A video light is an essential purchase if you’re serious about improving your video content. Being able to control your own light is a genuine game-changer when it comes to shooting better video, and modern lights aren’t all expensive studio kits. There are lights on this list designed to work with phones or small cameras that are available for seriously budget-friendly prices, making great-looking video more accessible to everyone.
I’ve picked out a mix of the best video lights in this list, based on the DCW team’s reviews and testing. You’ll find inexpensive lights for social media, high-end lights that wouldn’t look out of place on professional film sets, and everything in between – meaning you should be able to find the right setup that works for you. After all, even if you’ve got one of the best cameras for video, your content is still going to look amateurish if it’s not adequately lit.
You can navigate to the bottom of this page to learn more about my criteria for picking lights for this list, as well as our testing procedure for video lights. In each entry, you can also click through to our full reviews to see the lights in action and get a complete sense of whether they’re going to be right for you.
George has been freelancing as a photo-fixing and creative tutorial writer since 2002. A lighting expert, he's always looking for innovative ways to make his images more creative. Here, he brings his expertise to recommending the best video lights for vlogging and filmmaking.
The best video light overall
The Rotolight Neo series has proved immensely popular as it essentially combines a video light with a hotshoe flash in one unit that can sit on top of your camera, whether you are a videographer or photographer.
The Rotolight NEO 3 Pro builds on the success of the preceding NEO 3, adding 25% more power, an in-built flash trigger compatibility, and more effects. It delivers a full range of color in both modes, with full RGBWW options, and comes in various kits, bundled with a selection of accessories that vary according to the configuration you choose.
Small but powerful and extremely versatile as a constant LED light, the Neo 3 Pro delivers a full color range in both constant and flash modes, with a huge range of electronic color filters and special effects, all available via a simple and intuitive color touchscreen menu. Maximum flash output is disappointing compared to a ‘proper’ flashgun; however, the NEO 3 Pro is a brilliant solution for anyone who needs to shed a little extra light on both stills and video capture.
Read our full Rotolight NEO 3 Pro review
The best video light for travel
The X100 is a revelation for content creators who are constantly on the move. This light is super compact and portable, and can be set up almost anywhere instantly with its optional battery (available in the combo kit). The 100W power is bright enough for all close-to-medium-distance situations, such as to-camera or studio shoots. It is a shame there are no lighting effects for a content creator-aimed light, though. The light gets quite hot with extended use, but the DynaVolt fan does a great job at keeping it cool.
The light can be powered by USB-C PD, a dedicated power supply, or an optional battery pack, making it easy to get great lighting on the go. The accessory system is well thought out, with a range of good-quality accessories from Zhiyun, as well as a Bowens mount adapter.
Read our full Zhiyun Molus X100 review
The best tube video light
LED wand and tube lights can elevate your video footage to a more professional-looking level. The Viltrox K90 dual light kit features two identical tube lights that you can use together as a key light and a fill light. This helps you add modeling to your subjects to create a more three-dimensional portrait look.
The K90 tube light is both an RGB and bi-color LED. Bi-color means that you can set the LED bulbs in the shaft of the light to any color temperature between a range of 2500K and 8500K. By manually choosing a specific color temperature in Kelvin, you can get the K90 to match and complement existing light sources such as the sun or artificial bulbs. As an RGB LED, you can get the K90 to produce thousands of different colors for more creative and atmospheric looks. It also boasts 26 animated lighting effects (such as a flashing cop car). You can modify the properties of these effects (such as their color or intensity) to suit your creative needs.
The K90 has a panel on the base that features five buttons and a screen. You can use this panel to change a wide range of LED properties, though you may find it quicker and easier to use the Viltrox Link app to control the two lights in this kit. The app is particularly useful for enabling you to trigger custom colors and effects that you’ve set up before your shoot, so that you can run and gun on location.
Although the lights are nearly a meter [3.3 ft] long, they weigh less than a kilogram [2.2 lb], so they are easy to maneuver with one hand while holding a camera in the other. They also have 1/4-inch threaded mounts at either end so you can pop them on a mini tripod. Supplied clamps also enable you to mount the lights horizontally or vertically on stands or even clamp them magnetically to metal objects on location.
The Viltrox K90 RGB Fill Light kit strikes a nice balance between being light enough to easily transport in its supplied carry case while emitting enough light to make a difference in low-light locations.
Read our full Viltrox K90 RGB Fill Light Kit review
Best value video light
This light offers some of the best value for money for videographers who need quick, simple, and portable illumination. Priced to compete with the likes of Zhiyun and Neewer, the Amaran 60d S is a daylight-balanced key light that's durably built and easy to use. It comes with a reflector dish, a diffuser, a light stand adapter, and spigot, and you have the option of using either the mains power supply or the battery adapter.
I wasn't hugely impressed with the supplied light-control accessories – you can buy a better reflector for a fairly trivial additional expense – but the light itself is excellent. Output is powerful, packing a lot of punch for its size, and while you may prefer bi-color output, it tends to come at the cost of power. For a simple, strong key light, the Amaran 60d S offers incredible value.
Read our full Amaran 60d S review
The best budget video light
Lighting can make a huge difference to the quality of video footage, especially if you’re shooting with a smartphone in a low-light location. If there’s not enough light, your clips may suffer from noise artifacts. The affordable and compact Neewer FL20 deserves a place in your kit bag for a variety of reasons. For starters, its 20W output makes the LED capable of emitting a light source up to 3000 lux. To be fair, that intensity is measured at half a meter [1.6 ft] from the subject, but from further away, the flashlight casts a powerful enough spotlight on your subject in low-light locations.
Another fun feature is the ability to press the button on the flashlight’s shaft to toggle between the four different LEDs mounted at the front. This enables you to produce striking red, blue, yellow, and white spotlights that can contrast or complement the location’s available light and change the mood of each shot. The real fun begins when you insert one of the 20 supplied gobo stencils into the rubber snoot at the front of the torch. This enables you to tell different stories in your video clips, such as creating the effect of light shining through an off-screen window, for example.
The FL20 is sturdily built from aviation-grade aluminum and satisfyingly heavy, so it certainly provides good value for money. The only downside is the fiddling it takes to slide a plastic stencil into the slot on the rubber snoot when it is attached to the front of the flashlight. But I imagine one will get faster at doing that with practice!
The Neewer FL20 adds enough light to reduce artifacts, plus its four colors change the mood of your video clips, and the textures produced by the 20 supplied stencils make boring backdrops look much more interesting.
Read our full Neewer Basics FL20 review
Best video light for creative experimentation
Although it’s a tiny light designed for social media creatives, the Harlowe Sol 5 Spectra packs in an impressive amount of power and functionality. It is primarily designed for smartphones and offers MagSafe attachment, but can also be used free-standing on a mini tripod if you don’t have an iPhone. It’s not the most powerful light source, producing around 220lm; however, it is impressively versatile. As it’s an RGBCW light, the Sol 5 offers a broad spectrum of 36,000 colors, as well as the standard bi-color range.
If you purchase the light as part of the more expensive Creator’s Kit – which, cost aside, I would recommend doing – you’ll be able to make use of the range of modifiers, like Harlowe’s Magic Lenses that let you alter the texture and quality of the light. It also comes with a faux-leather carrying bag, making the kit easier to transport to locations.
Unlike many smartphone accessories, which are often cheap bits of plastic, the Sol 5 Spectra feels like a premium product and is something that Harlowe (formerly Hobolite) has become known for. This light is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminium, and while this does add to the cost, I think it’s worth it. The only real downside to the Sol 5 is that its comparatively low power may not be enough for your needs, especially if you’re working with a proper camera setup rather than a smartphone. If that's the case, Harlowe's more powerful Iris light could be worth considering.
Read our full Harlowe Sol 5 Spectra Creator Kit review
Best video light for color range
The Neewer HB80C 80W LED is a reasonably priced light that offers a generously broad color range. Its color temperature scale of 2500 to 7500K takes you from a warm candelight look to a cold daytime color cast, and it's a wider range than many of the more expensive lights on this list. You can also dial in custom Hue, Saturation, and Intensity values, or use the circular color picker to choose from a selection of industry-standard Lee color gel filters.
Powered by a built-in battery, the Neewer HB80C 80W LED is a nimble light for use in a range of shooting situations. Its raw power output of 80W isn't as high as many of the other lights on my list, but it's powerful enough for plenty of standard video purposes, especially when you attach the (supplied) reflector via the Bowens mount. One thing also worth noting for video users is that the light offers several specialized animated effects, such as an explosion effect, and the Music Sync mode allows you to sync it to the beat of a track.
Read our full Neewer HB80C 80W LED review
Best video light for music videos
The Molus G200 LED light is far too bright for my specific needs as a videographer, but if you need to light a subject from a distance, then it is well worth considering (especially thanks to its ability to boost the default 200W output to the max 300W). It will suit professional corporate and studio-based filmmakers more than social media content creators, who might be better off with the cheaper and smaller Molus X100.
A Music mode, which flashes the light in sync with audio, such as music or clapping, could be useful to some content creators; however, there's a lack of animated preset light effects (such as Lightning or Flash), which are often included in similar COB lights. Overall, the G200 is a compact, robust, and high-performing key light for serious video production, but it may be overkill for more casual videographers.
Read our full Zhiyun Molus G200 review
Best video light for portable power
The 60W power on offer here is bright enough for most close-to-mid-distance situations, such as to-camera video, with the added advantage of producing a broad spectrum of colors with a simple twist of one of its two control dials. These dials, which also function as pushbuttons, allow you to swiftly transition between different color temperatures and brightness levels with just a few clicks, saving you the time it would take to adjust them manually. Color alterations are also integrated into animated effects, like Disco or Hue Loop, adding a dynamic element to your video productions.
The X60 RGB can be connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth, enabling you to use the ZY Vega app to modify its colors and intensity with just a few taps. The app also allows you to sample the color temperature in your shooting location using your smartphone’s camera, and then quickly and accurately adjust the LED to match that color temperature.
The Zhiyun MOLUS X60 is one of the best options for content creators who are constantly on the move, don’t have a lot of space, or are looking for a simple but incredibly functional lighting source.
Read our full Zhiyun Molus X60 review
The best spotlight video light
The Godox RS100Bi is a flashlight-shaped LED that will suit run-and-gun videographers who need a relatively powerful light (up to 28,600 lux). Its built-in battery can be charged at home, after which it should offer up to 52 minutes of illumination at full power. In our test shoot, we found that full power caused blown highlights, so we left it at 50% for most of the shoot. Speaking of power, the OLED display at the rear of the torch provides a very useful runtime countdown feature, so you can see in an instant how long the light will run when on a particular brightness setting. This helps you manage your shoot so that you don’t run out of power at a crucial moment (which happened to me recently).
The Godox RS100Bi was released alongside the superficially similar Godox RS100R. The latter is an RGB LED that can produce a much wider range of creative colors than the RS100Bi, but it’s not as bright, and it costs more. Both LEDs are compatible with a wide range of Godox S-mount accessories, but they don’t support Bowens-mount gear.
The Godox RS100Bi enables you to add powerful on-location lighting, and you can dial in a color temperature between 2800K and 6500K to complement existing light sources. It also offers 11 animated lighting effects, such as Lightning and Broken Bulb. These effects can be modified (in speed and color temperature) to help add drama to your video productions. If you pay a bit more for the full-color RS100R, you get a couple of extra animated effects, including the red, yellow, and blue flashes of a cop car.
The Godox RS100Bi provides a powerful yet portable continuous light source that will enable you to improve the production values of your location-captured clips and stills.
Read our full Godox RS100Bi review
Best video light for studios
I’ve been using studio-based video lights since the late '80s, and the younger me would be very impressed by 21st-century LEDs, such as the Neewer PL60C. Older lamps required the bulb to be regularly changed (especially as they were prone to explode if you carried the light to a new position while turned on!). If I wanted to change the color temperature or add a creative color hue, I’d have to manually clip a gel sheet onto the barn doors. The gels would often start to smoke thanks to heat from the lamp!
The Neewer PL60C is an affordable mains-powered LED studio light that offers RGB color adjustment options, adjustable color temperatures, and a cooler operating temperature compared to vintage lamps. It is lightweight, portable, and provides a powerful 60W output.
Being an RGB LED, the Neewer PL60C enables me to summon dozens of industry-standard gels at the twiddle of a plastic knob (or via the swipe of a finger using the Neewer smartphone app). A wide range of Kelvin settings is also available, so I can easily get the PL60C to complement or contrast with other light sources in the scene. The PL60C also runs much cooler than a classic studio light (though it does have a built-in fan if its aluminum alloy body gets too hot). I didn’t notice fan noise during my test shoot, but you can mute it if required during a particular take.
I found the PL60C easy to carry, courtesy of its relatively light weight and supplied carry case. If you need an affordable mains-powered studio flat panel with a powerful 60W output, the Neewer PL60C will meet your needs (as well as blowing the mind of my younger self).
See our full Neewer PL60C review
Best location video light
As its name indicates, the Godox ML60II Bi is a bi-color LED. Rear buttons/dials change the color temperature output between 2800K and 6500K, for warmer or cooler lighting, respectively. You can use this to complement existing light sources on location, or mimic daylight in a studio environment, for example.
There are 11 video effects available that cycle through the color temperature range of 2800K to 6500K, evoking the light produced by the cold blue sparks of a welding torch or the warm flicker from a candle, for example. However, you can’t change the hue of the color output. Therefore, there’s no option to produce full color video effects, such as the red and blue flashes of a police car.
As a 70W LED, the Godox ML60II Bi isn’t as powerful as some lighting solutions, but it can still provide a decent degree of illumination, and can be powered by two NP-F batteries for handheld use. It is predominantly constructed from plastic, which helps with its portability but makes it more fragile than some metal-bodied lights.
See our full Godox ML60II Bi review
How to choose the best video light
To choose the right video light for your needs, these are the main things to take into account:
Power supply: Can the light be powered from the mains, a battery, or both? The latter will enable a more versatile set-up, enabling you to film both indoors and outdoors.
Color temperature: Look out for the color temperature range; a wide range is preferable as this will give you both warm and cool light options to match the ambient light you are shooting in, or the effect you’re trying to create.
Modifiers: Check to see if the light comes supplied with any modifiers in the box. These could include diffusers to soften the light or filters to change the light’s color.
Flicker-free: Some LEDs show a fluctuation in brightness, known as flicker. The best lights are flicker-free, providing a constant level of brightness.
Bluetooth: The inclusion of Bluetooth technology in your light will allow you to connect to a smartphone and remotely control adjustments, including brightness and color temperature.
How we test video lights
At DCW, we test a huge variety of photo and video equipment, including cameras, lenses, and accessories such as video lights. Our process involves both real-world and lab testing – for video lights, we measure brightness output and compare it to the manufacturer's claims. We also consider factors such as portability, color temperature range, and lighting modes to assess how useful the light will be to working videographers. Learn more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World.
FAQs
Why do you need a video light?
A video light offers consistency, providing the same quality and level of light from shot to shot. While daylight is certainly bright enough to shoot video with, it's neither predictable nor consistent, and the quality of your shots can dramatically change if the sun moves behind a cloud between takes. With a dedicated video light, you can set the exact brightness and color of the light you want.
Are LED lights good for video?
Yes. LED lights offer an excellent balance of high brightness, low power consumption and strong consistency, making them excellent for video use. The majority of the lights on this list are LEDs for this reason.
What’s the difference between RGB and bi-color LEDs?
The filmmaking lights in this guide range from RGB to bi-color LEDs. It’s useful to understand the difference, as this can affect the type of lighting – and the animated lighting effects – that you’re able to produce.
An RGB light mixes red, green, and blue LEDs to produce a huge range of creative colors.
A bi-color light is designed primarily to produce adjustable white light across a range of color temperatures, typically from a warm tungsten-style 2500K or 2700K to a cooler daylight-style 6500K or higher.
If you want colorful effects – such as flashing red-and-blue emergency vehicle lighting, colored backgrounds, or dramatic washes of color – an RGB light is the better choice. Bi-color lights are more focused on helping you match or complement the color temperature of available light, such as warm indoor tungsten illumination or cooler daylight.
Bi-color lights can also offer very high output for their size and price because their LEDs are dedicated to producing white light. RGB fixtures have to accommodate additional colored LEDs, so some models may produce less white-light output than a similarly sized bi-color fixture. However, this varies considerably between products, and modern RGBWW lights can be both powerful and highly color-accurate.
What is the best entry-level video light?
If you're looking for your first video light, you're best off getting a complete lighting kit. While this adds a little to the cost, it means you'll get all the necessary accessories to use your light straight out of the box, and won't find yourself missing something essential like a stand or a power adapter.
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