Buyer's Guide of Light Boxes For Photos | 10 Best Ones in 2025

Think from the perspective of a commercial photographer, one of the most important pieces of equipment he needs is his/her lightbox. This doohickey may not seem like much from the outside, but, remember, it’s the same device that lets you take those ultra crisp as well as extra detailed shots of products.

Therefore, it makes sense to have one of these in your arsenal. The good news is we’re here to provide with you our best recommendations! Please keep reading to discover the best lightbox options available for you.

Table of Contents

• 1. Glendan Portable Photo Studio - Best Budget Option ▼
  • Specifications
• 2. LimoStudio 16″ x 16″ Table Top Photography Studio - Best for Beginners ▼
  • Specifications
• 3. AmazonBasics Foldable Photo Studio Box - Best for Instant Setup ▼
  • Specifications
• 4. Travor Photo Studio Lightbox - Best On-The-Go-Studio Box ▼
  • Specifications
• 5. ORANGEMONKIE Foldio3 - Best Portable Photo Studio Lightbox ▼
  • Specifications
• 6. HAVOX HPB80XD Photo Studio Light Box - Best for LED Ramp System ▼
  • Specifications
• 7. Neewer Studio Light Box - Best for Customisable Illumination ▼
  • Specifications
• 8. Godox LST40 Portable Photo Studio Box - Best Compact Design ▼
  • Specifications
• 9. PULUZ Mini Photo Studio Box - Best for Small Products ▼
  • Specifications
• 10. FOSITAN Photo Box - Best Large Lightbox for Photography ▼
  • Specifications
• Lightbox Techniques for Various Photography Styles ▼
  • Product Photography
  • Food Photography
  • Macro Photography
  • Still-Life Photography
  • Flower Photography
• FAQs ▼
  • 1. What does a lightbox do in photography?
  • 2. Are photo lightboxes worth it?
  • 3. How to make a lightbox for pictures?
• Comparison Table

1. Glendan Portable Photo Studio - Best Budget Option

As a photographer, you’re probably always on the move, aren’t you? This Glendan Portable Photo Studio is great, especially when you’re working on a budget and still require the exceptional functionality of higher-quality models and brands. One thing to be noted: It comes complete with 6 colour backdrops, four reflection boards, along with a carry bag for easy portability. As a result, you can focus on finishing your food before the next gig! That’s cool, right?

 Image from Amazon

Specifications

Size: (12″) *(12″) *(12″)

Source of Light: LED

Backdrops: 6

Power Source: USB

Weight: 99.8 ounces

Pros

￮ It’s quite cheap and this makes it perfect for up-and-comers

￮ Beginner-friendly

￮ Quick and easy set-up so you can get shooting ASAP

￮ Lightweight

Cons

￮ Sadly, it has limited additional features and functions

￮ Plastic frame can be flimsy

￮ Smaller in size

2. LimoStudio 16″ x 16″ Table Top Photography Studio - Best for Beginners

If you’ve just started shooting photos, you’re probably happy with the equipment you have right now. Of course, more savvy photographers are able to recognise quality equipment even when it’s not always obvious. This LimoStudio miniature photography studio is a great testament to that fact. It’s not the flashiest lightbox on this list (no pun intended!), but what it lacks in bells and whistles, it makes up for in great functionality that even amateur photographers will appreciate.

 Image from Amazon

Specifications

Size: 16 inches by 16 inches by 16 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 4

Power Source: USB

Weight: 65.4 ounces

Pros

￮ Comes with its own universal tripod (The best thing about this is it is compatible with both smartphones along with DSLR cameras)

￮ External LED light-stands let a photographer play with the lighting, and that allows him/her to create dynamic shadows and contrast

￮ Budget-friendly price

Cons

￮ LED lights can be overwhelmingly bright

￮ Among the notable downsides is the polyester carry bag which is easy to tear

￮ Limited functionality is also among its negative sides

3. AmazonBasics Foldable Photo Studio Box - Best for Instant Setup

If you’re the kind of photographer who believes that tinkering with equipment all day gets in the way of doing your job, you’re not alone. This foldable photo studio box was developed by Amazon via their Basics line just for other professionals like you. As you can imagine, getting this thing up and running requires almost zero effort on your part. It’s great for “quick and dirty” photo shoots where you don’t have much in the way of preparation time.

Specifications

Size: 25″ by 30″by 25″

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: None

Power Source: USB

Weight: 208 ounces

Pros

￮ Super easy to get up and running in less than 20 seconds

￮ Slim, portable design

￮ Front 3-door system allows for some creative angles

Cons

￮ Unassumingly heavy for its size

￮ Not very big

￮ Not much functionality beyond the basics

4. Travor Photo Studio Lightbox - Best On-The-Go-Studio Box

If the previous recommendation was made for those of us who just can’t be bothered with all that tech, this one is the opposite. This photo studio lightbox from Travor was made for photographers who prefer something more technically involved. It’s definitely on the more cumbersome side of things, but its aluminium frame pretty much guarantees maximum sturdiness at all times. It’s also got adjustable lights and multiple openings for more creative angles.

Specifications

Size: 32 inches by 32 inches by 32 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 4

Power Source: Plug

Weight: 208 ounces

Pros

￮ Sturdy frame ensures no “unhappy accidents” are made

￮ Multiple openings allow for interesting shots

￮ Lights are fully adjustable in terms of angle and brightness

Cons

￮ Super heavy (did someone say “back pain”?)

￮ Requires a lot of assembly work to get up and running

5. ORANGEMONKIE Foldio3 - Best Portable Photo Studio Lightbox

Did you read some of the previous entries and think, “That’s neat, but it’s still not portable enough”? Are you on the hunt for something that can literally be set up in 10 seconds? Well, then good news for you. This portable photo studio lightbox from ORANGEMONKIE is called the Foldio3, a name that should tip you off as to what it’s all about!

To Simply put it, this nifty little device folds and unfolds with ease. The consequence for this is it allows for supreme portability.

Specifications

Size: 25 inches* 25 inches* 22 inches

Source of Light: LED
Backdrops: None

Source of Power: Built-in

Weight: 35.2 ounces

Pros

￮ Of the notable positive side is it is super lightweight

￮ Surprisingly, tuick setup takes roughly 10 seconds

￮ Built-in power supply to keep you up and running even during lengthy shoots

Cons

￮ Backdrops must be purchased separately and must be made to fit the Foldio3

￮ Small size is one of its downsides

￮ Compared to its size and limited functionality, it’s quite pricey

6. HAVOX HPB80XD Photo Studio Light Box - Best for LED Ramp System

If a photographer is looking for something with a little more adaptability than some of the other entries on this list, we would suggest HPB0XD from HAVOX. It’s a real beast of a photo studio lightbox with a robust LED lighting system that you can shape and adjust to suit your needs. Multiple openings both in front and on top also allow for creative angles, but you’ll have to get through the lengthy set-up first!

Specifications

Size: 32 inches by 32 inches by 32 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 3

Power Source: Plug

Weight: 209.9 ounces

Pros

￮ Fully adjustable LED lights

￮ Multiple openings allow for creative shots

￮ Super high-quality materials ensure the box is kept sturdy and secure

Cons

￮ Lengthy set-up process due to multiple parts

￮ Changing backdrops can be challenging

7. Neewer Studio Light Box - Best for Customisable Illumination

About photography, It is fair to say, “Photography is like 15% angles and 85% lighting.” Okay, so maybe we didn’t go to photography school, but if you’re a real stickler for perfect lighting, this lightbox from Neewer is the one for you. It’s got this great lighting adjustment dial that lets you tweak the illumination on a micro-scale. Your lighting is also kept even and diffused with the cloth background that comes included in the box. Really, this lighting stuff is pretty important!

Specifications

Size: 24 inches by 24 inches by 24 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 4

Power Source: Plug

Weight: 165.7 ounces

Pros

￮ Ability to fine-tune your lighting down to a micro scale is a dream for any (good) photographer

￮ Set-up is easy as pie (not baking a pie, eating one)

￮ Super balanced lighting all throughout

Cons

￮ You’ll need deep pockets for this one

￮ Can only be described as “cumbersome” to carry and maneuver

8. Godox LST40 Portable Photo Studio Box - Best Compact Design

One of the traps that many of the previous lightboxes have fallen into is their size. Specifically, some of them feature impractical weights, sizes, and shapes. Fortunately, this LST40 portable studio box from GODOX rectifies that issue by featuring a practical compact design that makes transporting it easy.

Specifications

Size: 16 inches by 16 inches by 16 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 2

Power Source: Plug

Weight: 186.5 ounces

Pros

￮ Compact design makes it easy to carry

￮ Quick set-up and easy operation

￮ Four separate windows allow for multiple angles

Cons

￮ Only comes with two backdrops, white and black

￮ Still surprisingly heavy, with external devices included

￮ Small size

9. PULUZ Mini Photo Studio Box - Best for Small Products

Let’s face it, most photographers who make use of a lightbox aren’t going to be taking family photos (unless, of course, you’re shooting a family from Horton Hears a Who). These things are designed with small products in mind, and no other lightbox is better for this than the mini photo studio from PULUZ.

Specifications

Size: 10 inches by 10 inches by 10 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 6 (x2)

Power Source: USB

Weight: 38.7 ounces

Pros

￮ By far the lightest lightbox on this list

￮ Comes with 6 double-sided colour backdrops (each side is a different colour), allowing for maximum creativity

￮ Collapsible design makes it easy to set up

Cons

￮ Obviously quite limited in size

￮ Light diffusion can be a problem for top-down shots

10. FOSITAN Photo Box - Best Large Lightbox for Photography

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we’ve got this monster of a photo box from FOSITAN. This one’s great for those of you looking to shoot larger objects, but do be warned that with its massive size comes a massive weight!

Specifications

Size: 35 inches by 35 inches by 35 inches

Light Source: LED
Backdrops: 4

Power Source: Plug

Weight: 235.5 ounces

Pros

￮ Perfect for large objects

￮ Strong and sturdy frame

￮ Fully adjustable brightness

Cons

￮ Only one window, limiting potential angles

￮ Super heavy

Lightbox Techniques for Various Photography Styles

Product Photography

￮ Ensure the lighting is evenly distributed

￮ Keep the product at the centre of the box

￮ Maximise the lighting to keep the ISO low and reduce graininess

Food Photography

￮ Top-down shots tend to work best for food products

￮ Experiment with contrast by playing with your light settings

￮ Shadows can give the food a more “lively” appearance - don’t go crazy with your lighting

Macro Photography

￮ Use a tripod to keep the camera steady

￮ Ensure that the background is devoid of clutter

￮ Keep the lights on the sides on but dim, and switch off the top and back lights to avoid too much bouncing light

Still-Life Photography

￮ Aim for a more natural-looking light setup

￮ Create shadows surrounding your object to give it depth - still-life is nothing without it

￮ 3-quarter angles work best for still-life photography

Flower Photography

￮ Use a shallow depth-of-field on your camera to give the flowers an “ethereal” quality

￮ Place your flowers directly on the lightbox to highlight their unique shapes and silhouettes

￮ Dim the lights somewhat so that the light does not penetrate the subject

FAQs

1. What does a lightbox do in photography?

Lightboxes are probably the most appropriately-named piece of equipment on the planet. They’re boxes of light! Photographers use them to shoot commercial products - the sterile, white background and evenly diffused lighting keeps everything “neutral” while highlighting the subject (or in this case, object) of the shoot.

2. Are photo lightboxes worth it?

The answer to this question is pretty much entirely dependent on your own skills and needs. For the people who are landscape or still-life photographers, they probably won’t get much use out of a lightbox. After all, they’re mostly used for commercial products. Does that sounds like something you want to get into? If this is the case, then getting your hands on a lightbox is a necessity! And hey, here’s a secret: you don’t even need to buy one!

3. How to make a lightbox for pictures?

Step One: Go and grab yourself an old cardboard box. For instance, it can be an Amazon parcel. Don’t forget to make sure that the size suits your preferences. Remember to remove one of the sides completely - this will be the main window you shoot from.

Step Two: On the two adjacent sides, one must measure and cut equally sized windows. One thing to be noted: It’s best to outline these before cutting to ensure that they’re in the right place!

Step Three: Cover the interior of the box with white felt. The result? This will give you that clean, professional background you need.

Step Four: Use white tissue paper as “curtains” to cover the windows. These will diffuse the light. No need for anything fancy here - just tape the tissue paper over the holes you cut!

And, in less than 10 minutes, you’ve made yourself a fully functional lightbox!

Comparison Table