If you make youtube videos or instagram reels you know that having a good camera quality is not enough. You need to have proper lighting that will allow your camera’s quality to shine. Excess shadows in the environment can ruin the shot. Ring lights are the devices that you can use to reduce the shadows and to illuminate your face. Usage of a ring light will significantly improve the quality of your image or video.
The covid-19 lockdown has introduced sites like youtube and instagram to a huge wave of new content creators and you might be one of them. But you can’t just sit in front of your webcam and hope that you will look the best, this is where ring lights come in. A ring light is a circular shaped fluorescent bulb or multiple LED bulbs connected together in the shape of a circle. They emphasize the subject in front of them by eliminating unwanted shadows. Whether you are shooting a cooking video or a makeup tutorial, a ring light is a must! We at Techoids have curated a list of best ring lights that you can buy right now, dive in!
Factors that you need to look out for!
Size
Ring lights come in various sizes ranging from 8 inch to 18 inch. If you just want a ring light to make videos on your phone or to take photos on your phone, go for a smaller size. Make sure that the ring light has a proper mount for your phone. If you are working on a youtube video, you can go for ring lights with a size of 11 or 18 inch. With the larger size you can cover a larger area. Buying a bigger sized ring light will also allow you to capture the light inside the subject’s eye, which looks really cool!
Color temperature
Many ring lights allow you to customize the color temperature of the light. Go for these as you can set the color temperature according to your environmental setting to get a perfect combination. The color temperature settings will vary between 3000k – 6000k. Temperatures above 5000k will give you a cool bluish look and colors below that will give you a warm yellowish look.
Some might even have temperature setting light modes, natural, warm or cold. You can use them to conveniently switch between the temperatures.
Brightness
Go for a ring light that allows you to adjust the brightness levels, most of the ring lights will come with a wheel or a knob that you can use to set the brightness between 0-100%
Power
Most of the ring lights will have rechargeable batteries. You can expect a run time of 3 to 10 hours with a full charge. While rechargeable batteries provide a hassle free experience, you can go for wired ring lights if you have a stationary setup. Most of the professional ring lights of size 18 inch have wired functionalities.
Weight
Weight can be an issue if you want a ring light for your phone. The heavier the ring light, the difficult it would become to handle the phone. Go for something light that would mount on your phone easily. But when it comes to stationary workstations, weight isn’t that big of an issue.
Color errors
Some ring lights are meant to work at a specific angle, if used at a different one they can cause slight chromatic errors, some colors might not appear as they should. Check the reviews to make sure that the ring light does not have any sort of color deviation problems or else you will have to correct them by yourself while editing.
Mounting medium
You have to mount a ring light on a tripod or a stand. Some ring lights will often come bundled with a tripod or a stand, go for these as they will save you tons of cash. As for mobiles, ring lights will come with clips or some brackets that you can use to mount the ring light on your phone.
Warranty
Go for a ring light that has some sort of warranty or a replacement policy. Although some cheap ring lights won’t come with a warranty period.
LIST
- DIGITEK 18 inch Professional LED Ring Light
- Venganza 10 Inches Big LED Ring Light
- Osaka 10 Inches Big LED Ring Light
- OCTOVA Ring Light 18 inch with Stand
- Tygot LED Ring Light
- COOLMOBIZ 18 inch Selfie LED Ring Light
- Teconica BR-01 Rechargeable Selfie Enhancing Portable Ring Light
- OLICOM Ring Light
- YOZTI 10″ LED Ring Light
- ehook 18 Inches Big LED Ring Light
1. DIGITEK 18 inch Professional LED Ring Light
The overall best!
Outer diameter: 18 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3200k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphone, DSLR, mirrors
Weight: 1kg 100 grams
Mounting medium: Tripod stand (not included)
Price: ₹3,499.00
Digitek drl-18 is a powerful 18 inch LED ring light. It features 240 pieces of LED bulbs mounted on the ring. It is perfect for youtube videos or even for professional photography. Digitek is a well known brand in the world of photography, so you can expect an overall great quality. The light comes with two dials for adjusting the intensity and the color temperature. You can easily adjust the brightness intensity to get a nice mix of dark and light areas. The lights are bi-color so you can choose between the warm yellow and cool bluish colors. You can mount the light on a tripod or a stand, but you have to buy the stand separately.
The ring light is also compatible with smartphones, you can just use the included smartphone mount to easily mount your phone onto the ring light. This smartphone mount is 360 degree rotatable, you can easily adjust to the perfect angle without moving the light. You can also use the hot shoe adapter to easily mount your camera too. The device comes loaded with two lithium ion batteries and runs on both AC and DC, you can use the included AC adapter to provide the power. It even has 6 months of manufacturer warranty.DRL-18 is the perfect choice for every need.
PROS:
High quality 240 LED lights
360 degree smartphone rotation
180 degree light rotation
Runs on both AC and DC
CONS:
No stand included
2. Venganza 10 Inches Big LED Ring Light
An affordable pick for smartphones!
Outer diameter: 10 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3200k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 350 g
Mounting medium: 7 feet long tripod stand
Price: ₹999.00
Venganza’s LED ring light is a super affordable 10 inch ring light for smartphones. If you are a beginner and want a ring light that just gets the job done, then this ring light is the best pick for you! It comes bundled with a 7 feet long tripod, this tripod is adjustable so you can set the tripod level according to your need.
The light gives you control over the brightness as well as the color temperature, you can choose between white, natural and warm colors. The temperature as well as the brightness can be adjusted by using the control pad on the USB power cable. The 3 light modes and 11 brightness levels give you good control over the lighting. It comes with a smartphone holder with 360 degree rotation, with the retractable tripod and a 360 degree rotatable holder you get full control over the positions. The light needs to be plugged in via a USB cable to function. Overall the Venganza ring light is great for beginners who want an affordable smartphone ring light experience.
PROS:
Affordable
360-degree rotating phone holder
7 feet long retractable tripod
CONS:
Only 11 levels of brightness
Always needs to be plugged in
3. Osaka 10 Inches Big LED Ring Light
A made in India product!
Outer diameter: 10 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3400k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 3.62 Kilograms
Mounting medium: 9 feet long tripod stand
Price: ₹1,599.00
Osaka 10 inch ring light is a made in India product from a local brand called Osaka. The ring light features 220 high power 10W LED bulbs mounted on a 10 inch ring. The ring light offers great intensity with low power consumption because of the 10W bulbs.
The ring light offers 9 levels of brightness. You can also choose different lighting modes by choosing between the natural, warm and white settings. The color temperature can be adjusted from 3400k to 5600k to get the desired effect. All of these settings will allow you to take great shots irrespective of the environment.
The ring light comes with a 9 feet tripod stand and a smartphone holder. The tripod stand has adjustable height, so you can experiment with shots from different angles with ease. You can also use a different tripod stand as the ring light is easily mountable. Your smartphone can easily be mounted on the smartphone stand, you can also change the orientation of the stand. The light needs to be plugged in to function, you can use the included USB cable with an AC adapter to feed the power to the light. The device offers 3 months of warranty.
PROS:
Great 9 feet stand
220 10W LED bulbs
CONS:
No rotation options for the phone bracket
4. OCTOVA Ring Light 18 inch with Stand
With powerful LED lights!
Outer diameter: 18 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3200k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones, DSLR
Weight: 8 Kilograms
Mounting medium: 9 feet long tripod stand
Price: ₹8,990.00
Octova ring light is a great 18 inch ring light for professional as well as casual use. It is loaded with 240 pieces of powerful 55W LEDs. These LEDs make it an ideal choice for outside use as well as inside use like makeup tutorials or creating videos. The LEDs emit both cool and warm tones of light, you can also set the temperatures manually ranging between 3200k and 5600k. You can use the two dial knobs on the light to adjust the temperature and the intensity of the light. This gives you good control over the shadows and the toning of the frame.
It comes with a 9 feet long tripod stand. The stand is made up of aluminium alloy, so you can expect great durability. The stand is retractable, it is adjustable from 3 feet to 9 feet. The included hot shoe adapter is compatible with most of the DSLRs, so you can easily mount your camera on the light. It also comes with a great smartphone holder. The light also allows for complete 180 degree rotation, with the rotation capability you can experiment with different angles to get perfect lighting and tone! The device comes with a 6 month warranty. With all of these great features, octova is an ideal choice for professions like makeup artists, content creators as well as for professional photography!
PROS:
Durable stand
Powerful LED lights
CONS:
Heavy
5. Tygot LED Ring Light
A super lightweight ring light!
Outer diameter: 18 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3200k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones, DSLR, mirrors
Weight: 350 Grams
Mounting medium: Light stand not included
Price: ₹2,499.00
Tygot is a super lightweight and portable 18 inch ring light. It comes with 240 pieces of high quality LED SMD design lights. The lights support bi color modes with temperatures ranging from 3200k to 5600k. You can also adjust the intensity of the 10W LED bulbs giving you complete control over the toning and feel of the footage.
The light can easily be mounted on a tripod, it is also 180 degree rotatable. The smartphone brackets and the hot shoe mount are also 360 degree rotatable, so you can experiment with different angles easily. Another great feature about the tygot ring light is that it can work on both AC and DC power supply! It comes loaded with two lithium ion batteries which can be charged and used when needed. You can also just use an AC adapter to power the light. This super light weight and affordable ring light is ideal for all situations.
PROS:
Works on both AC and DC
High quality LED lights
CONS:
No stand included
6. COOLMOBIZ 18 inch Selfie LED Ring Light
An affordable 18 inch ring light!
Outer diameter: 18 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3400k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 1.9 Kilograms
Mounting medium: 7 feet long tripod stand
Price: ₹999.00
Coolmobiz ring light is another affordable pick with a 18 inch size. The ring light utilizes dichromatic LEDs that allow you to change the color temperature and the intensity of the light as well. The light features three color modes white, natural and a warm mode, you can easily swap between them to achieve the desired look. You also get 10 levels of brightness control.
The ring light comes with a 7 feet long retractable tripod stand, you can easily try out different height levels to get a perfect shot! The inbuilt smartphone holder is also 180 degree rotatable, so you don’t have to change the lights position for getting a different angle. The light is powered using the included USB cables, it needs to be always plugged-in in order to function. The great thing about this device is that it gives you a truck load of features at an affordable price. You get an 18 inch ring light with a tripod stand only at 1000 bucks which is a rarity at this price point. If you are a self enthusiast or a content creator on a budget then coolmobiz is the best pick for you!
PROS:
Super affordable
18 inch size
CONS:
Only 10 levels of brightness control
No temperature control other than the 3 light modes
7. Teconica BR-01 Rechargeable Selfie Enhancing Portable Ring Light
A pocket ring light!
Outer diameter: 4 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 5000k-7000k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 50 Grams
Mounting medium: No tripod stand included
Price: ₹299.00
If you are a youtube content creator or an instagram influencer and are in need of a portable ring light then look no further than teconica BR-1! This is a 4 inch ring light loaded with 36 powerful LED lights. These 36 bulbs are enough to illuminate a subject’s features for that perfect tone. The light provides 3 levels of intensity settings, you can use the button provided on the inside of the ring to easily shift between the levels. The white light emitted by the bulbs is highly luminous as it ranges between 5000k to 7000k , so you can easily use it in super dark areas and still get a great result.
The light is also super lightweight, durable and shockproof even though it’s made up of plastic. The small form factor allows you to carry it everywhere without worrying about the space and the weight. It is loaded with two rechargeable lithium ion batteries so you can use them anywhere once charged without any external power source. Due to the high luminosity you can also use it as an emergency light or a portable torch!
PROS:
Super affordable
Compact and pocket friendly
CONS:
No color temperature control
Small runtime
8. OLICOM Ring Light
A great ring light with a metal stand!
Outer diameter: 18 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3400k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 6 kilogram
Mounting medium: 9 feet tripod stand
Price: ₹899.00
Olicom ring light is an 18 inch light with 480 pieces of LED bulbs, so you get an intense light to illuminate your subjects! All of these are 10W powerful LEDs. The light makes it easy to set the color temperatures ranging between 3400k and 5600k without using any filters. You can easily switch between white light or warm light by using the controls on the wire. The light also has three different light modes, so you can switch between white, natural or warm modes. You can adjust the intensity of the light with the 9 different brightness levels.
It has a great metal finish 9 feet long tripod stand, you can easily rotate or adjust the height to get the desired angle. The stand has a high quality metal finish, you can expect it to last long without corroding. It also includes a smartphone holder which is compatible with most of the smartphones. The ring light needs AC power supply to function, you can plug it in using the included USB cable. Overall it is a great choice that gets the job done without relying on any fancy features.
PROS:
18 inch light at an affordable price
High quality metal tripod stand
CONS:
The tripod stand is a bit heavy
9. YOZTI 10″ LED Ring Light
Made up of high quality ABS plastic!
Outer diameter: 10 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3400k to 5600k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 1.3 Kilograms
Mounting medium: 7 feet tripod stand
Price: ₹899.00
Yotzi ring light is a 10 inch ring light with 120 8W powerful LED pieces. This ring light stands out from the rest because of its build quality. The 7 inch tripod and the ring light itself is made up of high quality ABS plastic material. This significantly improves the heat and the impact resistance which will protect the lights inside.
The ring light features 3 light modes light, natural and warm and 11 levels of brightness in each mode which totals upto 33 different combinations. It gives you great control over the toning and lighting. The 7 inch tripod is retractable with 3 height settings, it also has a handle that allows you to pan the light in three different angles. This makes sure that the light focuses on the subject properly. Along with the stand you also get a flexible smartphone holder which is compatible with most of the smartphones. The light needs to be always plugged in order to function. You can use a standard AC adapter to feed power to the light.
PROS:
33 levels of brightness
The stand and the ring are made up of high quality ABS plastic
Handle for panning the light
CONS:
No warranty
10. ehook 18 Inches Big LED Ring Light
With a wireless selfie remote!
Outer diameter: 18 inch
Color Temperature (K) Range: 3200k to 5500k
Suitable for: Smartphones
Weight: 1.3 Kilograms
Mounting medium: 5 feet long tripod stand
Price: ₹999.00
Ehook ring light is an 18 inch affordable ring light that can be used for professional purposes too as it offers a great control over the toning and lighting. The light comes with 3 light modes, white, natural and warm along with 11 brightness levels for each mode. So you get 33 brightness levels to experiment with.
It comes with a 5 feet long retractable tripod stand, you can easily carry this tripod to shoots or any location you want. The stand also allows for 3 way tilt and pan with a handle. The ring light itself can move 360 degrees, all of this gives you good control over the position of the light. You also get a flexible smartphone holder that is compatible with most of the smartphones, the flexible arm of the holder allows you to adjust it to any angle. The light needs to be plugged in to function, you can use the USB cable with an AC adapter to feed power. Another great feature about the ehook ring light is that it comes with a wireless selfie remote. You can easily pair it with your smartphone via bluetooth and use the shutter from a distance up to 30 feet away.
PROS:
33 levels of brightness
Wireless selfie remote
v3 way tilt and pan
CONS:
No warranty
Only 5 feet long stand
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What are ring lights good for?
Ring lights are mainly used to emphasize a subject or to emphasize detailing in a photo. This is easily achieved as the circular design of the ring light means that you can set up your camera right in the middle of the ring. This then lets you focus on those details, which are essential to get into the image. But ring lights are multipurpose devices, people also use them in the makeup industry as well as in the streaming business.
2. Fluorescent bulbs or LED bulbs which are better?
Fluorescent bulbs were used in old ring light models, in most of the modern ring light devices you will find LED bulbs which are way better than the fluorescent ones. LED bulbs have a greater life span than fluorescent ones. Fluorescent bulbs get hot after a long period of use and you will have to replace them if one of them breaks. LED lights are much better at handling the heat. You might also face issues while handling the fluorescent bulb ring light as they tend to get hot from time to time.
3. Are ring lights harmful to health?
Ring lights do not emit any harmful radiations nor they generate any pollutants so they are completely safe to use.
4. What ring light size is the most appropriate?
Ring lights come in a wide variety of sizes ranging from 4 inch to 18 inch. Ring lights below 6 inch are considered to be small ring lights and those above 16 inch are considered big ring lights. The best sized ring light will depend upon the type of usage. Make sure to have enough space for your light, a large ring light in a cumbersome space will just mess up the toning. The bigger the ring light the more intensity it will have. Go for a 18 inch size if you will be using the light in a studio for photoshoots. A medium sized light should do for makeup artists and for outdoor shooting. If you are a selfie enthusiast then anything less than 6 inches should do the trick!
5. Can a ring light be powered by a power bank or a laptop?
Most of the ring lights need constant AC current to keep functioning. These ring lights often come with a USB cable which you have to attach to an AC adapter which feeds the power. You can easily attach this USB cable to your power bank or a laptop to feed power temporarily.
6. Are ring lights good while streaming with a webcam?
While ring lights might not be the best option but they will get the job done. You need to properly mount the webcam to get decent lighting. Ring light effect works if active camera is placed right behind ring , make sure that the ring light you are purchasing has a proper mount for your camera.
7. Should i use a ring light with a laptop webcam?
Ring lights are designed to be placed right in front of the camera – the camera looks through the center of the ring. So the placing of your laptop and the ring light is quiet tricky and would be a hassle to set up. There are many LED camera light panels that will make you look so much better on Zoom. They give a bit of directionality to the shadows to prevent a flat look, and catch light in the eyes looks like window light. Go for a LED light panel instead of a ring light for laptop webcams.
8. How do you use a ring light with glasses?
When you are using a ring light with a subject having glasses you will see a glaring effect that can ruin your shot. The nature of a ring light is to shoot through it and so ensuring that people wearing glasses will have nice round highlight glaring in the reflection of the light. Tilting the lenses, either by facing the subject at an angle to either side, up or down might help too, but ring lights don’t offer much modeling except in terms of fall off, so angling the subject might not be result in a flattering portrait.
CONCLUSION
This is it! these were our picks for the best ring lights that you can buy right now! If you are still confused which one to go for then here’s a quick rundown:
Go for DIGITEK 18 inch Professional LED Ring Light as it is the overall best when it comes to functionality. The 18 inch size allows you to use it professionally and casually as well. The brightness and color settings give you a good control over the shadows and the toning of the shot. The only thing that it misses out on is the stand which you have to purchase separately.
If you are bound by budget and want something that will just get the job done then go for COOLMOBIZ 18 inch Selfie LED Ring Light as it gives you a great ring light just at the price of Rs.1000. You also get a stand for mounting the ring light. It may not have any fancy eye catching feature but still it is a great choice for a ring light.
Go for Teconica BR-01 Rechargeable Selfie Enhancing Portable Ring Light if you need a ring light just for enhancing your selfies. It is super compact and lightweight so you can carry it anywhere you want. It scores points when it comes to affordability too!
Leave a Reply