Adding a Ring Light makes a HUGE difference!
As the effects of locking down for the pandemic began to really blossom, I was spending much of my day on Zoom calls in meetings, on Facetime trying to figure things out with clients, and creating videos where I used to just meet with people in person. But as I zoomed, facetimed and recorded, I noticed one consistent thing - I looked so terrible and old and it was all because of the terrible lighting! Tired of looking like a distant cousin of the Adam’s Family on camera, I started setting up my video lights. I have a lot of lights, all very professional and very expensive and they did an amazing job, but the problem is that they were not very movable and often times, I needed to set up and do videos in different locations. It would have been impossible to pack up all of that gear and move it, set it back up and and shoot for 15 minutes only to take it back down and move it back. I decided it was time to give and do what ever 12-25 year old girl on Instagram has done: Get a Ring Light…
What is the Best Ring Light Kit of 2021?
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the market is absolutely flooded with ring light kits. While I know a lot about lighting, I know nothing about ring lights. So I began my search for ring light on Amazon. There were literally more options than I could count. It was immediately overwhelming. I was looking for a quality ring light, but I didn’t want to spend $700 for one. I left my ring light Amazon search and instead headed over to YouTube where I watched a ton of reviews for different lights. Here’s what I discovered…
Ring Light Features
The features the ring light comes with really do make or break a lot of products out there. Even if the price is low, if the ring light doesn’t have some key features then it becomes almost useless really quickly. Here are some of the key features you should consider when shopping for a ring light.
Color Temperature
Some of the cheap ring lights out there only offer one color and its usually a daylight kind of blue color. If you’re going to only be filming in one location and that color works with the ambient lighting you’re using then you’re good. But if you’re going to be moving your light around, shooting in different areas or want to have any control over white balance, you are going to want a ring light with a color temperature range so that you can adjust from daylight blue to tungsten orange as needed. I even use this creatively by turning the light to the tungsten range and adjusting my cameras white balance, which gives me a blue-colored background. Some of the cheaper lights out there offer clip on plastic panels which act as filters to change the light color. This isn’t a bad option if it keeps you in your budget, but those panels are just one more thing to keep up with. Its just so much easier to turn a knob and get a different color out of your light.
Ring Light Power Options
Many of the cheaper options out there only offer one option. You either are going to have to leave your ring light plugged in all the time or you’re going to be relying solely on battery power. If either of these options fits your needs then it opens up a broader range of options for you. But again, if you’re needing some flexibility with your ring light power options, then you definitely want to opt for a light that will let you use both battery and plug-in as needed. There have been moments when I have needed to shoot for longer periods of time and so leaving the ring light plugged in gives me the stability and duration I need. But there have also been moments when I needed to be in a place that didn’t have power and being able to plug in a battery and still get the same power and options has been a life saver. Of course, any time you are on battery you have a limited amount of time and I have pushed mine too far on occasion and have my ring light shut-off in the middle of filming, but live and learn I guess lol.
Ring Light Stands
I’ve got stands. A lot of stands. But I’ve learned something, one more stand couldn’t hurt! If you don’t have any stands you definitely want to get a ring light with a sturdy and durable stand that is also compact. The effective range of these lights isn’t a very big space so you’re not going to need a 20’ stand and sandbags, but you want something that will at least work for what you need it to and not get in the way. As I shopped for ring lights, I realized that many of them out there were ok ring lights, but the stands they came with were absolutely awful. If you get a great ring light and an awful stand and the stand falls over and your ring light gets smashed now just have an awful stand and no ring light. Make sure the stand you’re getting with your ring light is decent quality.
Ring Light Adjustability
I guess you could just move the light further away or closer to you. But what I noticed when using an iPhone or Android phone with a ring light is that ambient light can really mess up your camera’s automatic exposure while taking photos or video. There were times when I was shooting in a darker area that I was just completely blown out by the ring light and I couldn’t get my camera to adjust correctly. And let’s face it, if you’re using a conferencing app like Zoom or Google Meet, they did not spend a lot of time on the camera controls for the apps. Having the ability to adjust your power settings gives you greater control of the light and of the look you’re going for. You definitely want a ring light with an adjustable power setting.
Which Size Ring Light Should I Buy?
This is another great question. The larger the light, the better, but if you’re on a budget, a smaller ring light is infinitely better than no ring light at all. And if it comes down to price, I would skimp on the size before I skimped on the features. Get the biggest, feature rich, ring light you can afford!
Should I Buy a Ring Light Kit?
Unless you are in a very small group of individuals who already have a lot of equipment, you definitely should just shop for a kit. Almost all of the right light kits on Amazon, Adorama, and B&H have everything you need to get started. You really just have to consider the price, the features, and the quality. And don’t just stop at looking at the reviews on the website. I found that YouTube was full of really great reviews of every single one of the top selling ring light kits.
The Ring Light I Bought
Of course, is this ring light the best ring light of 2021? Well for me it is, but your needs could vary wildly. As I started shopping, I knew I would be using this light for Zoom calls, Facetime, and recording videos and I knew that I would a great deal of flexibility and a lot of features. After watching a ton of reviews and checking out some of the ring lights my friends were using, I decided on going with the Westcott 18” Ring Light Kit. This kit came with two batteries, a battery charger, a plug-in power supply, a stand, an iPhone holder with flexible arm, and a case. For the money, it was definitely what I felt would work best.
I’ve used this ring light from Westcott almost daily for the past year. Zoom calls for work, zoom calls with doctors for check-ups, job interviews, recording digital content for classes (instruction), YouTube videos, church, you name it, I’ve used this light for it! It provides a ton of light and the color temp is adjustable. The power level is adjustable too! It can be battery powered or plugged in and it comes with a stand that can get pretty tall but also folds up to fit really nicely in the well-built cases that was included.
The light itself is great but the materials for everything aren’t the highest quality. The plastic housing around the light is very flimsy. The stand also has some issues with the legs staying in place. Often times, these legs will slowly settle to the floor. Especially if you have a camera attached. I’ve had to really tighten that nut down to keep it from moving while I’m shooting.
You can easily attach an iPhone or a small mirrorless camera to this ring light.
The price is higher also, which could be a deal breaker for you. But after looking at a lot of lights and considering the price, I would get one of the cheaper lights. You’re not really asking for much when you purchase a light for under $200. But this light beats out almost all of its competitors for quality in this price range. I could have gotten a light for much cheaper, but feel like I would not have gotten the life and usability out of it. If you’re looking for a ring light for zoom calls or a ring light for streaming you could possibly go with something a little more affordable. But if you’re going to be trying to create quality content for YouTube or classroom instruction, this light is the one you want to pick-up.
There are a few other quality lights out there. I strongly considered the 18” 55w Ring Light Kit from Neewer. It was a much more affordable option and if you’re working inside of a tight budget, this light would be a great budget buy!
Getting a Ring Light will Improve Your Video and Photo Quality Dramatically!
Teachers, a ring light is going to help your videos look so much better! YouTubers, stop sitting in front of that window and enjoy the flexibility that a ring light can give!. Instagram influencers, you know you need this! Do some research and take the plunge!