Product photography is a skill. The past 3 years I have been chasing natural light in different locations of my home to get the perfect shot for my products. I decided it was time to try a light box.
A light box is a tool used to help photographers take excellent product photographs that capture and defuse the light coming in from different sources.
Why I Try A Light Box?
You can actually make a box on your own. There are plenty of online tutorials to show you how to make one if you’re crafty and love DIY projects. I tried making my own light box. As you can imagine it was a lot of work and did not function as I had hope. I decided it would be best to try one or two professional light boxes. Light boxes help you get the best lighting for your product photography no matter what your skill level. I took to the internet and researched for hours which light box rated the best to purchase.
One particular light box seemed to stand out throughout my research. I settled on this very highly rated light box. I have used this light box for my product photography for 3 month to ensure I was using all the features it had to offer. Here is a very hands-on detailed review.
Read on….
ESDDI Photo Studio Light Box 20″ Tall
When purchased, this light box came in at the medium price range of $80.00. There are more expensive light boxes on the market but this box consistantly come up at one of the best on the market for the price.
I know that $80.00 sound high for a light box but this is a quality folding light box. With seeing the high quality photos it produced I am convinced it was completely worth the money spent. The price is a great return on investment. I will have this well designed sturdy box for years to come.
Easy of Setup
I love the material of this product as it is very lightweight. As you can see the box is large but what I really liked was the fact it folded up very easily. The box is all one large piece . The first time I setup the box it took a moment or two to figure out. Once you get the design it assembles in minutes. There are no rods or connector for setup simply one large “T” shape box to close up with a plug in for the LED lights. Simple.
Durability
Yes, I found this box to be very durable. The 120 LED lights (squared) were securely intregrated to the inside top flap. The velcro that attaches the sides created a very strong quality bond.
Storage
Although this is a large light box, I found it easy to store. The shipping box in came in has a hard plastic handle on the top of the box for easy transport. The light box slides in the cardboard shipping box without error.
Here is a photo of the box closed up in it’s originally shipped box. I keep it in my office next to my desk as I use it often.
Extra Features
diffuser cloth
I have to say I love the diffuser cloth that comes with this unit.
When I first opened the box I could not figure out what the large white tranparent cloth was used for with this box. Later I discovered the cloth is a diffuser cloth. I am not a photographer or even pretend to be one so I needed to find out why this item was included.
Basically the diffuser does just that diffuses the light. The 120 led light in a square design located at the top inside of the tent can be slightly harsh on some surfaces.
If you photograph using the “diffuser cloth” for these types of items priceless. I do not use it for all items I photograph but it comes in handy when needed.
- Photographing metal, leads, or glass that reflects the light as you may get bright spots in your photograph.
- Photographing large object like a big globe or large jewelry box helps as the light may cast shadows in some areas of the photo.
Opening at top
I love that I was able to photograph my items from a top view.
The Backdrops:
One thing I really like is the backdrops actually stay securely in place. They velcro is very strong on these backdrops. I’ve worked with other light boxes and the backdrops tend to slip easily. These backdrops measure 10 1/2″ x39″ and fit into the box nicely. These backdrops cover the back and the floor of the tent perfectly. Because these backdrops are large I love that I can use the original box it was shipped in as storage. As you can see it fits nicely behind my desk when not used. I even found it easy to add in my own backdrop. I have some simple backdrops I picked up at Michaels craft store.
The Photo Results
If you were to purchase this cup which shot looks more professional? Right off the bat I notice two huge differences. The cup without the box was not true to color. This is a huge deal as when you are selling an item you want to truly represent your products color.
Take a look at the light shadows casts on the first photo. Without the box I could not get the light shadows off the side of the cup.
Lastly, the photo I took inside the light box was quick. I took two fast shots and was happy with the results. Without the light box I took a total of 8 shots to get one I thought looked good. All I can say to you on that is time is money. Sometimes I have over 20 items to shot in one sitting. I found it cut my photo shoot time in half. It was easier taking a great photo with the box and lights.
If you are interested in purchasing this light box Should I buy this box?