I’ve placed two separate orders with this store. One through their eBay shop and another directly from their website (order number #47916). Both experiences were excellent. Each order arrived the... See more
Company replied
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
Some of the kit I was ordering was not in stock, therefore had to pre order. The lead time was 7 - 10 days. However I was notified after a bout 5 that the kit had arrived and was delivered 2... See more
Company replied
Essential Photo&Video are my first choice go to place for all my studio kit - great prices, great promotions, fast delivery, excellent service. A big thing is that the quality of the kit is always go... See more
Company replied
Easy to make purchase, great delivery and an awesome product. Managed to overcome the install of my Insta360x4 to the boom on my Supernova racing/sailing dinghy when I couldn’t find anything else to... See more
Company replied
Company details
Written by the company
A British company based in Birmingham, EssentialPhoto & Video specialises in studio lighting equipment and accessories for photography and videography industries. Our range includes studio flash, continuous/LED lighting, light modifiers, stands, backgrounds and much more. An Official Partner with Godox, we also stock a huge range of Godox lighting and accessories, including the brand new KNOWLED range of professional TV and Film video lighting. We offer first class service on amazing products, but if you have had a negative experience with your order, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Customer Support team at info@essentialphoto.co.uk and we will do our best to make your experience 5-star!
Contact info
EssentialPhoto & Video, 48 Brick Kiln Street, DY5 1JG, Brierley Hill, United Kingdom
- 01215523113
- info@essentialphoto.co.uk
- essentialphoto.co.uk
4.5
Excellent
1K reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Excellent equipments and Customer service
Their products are always excellent. Great customer service. I bought all my photography equipments from them.
February 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi! thank you so much for your positive review! We look forward to helping you with any future purchases! Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Have a great day!
Advertisement
Great service
Great service with fast secure delivery, items are good and well priced
I have bought allot of gear and found all to be good, packing good and on time.
February 27, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi! thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad you had a great experience with your orders, and we hope to support you with any future purchases with us! Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Have a great day!
Excellent service amazing affordable…
Excellent service amazing affordable products often better than Profoto and Bron sensible postage charges will always shop here..
March 13, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Richard, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear you’ve enjoying shopping with us, and we hope to continue with our great services to assist you! Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Have a great day!
A lovely process, start to finish.
Really easy website to use, and the delivery was much cheaper than I had considered. My order arrived safely and well packaged a day earlier. Thanks to using DPD on this, as I've never had any issues, or heard anything bad from DPD. Overall, great service from start to finish.
February 6, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Fraizer, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re thrilled to hear you had a great experience from start to finish, and we appreciate knowing our couriers took care of your order too! Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Have a great day!
The best alternative to Amazon!
I'd grown tired of sorting through the cheap knock offs on Amazon looking for a quality product. I am so glad that I came across Essential Photos & Video. Really great products and at comparable to Amazon. AND it's UK based so I got my products fast. Now it's my go to for all my photographic accessories and lighting. The light stand I purchased was sturdy and heavy duty. The LED light wands were perfect for the shoot I was setting up. I've used Essential several times this year, and the next time I need more products I won't be looking anywhere else.
January 17, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Troy, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re so glad you’re enjoying your new kit, and the team is always happy to help you! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we’re looking forward to serving you again soon!
Advertisement
Great company to deal with
Great company to deal with, excellent products and realistic prices, good customer service as well
March 5, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Gareth, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re thrilled to hear your enjoying our products, and we’re even happier to hear our customer service has been great too. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
The place I always go to for my kit
The place I always go to for my kit. Recomended to me by a pro some years ago. Their online help is invaluable.
April 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Ken, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re so glad to hear the kit you’ve had from us has been bang on! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Fantastic and Reliable
The service provided is fantastic. Products delivered quickly, and packaged well.
I have had any issues with any of the product I have purchased from Essential.
February 9, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Paul, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear you’ve had no issues from us at all, and we hope your kit is still going strong! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Aways excellent service and quality…
Aways excellent service and quality products.
February 20, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Stewart, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear you’re loving your products! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Advertisement
Brilliant upgrade
Quick delivery and product (Flash trigger) works brilliantly (No pun intended !) Let me use all my flash system which I used to use with my Canon bodies with my new Fuji set-up.
February 24, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Philip, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear the new kit is working well and you’re having a great time using it! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Excellent service and fast delivery
February 3, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Steve, thank you so much for your positive review! We hope you enjoy your new order! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Ordered and delivered promtly
March 6, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Michael, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear ordering from us was quick and efficient! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Great Service at good prices
Great Service at good prices. I have always found Essential Photo's products are high quality and quick delivered. Happy to recommend them for photo needs.
January 6, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Andrew, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re thrilled to hear you’ve had such great experiences making purchases with us! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Advertisement
Great service… fast dispatch and…
Great service… fast dispatch and delivery… I’m a bit disappointed only that my point from previous purchases disappeared… they should be kept all the time…
January 15, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Lumac, thank you so much for your positive review! The points on your account do only stay for 6 months once received, we apologise for that! If you are looking to make a future purchase with us, feel free to get in touch and we’re happy to assist! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Got what I wanted. Quick. Fair price
Easy to navigate website. Got what I wanted quickly, and at a fair price.
March 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Jezz, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear how easy and drama-free your experience with us has been! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi David, thank you so much for your positive review! We’re glad to hear you’ve had a great experience with us! Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we're looking forward to serving you again soon!
Do not use - WORST experience ever
Do not use! We had the WORST experience with them. One of the lights arrived broken and they tried to blame it on us and we had to pay postage fees to send it back for repair. We were promised a quick repair within 5-14 days and it's been almost a month with NO customer service update. Terrible, don't fall in their traps and avoid at all costs.
March 27, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi Charlotte, thank you for your review.
Unfortunately, as the concern with the damaged bulb was reported about 10 days after it was received, this limited us in confirming that it could have been dispatched to you in this condition.
We do understand your frustration, and apologise for the slight delay you experienced in the repair of your item - this was a result of our team being out of the office during The Photography Show in March for which our team requested in their initial email to allow extra time to account for this.
I can see that this case has now been resolved and the repaired item returned to you with a waived postage fee in light of the delay, but if there is anything further we can assist with please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Advertisement
Do not buy off this company I received…
Do not buy off this company I received wrong orderd video evidence was sent twice, I've tried to call them for weeks no answer. They said they were sending out a replacement and collection of incorrect item, driver arrived to collect but hasn't bought my replacement so i denied collection. Ive adjed for a refund so we will wait to see what happens..
March 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi there, thank you for your review. We do apologise sincerely for the incorrect items received with your order - this isn't a regular occurrence and has been looked into by our team.
We understand your frustration with the delays in resolving this matter for you - this was a result of our team being out of office for a prolonged period during The Photography Show, followed by a much higher than expected volume of orders and cases when we returned.
We can see that this case has since been resolved for you, with the correct items now being collected. We appreciate your patience throughout this case and if there is anything further we can assist with, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Poor customer service and communication
I bought a Pixapro-branded speed lite (rebadged Godox V860iii) from Essential Photo. After a little use it became apparent that it was sporadically failing to fire, sometimes packing up completely. This was within the year warranty period so I asked for a refund or replacement. Instead they insisted on a return and repair and asked me to upload video of the problem. Not easy because it was sporadic. So I returned the speed lite and uploaded the video, then heard nothing. When I contacted them again they admitted they had not downloaded the video footage so I had to send it again. This whole process with scrappy and minimal communication took weeks. Luckily I did not have to use the speed lite for professional work in that time. Although it was returned repaired, it would have been much less hassle for them just to accept my explanation without quibbling and do the repair or to have just refunded or replaced it in the first instance. I would have been a happy customer. Now I am not and will never do business with them again.
August 21, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Hi David, thanks for your feedback. Please be assured that the long, detailed process during warranty repairs cases is necessary to ensure that if we cannot replicate the problem ourselves with the returned item, that we still have record of the fault. Without this, we may be unable to pinpoint the problem and then repair or replace the correct component. We do apologise for any delay during the repair process regardless.
I'm a small photography business who…
I'm a small photography business who ordered from here and won't be ordering again or recommending.
Ordered a backdrop which unaware, right at the bottom of the page says since the end of 2024, have changed to a 14 day return period due to the 'unique design & packaging' (it's a painted canvas which came in cardboard?) It's a canvas (expensive) backdrop which I was unsure whether to buy as you're really taking a gamble on these things only viewing online. Item arrived, it's not what expected and I've asked for a return and refund (happy to lose the £45 delivery!) on working day 13. Completely understand it's a few days out but everywhere online says 28 returns, no compassion in customer service, just received a copy and paste "we hope this helps. Thank you for your patience"... Item is still in packaging but they don't want to know, what a shame ! 0/5
February 10, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EssentialPhoto & Video
Thank you for your feedback. We do state on affected product listings and in our Returns Policy that these products are 14-day returns period when unopened as a result of their design and packaging as noted by yourself. Our team are only able to assist within the policies in question and unfortunately were unable to assist further on this occasion.
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.