10 Best Ring Lights in 2023

Ring lights first came into the limelight as a perfect tool for people who want to have that something extra in their photos or videos.

As the name implies, this is just a simple halo apparatus with LED lights that will ensure you have excellent light on your photos. Over time, this has turned into an essential tool for upcoming YouTubers, bloggers, and more.

It doesn't matter if you're an aspiring TikTok site star or you prefer having a glowing face in zoom office meetings; ring lights will always be there for you. It's not just a fashion device anymore; it is a work necessity now. This is why you need to find the best ring light out there.

10 Best Ring Lights

It is common knowledge that due to huge demand and the emergence of technology, the market is filled with  tons of different ring lights. Some are decent, some are overpriced and some are just perfect. Let's take you on the journey of perfection now!

1. Neewer Ring Light Kit: 18"/48cm Outer 55W 5500K         

We really don't want you to spend extra bucks on a ring light, so we're trying to nitpick the excellent quality ones that come with accessories and are more like a multi-functional kit.  This product from Inkeltech can be a great example of how multi-tasking ring light kits can be.

This one is a common choice among famous photographers, not because of the eccentric looks it is renowned because of the initial features.

Lighting setups could be difficult for many. Setting the right light is a difficult job. But when you have a ring light that can deliver an output of 5000k as color temperature, the whole process gets easier.

Coming with a double filter of soft white and orange, you can easily custom your light settings accordingly.

This isn't just another LED ring light though; it's a complete kit that includes a sturdy light stand, a bag, and a camera mount. It might not be the most portable option available, but if you're looking for premium performance, this could very well be your pick.

Be it your TikTok channel or YouTube channel - you can easily up your game with the proper use of this device. It comes with a classic gooseneck for customizing various angles. This very ring light kit is quite compatible and goes with a DSLR as well. So if you're looking for a classy, quality product- give it a go!

2. Inkeltech Ring Light - 18 

We really don't want you to spend extra bucks on a ring light, so we're trying to nitpick the excellent quality ones that come with accessories and are more like a multi-functional kit. Speaking of which, this product from Inkeltech can be a great example of how multi-tasking ring light kits can be.

Coming with the basic tripod stand-mount-bag combo, this beautiful device has an incredible balance from 3000K to 6000K. This is unique because with the difference between the two units- outcomes a wide diversity of color temperatures, and you have a massive opportunity to experiment with the colors.

This is a device that consists of 512 LED bulbs. It means two things. One, the light is very, very powerful. Two, the picture will remain soft, bright, and glowy, no matter what. The thing about these LEDs here is that they are a big cluster of little bulbs put together; hence they emit very little heat and take up little energy.

Setting up this ring light is relatively easy. Many people find issues with setups, but it's not the case with it. They have given you the instructions; all you have to do is go through them, set it up first, and then look for improving pointers.

With a massive 18" in diameter, the inkeltech ring light will surely light up your photography/videography experience!

3. Neewer RL-12 LED Ring Light 14" 

Neewer products have one thing in common - they all give you the vibe of a premium product! This one named RL-12 maintains that standard and provides a class experience for the users.

It is a 55W kit, slightly less than its predecessor on the list. The light power is a bit lower than that of fluorescent bulbs. But unless you require maximum output, 55W would be more than enough for you.

The power depends on your usage, to be honest, and as long as you don't require critical detailing of small objects or products from close-up, this device will do perfectly fine for you.

The super-strong aluminum alloy stand to the plastic color filter set with orange and white; this provides you everything you require from a ring light.

Setup is an issue to many people, and reading instructions can be boring to some as well. Thankfully, this one has a very brief instruction because setting it up is very easy! But it doesn't end right there. The overall use of this very ring light is deemed by most as one of the smoothest experiences ever!

The LED lights in this device are much cooler than the other types. So, even if you get close to the round white sun, you won't get hurt, so close-up shots are never risky with this one. Moreover, this product has zero UV or infrared radiation, so using a ring light as such wouldn't hamper your health by any means!

4. Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light 

Well, not everyone is all about large portraits and wide videos; some of us are just happy to take small video clips for our vines and TikTok.

All we require is just a good, portable ring light for beautiful phone selfies and occasional small portrait videos. For this specific reason, there aren't many products on the market that can come close to this one from Auxiwa.

First things first, if you're a professional photographer or videographer- this ring light isn't for your official work. Nope. It's more like one for casual hangouts or just a random social media selfie stating where you're traveling.

That being said, this 3-inch ring with 3W power and 5600K color temperature isn't too bad for indoor shootings! Clamp it to your phone or laptop and see the magic!

To maintain its extreme portability, the device doesn't require a cord or anything; just recharge it from time to time. Initially, the lithium aa batteries provided has quite a decent charge life, but try not to keep it out of charge for too long.

Charing is quite easy, too, because they supply an USB cable to go with it. The overall charge takes up around a couple of hours, and the charge can remain for another couple of hours.

If you're a makeup enthusiast or just want to take beautiful selfies, this can be a feasible and reasonable pick for you!

5. Neewer LED Ring Light, Table Top 10-inch 

Here comes another one from Neewer - by now you must have got the hint that Neewer is kind of the Microsoft in the ring light universe!

Interestingly enough, this is another quality device praised by its users and has a wide range of applications, from makeup tutorials to food reviews! With an exquisite led SMD design, this device is sure to turn a few heads around!

This is a relatively smaller sized LED ring light with 120 LED bulbs and consumes very low energy. The device is, without a doubt, environment-friendly and completely safe for your health. It provides you with even and fully shadowless lighting to make sure the photos come out brilliant!

Unlike the first two, this one has three light modes with ten levels of brightness. With a 180-degree fixing knob, you can easily tilt it and adjust accordingly. Apart from that, it comes with a very flexible smartphone holder that can be adjusted as well.

The device is quite compatible, and since it connects with a USB plug, you can power it through any other device with a USB port. Perhaps the most exciting fact about this ring light is that it is very versatile. Be it a wedding video or just a home selfie- it can do it all!

6. YONGNUO YN-14EX

Surveys suggest that most people using ring lights for different purposes are students under 25, which means a large portion of them would prefer an affordable, reasonable device. This one from Yongnuo will be a gem for them and those who don't plan to spend a hefty amount of money on an accessory like this.

It comes with a twin-tube unique design that is different from all the other ones on our list. Such exceptional design means you can easily adjust one side higher than the other and vice versa. The whole process ensures you can have different effects and depths on your photos or videos regardless of your light source.

Not every ring light will come with quality flashes, but this one does. A high-end flash is rare to see in a budget option as such, but somehow they have managed it within a power setting of 1/1 to 1/64. It needs around 3-5 seconds to recycle.

The light isn't just another normal ring light; it works fantastic with TTL and has exquisite features like second curtain sync and flash exposure bracketing that takes it to new levels.

7. UBeesize 10.2" Selfie Ring Light 

The first thing that comes into our mind when we see a Ubeesize ring light is the portability. It's written in their name- their devices are lightweight, compact, and highly portable. This one exceeds the usual features and creates a strong case to be one of the best ring lights out there.

It comes with a total of three lighting modes. You can get white, warm white, or yellow with a whopping eleven adjustable brightness settings! If you're looking for a decent dimmable ring light for your purposes- this is a solid pick for you.

The hardware is a class apart as well. From the adjustable and multi-functional tripod stand to the phone holder's massive compatibility, this device truly is something else. The design is done in such a way that the selfie-ring and phone holder can light up together.

This here is a versatile ring light suitable for selfies, vlogs, YouTube videos, photography, and more. Its compatibility is also excellent as it fits in most USB ports, so that recharging won't be an issue with it!

8. Neewer 19-inch RGB LED Ring Light 

One last entry from the wide range of products made from Neewer- and perhaps one of the most exciting ones? Before we even go into any details, let's just point out that the design and color of this ring light are the most unique on our list.

The unique color grading added with that 19-inch diameter ensures that you can use it for professional and casual use at the same time!

Neewer ring lights aren't just a single piece of an LED ring light; they come with a whole package.

It contains a light stand, power adapter, carry bag, smartphone holder, ball head adapter, Bluetooth remote control, and other essentials alongside the 19-inch RGB LED light. As expected, the LED light is energy-saving and consumes minimal electricity.

This large device has the  highest number of LED beads from our list. Along with a total of 432 white and 108 RGB beads, the lighting will undoubtedly be as bright as anything!

With a wide range of color temperatures from 3200K to 5600K, setting the right color for your purpose gets easier than ever! But that's not all; it also provides you with at least ten different special effect modes!

The ring light can hold three phones simultaneously with the three cold shoes and all-around light dissipation. It comes with a useful LCD to set the brightness and color temperature accordingly. The compatible smartphone holder makes sure this device can be used for both indoor and outdoor work!

9. Whellen Selfie Ring Light 

If you're looking for something portable, lightweight, and affordable at the same time, then you're in the right place with this one.

Whellen selfie ring light, one of the popular products in this regard, has gained a lot of attention lately, and it's because of two things — portability and endurance. Be it a small bag or a purse- it fits in very well and stays without a single scratch.

This 3.5-inch can be clipped right onto your laptop or your smartphone. If your target is to take highlighted and illuminated selfies, then the bottom half will cover some part of your screen while the upper half makes sure your selfies come out amazing.

While the bottom half a bit might sound annoying- it doesn't cover up any essential bits of your phone or laptop.

These ring light clips have rubber padding and use cases and are extremely useful while using a phone covered by a case. The rubber makes sure the device will never harm your phone or laptop, and it also helps to fit in easily. Overall, this ring light is all about safety!

It comes with three different settings regarding lighting. Unlike other typical options, it's a bit different here. They have warm, cool, and a mixture of both. The warm light and the cool light are pretty amazing depending on the time of usage, while the most original light comes from combining the two.

10. 10" Ring Light LED Desktop Selfie Ring Light 

Last but not least, we have ourselves a wildcard holder. It's not one of the common brands, but their product indeed is one of the finest.

Take this 10" light for an example. You can adjust the luminance from 1-100%; you get a total of 3 color settings without color filters, decent color temperature, excellent lighting with overall ten different brightness modes with it. What else would you require from a quality ring light?

The device comes with an adjustable aluminum alloy tripod and a metal bracket. It also has an adjustable and flexible phone mount that fits in most smartphones.

A sensitive Bluetooth remote makes sure you can have wireless control on it. The video light is satisfactory, as well. Within an affordable range, you're getting battery, phone clip, and remotes - this indeed is a bargain!

Best Ring Lights: Frequently Asked Questions

Do ring lights make you look better?

Beauty is highly subjective, and there can be different opinions over the beauty of all sorts. However, if you mean to say if the photo quality and aesthetics get better with ring light or not- we'd say yes because they will provide you with that extra glow of lighting without the interruption of shadows and lines.

Just turn off all the lights, turn on the ring light, take a photo of you through the ring- you'll get the difference!

What kind of ring light do YouTubers use?

There are two kinds of ring lights. One is the on-camera ring light that is widely used by photographers and bloggers. They are amazing to take photos and casual video clips.

But someone from a site like YouTube would upload well-made and well-crafted content, so he needs the off-camera ring light. This one comes with Tripods and other accessories to make sure a quality video is made. There are different lighting modes for both kinds.

What does a selfie ring light do?

Selfie ring light does exactly what any other usual ring light does- make your photos brighter and of better quality with ample lighting. In general, ring lights are used to take portrait photos and clips, but the specialty of selfie light is that you can carry it around with you and take selfies to make your face glow brighter!

What should I look for in a ring light?

First things first, not all ring lights are the same. Some are manufactured, especially for selfies, some are made for videography, and  others for photography. So first, settle which specific job you need to accomplish with it.

Afterward, check a few crucial things. Setup, design, functionality, battery life, compatibility are some of them.

A good ring light should be as compatible with devices as possible. It should have an easy usage and setup system. The battery life and durability need to be checked as well.

Most importantly, you need to check the features. The levels of brightness, color temperature, video call testing, selfie testing- all of these should be done to find the best product out there.

Are ring lights good for zoom?

In particular, a ring light will not enhance your photo or video zoom quality because it depends on the resolution of your device. But it provides ample light, so zooming in with a ring light will definitely make the photo brighter, for good or worse.

As for the Zoom meetings online, they are just perfect. With the pandemic going on and most meetings held online- a ring light can create a great impression for you.

Are ring lights bad for your eyes?

It depends on where you put it. The positioning is crucial here. Ring lights consist of LED, and looking right at them for long would be harmful to your eyes. So if you set the light directly in front of your face, it might tire your eyes a bit.

However, placing it on a side would cause no harm to your precious eyes. So use the ring light carefully, avoid direct contact with lighting- that should do.

Conclusion

From a simple additional device for upcoming social media stars, ring lights have made their way into most youth. Rightfully so, because who wouldn't want the photos and videos of their precious face to come out nice?

But the path to find the best ring light wasn't easy, to say the least. We hope with our well-crafted list of the ten best options available, and you can easily pick the one that's best for you.

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