back to top
Banner Banner
Lighting Gear

8 Best Light Box for Photography in 2023 (Updated)

expert photography author ingrid miranda
By
By
A- A+
Download as PDF

Subscribe Below to Download the Article Immediately

You can also select your interests for free access to our premium training:

Your privacy is safe. I will never share your information.
Related course: Quick Capture Cheat Sheets

Having the best light box for photography will revolutionize your product photos. Nothing beats them for perfect lighting and clear shots. We’ve chosen the best light boxes on the market right now for you to consider.

Our top pick is compact, easy to set up and store, and has placeable, dimmable LEDs to light your products perfectly.

Our Top Pick
DUCLUS Light Box, 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box
DUCLUS 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box
Looking for a top recommendation for a light box for photography? This portable photo studio kit offers high-quality LED lighting, multiple backgrounds, and easy setup.

[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.

Our Top Pick
DUCLUS Light Box, 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box
DUCLUS Light Box, 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box
DUCLUS Light Box, 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box
  • Bright natural lighting
  • Adjustable brightness levels
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Durable and lightweight
  • Multiple shooting angles
Most Flexible Background Options
MyStudio Portable Photo Studio Lightbox Kit
MyStudio Portable Photo Studio Lightbox Kit
MyStudio Portable Photo Studio Lightbox Kit
  • Small and portable
  • Sets up in minutes
  • Bright crystal clear lighting
  • Includes two high-output daylight-balanced fluorescent lamps
  • Ideal for product photography
Best Value Light Box
Amazon Basics Portable Photo Studio Box
Amazon Basics Portable Photo Studio Box
Amazon Basics Portable Photo Studio Box
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Easy setup and breakdown
  • High-quality professional look
  • Supports backdrop and background
  • Includes lighting and diffuser
Best for Studio Lighting
Neewer 24×24″ Photo Studio Tent
Neewer 24×24″ Photo Studio Tent
Neewer 24×24″ Photo Studio Tent
  • Great for portrait and product photography
  • Softens and diffuses light
  • Easy to assemble and transport
  • Lightweight and durable
  • Large reflective surface area
Best Budget Choice for Small Products
LimoStudio LED Light Box
LimoStudio LED Light Box
LimoStudio LED Light Box
  • 60 bright LED bulbs
  • Energy efficient and minimal heat output
  • Collapsible box with adjustable stand
  • High-quality aluminum frame
  • Includes light diffuser panel
Best for Larger Products
HitTopss Photo Studio 32 x 32 x 32 inch Light Box
HitTopss Photo Studio 32 x 32 x 32 inch Light Box
HitTopss Photo Studio 32 x 32 x 32 inch Light Box
  • Metal tubing frame for rigidity
  • High-brightness LED lights
  • 5500K color temperature
  • Stepless dimming
  • Rotatable lighting bars
Best for Permanent Installation
MyStudio MS20LED Tabletop Lightbox
MyStudio MS20LED Tabletop Lightbox
MyStudio MS20LED Tabletop Lightbox
  • Easily folds up for storage
  • Super bright LED lighting
  • Built-in diffuser for even illumination
  • Perfect for small product photography
  • High-quality fabric background included
Best for Smartphone Product Photography
PULUZ 20 cm Portable Photo Studio Kit
PULUZ 20 cm Portable Photo Studio Kit
PULUZ 20 cm Portable Photo Studio Kit
  • 20cm cube with built-in LED lights
  • Provides two color backgrounds
  • Compact and easily transportable
  • Ideal for product photography
  • Creates a studio-like effect

Now let’s look at the products in more detail, starting with our top pick.

 

1. DUCLUS 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box

DUCLUS Light Box, 16 x 16 inch Portable Photo Studio Box
Brand DUCLUS
Size 16 x 16 x 16 inch (40.6 x 40.6 x 40.6 cm)
Power Supply Power outlet
Dimmable? Yes
Key Features LED lights can be dimmed and repositioned, box folds flat for storage and transport
Best For Product photography when space is at a premium

The DUCLUS 16 x 16 x 16-inch light box is more than enough for any small and medium-sized items you need to capture. The 160-piece LED lights come in a circular arrangement on the top of the box. And they come with diffusers and reflectors to help you achieve the effect you want.

It’s easy to set up and easy to carry, making it very portable. This can go on-location to any indoor or outdoor environment.

There are eight different backgrounds, allowing versatility in the products and items you shoot. The reflective silver sides bounce the color you’re using to keep it consistent.

 

2. MyStudio PS5 Table-Top Light Box

MyStudio Portable Photo Studio Lightbox Kit
Brand MyStudio
Size 24 x 60 inches (61 x 152 cm)
Power Supply Power outlet
Dimmable? No
Key Features Background, frame, and light source in one unit
Best For Product photography

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 into this frame quickly and easily.

This isn’t just a light box. It’s an entire kit. This means you get lighting—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 tip sheet to help you get started immediately.

3. Amazon Basics Portable Photo Studio Box

Amazon Basics Portable Photo Studio Box
Brand Amazon Basics
Size 25 x 30 x 25 inches (63 x 76 x 63 cm)
Power Supply Power outlet
Dimmable? No
Key Features Collapsible, 3 front doors for flexible shooting options, quick to set up
Best For Taking product photos for the Amazon Seller app

Do not be put off by the name. It might be the Amazon Basics photo studio box. But it comes from Amazon, which is a name you can trust.

This light box has a lot of features. 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 short on 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. And this allows you to take great product images.

This is one of the largest light boxes on this list. This makes it perfect for medium and large-sized items.

On top of these features, you’ll find built-in 5600K daylight-balanced LEDs. This light box kit gives you everything you need to shoot excellent product photography.

 

4. Neewer 24 x 24 inch Light Cube

Neewer 24×24″ Photo Studio Tent
Brand Neewer
Size 24 x 24 x 24 inches (61 x 61 x 61 cm)
Power Supply n/a
Dimmable? n/a
Key Features Foldable, includes front cover and 3 color inserts
Best For Those who already have a suitable light source

Neewer is a camera gear company that offers cheaper alternatives to many camera gear items.

When it comes to light boxes, it’s no different. 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 won’t find any 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. We recommend the EMART LED Continuous 5500K Light Lamps.

 

5. LimoStudio LED Light Box

LimoStudio LED Light Box
Brand LimoStudio
Size 16 x 16 x 16 inch (40.6 x 40.6 x 40.6 cm)
Power Supply Power outlet
Dimmable? No
Key Features Includes two lights, phone tripod, and box
Best For Small product photography on a budget

Another great photo light box 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 doesn’t quite fit. It comes with a mini camera stand that’s adjustable up to 8 inches.

The two tabletop LED lights reach 600 lumens. That means lighting the product through the fabric walls won’t be a problem. The fabric is polyester, making it easier to clean for those more experimental shoots.

 

6. HitTopss Photo Studio 32 x 32 x 32 inch Light Box

HitTopss Photo Studio 32 x 32 x 32 inch Light Box
Brand HitTopss
Size 32 x 32 x 32 inches (81.3 x 81.3 x 81.3 cm)
Power Supply Power outlet
Dimmable? Yes
Key Features Big enough for large products, flexible shooting options including top-down
Best For Large product photography

This HitTopss Photo Studio 32 x 32 x 32 inch Light Box is ideal for larger products. 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 you to place them in many different 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 you can close it so the small window lets you capture a situation where light doesn’t escape. It’s even possible to shoot top-down.

 

7. MyStudio MS20LED Professional Tabletop Light box

MyStudio MS20LED Tabletop Lightbox
Brand MyStudio
Size 20 x 20 x 12 inch (50.8 x 50.8 x 30.5 cm)
Power Supply Power outlet
Dimmable? No
Key Features Seamless cyclorama background
Best For Permanent or semi-permanent installation

The MyStudio MS20LED Professional photo light box is the professional version of the PS5 Studio light box listed above. It’s larger and stronger with a higher 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.

 

8. PULUZ 20cm Portable Light Tent

PULUZ 20 cm Portable Photo Studio Kit
Brand PULUZ
Size 20 x 20 x 20 inch (50.8 x 50.8 x 50.8 cm)
Power Supply USB 5 V
Dimmable? No
Key Features Extremely portable with six different colored backdrops
Best For Small product photography on a budget

The PULUZ Photo Studio Box is a compact design perfect for carrying wherever you need to take it. But 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 shop or office. 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 fit the products you want to photograph. And if you will be traveling to clients to take photos, it needs to be portable. No one wants to wait around while the photographer fiddles around 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 any more. 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. The ability 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 to them. And 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 and has a range of features that will suit most needs.

Our Top Pick
SAMTIAN 16 x 16 x 16 Photo Light Box Kit
SAMTIAN 16 x 16 x 16 Inch Light Box
Looking for a top recommendation for a light box for photography? This portable photo studio kit offers high-quality LED lighting, multiple backgrounds, and easy setup.

 
Show Comments (0)

Related Articles

See all articles in Global

How to Never Take a Blurry Photo Again (With These 7 Simple Steps)

Here are 3 of the 7 steps we uncover in this 21 minute video:
Icon

3 Focus Modes

Easily the most common reason for poor focus and blurry images

Icon

Focus Selection Points 

Leaving your camera on its default settings will produce blurry results

Icon

Shutter Speed

Post processing won’t fix a blurry image from a slow shutter ​

Where should we send the video?

 
Your privacy is safe! We will never share your information.

How to Never Take a Blurry Photo Again (With These 7 Simple Steps)

Here are 3 of the 7 steps we uncover in this 21 minute video:

3 Focus Modes

Easily the most common reason for poor focus and blurry images

Focus Selection Points 

Leaving your camera on its default settings will produce blurry results

Shutter Speed

Post processing won’t fix a blurry image from a slow shutter ​

Where should we send the video?

 
Your privacy is safe! We will never share your information.