FancierstudioLighting Kit 3 Point Light Kit Fluorescent Lighting Kit Umbrella Kit

The price that you are paying for this thing is just insane. With that said you are basically paying for two good metal 7" stands and a 3-4" front metal front stand. The bulbs, Tote, and sockets you can say they throw it for free.Mine came perfectly wrapped, on time and with out any missing parts. This is a beginners set so people expecting professional quality for $49 are just plain mad for $49 you cannot get even a professional Bulb. This is excellent set for a basic three point lighting kit. if you want to know about three point lightning go here:[...]Some recommendations before using this. 1. Don't trash the boxes that come within the tote it helps you to handle and storage all the equipment better and keep it protected from scratches etc. With the boxes you can put all those things back in the tote easily.2. DO NOT FORCE THE KNOTS AND BOLTS to keep the lights/umbrellas on place they are made of plastic and will break be gentle with them or they will break. the parts are made of plastic and very light so you don't need that much force.The positives1. Great stands that cost much more than $49.2. Excellent set for a basic three point lightning.3. Cables are long and have enough length to run around a small room. (what this lights are for)Neutral1. Some people complained about the lights not being powerful enough. With that concern I went to Home Depot and spent $10 getting two 75 watt day light bulbs, they spread light about the same amount than the lights that come with the set. For a small setting these lights are bright enough.2. Tote. if you keep your boxes then you can put everything back inside with ease. Do not force the zipper and it will last and make very easy to transport the equipment, it is not the strongest tote ever but it does it's job.Not so good:1. Well for $49 you can't complain that much but al the bolts and knobs to tight the lights sockets, umbrellas, etc. are made of plastic. if you try to tighten them too hard they will break, they are plastic! just be careful (you don't need to tight these things too hard)2. Umbrellas seem cheap but they do the job of diffusing the light and not shoot it directly to the subject creating that "deer spooked by a headlight" effect.This is an indoor, studio type, lightning set. it was not made for outdoor use.it will improve dramatically the quality of your photos/video in low light conditions like living rooms, kitchens, media rooms, etc.Don't spend thousands of dollars on a camera that captures low light conditions instead spend $49 and get this and keep that budget camera in use.

I definitely think that this is the best deal you can get for an amateur photography or video lighting set on Amazon. For $50 you get more than enough to drastically improve the look of your photography or video creations. Like mentioned in other reviews, the quality won't be top of the market but it isn't cheap plastics and flimsy joints. Everything is sturdy enough to stand up to everyday wear so long as you don't go banging the stands around or over tighten the connections.Now for the umbrellas that are included with the set, they aren't the best I've seen in terms of dispersing the light from the bulbs but you can easily make them work by adjusting the angles and distance they are set from the object you are shooting. One tip I also have is to position the umbrella relatively far away from the bulb when securing it to the stand which will in effect spread the light much greater.If you are an amateur photographer trying to add some higher visual quality to your work, I highly recommend this product.

This is a good lighting kit for light use. Coming from someone who does NOT consider herself as even an amateur photographer, this kit served it's purpose well (that being, one specific project). Equipment fit well in bag, and came well packed. Tone of the lights was somewhat cool, and quite bright. Really can't say how well it would hold up with heavy use, or how it compares to more expensive equipment, but it did what it was supposed to do, as far as I can tell.

There were no instructions. I guess they figured if you need this product, you already know how to set it up. I went on youtube to learn how to assemble it.After I got it set up, I posted a picture of it on my Facebook page, and a filmmaker I know recommended switching out the lights that came with it to a different type, in order to give your face a more soft and natural look. Less harsh.Once I got the new bulbs, only the main light (not the two with the umbrellas) accepted them. So, I'm back to using the ones that came with it.All in all, they do what they are supposed to, and I'm happy with my purchase. You get what you pay for.

Everything has been working good so far. Bulbs are decent. Used these a few times for photography and video. I would recommend if you are looking for a cheap set of lights. I ended up buying some super bright LED bulbs from the home improvement store. They are almost blindingly bright, so I might have to experiment with a few different bulb illumination levels to find what works for me.

Great set-up, easy to use. Thanks!