Long used by professional portrait and macro photographers as well as makeup artists, and perfect for selfies, streaming, vlogging and most photo and video tasks, they have become favorites of social media influencers and content creators of all kinds. But you don’t have to be a top Twitch streamer or overnight TikTok sensation to appreciate being cast in a better light on Zoom calls — they’re also the perfect addition to work-from-home office setups.
The convenient clip mounting fits on your phone or laptop, and won’t scratch your screen. It brings it all together at an affordable price point, making it a clear winner among the ring lights we tested.
This flexibility gave the EMart major bonus points, as it was the only ring light we tested that peeked above laptop height even at its lowest setting. But what, er, shone brightest during our tests was the flattering light cast by the EMart, which came across as natural sunlight in both portraits and selfies.
In photos taken during both day and night, the lighting gave us high-quality images, highlighting everything it was supposed to without producing distracting shadows. One of them is quite handy, clipping onto the thinnest part of the tripod stand with a small metal clasp that wraps around the pole; it can hold your phone vertically or horizontally.
This isn’t a deal breaker since the other phone holder gives you plenty of options, but it is annoying nonetheless. Whether you’re using this light for a professional appearance in virtual meetings or for fun and creative content making, this is a great option.
The Whellen Selfie Ring Light is extremely lightweight and small, so it easily fits in pockets, purses, backpacks — you name it. We stuffed it in a purse while grocery shopping, and even with keys, a phone, a wallet and some spare change around it, the light didn’t so much as get scratched.
The Whellen’s clip has rubber padding on the reverse side to prevent it from scratching your screen. Once the light is at its dimmest, you can click and hold the top button again for it to come back to brighter levels until you reach the brightest setting.
While on par with the entire field (almost all averaged the same life span), the included USB charging cable is only 10 inches long. We then established parameters to test, looking in particular at brightness, color options and results in photos and videos.
Portable lights were carried in purses while running errands and checked for scratches or cracks. This is a bright LED light that has a cold shoe mount for a camera, a tripod mount and a magnetic back to attach to other surfaces, but it isn’t easily usable with a phone, and you’ll have to supply a small tripod to use it with a laptop. The photos we took with this light seemed to have a white film over them that made them look unnatural or poorly edited. Fotodiox Selfie Starlite Vlog Pro Ring Light and Tabletop Set ($99.95; amazon.com)
This is a good desktop option if you’re looking for a ring light to use while applying makeup, while filming videos or during virtual meetings.
The tripod included is very short, so it sits at a good height on a desk but doesn’t adjust tall enough for use with a laptop’s built-in camera. The light looked great in photos and worked really well for video calls, but overall was overly bright and distracting during use.
SparkImage Mobile Ring Light
Virtual work is my life, this was so easy to use, perfect for my needs. Nicole V. Perfect size for my MacBook Air and takes away all the shadows for a natural and flattering onscreen image! After purchasing various lamps and using clips to keep the window curtains closed, I finally became viewable to others during web conferences. I purchased the light ring and it was a snug fit for my convertible tablet but oh, what a difference!
It doesn’t clip onto my desk top so I have to prop it up but is perfect for my laptop Teresa B. I didn’t immediately have it working right out of the box — but I contacted customer support and they responded almost instantly and I realized what I was doing wrong. It’s a simple and well-designed device and has three different “color temperatures” which I really like. BUT WHY WAS $100+ DEDUCTED FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT YESTERDAY FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021???????? It lit up my face perfectly without being too bright, and the different warmth settings make for great versatility, too. Francis M. It solves the problem of having to move your laptop around trying to find good lighting for zoom meetings.
I use it with my cellphone and when I don’t want to set up a standard light ring. Robert C. The light ring is perfect for Zoom meetings which I attend practically ever day.
This is the second device I’ve tried to make the ZOOM experience a bit more professional through lighting. There’s no app, nothing to mess with – just charge it up, clip it to your phone or laptop and turn it on. The charging cord is not long enough to plug in the light while it’s clipped on my computer screen.
sabrina R. I can’t use it on my phone, because of the case, but it works great on my computer I like the three options for lighting and the built in clip fits easily to my laptop screen. Tom T. Reliable, great light, powerful and easy to use. Dominique D. It was for my husband he does cancer research and has been on zoom many hours every day since Covid. Before he had to close curtains and reposition things around, now he face is clear . Lorrie D. I absolutely love this light, but I have a Apple 11Pro and the ring covers the camera 🙁 Corinne Kim T. This little light solved a problem I had on Zoom calls.
In my home lighting, my face was backlit, and so I always appeared on screen on shadows. I would so recommend it to anyone who has bad lighting in their room who is teleworking with zoom meetings.
PEGGY S. Went on super easily and light up my image perfectly for video conferences. Jonathan H. As an older guy, you know, its important I look my best in webinar teaching and meetings. Nancee S. This is a very good option for lighting when on web calls or taking pictures with phone.
I will get many years of use and now do not have to turn every light on in the house to be seen, when taking web-calls after dark! sandra w. So pleased with the quality of the product and how it helped make my face less elderly lol Barry G. Sized correctly; easy to use; in short, it does what it’s supposed to do.
My only comment is not with the product but with my personal feedback – – I wear glasses, so using it without a round circle glare to show up is a challenge. Chantal M. I don’t have to set up my big ring light to make a video from my laptop!
Doesn’t seem to handle a charge for a lengthy amount of time but for my purposes it works great!
But the size of this light makes it easy to use, to take along, and it delivers!!!
Love the way I look on zoom conferences; not sitting in the dark scary shadows anymore relying on the Mac Notebook’s lighting. Dakota K. I’m not very tech savy so it was easy to use and a good quality.
Sharon T. I use it for ZOOM meetings, and it makes a huge difference. Phyllis W. I haven’t had any Zoom sessions this week yet, but it looks like it will help my lighting a lot. Pat M. It didn’t fit on my computer screens …so I gave it to a friend! It arrived quickly – just in time for an important zoom meeting that I had.
Mary D. At first, the light was too bright, and gave me a headache staring at it when mounted on the computer during a Zoom call. I sometimes also use it to add to the light at my bathroom vanity when applying makeup.
Its been more than 10 days, and I have not received my second product, or a refund or feedback on how this will be resolved. Would be good to have a longer charging cord b/c then I can reach the power strip.
The Best Ring Lights
If you’re a streamer, a vlogger, or someone who’s on video calls a lot for work, good lighting is essential. A ring light is a simple tool whose diffuse glow can bring you out of the dark and make you look more professional. Unlike many ring lights, which can draw power from a laptop’s USB port, this Neewer model requires an outlet to work. The stand’s flat, fold-out feet make the light easy to position behind a monitor.
Best ring light in 2021: beautiful lighting for vlogging, video calls and selfies
Even if you don’t have aspirations of making it big on YouTube, ring lights also come into their own in the new world of increased home working. Indeed, pair them with the best webcams and your home setup will instantly look more professional – vital for making the best impression when on an important video conference! They haven’t skimped on build quality either, unlike a lot of ring lights, the Razer feels very sturdy and reliable. It’s a fantastic 12-inch ring light perfect for video conferencing, vlogging or streaming and you won’t be disappointed with your purchase.
Lume Cube Wireless Light The best portable ring light packs a powerful punch Specifications Color temperature: 3200-5600K Power source: Li-Ion batteries, mains Dimensions: 18 inches TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Moment Reasons to buy + Mains or 90 minutes of wireless power + LED readout for settings + 6.5-foot light stand included Reasons to avoid – Pricier than rivals If you’re looking for a ring light to shoot flat lays or unboxing videos, we’re not convinced the plastic mounting bracket is the best but if you’re using it in a normal upright position, look no further. It’s on the smaller side for a ring light, but still a perfectly good size for self-taping, vlogging, TikToks and other quick and easy uses. It plugs in via USB, and comes with a 54-inch tripod, meaning it’s very easy to get started the instant you take the Neewer 10-inch LED Ring Light out of its box.
But the Neewer 10-inch LED Ring Light is an all-around solid choice that will suit the vast majority of users perfectly, and that’s why it nabs our top spot.
ESDDI PLV-R432 18-inch Ring Light Best ring light for YouTube – big, bright and bicolor Specifications Color temperature: 3000K-6500K Power source: Mains power Dimensions: 458mm outer dia / 318mm inner dia TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Check Amazon Reasons to buy + 18-inch diameter with 48W power + Includes light stand, case, phone clip Reasons to avoid – Requires lots of space – Phone holder isn’t great
Its sheer size makes it perfect for beauty and makeup work, too, giving you plenty of room and abundant light. Prominent dials adjust brightness and temperature, and the light can even rotate 180°, making it useful for shooting flat lays or macro work.
For example, it delivers a massive 1,840 lux at a distance of 3 feet which makes it perfect as a key or fill light for both stills and videos. Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit Best ring light for streaming with a smartphone Specifications Color temperature: 6300K, 5600K, 4100K, 3200K (using filters) Power source: 3x AA batteries Dimensions: 130mm outer dia / 38mm inner dia Weight: 170g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon Low Stock View at Walmart View at BHPhoto Reasons to buy + 80W equivalent power + Ultra compact + Includes filters to adjust temp Reasons to avoid – Changing filters is fiddly
Now it’s back in an all-in-one kit, which also includes a Rotolight mini tripod, stand adapter, phone clip and accessory bar – making it the perfect partner for a tabletop smartphone setup.
The Neo 2 is a bit heavy and unwieldy for the hotshoe, but this smaller model is just the right size (though this kit doesn’t include a foot for the shoe), and the hole in the middle is perfect to poke a microphone through! While it’s the largest ring light on offer here, with 44W of dimmable output from 352 LEDs, it doesn’t have quite as much power or temperature range as ESDDI’s 18-inch 48W model. Also bundled are a 6’5″ light stand, ball head adapter and vertical / horizontal phone holder, wireless remote and carry case.
The ESDDI 10-inch ring light is Ideal for smartphone shooters, with a two-way grip that holds your handset both horizontally and vertically, along with a Bluetooth remote for stills and video. They’re great for taking on nights out so you can capture well-lit selfies, on holiday or even when travelling away from home so that you can Facetime loved ones no matter how much light is around you.
Smoovie Flexi Selfie Ring Light Best mount-anywhere ring light that can also hold your phone Specifications Color temperature: (Three white light settings) Power source: USB Dimensions: 6-inch TODAY’S BEST DEALS Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Flexible clip arm mounts anywhere + Second flexi arm can hold smartphone + 3 tone settings & adjustable brightness + USB powered Reasons to avoid – Less color temp control Ring Lights are fantastic but, unless you’re sitting at a desk or table, you might struggle to find a surface or enough space to erect a tripod. The clip also has a second flexible arm that can hold your camera phone, so this can either be used strictly as an adaptable ring light or as a dedicated smartphone setup.
The best ring lights for YouTube, Zoom, videos and more
Powered by specially designed fluorescent tubes, ring lights were big, heavy and cumbersome. The benefit of a ring light though is that is produces effortlessly soft shadows that complement portraits by reducing the appearance of blemishes, spots and other skin issues.
Since all of today’s best ring lights are powered by LEDs, it’s LED-count and control over color and intensity that separate basic models from more sophisticated versions. Whatever your needs, you should be able to find the right ring light for you and quickly upgrade the look of your videos, photos and even Zoom calls.
Fositan 18-inch LED Ring Light Kit The best ring light for YouTube Specifications Colour temperature: 3200-5500k Weight: 3.92kg Power source: Mains Dimensions: 52 x 11 x 52cm Today’s best Fositan 18-inch LED Ring Light Kit deals Amazon UK View Similar Amazon No price information Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Super bright + Phone holder + 1/4″ hot shoe adapter Reasons to avoid – Mains power only – Light gels only to change color A general purpose 1/4″ hot shoe mount and phone holder come with the kit, and it even includes a Bluetooth self-timer for smartphones. Neewer Table Top 10-inch USB LED Ring Light The best ring light for Zoom calls Specifications Colour temperature: 3200K-5600K Weight: 467g Power source: USB Dimensions: 29 x 27 x 5cm TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Built for desktop use + Lots of settings + Built-in phone holder Reasons to avoid – Not as versatile as other ring lights For users who want to take things up a notch, this professional-style ring light from Neewer should fit the bill nicely.
It’s a monstrous 20-inch model that features 352 LEDs capable of covering a wide colour temperature range controllable with a knob on the unit, and while it’ll take mains power at home or in your studio, if you need to go portable it can also run off Li-ion batteries.
The Neewer 20″ is a little bigger than most on this list and so requires a sturdy base, luckily the heavy-duty stand is adjustable from a minimum height of 90cm up to a maximum of two metres. Extras come in the form of a phone holder for faff-free videos and a hot shoe for mounting other digital cameras or accessories. Mactrem LED Ring Light 6″ The best ring light for iPhone Specifications Colour temperature: Not specified Weight: 440g Power source: USB Dimensions: 29x 19 x 4.2cm TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Compact and lightweight + Adjustable settings + Lots of extras Reasons to avoid – Not as powerful as other models – Separate phone holder
Neewer 12-inch RGB Ring Light The best ring light for added colour Specifications Colour temperature: Not specified Weight: 1.5kg Power source: USB Dimensions: 38 x 28.3 x 9.5cm TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + 16 colours + Four lighting modes + Tripod, remotes and phone holders included Reasons to avoid – Lacks full RGB control Ideal as a home studio ring light, this 18-inch model from Neewer is filled with 240 LEDs balanced to a colour temperature of 5500K. When budget is no concern this monster ring light from Ivisii is perfect for filming direct to iPad thanks to its wide 19″ diameter and large tablet holder.
Of course, users can also use smartphones or digital cameras such as DSLRs or mirrorless devices, thanks to the multiple adapter options that come with the kit.
The benefit of the Neo 2 is that it has controls for dimming and colour temperature with extreme accuracy making it ideal for continuous lighting for filmmakers or photographers. It also has a High Speed Sync (HSS) functions to freeze moving photography subjects at up to 1/8000 sec. Ring lights offer different colour temperatures either through the use of dimming specific LEDs or snap-on filters, but do I need this?
The 3 Best Ring Lights For Zoom
First-rate ring lights are also flexible enough to work with multiple devices (even digital cameras) and can be easily moved, whether you’re Zooming on a smartphone or staying put at your desk. A great way to ensure a well-lit video conference is to use a model with several lighting levels that are adjustable via a knob or Bluetooth remote. Whatever your budget or preferred setup, these ring lights can help create bright, close-up-ready video quality for your Zoom calls. While the manufacturer aims this product mostly at photo or video professionals, many pleased Amazon reviewers report that this ring light is great for Zoom meetings, too. A mount inside the ring light is compatible with most smartphones up to 3.9-inches wide, but if you’d rather use your laptop for your meeting, just position the stand behind your screen. You can adjust the ring light stand between 19 and 59 inches in height to make sure it’s level with your face, and a soft gooseneck tube attachment can be used to get that perfect angle (it rotates 180 degrees).
Two filters (white and orange) can be placed over the ring to adjust lighting warmth, and brightness levels are also fully controllable from 1% to 100% via a handy dial. According to one Amazon reviewer: “It serves me well in my home workspace where I use it all day to light my desk as I work on the computer or take Zoom meetings.
The kit includes a 10-inch LED ring with three lighting modes (white, natural, and warm) and 10 brightness levels each — and a convenient Bluetooth remote for cycling through these options.
Rather than requiring a wall outlet or USB port to use, this clip-on light just needs to be charged ahead of time using the provided micro-USB cord.
This portable light has attracted a generally happy fan base with over 9,000 Amazon reviews and an overall rating of 4.3 stars, but if you experience issues with charging, it does come with a 12-month warranty.
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