Great Looking Mini Collapsible Lightbox for Under $5 - Under $20 Mini-studio

[Panda77]

This was a fun project I worked on for the last couple days. It was inexpensive and easy to do with a little bit of crafting skill. The lightbox was built following the guide found on this Youtube video. I used 5mm thick white foam board, velcro so it can be taken apart and collapsed, and a cut up white undershirt for the diffusers. I used the foam board cutouts to make white reflectors that can be positioned to bounce light onto the front of the subject. It cost $3 for the foam board and I had the other materials laying around.

For the lighting I bought 2 sockets ($1 each), a 2 meter length of electrical cable ($1), 2 plugs ($1 each), and 2 20 watt compact quad fluorescent bulbs ($4 each). From this I constructed my own lighting and suspended them from the sides of the lightbox via a hanger (though I am looking to replace the hanger with some type of rigging when I'm at the hardware store next). I then made 2 plastic cones from a clear plastic report folder and lined the inside with metal tape (I already had these parts laying around). I suspended/attached them to the lights so that they reflected/concentrated the light back into the box.

I also bought 7 A4 size gel sheets of various colors (not pictured) that can be used for changing the light color. I got all 7 for $2 from the art supply store.

The total cost for me was $18, but the best thing about it was the fact it was quite fun to make.





And the results...

Lumix G6
Lumix 14-45mm @45mm, f11

[Marie Hass]

Nice job!!!!!!

I like easy and cheap.

Marie

[rpcrowe]

Great job, Adam!

I use a commercially manufactured light tent which cost me under $21.00 USD on eBay USA with free shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/60-x-60cm-24...29615691&rt=nc

I like it because it folds up to take less space than a car window shade. It came with four backgrounds (red, white, black and blue) and I can switch background material and/or add black or white reflective plastic on which to place the item. It also comes with a front cover with a camera slit handy to eliminate camera reflections when shooting a highly reflective item.

This is not necessarily my tent, but it is one very much like it. I bought mine several years ago.

I have some fishing items to shoot for eBay and will post the images after I shoot them.

I no longer shoot eBay items in JPEG small although that is a lot easier. The problem was that I grabbed the camera with which I was shooting the eBay items and shot another project in JPEG small since I forgot to change the camera. I know that is operator error, but not switching the camera to JPEG and shooting my eBay items in RAW will prevent such an accident from occurring again when I have one of my "senior moments"...

[Panda77]

Thanks for the kudos!

[D L]

Great work Adam. I made one out of a cardboard box and tracing paper (as on strobist website). It was alright but I don't really do that sort of photography much. It's not collapsible, so now I don't know what to do with it, apart leave it taking up space in the spare room.