The best lights for Zoom calls will instantly make you look more appealing on a webcam. So whether you're having a one-to-one with the boss, pitching to a client, or addressing a meeting, you'll project a clear, crisp, and flattering image and look much more professional and confident.
Certainly, if you’ve spent money on the best 4K webcam, then it makes sense to invest in lighting too. And the best lights for Zoom calls are normally powered by LEDs, due to their longevity, reliability, and low energy consumption.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, too, so there are a lot of choices available. You might want a tabletop light, a larger free-standing lamp, or a small light with a suction-cup light that can be mounted anywhere. Bigger lights tend to offer more brightness, color flexibility, and more flattering light, although they also tend to be more expensive, so there's a compromise to be made there.
Below, we've listed the best Zoom lights you can buy right now. And we've included all the information to help you make the right choice for your needs.
Gareth Bevan
Gareth is the Reviews Editor at Digital Camera World, and the person in charge of approving all the latest camera-related tech, which means he spends a lot of his time in Zoom meetings, and as a photographer, he understands the difference good lighting can make.
Razer's 12-inch ring light offers exceptional light quality, a sturdy tripod, and a convenient wired remote for effortless brightness and color adjustments, ideal for content creators and virtual meetings.
The Lume Cube Wireless ring light offers top-tier features including brightness, color temperature control, and versatile mounts, making it a powerful lighting investment.
Just want a good value light for Zoom calls? The light itself is excellent, offering a good range of brightness, and is easy to set up, making it easy to customize your lighting.
Ready to push the boat out? You can rig up this light to give yourself soft, flattering, professional-quality lighting on your calls. The fully dimmable set of LEDs can be white-balanced from 3150K to 6500K, ensuring accurate colors in all conditions.
This little light can work well for Zoom calls, as well as plenty of other photo or video lighting applications. It’s packed with a wealth of lighting options, has a solid casing, and the fact that it doubles as a power bank makes it even more versatile.
An impressive metal construction, OLED display for easy control, and versatile mounting options make this an affordable panel for content creators or adding lighting to a zoom lighting setup.
Why you can trust Digital Camera World
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.
✅ If you want exceptional light quality and softly diffused light to cast your face in the most attractive manner possible.
✅ The included tripod and remote are incredibly convenient for use during Zoom calls or while streaming.
Don't buy it:
❌ The Razer 12-inch ring light, while offering great features, may be on the pricier side compared to other ring lights available in the market.
❌ The 12-inch size may not be suitable for everyone's needs if you require a larger or smaller ring light.
Looking to ensure you always look your best in videos or virtual meetings? Content creators such as YouTubers, Twitch streamers, and TikTokers often rely on a ring light to achieve a consistent, flattering lighting setup.
The 12-inch model from Razer is a top choice for achieving this effect. The ring light offers exceptional light quality, softly diffusing to cast your face in the most attractive manner possible. The included tripod is not only sturdy and substantial but also provides the stability needed for your lighting setup.
Moreover, the wired remote feature allows you to effortlessly adjust the brightness and switch between three color temperatures with just one hand. This means that you can discreetly make adjustments during your Zoom calls or while streaming without drawing attention to yourself, allowing you to always put your best face forward.
Overall, this ring light is designed to be user-friendly, and well-crafted, and offers superior performance for its price, making it an excellent investment for anyone looking to elevate their content creation or video call experience.
✅ If you need exceptional brightness and color temperature range for perfect lighting conditions.
✅ If you are looking for a bright light with a long battery life for extended zoom sessions.
Don't buy it:
❌ The Lume Cube Wireless ring light may not be the best choice if you are looking for a budget-friendly option.
❌ If you do not require the advanced features offered by this top-of-the-line ring light consider less feature-packed products.
Considering stretching your budget for a top-of-the-line ring light? Enter the Lume Cube Wireless ring light – a powerhouse packed with premium features designed to elevate your lighting game. Compared to the Razer Ring Light, which holds the number one spot on our list, the Lume Cube Wireless ring light boasts a larger diameter of 18 inches, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a more substantial lighting setup.
The brightness of the Lume Cube Wireless ring light is remarkable, and its two included batteries offer an impressive run time of up to 1.5 hours at full brightness, ensuring that your lighting needs are met for extended periods. Alternatively, if you prefer a continuous power source, the option to run it off the mains is also available.
One standout feature of the Lume Cube Wireless ring light is its built-in 3200-5600K color temperature range, which allows for seamless adjustments to achieve the perfect lighting conditions for any situation. The high brightness levels also play a crucial role in minimizing shadows and reducing facial imperfections, ultimately resulting in a more flattering and professional look. The LED readout for settings further adds to the ease of use and versatility.
Additionally, the package includes a convenient carry case, a 6.5-foot stand, and versatile mounts suitable for iPhones, other smartphones, digital cameras, and action cameras weighing up to 10 lbs.
In truth, the Lume Cube Wireless ring light may be considered overkill for casual Zoom calls, but its capabilities truly shine, and it could be considered an investment for a wide range of lighting purposes.
✅ The versatile mounting options allow for easy and creative placement.
✅ Outstanding light quality with customizable brightness and color temperature settings.
Don't buy it:
❌ If you need a large light for a lot of power.
❌ If you have nothing to suction the light to, and prefer a more traditional lighting setup on a tripod.
If you're not too fussed about the extra features of a ring light and simply want a reliable and affordable light for your Zoom calls that is also quick and hassle-free to set up, then the Lume Cube Video Conferencing Kit may just be the perfect solution for you. This kit includes the fantastic Panel Mini LED, along with a handy suction cup that gives you the flexibility to mount it onto almost any surface with ease.
Although it's an obvious choice to place the light at the top of your laptop or computer monitor, its versatility allows for a range of mounting options. You could get creative and affix it to a wall for a soft sidelight, or perhaps attach it to a tall piece of furniture to create a unique ambiance. The possibilities are indeed abundant.
The quality of the light is outstanding. The Lume Cube Video Conferencing Kit offers a wide range of brightness and color temperature settings, allowing you to effortlessly customize the lighting to your preference.
Furthermore, the built-in battery means you won't be tied down by cords, but should the battery run low, the included USB-C to USB-A cable allows you to easily connect the panel to your computer for continuous power. This eliminates the worry of your light dying in the middle of an important video call.
✅ If you need very soft, flattering lighting for video calls with a professional look and minimal harsh shadows
✅ If you need a color temperature range from 3150K to 6500K to ensure accurate color representation.
Don't buy it:
❌ For typical video calls, the NEO 3 may seem like overkill due to its extensive features and capabilities.
❌ A hefty price tag is hard to swallow, and its predecessor, NEO 2, is more affordable.
The Rotolight NEO 3 is undeniably one of the most prestigious names in the realm of video lighting. While this lighting kit may come with a hefty price tag, its inclusion of the Rotolight NEO 3 is certainly a game-changer. This state-of-the-art lighting solution allows you to effortlessly set up professional-quality, soft, and flattering lighting for your video calls. The fully dimmable set of LEDs offers incredible flexibility, allowing you to white-balance from 3150K to 6500K, ensuring that your colors are accurately represented regardless of the lighting conditions.
It's important to note that for typical Zoom calls, this kit may seem like overkill – and truthfully, it might be. The NEO 3 boasts a full-color range in both constant modes, complete with an expansive array of electronic color filters and special effects, all accessible through a user-friendly color touchscreen menu. While the maximum flash output may not quite measure up to that of a traditional flashgun, it still serves as an excellent solution for those seeking to enhance both their stills and video capture with some additional illumination.
Despite its compact size, the NEO 3 shines as a powerful and incredibly versatile constant LED light, marking a significant improvement from its predecessor, the NEO 2. However, for savvy consumers, it's worth noting that the introduction of the NEO 3 has led to the NEO 2 being available at a more budget-friendly price point, making it an appealing option for those who are cost-conscious.
✅ If you need a bright yet even beam of light ideal for video calls.
✅ If you want creative and customizable lighting, it offers a spectrum of colors.
Don't buy it:
❌ It may not be as budget-friendly as some other options on the market.
❌ Lots of similar products out there with the same features for less money.
The Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro 2.0 is truly a standout when it comes to portable LED lights. Whether you're using it for your regular Zoom calls or you need reliable lighting for photo or video tasks, this light has you covered. While it may not be as budget-friendly as some other options on the market, the durability and performance of Lume Cube products are top-notch, and the Panel Pro 2.0 is no exception.
One of the first things you'll notice about this light is its impressive brightness. The size of the panel allows it to emit a bright yet even beam of light, making it ideal for creating flattering lighting for your video calls.
In addition to producing standard white light, this panel offers an endless spectrum of colors, opening up a world of creative possibilities for your lighting setups. And with its built-in battery, it is a truly portable lighting solution that can go anywhere and when it's out of juice, can be hooked up to a power bank to keep on shining.
The special effects are not particularly useful on most Zoom calls
Buy it:
✅ Its sturdy metal construction gives it a substantial and durable feel.
✅ Its affordable price point offers comparable quality to higher-priced brands.
Don't buy it:
❌ If you need a bright panel then there are larger more powerful options.
❌ It doesn't have as soft of a diffusion as other larger or more expensive lighting solutions.
The RM120 stands out to me for a few reasons. Firstly, its construction really impressed me. Unlike many other lightweight and flimsy plastic LED panels, this one felt more substantial and sturdier due to its metal body. However, the build quality is not reflected in the price, with the panel being relatively affordable against some of the big-name brands like Lume Cube (see above).
The OLED display on the rear is also a very useful feature. This display makes it incredibly convenient to navigate through the various modes that this panel has to offer. Control is easy using the main dial at the side, and this dial also serves as a mode-changing button, for quickly jumping between the panel's white light and color hues.
A 1/4 threaded hole at the bottom of the panel allows for versatile mounting options, whether it's on a stand, tripod, or using the supplied cold shoe adapter to attach it above a DSLR or mirrorless camera for a professional zoom setup.
While this panel might be designed for content creators, positioned behind your monitor it is a simple, effective, and affordable way to add some additional lighting to your zoom setup.
At Digital Camera World, we test a huge variety of photo and video equipment, including cameras, lenses, and accessories such as LED panels.
Our process involves both real-world and lab testing – for LED panels, we measure brightness output and compare it to the manufacturer's claims to see how well the product stacks up.
We also look at portability, color temperature range, lighting modes, and other factors to assess how useful the LED panel will be to working photographers and videographers.
Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
