Side by Side Comparison of: LimoStudio vs PBL

I bought these lights for a very specific purpose: to use as copy lights. I am digitizing all of the prints in our family photos albums using Google's new scanning app PhotoScan. I started the job by using light from a nearby window during the day. The results were fair. I knew I needed more light, and I wanted to be able to work at night. I'm a photographer, so I have had several copy stands in the past, but those have long ago been discarded, and I didn't want to spend $300 on another stand. I found it hard to believe that these lights could amount to much for the price. Actually, it was the overwhelmingly positive reviews that convinced me to try them. Well, I just finished my first album, and the lights are perfect. They are VERY bright, and the nice thing is, they burn very cool. My only disappointment in them is they don't telescope to a higher height. I would think that would be very easy to build in to the current design. They are sturdy and appear to be very well built. I haven't used the gel filters, but I've put them on to make sure they fit since some reviewers said they don't . You just have to follow the included directions (which, incidentally, are very good), and the filters go on fine. I haven't had to use customer service, but I was impressed to find a business card stapled to the directions sheet giving contact info if something arrives broken or not working. Neither applied to me. I was happy to receive the usual great delivery service from Amazon: I ordered them Sunday night and received them Tuesday morning.
By the way, those of you who are considering using the new scanning app from Google, it is really amazing. It's MUCH better than merely taking a picture of something. I don't think it can match most flat bed scanners, but who wants to spend the time using one of those clunking things?

Pretty cheaply made, but effective and so very inexpensive. I quite like them and I'm glad to have them. The whole point is light, and despite the roughly-hewn plastic body and lamp housing, they do stand in place and put light where you need it. The color filters are a nice addition too.

These lights are perfect for taking photos of my handmade jewelry! I use them along with a pop-up soft box, and my product photos have never looked better! I really wanted lights that would give off white light instead of something with yellowy tones, and these LEDs give off a great pure white light. I've used them a lot in the last few months that I've purchased them, and so far, I haven't had any issues. They don't run hot at all, and even though they are made out of plastic, they have been very durable (I may have dropped them a few times... but with no harm done to the lights!). I'm very happy with these lights, and you can't beat the quality for the price!

I wish I had bought these before I bought CFL lights for my light tent. These LED lights are smaller than the CFL's and put out much more light than the 30 watt CFL's that I have. They are so bright that it hurts to look at the bulb. This is an unbeatable bargain.

Besides being much brighter, another significant advantage of these lights over CFL lamps is that they use standard GU10 bulbs. You can easily replace them from any store the sells lighting products or online. These are 75 watt bulbs, around 5500K, and have a 120 degree beam angle. You could replace them with warmer or cooler bulbs and narrower or wider beam angle bulbs. Theoretically these should outlast CFL's by many years.

The lights come with cooling and warming lenses. I was concerned that they would badly attenuate the light output but no so. My only complaint is that the warming lenses do not snap on to the lamp the way the cooling lenses do. They were made too small. They still fit inside the housing but I had to put force the housing cover to screw back on again. This is a trivial complaint.

Some reviewers complain that thes housings are made out of cheap plastic. I think the housing is plenty strong for what they have to do. The tripod legs fold up into the housing column, and I think that is pretty clever. They are light weight but strong enough for what they have to do.

Don't hesitate! These are a much better bargain than CFL's!

I know absolutely nothing about taking professional photos, I'll start off by saying that. I knew I needed a light tent / box, and some lights to light it up. I bought a 12x12 lightbox and these little lights are amazing. They light up the entire cube allowing me to take some of the best photos of my jewelry that I ever have. It was essential for me to have true to color pictures, in order to avoid problems where the jewelry colors didn't match the photos. I'm very pleased, they were even a great price. The most important note that came with them is to not leave them on for more than an hour.

Love them! I bought these to start getting some consistent light stands to stock my studio with and they're absolutely perfect. They're very sturdy without being too heavy, don't wobble too much (even when extended to full height), and the air cushion gives me peace of mind that the lights will be safe if someone forgets to tighten the stand properly.I'll definitely be purchasing more for my studio in the future. They stack up very well to a single light stand that cost more than this whole pack, and I even prefer these.

These stands are heavy duty. They easily handle large LED lights and are quite stable. To get three at this price is a good deal. (It seems like I never have enough stands.) The lock screws function smoothly and lock securely. The storage bags are flimsy--no padding so they really just prevent scratches during transport and dust accumulation when in long term storage.

Love these! I got these for photographing weddings, so I could set up some flashes around the room at the reception. They reach taller than I've ever need them to be; they're built solid; and they're easy to use (I swear that tripods usually hate me, but surprisingly, I get along with these). These guys have survived months of rolling around in my trunk, getting set up and taken down (and maybe even ran into a few walls and doorways...I might be a bit clumsy) like champs. The only issue I've had is that they're so long (even folded up), I've had problems finding a simple bag that would hold these light stands with the flash brackets attached. And, seriously, who wants to attach/detach the flash brackets every time you have to store these things? Ain't nobody got time for that--especially at a wedding! But that's a very minor thing. I'll take their solid build and great height any day. :)

I was very skeptical when I saw these listed as three for $77 but I needed something to replace the skimpy stands that I have been using and figured that I would give it a try. These are absolutely wonderful!!! They make my old stands look and feel like twigs! The wide foot print also makes them so much more stable then my former stands. You cannot go wrong with these in my opinion. I am ordering another set today to use to hold up my backdrop now!

For the money these can't be beat! Very strong and sturdy. Makes some of my old kit lightstands feel like toothpicks in comparison. I use them to hold a pair of softboxes, which it does with ease. I'll be picking up another set of these very soon. Solid 5 stars!

Yes, These are quality stands. I was quite surprised at the price for them. I paid almost that much for one Ravalli. These are of equal quality in my opinion. I took a chance on them and got lucky. They have completed my home studio. So, as a voice in the wilderness, I would highly recommend these. Air cushioning is a must if you don't want to damage your equipment by loosening a clamp by mistake and having that sudden drop.

One of the filters arrived broken, but I don't plan to use it anyway (and probably still could if I got creative with some clear tape) so I won't bother exchanging it. I inspected everything else and it all seems to be intact, I would have rated this item 5 stars if not for the damaged filter. (see photo)

The lights greatly exceed my expectations -- I am a full time Etsy seller, and I'm pleasantly surprised with the high quality image I was able to capture using my cell phone camera with these and a basic light tent. The light they produce looks infinitely more natural than I had expected (see photo), and after having them on continuously for about 10 minutes they still felt cool to the touch.

I definitely recommend these, and would certainly purchase them again.

I like them so much I bought a 4 pack to use in addition to these two. They are very handy for a little extra spot light on my jewelry items at craft fairs. Brings out that extra little sparkle. I do use them for photography too but find two just isn't enough light for me and always end up adding more. I only gave them 4 stars however because they are a little wobbly. The top light area is just so much heavier than the stand that you have to balance them very carefully. They can tip over quite easily.

This product works for exactly what I bought it for. I wanted small lights on stands that I could hide behind props on set that would splash a little light in the dark areas. These work perfectly for that. They are pretty bright but the burn so cool that you can easily add a circle of ND gel to knock it down a bit if needed. I've also found that you can make little gobos out of thin cardboard an set in front of these to throw a nice shadow where you need it. They are not built to throw around carelessly but I take very good care of my gear so I'm confident that they will last me a long time. Some reviews are saying that theirs came with tungsten bulbs. Mine were LED but if I'd received tungsten, I would have returned them. I see that Walmart carries dimable bulbs that will fit in this fixture. I may consider that in the future. Overall, very happy with this purchase.

I bought these lights to use for shooting products in a photo tent. These are some insanely bright super white LEDs! For $20, you can't go wrong. First off, these aren't heavy duty studio lights. The housing and lens covers are made of cheap plastic, while the stand is made of thin steel. The bulb is heavy and looks solid. It seems to be the only piece the manufacturer didn't cut back on.

A couple nifty things about these lamps is the stand folds back into the housing, and the LEDs do not run hot at all. At most, it's warm to the touch. I've looked at several similar lamps here on Amazon and the most common complaint was heat, mostly for non-LED lamps. You can keep these on for long periods of time (note: there is a warning on the light recommending not to leave these on for over an hour).

My only gripe is the weight distribution. The lamp head is heavier than the body. You'll need to find some balance between adjusting the head, stand, and power cable, otherwise your lamp will fall flat, head first.

These lights are much brighter than I expected. Who knew led lights could be so bright? They do not work on a rheostat so keep this in mind should you want to dim them.

I have used these stands professionally for 2 years and they have held up pretty well considering what I paid for them. I own pricier, heavier stands that are nearly indestructible (Manfroto) that cost more each than these 3 stands together. I have used at the beach in and around salt water and have not had any corrosion problems. They work as they are supposed to holding lights and backdrops. I also like that they are not extremely heavy making them very portable.Cons I have had problems with screws needing tightening on the heads (loctite fix) and the pistons no longer move smoothly when raising and lowering the stands for height. If you extend them too far there are no actual stops and they will pull completely out of the cylinder. Have also been worried about over tightening and stripping the clamps but so far they have held any weight I have put on them (flash heads/backdrops). Functionally they do what they are supposed to do consistently and reliably. One of the stands broke where it clamps and holds the bottom cylinder and it's not repairable so I have 2 of the original 3 still functional after 2 years of heavy use.. I can use the non-functional stand as parts if necessary so not a total loss. All these are minor problems and I feel I got my moneys worth considering I use them professionally (constant heavy use and abuse).

Not heavy duty in professional terms. Tighten screws upon arrival, all 3 Had loosened screws. If you do small scale work sure but not professional use.

Good stands, much sturdier than my old set.

It's OK. These came at different stages of assembly and were improperly assembled. I had to take them apart and reassemble each one. The "air" glide does not really work properly. They are however well built and sturdy and that is why I purchased them. At the price point it was a good buy.

Perfect! Heavy duty without being heavy. I got 3 total, one was pretty busted when I got it but works okay at minimal height.

I cant say I love it, but for the price these are definitely very nice and sturdy stands. Heavy, but that's a plus. Not sure if I actually like the suspension part, because it makes it harder to disassemble the stand, but im hoping that with time it gets better (or i might get used to it)

I am so conflicted. These lights are awesome. The bulbs and the cast hues are product envy. Unfortunately, I received a set that appeared to have "after-the-fact" metal feet with light rust (though it had no overall effect on the feet utilitarian purposes). Additionally, I did not receive the filters at all which was why I ordered them. BUT, again, the cast hue and strength of the bulbs was EXACTLY what I was seeking, if not better.

Pretty decent and easy to setup and use. Only complaint is that it comes with a sticker on each light warning you not to use them for more than one hour at a time. It's an LED light that I should be able to run non-stop but I'm guessing they run hot and put that warning on to avoid issues. I'd give it 5 stars if it wasn't for that.

The lights get really hot and there are no instructions for how to put on those colored lenses. It's a very warm, yellow light

I needed something like this for scale model photography, and the price was really low. So they came today in a plastic bag. I plugged in one and attached the included filter, and it put out a lot of light. So far so good. I go to repeat the process on the second one and now there is a problem. The filters just rest on top of the light fixture with a screw top housing holding everything in place. On this second unit I cannot get the screw top to latch on to the light housing when I have a filter in place. I have tried taking the light fixture out and re-seating it, but that did not work.

These are perfect for using with my light box and I couldn't be happier!

ETA: one of the lights shuts off randomly for no reason and then will flicker a bit before going back on, and sometimes it stays off. I have only used it maybe a dozen times for a couple of minutes each time. It's getting to be really frustrating.

I would give 5 stars because the product is wonderful, easy to set up, and the quality is just what I need. No complaints there, especially for the price! The prime benefits say 2 day shipping but it actually took 4 days ..I needed this equipment for work and had to cancel and reschedule clients for two full days of work. Luckily UPS was able to help me out a little bit even though they didn't know why the package was delayed twice. I've used Amazon shipping for years and never had problems or delays so it's unfortunate that it happened the one time I needed something for work. I realize that's not the sellers fault.

Not bad

they work

This thing is one step above a flashlight, it creates deep shadows no matter where you place it. You basically need to rig a white box, and play around with exposure to get shadow free pics. It will spotlight your item like a police helicopter, if that's not the effect you are looking for than pass on this and get a more comprehensive lighting kit.

I plugged one in and it popped and started smoking. The one that did work was very bright.

I guess in this case you get what you pay for: Bulb housing clearly designed for halogen lights (even marked with stickers to caution against overheating) and the led bulbs seem to be a retrofit. Bulbs wobbly in the housing and the light color changes as it moves from center to edge of light therefore giving an inaccurate uneven color. Tripod legs are very sharp and do totally retract leaving three little pointy teeth sticking out of each stand. Seller and Amazon reasonable about the return.

See those little blue and yellow discs that are supposed to serve as filters to rise or lower the color temp? Don't expect to get them unless you complain. Guess the outfit that sells this stuff must get plenty of inquiries because to their credit they came within a few days once I lodged a complaint. Otherwise, pretty cheesy items, work fairly well with real close-ups. However very top heavy, a heavy book to secure the cord or a length of gaffers tape would do the job. Needed a little extra light for a project and they worked out OK. Just annoying they don't ship as promised.

I wouldn't recommend because of it's legs. Not stable at all. Few times they fall down from the table, but fortunately didn't brake. I didn't have time to try them for long time, and now I can't return them. The lights are ok.

Terrible product packaging. It's in a flimsy cellophane bag that had torn open at some point. I received only one of the two lights in the set. The other one apparently fell out before the bag made it in the box. This is part of my daughter's Christmas gift and I'm not happy. Use sturdier product packaging.

Ordered 3 stands. 2 of them broke in different ways within a couple months of careful use. Stands are low cost but also low quality.

Very cheap on light is faulty, it comes in when it feels like it. Was not dependable lighting for my daughters party. Also the stand is very flimsy and the lamp heats up very hot! Not safe.

This was a terrible buy. It does not cast the light out very far and no amount of adjusting actually gives good lighting for true to color pictures without shadowing. I will be returning these.

bad light its way too harsh. I want to retun them.

The good news is the price (I paid about $20 for a pair) and LED bulbs are easily replaceable. The bad news: quality, difficult to use filters, not UL listed. These are not the highest of quality. Each light has a sticker basically saying: "Do not leave on for more than 1 hour". Very discouraging fire hazard. The color filters do not really fit well over the bulbs. With a filter in place, it is very difficult to properly screw the bulb/filter cover back in place. I ordered these with the intention of giving at least 1 to my 7 year old niece. (She LOVES anything blue) Not anymore.

These arrived on time but when I opened them, they looked a little rough, as if they were used. The direction booklet was dirty and torn and the lights themselves looked a little scraped up. They only arrived with one blue gel and one yellow gel included.
These lights are very bright (too bright for me) but quite small, and an extension cord is needed to set them up anywhere. I'm disappointed to say the least and will be returning them. Cheapie desk lamps would have been a better choice.

Absolute Garbage! Did not make it through 1 wedding before I had one separate from the collar. I had the older 10 foot PBL stands that were great, lasted a whole season before a few started having issues. These ones, I have 0 out of 3 in the past 10 weddings survive. They all failed. Separated from the tubing etc... One is in the trash cause the top where the mounts screw on completely is gone. So disappointed. Definitely have to find a new company for stands.

Had high hopes for this product, and after using it 2xs one of the stands broke. A section just popped out and wont go back in. I'm a professional wedding photographer and this happened at a wedding! Even my colleagues were puzzled. NOT HAPPY!

I have been a photographer for 37 yrs and have had light stands that have lasted 15yrs. Two of these came apart after 2 months. Garbage!!!!!!

Update: After using these stands two or three times, they are difficult to setup and extend. The "air cusion" causes and "air vacuum"... very strange. Beyond that, two out of three broke (couplings came lose, or internal mechanisms failed - no external damage). They didn't last event a couple uses. I don't know how there are so many 5 star ratings, unless they never updated later, but these are made very poorly and come apart quickly. Returning right away.