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LED ring lights are common, portable, and useful circular lighting tools suited to a home office setup. Ring lights give you a flattering, soft glow with eye-catching catchlights without creating shadows or harsh lines on your face or other objects.
Ring lights are the favorite lighting tool of vloggers, YouTubers, and content creators for makeup and beauty subjects. They are also excellent companions for the best webcams during meetings or job interviews via apps like Skype or Zoom.
Choose for your portraits’ best lighting experience, Tiktok videos, youtube vlogs, virtual meetings, or close-up shots from these top 10 recommended ring lights for 2021.
Product Review: Top 10 Best Ring Lights for 2021
Let us have the best ring lights list fit for youtube, Tiktok vlogs, makeup tutorials, photography, iPhone use in both the US and UK market:
1. ESDDI PLV-R432 Ring Light – Best for Youtube Videos
The ESDDI PLV-432 is an 18-inch ring light with a kit containing a ring light, light stand, and padded travel case. It has a knob-adjustable dimmable ring light, smartphone-compatible shoe adapter, aluminum build light stand, and other accessories in one excellent package.
Features
- Highly dimmable and adjustable color temperature
- Phone mobile clip with smartphone-compatible adapter
- It is a freely rotating aluminum light stand.
- Power source – Mains power
Pros
- Large, bright light source
- Prominent dials for adjustable brightness levels and temperature
Cons
- The phone holder is less sturdy.
- It needs a separate tripod stand for the DSLR camera.
- Consumes much space
Why Should You Buy the Product?
This ring light provides large, bright, soft light and attractive catchlights ideal for your youtube videos, vlogs, beauty, and makeup tutorials.
2. Rotolight Neo 2 – Best for Webcam Video Calls
Rotolight Neo 2 is just a ring–like light that offers adequate bicolor lighting for videos and fixed shoots, but not the same light softness or round catchlights obtained from ring lights. It is an extended, adjustable LED camera light with a high-speed sync flash ideal for portrait photoshoots.
Features
- Adjustable color temperature ranging from daylight color to tungsten in extended flash setting
- Multiple power source – mains power, AA batteries
- The package contains Neo 2 LED light, four-piece filter kit, belt pouch, power source, and shoe adapter.
Pros
- True Aperture Dimming and Cinesfx mode
- Color temperature adjustment
- Strong flash mode
Cons
- Not a genuine ring light
Why Should You Buy the Product?
It is a ring-shaped light that delivers a brilliant light source within 3 feet, ideal for photography and videos.
3. Neewer 20 inch Dimmable Ring Light – Brightest Light for Makeup Photography
The Neewer ring light has the largest ring in this review with dimmable output. This device comes in a bundle of a light stand, ball head adapter, vertical/horizontal cell phone holder, wireless remote control, and a portable case.
Features
- 20-inch dimmable LED light, with energy-efficient, LED beads
- Knob-adjustable color temperature
- Dual power source – DC power adapter and Li-ion batteries with USB charger
- Durable and adjustable metal light stand
- 360 degrees rotating smartphone holder
- Ball head adapter that connects holder with ring light
Pros
- Large ring diameter
- DC adapter and battery operated
Cons
- Less powerful than ESDDI
Why Should You Buy the Product?
If you are looking for a genuine ring light for makeup tutorials with the most prominent light spread and wireless shooting, Neewer 20 inch ring is the answer.
4. Xinbaohong Clip-On Selfie Light – Best for iPhones and Laptops
Xinbaohong Clip-on selfie ring light is a radiant mini ring light that clips into an 18mm or thinner surface. You can bring your phone, laptop, bag, or even your sun visor to get that perfect selfie in Xinbaohong ring light.
Features
- Ring light with 48 LED beads and silicone coating
- Fixed color temperature
- Power source – an internal battery that allows USB charging
- The device runs for 4 to 7 hours when fully charged.
Pros
- Radiant multipurpose light with high diffusion permeable mask design
- Dual power mode (USB and battery)
- Six light modes – 3 white light illumination mode and three flash modes
Cons
- The small battery dims after one hour.
Why Should You Buy the Product?
When looking for a portable and budget-friendly selfie light on the go for your iPhone, laptop, bag, or sun visor, the Xinbaohong selfie light is the one for you.
5. Quiya Ring Light – Best Selfie Ring Light
Quiya selfie ring is a small, portable clip-on phone light that is ideal for selfies on the go, even in the night or dark rooms. This ring light is clipped on the phone’s lens and encircles the lens to create a halo effect.
Features
- Clip-on phone ring light
- With internal rechargeable batteries and USB cord
Pros
- Compact, lightweight, and portable
- Adjustable three-level brightness for every situation
Cons
- Need for a more stable power source
Why Should You Buy the Product?
It is an inexpensive but flattering, portable lighting device for your everyday photography needs.
6. Neewer Ring Light Kit – Amazon’s Best-Selling Ring Light
Neewer Ring Light Kit contains an 18-inch special LED ring light, phone holder, stand, adapters, and a lightweight carrying case portable for a selfie, video, and photography. Neewer Ring Light Kit currently tops Amazon’s best selling ring lights due to its unique features.
Features
- 18-inch portable and dimmable light
- Aluminum build light stand
- DSLR compatible hot shoe adaptor and phone holder, for self-portrait mode
- Universal power adapter with plug
- Smartphone holder
Pros
- Dimmable outer ring light, with dimming range from 1% – 100%
- Durable and adjustable stand
- Easily adjustable brightness
- Dual lighting filters
Cons
- Few instances of light not working
Why Should You Buy the Product?
It is the best pick for photography because of the excellent features of brightness adjustment, ring light filters, and a DSLR and smartphone compatible adapter.
7. Neewer Upgraded 18 inch LED Ring Light – Best Overall Ring Light for Photography and Tiktok creation in the US and UK.
Neewer Ring Light Kit is the upgraded version of the Neewer 18 inch LED Ring Light, with the same 18 inch dimmable LED lights and adjustable color temperature. The only addition to this lighting device is the US and European cables and the bluetooth remote.
Features
- 18-inch dimmable light with energy-efficient beads and dimming range from 1 to 100%
- Adjustable aluminum build light stand with stable 3-leg stage and locking mechanism
- Adjustable color temperature and two-color filter (white and orange)
- It has a hot-shoe adaptor and 360 degrees rotating phone holder for self-portrait mode
- Dual power cables
Pros
- Bluetooth smartphone remote control
- Interchangeable color filters, exceptional dimmer, and angle adjustment
- Portable, durable ring light and rotating stand
Cons
- Some phones are not compatible with the holder.
Why Should You Buy the Product?
It is a top-selling ring light in the US and UK because of its excellent photo-perfect features – brightness, bluetooth remote, angle adjustment, and wide range of accessories.
8. Eicaus 10 inch Ring Light – Best Affordable Ring Light for Tiktok Creators
Eicaus 10 inch LED light has a front touchpad, AC/DC adapter, and a wide range of dimmable light perfect for photographers, YouTubers, and vloggers. It has an adjustable tripod and wireless remote.
Features
- A touchpad in front of the ring lights
- Trio lighting modes (warm white, cool white, and daylight) with ten brightness levels
- 50-inch adjustable tripod stand
- Freely rotating phone holder
- Wireless control
Pros
- 50% brighter than most ring lights
- With AC/DC adapter
- A broad range of height options
- Wireless bluetooth remote
Cons
- High price point
Why Should You Buy the Product?
So, if you want a budget-friendly and exceptionally brilliant ring light for your Tiktok videos, the Eicaus ring light is the top choice.
9. IVISII Ring Light 19-inch – Best for Content Creators
IVISII 19-inch ring offers an updated version of ring light with eye protection beads, low consumption power, high brightness, and adjustable color temperature. It comes with a ring, adjustable stand, shoe adapter, carrying bag, mounting bracket, dual plugs, and LED bead.
Features
- 19-inch LED light with four color filters (white, red, blue, and green) and heat-reduction technology
- With smart LCD showing accurate brightness and color modes
- Adjustable light stand
- Adjustable color temperature, high color rendering, and brightness levels from 0% to 100%
- Dual power source – DC adapter and rechargeable Li-ion batteries
- Built-in hot-shoe adapter for DSLR and smartphone holder
- Bluetooth selfie remote
Pros
- Bicolor mode and LCD
- Adjustable dimmer from 1 to 100%
- Low-heat output, security, and environmental protection
- Built-in wireless control
Cons
- Some commented on the not-so-sturdy mount and stand.
Why Should You Buy the Product?
It offers the best shooting experience for still photos and videos with its adjustable dimmer and color temperature and built-in adapter.
10. AIXPI 10 inch Ring Light – Best Affordable Ring Light
AIXPI ring is a medium-sized ring light that appeals to most Amazon shoppers because of its efficient and adjustable brightness levels. It can also become a chic desk lamp from its tripod and USB power feature.
Features
- With tripod stand, hot shoe mount, and USB power mode
- 10-inch ring light that is dimmable and has three color modes – cold, warm, and cold-warm
- Universal, adjustable phone clip that reaches up to 3.93 inches wide and compatible with most smartphones
- USB power feature that works with most USB-supported devices (laptop, PC, power bank, USB charger, and AC adapter)
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Adjustable brightness -trio lighting mode with ten levels of brightness
Cons
- Not a waterproof light
- It does not come with a bag.
Why Should You Buy the Product?
AIXPI ring is a great ring light that won tons of reviews due to its affordability and easily adjusted brightness settings.
Relevant Information
Ring lights are versatile lighting devices applicable to any situation at home or even at work, available as on-camera and off-camera types.
A portable on-camera ring light is best for raw photography and portrait shoots and pluggable into a DSLR camera. An off-camera ring has a unique mount for the camera and is usually mounted on the tripod, great for continuous photoshoots and videos.
There is various information that you need to know to appreciate further and maximize the use of your ring lights.
Why Should You Purchase a Ring Light?
Ring lights are circular lighting tools that emphasize the subject’s features in a professional video, image, selfie, or vlog. These lights are highly recommended for the following reasons:
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Simple to Set Up and Use
Ring lights are compact and portable lighting tools that you can carry and assemble anywhere, depending on type and brand. Portable clip-on selfie lights can be attached to the phone, while light kits require more time and parts for its assembly.
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Image Enhancement
This light creates a gorgeous and balanced soft light that highlights the subject’s features and reduces harsh shadows and dark lines. It also produces cool catchlights – the larger the ring is, the larger are the catchlights too.
The natural-looking glow is perfect for selfies, vlogs, videos, and even in professional videos and meetings for home offices. It is the ideal glow-up videography and photography tool.
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Creation of Color Effects
Ring lights create various color effects by switching white bulbs with colored lights or applying colored gels on the light’s parts.
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Video Creation
These lights produce a gorgeous halo shadow that outlines the photographer’s subject or video, providing a dramatic and professional capture for a video or photo.
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Makeup Application
The daylight color produced by ring lights is perfect for applying makeup on a dim day or when natural light is unavailable.
How Do You Use Ring Lights?
You can use your ring lights by following these steps:
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Setting Up the Light
You can clip the ring light and turn it on for clip-on types. You can unfold the stand and extend to the desired height, mount the ring, plug the energy source, and turn on the off-camera types. Make sure to place your ring light to the nearest power source in your workspace to prevent hassles.
Also, secure the tripod stand by ensuring one of the legs is in the same direction as the ring light. A sandbag can also help secure the ring light in its place. Lastly, ensure that you switch off the ring light before unplugging it to prevent damages to the equipment.
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Camera or Phone Mounting
For mounting, you can place the camera or phone at the center of the ring and properly secure it through cell phone holder and universal camera brackets.
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Adjusting the light and color
Lastly, you can adjust the brightness level and color temperature to control how your image or video will appear.
Color temperature controls how warm or cold the image will appear. The lower the temperature, the warmer and yellowish the appearance of the image will be. The neutral white light feature of the ring light makes natural-looking images.
As for brightness, ring lights with dimmable features have easily adjusted brightness levels. However, if your ring light has no dimming quality, you can further decrease the light intensity.
Buying Guide: How Do You Choose for the Best Ring Light?
When buying the perfect ring light for your needs, you need to make sure that you check the lighting device for the following characteristics:
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Power and Size of Ring Light
You need to consider the ring light’s power source and ring size before deciding on getting one. The larger the ring size, the brighter is the light emitted by the ring.
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Color Temperature and Brightness
Ring lights with adjustable color temperature and brightness are highly preferred.
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Durability
Lights should be portable and sturdy enough to be used for the rest of the day without encountering scratches and cracks. Lights that are easily adjusted in terms of brightness and color and easy to move around a phone for both the front and back cameras are highly preferable.
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Compatibility with Phone and Laptop
You can check if your ring light grips snugly on your cell phone and laptops. Check whether the phone can be held while using the ring light. Examine if the tripod was high enough to sit on a desk above the computer for efficient lighting.
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Battery
Ring lights that provide the best lighting coverage while maximizing charging time and battery life are most preferred.
FAQs
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What is the best ring light brand to buy?
Neewer light is the best ring light brand due to its top-quality materials, better performance, durability, and high customer sales.
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Does Best Buy sell ring lights?
Yes, Best Buy sells different kinds of portable and off-camera ring lights on its website at a wide price range.
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Are LED ring lights good for photography and product photography?
Yes, ring lights are perfect for photography and product photography as they cast even, soft light on the subject, emphasizing its features. However, this shadowless light leaves images with less depth than those taken inside a studio.
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Are selfie ring lights any good?
Yes, selfie ring lights are the best light sources that enhance your selfies, videos, vlogs, and photos. These lights give a flattering, professional look while removing unwanted shadows on the background.
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What kind of ring lights do Youtubers use?
YouTubers use a continuous ring light – LED lights on a stand that allows the camera to sit in the center of the ring light, taking uninterrupted video recording.
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How well do LED ring lights work for camcorders?
LED ring lights produce continuous lighting perfect for videos taken via camcorders.
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What is best for eyesight, normal tube lights, or LED lights?
LED lights are more eyesight-friendly because they emit bright lights that do not overheat or flicker when used for a prolonged time, compared with tube lights.
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How do you enhance lighting during zoom and video conferences?
You can use your ring light to enhance your facial features during zoom and video conferences and create a more professional image even at home.
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How do you obtain a catchlight in your eye?
You can produce donut-shaped catchlights in your eye by using a large ring light or placing the ring light close to your subject.
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What should you do when your ring lights stop working?
You can troubleshoot the problem by checking for the wires, power source (battery, socket, power adapter), and the ring light itself for any damage or malfunctions.
Loose wires, non-functional power adapters or sockets, and even busted light bulbs can be the leading cause of simple light problems.
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What is the best lighting for coding late at night?
One of the excellent ring lights used for late-night coding is the Xinbaohong Rechargeable Clip-on Selfie Fill Light. It is a portable and compact ring light that emits perfect lighting even in dim to dark conditions.
Key Takeaways
Ring lights are perfect lighting tools available for amateur and professional individuals who engage in selfies, vlogs, videos, virtual meetings, and photography. These lights produce attractive enhancements of the facial features and subjects by casting different light intensities.
Ring lights are excellent lighting sources for home office setups, where high-quality images and videos are needed, such as Zoom meetings, Skype, and Youtube contents.
Read over this review and buying guide now and check out the qualities of the existing ring lights in the market. Send this link to your email address, and choose the best ring light for your personal and professional needs!
Need help? Pro Photo Studio can help you showcase the beauty of your products through high-quality product photography services.
References:
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