While ring lights may seem like simple devices, there's actually a lot to consider. So how we test them is by putting them through their paces in real-world conditions, using them for Zoom calls, photographing portraits, filming YouTube content –all at different times of day, in different natural and artificial light conditions. If you want to add a professional pop to your Zoom and Skype calls but don’t fancy turning over your whole desk to a larger lamp and stand, Elegiant’s 6.3” Ring Light is ideal. The secret is their size and shape. The best ring lights produce a constant, wide, circular light that illuminates the face from all directions – and the bigger the ring, the softer the lighting. The result is incredibly flattering illumination, with spectacular circular catchlights in the eyes, soft falloff, and light that generally wraps and sculpts the face.

For casual video calls with friends, the Rotolight Conference Kit is arguably overkill. However, if you’re on the hunt for a smart-looking, premium quality light to use within a professional or a serious piece of kit for your photo and video work, the Rotolight should be on your shortlist. It's an 18-inch ring light which makes it perfect for shooting portraits or filming videos. As it's wireless you can use it on location or in the studio which makes it a great option if you want to be able to do both. The ring light has a phone holder in the middle. It’s also detachable so you can fix it on the tripod leg. You can also rotate the phone holder to portrait and landscape modes. It’s a universal holder and should fit most phones. As for the iPhone Pro Max models, some users have had issues fitting it in with a case. Besides that, most lights are flexible and let you switch between different color temperatures. Read our recommendations for the best phone tripod with a ring light. But before that, Good lighting is the key to creating quality videos and photos. If you are looking to create short but quality videos, investing in lights is the first step forward. If you are creating videos on your phone, a handy tripod with a ring light and a phone holder is all you need. This two-in-one mechanism holds your phone and provides adequate lighting for your shoots.Some of the best ring lights for phones will offer advanced features, such as the ability to adjust the light’s color temperature or RGB output. Some are also powered by an AC adapter, whereas others use batteries — or have both options. Consider your needs.

Ring lights are far from the only style of light on the market. Indeed you’ll find plenty of alternative light panels and softbox options available. Where ring lights have an edge, though, is the quality and coverage of light they can produce relative to their price and size. An LED panel or softbox capable of producing a similarly sized diffuse light is likely to be significantly bulkier, pricier – or both. Does ring light size matter? The Raya Bendie-Brite Folding USB Bi-Color LED Ring Light is the best ring light if you’re on the road a lot and want a ring light that can travel with you. 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. Given their donut-shape, ring lights are perfect for headshots and close-ups, whether you're shooting still images or video. So if you photograph or film yourself or others directly looking into the camera, a ring light is perfect for you. Ring lights can also be used like more traditional LED light panels, to provide overall key or fill lighting to a scene, but they are tailor made for shooting faces. Do professionals use ring lights?The light features a clamp so you can mount it directly on your laptop, monitor, or the edge of your desk with no need for an additional stand. Once set up it can then be angled to suit, and can be plugged directly into your computer’s USB port, which keeps messy cable runs to a minimum. For versatility, you can alternatively opt to power it via a USB wall adapter or power bank.

Ring lights are also commonly used for macro or product photography, where they can sometimes be affixed around a camera or lens for even lighting around a subject. You get a huge number of settings at your fingertips, since you're able to adjust the light’s color temperature, hue and brightness all independently. We were particularly impressed by its ability to produce many different types of light, including vibrantly colored light, via the RGB settings, which you won't find on every ring light. Small, lightweight and with a range of mounting options, Rotolight’s LED Ring Light Kit is a great option for vloggers and content creators on the move. Using the included stand, it can be attached to any smartphone or camera or used standalone on its tripod. Alternatively, if you use an external microphone like the Rode Videomic Pro, the light can simply slide right over the top of it. The Litra Glow is a flexible, economical, easily adjustable fill light that can only help you look better on your webcam during video meetings. Serious gaming streamers will want one of the previously mentioned panels for maximum wattage, but this is the only light around that works this well right next to a webcam.With diffuse, flattering, wrap-around light, the best ring lights are ideal for adding a professional pop to your photos and videos. Well suited to a wide range of subjects, ring lights excel at portraiture and facial lighting. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

As you’d expect from a larger light, the Elgato provides a soft, shadow-free look along with bright halo catchlights. However, unlike a lot of large lights, it features a solid desk-mounting stand, rather than a traditional tripod, which means it’s easier to position and takes up no floor space. Do you need a ring that lets you adjust the light’s color temperature or brightness? Or do you need the option of powering the ring light either by an AC adapter or using batteries? This 18in Ring Light from EOTO is the ideal choice for photographers, videographers and makeup artists who want a large, flattering ring light at a reasonable price point.Rotolight’s Conference Kit takes the highly-regarded Rotolight Neo 2 video light and pairs it with a desk-friendly stand. We also take them out to see if they're sturdy enough to be transported and used on location, or if they're only really robust enough to stay on your desk or in the corner of your room. It's important to see how the output performs when using batteries versus main power, too, if that's something they offer. Frequently asked questions What's the difference between ring light and LED lights? In short, yes: larger lights provide better overall coverage. Larger ring lights will, in general, provide a more flattering look as the larger light source is better able to surround you or your subject. Larger ring lights also facilitate a greater working distance, so you don’t need to position them as close to your subject. Smaller ring lights can still do an excellent job, though, provided you position them a little nearer. What brightness do I need? The Lube Cube Wireless ring light might seem overpriced but it has a lot of really great features compared to others. The light itself is really bright, and you can either run it off mains power or for up to 90 minutes on batteries (which are supplied). It also includes an LED readout to monitor your settings and it comes with a sturdy 6.5ft light stand.