Home Reviews ,,,,, In the past few weeks we have tried Andoer's photo kit containing everything you need to create a small photo studio at home with three lights and a monochromatic backdrop. We say “at home” because this is where we tried it even if for its size and quality it can very well find space even in professional environments or in the garden and other outdoor places.
The strong point is certainly in the cost: with less than 150 euros you have everything you need to set up a practical and versatile set, complete with lamps included in the price.
What the kit includes
Scenography: 43.99 euros 1 backdrop stand 2 x 3 meters (2 stands + 1 pole) 2 backdrops (1 white + 1 black) 1.6 x 3 meters 2 clamps 1 carrying bag
Lights: 99.99 euros 3 stands 1 pole for giraffe 1 weight bag for giraffe 2 softboxes 50 x 70cm 1 softbox 40 x 40cm (giraffe) 3 socket 8 bulbs 45W 1 bulb 135W (giraffe) 1 carrying bag
How to mount
The kit can be assembled in about 15 minutes, a little if you want to improvise a set at home, a nuisance if you decide to use it every day: in that case it is better to prepare a room and leave it assembled for as long as you need.
Assembling the various parts is very simple. As for the backdrop, it is necessary to open the stands, raise the rods to the desired height and mount the central rod by fitting the various parts together. In fact, it is divided into 4 tubular sections (total length 3 meters) which do not necessarily have to be assembled all together. In our tests, for example, we used three. Once the central rod has been “built”, all that remains is to lock it to the two stands by means of the butterfly washer. Total time: 2 minutes
Instead, it takes more time to assemble the lights. As for the two side softboxes, after opening the stand you must first hook the lamp holder, then lock the thin rods in the kit into four holes and use them to support the softbox. Screw the four lamps (45W each) into it, all that remains is to close everything with the white cloth through the velcro. Total time: 5 minutes for each softbox
Faster assembly instead of the giraffe: you must first open the stand (this piece was missing in our kit, in the photos you will therefore see a different one that we had purchased separately in the past for another set), then fix the rod to it and screw the softbox at one end. In this case, the softbox is already assembled: it opens and closes in fact like an umbrella, thus making it much faster and more intuitive to assemble. Screwed on the only central lamp (the 135W one), also here the softbox with the white lid is closed through the velcro and the bag with the weights (we have filled it with stones) is positioned at the other end to balance everything. Total time: 3 minutes
All that remains is to connect the (Italian) plugs to the sockets and turn on the switches.
How it's done
Stands and rods are made of aluminum and painted black. They are therefore very light but strong enough to support the weight of the fabric in the case of the support for the scenography and of the softboxes in the case of the lights. The screws are made of metal while the joints are made of polycarbonate: this is the only flaw of the kit, as the stand we bought a few years ago has plastic components that in comparison seemed more robust.
The backdrops are made of a rather rigid fabric. As you can see from the photographs it maintains some creases and even ironing them do not go away completely. Here, too, you might want something better, although in photographs, especially when shooting with very wide apertures, the blur helps a lot to hide creases.
The white fabrics that cover the softboxes are quite light although they do their job, while the fabric that mainly makes up the softbox (black outside, silver inside) is really very robust and tear resistant.
The lamp holders, on the other hand, are of excellent quality, in resistant polycarbonate on the outside and in metal on the inside: a smart choice since they are closer to the lights which, from our tests, heat up a lot after 5 minutes and could easily deform any plastic components (if there had been).
Field test
We enclose two test photographs we took using this set (equipment used: Canon 6D and Canon 85mm f / 1.8).
Conclusions
In relation to the price, this set is truly excellent. It is made with materials that give the impression of lasting over time and there are also bags to keep them in a closet and transport them with ease. It also includes all the lights necessary for its operation and there are already two backdrops, black and white, to start taking pictures right away.
It is a completely different solution from flashes, certainly less bulky especially from the point of view of cables (if used with softboxes), moreover the lights, continuously illuminating the subject, are easier to control and can also be used in video optics. .
Retail price
The scenographic set costs 43.99 euros. The lighting kit costs 99.99 euros instead.
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