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Most podcast and YouTube videos will look a lot better with better lighting. Here’s a cheap lighting kit that works great with any DSLR or camcorder setup, puts out really bright light,  and costs under $200!

Fancierstudio 3800 Watt Softbox Video Lighting Kit Light Kit with Carrying Case by Fancierstudio 9060SB4

• 10 x 60 Watt Compact Fluorescent Perfect Daylight Balance Light Bulb (equals 3000 watt)
• Four (4) x 45watt bulb for hairlight
• Two x 7'ft lighting, One Heavy Duty Boom Stand With Sandbag
• Two 22"x28" Large Softbox, One 16"x24" Softbox for Hairlight, Carrying Case Also included
• These CFL light bulbs rated for 120v for USA standard. Please make sure before buying if your country uses 220v please do not use these bulbs they will pop or blow.

Buy on Amazon

The Fancierstudio FL9060S4 lighting kit is really the same as the ePhoto H9060SB4 lighting kit. Notice the model number similarities? But the Fancierstudio label is $10 under ePhoto’s identical kit.

This cheap lighting kit has three lights and puts out 3,800 watts of light for only $169.99 ($10 more for the ePhoto one). You get a carrying case, two large softboxes, and one smaller softbox for an overhead hair light.

Low build quality (expected)

The build quality is quite low on this cheap kit, with a lot of plastic and thin aluminum. The carry case doesn’t make much sense because these lights would take a very long time to disassemble and re-assemble. So don’t plan to travel with these lights; they work best staying in your studio.

Versatile lighting gear

Each softbox holds five CFL bulbs. The kit includes 60-watt, 5500 K (daylight) bulbs for each softbox. Because CFL can’t be dimmed, the five bulbs have independent switches, letting you control how much light is cast based on the number of bulbs.

The 3,800-watt kit includes a third softbox, designed for as an overhead hair light. It holds four 45-watt bulbs. This light has two light switches, each controlling two of the four bulbs. To make the hair light more stable, the kit comes with a heavy-duty stand, boom arm, hook, and counterweight bag (fill it with your own weights).

ePhoto 3 Photography Studio Continuous Lighting Kits 4500W Digital Photography Studio 3 Softbox Lighting Kit Light Set + Carrying Case H9060S3

• ePhoto Premium Video Photo 3 softbox light Kit
• Ideal for portraits, Studio, Video and Photography
• Perfect for dynamic video and photography
• 15 x 60Watt Perfect day light = 4500 Watt Total Output
• Brand New with Padded Case

$179.99

Buy on Amazon

Alternatively, you can get the ePhoto H9060S3 lighting kit for three of the same softboxes and 4,500-watt output for $199.99.

I chose this cheap lighting kit for myself because of its versatility, light output, and affordability. I can use the hair light either overhead, or mount it horizontally to use as a third softbox.

More light for a lower cost

The closest alternative is the CowboyStudio 2,275-watt lighting kit, which is built a little nicer, but cost almost 50% more and outputs only 60% as much light as the Fancierstudio 3,800-watt lighting kit.

If you want bright, versatile lighting at an affordable price to enhance your YouTube or podcast videos, consider either the Fancierstudio 3800-watt kit with two softboxes and one hair light, or the ePhoto 4,500-watt kit with three softboxes.

A little caution with this cheap lighting kit

My first order was missing a part and had a wrong light stand. So make sure you have everything you were supposed to get. If you have problems, Amazon’s customer service will be far more helpful than Fancierstudio’s.

But for a bright, cheap lighting kit, I think this Fancierstudio option will work great, whether you’re video-podcasting or making video on YouTube.

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