You could do this on your own, but a lot of components go into a well rounded lighting setup. If you buy it piece by piece, you’ve got to put the time into researching and selecting which individual components to buy, and it’s likely going to be fairly expensive. The time and cost saving alternative is to buy a light kit. Which kit you get will depend on what you intend to shoot: portraits, products, still life, macro images of insects, or even green screen video that allows you to get really creative and add different backgrounds when you’re editing the footage on your PC. We’ve compiled an extensive and varied range of the best lighting kits that will allow you to capture stunning photos and video across a variety of genres. The SL-60 is called such because it is equipped with 60 watt bulbs, which are more than bright enough for beginning photographers. They are dimmable from 10-100%, and are set to an optimal 5600 kelvin temperature (the color of light typically seen during normal daylight hours). The continuous light lends itself to both photo and video work, and the light has a large heatsink to prevent overheating. This is the lighting kit I would personally recommend to my friends and family. It’s truly top-notch. It includes four adjustable lighting stands with two white and two black umbrellas, four 45W light bulbs, and an 8-by-10-foot backdrop frame with three backdrops (black, white, and green). If you don’t have any equipment yet, or if you’re a professional photographer looking for a lightweight and flexible travel kit, this is a great option. The whole thing weighs only 26 pounds and is quick to set up and break down. The downside is that the lights in this kit aren’t nearly as high quality as those in the Godox kit. The Foldio3 uses a magnetic clip system so that it can be assembled or taken down in mere seconds, and it stows into a highly compact and portable package for travel or storage in locations where space is at a premium. Non-reflective black and white backdrops are included, which are made of plastic and are easy to clean. Its built-in multi-light system is designed to minimize harsh shadows on your subject. The one downside is that you are limited by the size of the enclosure in what products you can photograph, since the largest version is only 25 inches wide. Even if you can’t afford to invest in a fancy camera, the Foldio3 allows you to capture professional looking images just with your phone. The lights themselves are dimmable, and can be used both as continuous lights or as flashes for still photography, and can be controlled via Bluetooth connection. The kit includes a bunch of modifiers with which to alter the characteristics of the light. The only downsides are that the kit is somewhat expensive, and the lights, though remarkably bright, aren’t very useful in sunlit conditions. For photographers and videographers on the go who need to shoot in a variety of scenarios, the Lume Cube 2.0 Pro Lighting Kit is easily one of the most versatile on the market. This kit includes two 86-inch adjustable stands and one 28-inch tabletop stand that allows for a range of setups. It also comes with two 33-inch umbrellas and three 45W fluorescent light bulbs, so it’s ready to use out of the bag. As a budget kit for indoor photography, this is an excellent value. The pair of four-socket heads come with 45W bulbs and puts out a good amount of light, but some of the included softboxes are on the small side at 16 x 24 inches each. The overhead softbox is larger at 20 x 28 inches. The two vertical stands are adjustable up to seven feet and the boom arm is adjustable to nearly six feet. This isn’t the largest kit, but that’s actually an advantage if you’re working in a smaller space. For the money, this kit provides excellent value. The Siros 800L can fire up to 220 shots on a charge at maximum power, and at speeds up to 1/18000th of a second at minimum power, or up to 1/7400 at maximum power. The downside, aside from the price, is that you’ll have to provide your own light stands and the Broncolor RFS2.2 transmitter for flash sync. The kit includes the lights, batteries and charger, flash tubes, a silver/black umbrella, softbox, speed ring, sync cable, and backpack with wheels and extending handle. For beginners, a constant light is going to be much easier to use as you don’t have to worry about syncing your camera with the flash and can compose your shot more easily. However, a typical flash produces brighter light than a constant light, particularly in entry level gear. Portability - Lighting kits vary wildly in size from about the size of a laptop computer to ones that fill enormous duffle bags when folded down. Also critical to consider is how difficult the kit is to take down and reassemble. If you need to take your lighting with you to different locations, then size when stowed, weight, and ease of assembly are vital factors to consider. Light control - Many lighting kits come with built in controls to adjust the color and brightness of the light. For beginners, such controls may not be strictly necessary, but as you learn and progress they will become more helpful.
About Our Trusted Experts
Andy Zahn has been writing for lifewire since 2019 on a variety of topics, but specializes in photography related products. Andy is a professional photographer who captures everything from product photos to landscapes and wildlife images. Andy utilizes studio lights both for photos, and in video production. Emmeline Kaser is a former editor for Lifewire’s product round-ups and reviews. She is an experienced product researcher specializing in consumer tech.
