With TikTok and Instagram now so popular, the best ring lights have become an essential part of everyday life. Nowadays it isn't just a tool used by photographers and videographers, but also make-up artists, content creators, social media influencers, families who use Facetime, and increasingly, people working remotely.
Once upon a time, the best ring lights were mainly reserved for beauty photoshoots, thanks to the signature, spectacular, circular catchlights in the eyes. While they obviously still have their place on professional shoots, they're much more accessible these days – and the new generation of LED-powered lights are easier and more versatile to use than ever before.
Because ring lights produce constant light, they're a perfect choice for videographers and many ring lights come with a dial so you can adjust the color temperature to suit different skin tones. For this reason, they're popular among make-up and beauty bloggers. Most ring lights also come with a mounting point in the center of the ring which makes it easy to attach your phone, action cam, or camera for r(ie. the sun). Some rings lights do have flash modes or even High-Speed Sync which can boost their power by up to 500%.
Because ring lights produce constant light, they're a perfect choice for videographers and many ring lights come with a dial so you can adjust the color temperature to suit different skin tones. For this reason, they're popular among make-up and beauty bloggers. Most ring lights also come with a mounting point in the center of the ring which makes it easy to attach your phone, action cam, or camera for recording.
Even if you don't have aspirations of making it big on YouTube, ring lights also come into their own in the new world of increased home working. Indeed, pair them with the best webcams and your home setup will instantly look more professional – vital for making the best impression when on an important video conference!
Lastly, if you want to shoot a different kind of close-up, check out our guide to the best ring flash for macro photography.
10 Best ring lights in 2022
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+Useable size for a variety of applications+Phone holder mounted in centre+1/4" hot shoe adapter
-Mains power only-Light gels only to change color
An incredible price and simple operation make the Fositan 12" ring light easily the best ring light and good value for money to boot. Powered by 180 SMD LEDs can be dimmed but are perfectly balanced for accurate color rendition thanks to the 5500K color temperature. Light filter gels adjust the color balance of this ring light, dropping the accurate and flat 5500K white light down to 3200K which matches Tungsten lightbulbs easily to produce universal color across interior lighting. A general-purpose 1/4" hot shoe mount and phone holder come with the kit to make it simple to mount a smartphone to the center of the ring light for a maximum halo effect.
It also ships with a handy light stand that's over 2.1m tall and holds the light sturdily even while tilting forward and back 90 degrees for the perfect composition. The stand's legs even collapse backward on itself to pack down small and tidy away without fuss.
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+Built for desktop use+Lots of settings+Built-in phone holder
-Not as versatile as other ring lights
Hitting the Zoom calls all day for work meetings often means lots of paperwork filling the desktop space, so if you're running out of places to put things this handy little desktop-based ring light may be the one for you. Fortunately, this 10-inch ring light from Neewer is one of the best ring lights for Zoom calls and makes things nice and simple with its handy desktop stand. Plug into the USB ports on your computer or dock and the lights stay powered on when live streaming or recording a video on your computer without needing a power point - that means it's as portable as you are. There's a built-in, flexible phone holder to orientate the phone in any orientation and get the perfect composition while recording.
With 120 LEDs it'll light you up well even in the darkest corner of the home office, and there are three light modes as well as 10 brightness levels, so with a bit of experimentation, you'll quickly find a lighting setup that shows you at your best.
03. Neewer 20-inch LED Ring Light Kit
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+Massive 20-inch light+Mains and battery power+Impressive stand
-Plastic stand mount
The most flattering light is generally the one that's biggest and most diffuse as it produces softer shadows which are kinder to facial features. Neewer has recognized this with a huge 20-inch model, packed with 352 LEDs that are customizable to a wide white balance range for ultimate control. While it'll take mains power at home or in your studio, if you need to go portable it can also run off Li-ion batteries for improved portability.
The Neewer 20" is a little bigger than most on this list and so requires a sturdy base, luckily the heavy-duty stand is adjustable from a minimum height of 90cm up to a maximum of two meters. Extras come in the form of a phone holder for faff-free videos and a hot shoe for mounting other digital cameras or accessories.
04. MACTREM LED Ring Light 6" with Tripod Stand for YouTube Video and Makeup
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+Compact and lightweight+Adjustable settings+Lots of extras
-Not as powerful as other models-Separate phone holders
This ring light from Mactrem is small, light, and suitable for anyone shooting on location from an iPhone or other smartphone that wants to brighten up their photos or videos. The light itself has three color temperature settings to balance with other ambient lights, 11 brightness levels for greater flexibility over the lighting, and suits those looking for small fill light to brighten the face whether inside or out.
As if that wasn't enough, Mactrem makes sure it ships with additional accessories to make the shooting process smooth and painless by shipping with a mini tripod for your iPhone to refine the perfect composition while using the light on a separate stand. Being designed to be mobile it doesn't have a power supply built-in so you'll need to supply a USB power bank to get the light going.
05. Neewer 12-inch RGB Ring Light
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+16 colours+Four lighting modes+Tripod, remotes, and phone holders included
-Lacks full RGB control
Ring lights with light filter gels that snap onto the front help to match the cool white lights with existing ambient lighting such as lamps or ceiling lights through the use of orange tints. However, if you want to get a little more creative with your ring light then this RGB model from Neewer is the one to go for. There are 16 RGB colors to choose from, all of which are fully dimmable. Creative lighting controls are available with up to four different modes which include: smooth, strobe, fade, and flash which provide many alternative lighting options to experiment with.
The light comes with two remote controls – one for the ring light itself, plus a Bluetooth remote for your phone. The tripod extends up to 54 inches and has two phone holders: one inside the ring light and another on the tripod leg.
06. Neewer Camera Photo Video Lighting Kit
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+Big ring light+Fine lighting controls+Good for DSLRs
-Mains only
Ideal as a home studio ring light, this 18-inch model from Neewer is filled with 240 LEDs balanced to a color temperature of 5500K. The light can be perfectly harmonized with other light sources by using the in-built dimming which ranges from 1 to 100%.
The ring light has dimming controls to customize brightness, and while there is no dedicated color controls the attachable filters in combination with the brightness dimming can be used to refine exact color temperature as required. It has a lightweight but strong tripod, and, as well as a phone holder, it also comes with a hot shoe so that you can mount a dedicated camera like a DSLR or another type of camera like a GoPro.
07. Ivisii 19 inch Ring Light
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+Powerful lighting+Versatile color options+iPad holder included
-Mains only
For iPad users who like to do all their work on the do-it-all device, this mega rig from Ivisii may be just the ticket. Able to accommodate the iPads rather bulkier dimensions thanks to its wide 19" diameter and tablet adapter, it also provides a wonderfully soft halo light due to its size. Of course, smartphone, DSLR, and mirrorless camera users aren't snubbed as there are multiple adapter options that ship with this ring light kit.
The light gives full control over both color temperature and brightness. It produces excellently bright white light when boosted to full power and, for more creative control, it comes with a set of green, blue, red, and white filters which can be mixed together for multicolor lighting styles.
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+Flicker-free+HSS flash+Custom lighting FX
-No lithium-ion battery
Don't shoot the messenger but we're aware this compact dazzler isn't strictly a true ring light, but considering it has a ring shape and gives very similar results, we thought it was worth including. The Rotolight Neo 2 packs a real punch, both in terms of light output and customisability. The benefit of the Neo 2 is that it has controls for dimming and color temperature with extreme accuracy making it ideal for continuous lighting for filmmakers or photographers. It also has a High-Speed Sync (HSS) feature to freeze moving photography subjects at up to 1/8000 sec, helpful when used in conjunction with a DSLR or mirrorless camera capable of shooting fast shutter speeds.
It's unique in this line-up in that the Neo 2 also uses CineSFX custom lighting to replicate real-world lighting situations. Such examples include lightning, fire, TV, Gunshot, and more. Powered by 6 x AA batteries it can continuously light at full power for up to 1.5 hours or 85,000 flashes providing plenty of power for a shoot on location, and this lasts much longer when dimmed down.
09. ESDDI PLV-R432 18-inch Ring Light
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+18-inch diameter with 48W power+Includes light stand, case, phone clip
-Requires lots of space-Phone holders isn't great
The ESDDI PLV-R432 is a beefy 18-inch ring light that kicks out 48W of power from 432 LEDs. It's big and bright enough to work as a key light for sumptuous portraits with that unique "ring light look", producing soft illumination and circular catchlights. It's also ideal for videos and vlogs, providing a useful key or fill to soften shadows and even out lighting when presenting to the camera. Its sheer size makes it perfect for beauty and makeup work, too, giving you plenty of room and abundant light.
This kit includes everything you need to get going, with a 6-foot light stand and padded travel case. Prominent dials adjust brightness and temperature, and the light can even rotate 180°, making it useful for shooting flat lays or macro work. Sadly the bundled phone holder isn't terribly sturdy, and you can't mount a camera to the light – so you'll need to set up a separate tripod to use a DSLR or mirrorless body if you're filming yourself.
Note: The ESDDI PLV-R432 18-inch Ring Light is becoming harder to get outside the US, so international users may want to consider some of the other options on our list.
10. Smoovie LED Colour Stream Ring Light
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+16 RGB colors with 8 light modes+Tabletop tripod+USB powered
-Smaller than others
If you're looking for a ring light that can double as a lamp, the Smoovie LED Color Stream is perfect. It features 16 RGB colors and 9 different light modes that include pulsing colors or cycling through the spectrum. There is also has natural, soft, and warm white light settings to choose from for when you need something more simple. There is a 6 or 8-inch version depending on which would better suit your needs and it comes with a collapsible telescopic tripod.