring them down for mood lighting. You also get flexibility in the shooting opening allowing you to get the perfect perspective. This is a great option for those who need a large light box.
MyStudio MS20 Professional
- Professional quality studio light box
- Seamless cyclorama infinity background
- Dimensions are 20″ x 20″ 12″
- Includes 5000 kelvin color corrected daylight lighting
- Excellent performance
The MyStudio MS20 is easily my favorite light box option. It offers true professional quality results. The cyclorama infinity background helps you achieve an infinity curve without the need for extensive post production editing. This will save you a ton of time and help your photography efficiency go up significantly. For the background all you have to do is insert any color sheet you want, but for the infinity curve white is the way to go as it is best for reflecting light. You will definitely like the image quality you can get out of this lightbox. The lights offer 5000k color temperature and provide a white exposure. Unlike lower priced models, the lights included are fluorescents which produce a much higher quality light. This light box is not designed to be portable and does best if you have a dedicated photography area. If you have the space and it is within your budget this is easily the best quality light box you can get.