PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO CONTINUOUS LIGHTING UMBRELLA KIT + Free 27 Watts 5500K Fluorescent Photo Lamp Bulb

by Casio

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 7.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000GX484U
• Item model number: L2000-Combo
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #2 in Camera & Photo > Accessories > Lighting > Lighting Controls & Modifiers > Umbrellas
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 14, 2006

Product Description

XPro Studio Light Kit is ideal for film, digital photography, and even video productions. Professional Studio umbrella Kit is easy to use and setup is effortless. These lights work great with digital cameras with manual white balance. An entry level light kit for photographers of all level.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Basic but with some problems, November 27, 2007

By 

Marian L. Murdoch "Nuclear Marian" (Belfair, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO CONTINUOUS LIGHTING UMBRELLA KIT + Free 27 Watts 5500K Fluorescent Photo Lamp Bulb (Electronics)

When the package arrived, it said "Photography Eqipment" on the box. The missing "u" from "equipment" made me worry. Opening up the box, I found everything packed quite nice. However, all the screws in the frame were completely rusted. I've replaced them myself instead of going through the hassle of dealing with this company. I have since used this for 10 studio portrait shoots with varying degrees of success. For adults portraits, this set produces adequate light (I purchased 2 and use one as a main light and one as a fill light), but for shooting high energy children it isn't powerful enough unless you shoot at a higher ISO and risk a grainy photo.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Value, with Reservations, November 16, 2007

By 

Steven Nass "Weejun" (Lubbock, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO CONTINUOUS LIGHTING UMBRELLA KIT + Free 27 Watts 5500K Fluorescent Photo Lamp Bulb (Electronics)

I was impressed with the quality of materials and construction of each component. However, it seems that the components were not originally designed specifically for one another. The light holder, for instance, is designed to mount on the top of a metal shaft by means of a screw clamp. But the top of the light stand has a screw that points upward, and the only way I could determine to mount the holder is by clamping it onto the threads of the stand's screw -- it cannot be positioned lower, onto the shaft, where it would be more appropriate. It works, but not optimally. In another instance, the shaft of the umbrella is constructed of lightweight tubular steel. It is held in position by another screw clamp on the light holder. But when clamping it down, the screw will easily crush the tubular steel. I overcame this problem by temporarily removing the aluminum cap at the bottom of the umbrella's shaft and inserting a 15" long, 1/4" diameter wooden dowel into the tube. I can now apply adequate pressure to satisfactorily secure the umbrella.
You might gather from these problems that I don't recommend this purchase, but actually I'm quite happy with it. Compared to other sets, it's an amazing value. The use of color-balanced compact florescent bulbs makes a lot of sense (unless you require intense illumination). And the entire package is very compact.
If you're a professional photographer with an array of lighting options, this set probably isn't for you. But if, like me, you just need a simple, inexpensive way to light your subjects, this is probably as good a product as you'll find for the price!

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded my expectations, September 11, 2007

By 

William Massey (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO CONTINUOUS LIGHTING UMBRELLA KIT + Free 27 Watts 5500K Fluorescent Photo Lamp Bulb (Electronics)

My light arrived today, and I was very pleased with what I got. The build quality isn't stellar, but hey based on the price I'd say anyone who complains is a fool. I was actually surprised by how solid it felt. Even though the stand isn't solid metal, it doesn't feel like it's going to break on me any time soon.

The thing I like most about this light is that it doesn't put out a noticeable amount of heat! The heat is always an issue with continuous lighting sources, as you don't want your subject to be uncomfortable. I personally worked in a studio for two years where we used three large soft boxes, and if we left them on for a 15 minute shoot it felt like standing on the sun. This light doesn't have nearly as much power as that set-up but it's perfect for fill light in portraits or even as a primary light.

It does the job very well and I have been immensely pleased with the photos I've taken with it so far. I would make this purchase again in a heartbeat. You really can't beat this deal.