Beyond millions of followers and major brand deals, a great ring light could be the main difference between true TikTok influencers and more casual users. Of course, not everyone on the app is hoping to reach Hype House levels of fame, but if you’re looking to up your TikTok game from the comfort of your home, purchasing a high-quality ring light is the perfect place to start.
Though ring lights can be purchased from traditional tech retailers like Best Buy, they’re also available via Amazon and Urban Outfitters, with prices starting at $11.
However, this one is particularly specialized for videography, with three levels of light settings and ultra-wide range that will create stellar TikTok content, even in the dark.
It’s among the pricier models on the list, but Sunpack’s 12-inch Bicolor Ring Light Kit contains everything you need to brighten up your photos and videos. It includes an expandable tripod, an adjustable phone and camera mount, a built-in USB remote, and, of course, an easy-to-use carry bag. In addition to the 18-inch dimmable ring light, the fully-equipped kit features an adjustable light stand, white and orange color filter sets, a smartphone holder, a hot shoe adapter for DSLR cameras, a remote control, and a carrying case to store it all. With 10 brightness settings and three light modes of varying warmth levels, Amazon shoppers note that it’s both effective and easy to assemble. Forget the fancy camera: This ring light can bring your vlogging dreams to life using only your phone. 10.2″ Selfie Ring Light with Tripod Stand & Cell Phone Holder $30 Amazon Shop Now If you’re live streaming and your phone or tablet dies, no worries… there’s a USB Port on the back, you can charge your devices and keep going! INKELTECH’S ring light has a larger and brighter aperture so it gives you a much more professional environment for indoor shooting.”
This low-profile lighting solution is small and sleek and is super simple to set up behind your laptop for your next Zoom sesh.
The best ring lights of 2021
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.
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 on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers
Beyond just lighting, the model comes equipped with a centrally positioned holder for your phone, which (according to 46 reviewers) allows you to get the perfect portrait shot. With customers recommending the light for everything from quality selfies to board meetings, the AIXPI is a real all-rounder. Another customer, a manicurist, commented that the light has made an astounding difference to her client pictures, leaving a professional finish. Whilst the battery light for general use is ok, many reviewers agreed it wasn’t really suitable for longer jobs such as live-streaming.
But if you’re in the market simply to enable a loved one’s ‘selfie addiction’, reviewers agreed that the Difiye light is the way to go. One dressmaker loved how the soft glow of the pastel pink had made her evenings by the sewing machine infinitely more aesthetically pleasing.
Thirty reviewers are pleased with how the light can be fastened anywhere on their desks and with the “real difference” it has made to the quality of their weekly video calls. “Finally my face can be seen,” one customer commented, with another suggesting that the light gave her a glow for her fortnightly quiz that the Scottish sunshine just couldn’t offer.
One reviewer said that after weeks of being “bamboozled” by the sheer range of ring lights on the market, she was pleased to have finally found the one that met all of her needs (and earned her a few compliments on Microsoft Teams, too). Another talking point was the light’s brightness, according to 13 reviewers, with one even suggesting that at its highest setting, sunglasses were necessary. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape.
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.
The best ring lights in 2021
The best ring lights offer a simple and effective way to improve the quality of your videos and photos, whether you’re streaming to YouTube, creating a TikTok or simply on a Zoom call. Black Friday deals are already here and we’re seeing big discounts on all types of cameras and accessories — including some of the best ring lights. We’re tracking the best sales in our Black Friday camera deals hub, so bookmark it now to make sure you don’t miss out on a bargain.
The Nanolite Halo 16C is another good choice, offering touch controls and lots of versatility in terms of light output.
However, if you’re not looking to spend quite as much or need something smaller and more portable, consider the 10-inch Raya Bendie-Brite Folding USB Bi-Color LED Ring Light. It’s relatively inexpensive (in fact see above for a Black Friday discount on it), weighs just a little over one pound and gives you the ability to adjust both the color temperature and the brightness. (DC) / Unlimited (AC) Watt-Hours: 32.6Wh Removable Battery: Yes Color: Bi-Color Dimensions: 21.8 x 21.0 x 4.0 inches Weight: 11.1 pounds. Westcott has a long history producing top-notch lighting equipment for pros, and is an excellent choice, whether you’re using it for vlogging, live streaming, capturing video or shooting still photos for portraits, food, still life and many other types of genres.
It also has a built-in diffuser which produces soft, beautiful lighting that fills in shadows on your subject’s face with iconic catchlights in the eyes. Nanlite Halo 16C Bicolor and Tunable RGB 16-Inch LED Ring Light A very versatile ring light with touch controls and Wi-Fi capabilities Specifications Brightness—Dimmable Range: 1-100 percent Mount Type: 5/8-inch Receiver Color Render Index (CRI): Up To 97 CRI Color Temperature (K)—Range: 2700-6500K CRI: 95 TLCI: 93 Lumen Output 6500K: 2340 Lumens Lux @ 1m 6500K: 490 Lux Power Source: 15v DC Max Power Draw: 31w Dimensions: 16 inches diameter (12 inches inner) Weight: 5 pounds.
Warranty: Limited 2 Year Warranty TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon View at BHPhoto Reasons to buy + Unique touch-control design to adjust settings + USB pass-through feature lets you power a phone while in the fixture + Wireless capabilities Reasons to avoid – A bit pricey, but worth the price The USB pass-through feature is another useful addition, as this lets you charge a phone while it’s positioned in the fixture, ensuring you won’t lose power during your shoot.
Other interesting touches include a unique touch-control design — rather than traditional knobs — for adjusting the color of the light, and built-in wireless (so you can control the fixture remotely from your phone or other mobile device). In addition to the ring light, this model comes with a mirror, carrying case, AC adapter and smartphone bracket.
However, it also includes two color filters (white and orange), made from high-light-transmission plastic, which allow you to easily switch temperature from 5500K to 3200K. This portable LED kit also comes with a 61-inch light stand, constructed from aluminum alloy, giving it exceptional strength.
As you might expect from its name, the Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit is designed for content creators making videos or streaming to YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. With that in mind, it comes with a mini tripod that can turn into an extended camera grip: very helpful if you often switch between shooting in a studio and on the go. TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at BHPhoto View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Light head rotates 180 degrees + USB ports can charge phones and devices + Offers a variety of mounting options for phones and stand-alone cameras Reasons to avoid – Doesn’t have an option to run on battery power Warranty: Limited 1 Year Warranty TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Lightweight, portable and folds for easy carrying + Touch controls Reasons to avoid – Build isn’t as sturdy as pro-level models – On-camera labels and decals may fall off over time
It’s lightweight (weighing less than a pound) and can fold in half, so you can take it with you to shoot your vlogs or video chats or capture some casual selfies. However, although it’s small, it has some more advanced features, such as the ability to adjust the color temperature and brightness for your project via touch-sensitive controls. (The manufacturer recommends that If you’re only carrying a smartphone, use a small power bank to run the light when you’re ready to record or talk.) It can also be used with a variety of devices, including a smartphone or laptop, which can be useful when you have a meeting and want to make the lighting look soft and natural.
XINBAOHONG Rechargeable Portable Clip-on Selfie Ring Light A very good value for a budget ring light Specifications Color temperature: 6000K (one setting) Brightness: 3 modes: low, normal, high Power: B built-in, rechargeable, lithium-ion battery Cable: 1 USB-micro cable Dimensions: 3.4 x 3.4 x 1.2 inches Weight: 2.4 ounces. Although this inexpensive ring light has a barebones design and feature set, it can be used on various mobile devices, including most phones and tablets, as well as on laptops.
The 4 Best Ring Lights
Although cameras (on smartphones or otherwise) have vastly improved over the last decade, the best ring lights can significantly boost the quality of your photos. The best options are easy to use, offer multiple brightness settings, and provide uniform lighting for your subject.
Note that ring lights come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, ranging from models that clip onto a smartphone to large studio versions that can be used for major projects and photo-shoots. Some lights even offer accessories that help you take better photos — like an adjustable tripod or a shutter-button so you can capture pictures at a distance.
Whether you’re trying to find something that’ll give your photos a more professional feel, or you’re just looking to take better selfies for Instagram, these ring lights will certainly help you get the job done. With over 11,500 five-star ratings on Amazon, this ring light has racked up rave comments from users who marvel over its powerful capabilities.
For selfies, videos, and novice photographers, it’s easily one of the best investments to boost the quality of your work. The 36-LED, 3.4-inch ring clips right onto your phone, while its rechargeable built-in battery packs a powerful punch, lasting up to seven hours on one charge.
Additionally, the Bluetooth remote shutter allows for wire-free snapshotting, and the universal phone holder is compatible with almost all smartphones thanks to its adjustable grips.
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