If you have ever taken a professional photo of anyone or if anyone has taken a professional photo of you, chances are there’s been one of the best ring light involved. Ring lights are present at every high end photography session. Even smaller images such as profile pictures for your passport, will be taken with ring lights.
Ring lights help to accentuate the features of someones face. Especially the greater sides or highlights of a face can be seen. Models for instance, will always have a lot of lighting around and there is a good reason for that. Additionally a ring light will reflect nicely in peoples eyes which can remove shadows and a tired look on someones face.
What Type of Ring Lights Are There?
If you are considering to buy ring lights, then you are probably trying to improve your photography skills or you’re already fairly advanced in that field. However there are a lot of different types of ring lights. They come in all sizes and shapes, price ranges and qualities.
You will find that even the best ring light can be fitted to the camera itself and doesn’t have to be fixed on an external stand. Of course there are varieties for every type of photo you are planning to take. Certain ring lights may have better functions when fixed on a stand and also has a lot more power and light to offer.
Benefits of Best Ring Light
At the end of the day a ring light whether it is the best ring light or a cheap one, is an added flash light to help you get that missing light you’ve been looking for. As they are mainly used for the macro (close-up), you can imagine that they are mostly used for fashion purposes.
This helps to soften facial features and it also get’s rid of the tiring look. It adds that special glare in the models eyes and they also add a certain innocence to the face as that is a very desired look in the fashion world. Overall ring lights are almost a must if you want to step up your game in the close up photography world.
Downsides of Ring Lights
Ring light photography is not as easy as it may sound, so the main downside is, that people tend to jump into the cold water and expect to have it figured out from day one. However it does take a bit of practice before you can master the ring light art.
Having said that, it may be wise to buy a cheaper, less professional ring light before going up a class. Regardless of your choice, there is always time to learn more about the art and being able to take remarkable pictures. Ring lights do seem a bit intimidating at first but practice makes perfect and this is only a momentary feeling.
Top 10 Best Ring Light Comparison Table
10. Prismatic 18″ Halo Ring Light with Stand
To start off the list, we have a top quality ring light which comes with a lot of other photography accessories necessary to take prime pictures. Along the actual camera ring light you’ll also get a Hotshoe camera mount which is incredibly easy to snap on and off. You’ll also receive a tilting mount which is for stands.
But unlike most lights you actually get a stand in the bundle. Finally there’s a travel bag with shoulder strap and many more features. You really have everything to get going in this fantastic bundle. The best feature of this pack is that you get it all for an incredible fee that beats the others out the way!
9. Stellar Photo/Video 18″ CFL Compact Fluorescent Ring Light
Whether you’re looking for a photography ring light or a video ring light, this light by Stellas is perfect for both. It shines a bright flawless light that doesn’t flicker and stays perfectly fluorescent. If you want to get that perfect round light in the reflection of your models light, this will do it.
Make sure you own a stand before you purchase this ring light as you will need it to mount it. But thanks to the bendable mount you can move it around a bit to get the right spot ready for shooting. It’s not too complicated and can be used very quickly. If you don’t want anything too technical it does a perfect job!
8. Prismatic 14″ Mini Halo Dimmable Ring Light
The Prismatic 14″ mini Halo is probably the best camera ring light if you’re trying to get familiar with the whole concept of using lights. It isn’t too pricy and has a lot of the great features the top products use too. Although you may be limited due to its size and specs such as the limited 80-100% dimming features, it still makes a great piece of equipment.
After all this is a great entry point and it can help you take some professional quality pictures. With a canvas bag and tilting mount for light stands you really have all you need to get started and make your models look beautiful. You definitely can’t go wrong with this, regardless of your experience level.
7. Diva Ring Light Nebula 18″ LED Dimmable Photo/Video Ring Light w/ 6′ Light Stand
The Nebula has a staggering amount of LED lights. In total it comes with over 640 led ring lights to brighten up the models facial features. You will have the most crisp and perfect light for your pictures. It can actually be dimmed all the way from 0% to 100% in case the light becomes too bright.
With a ton of accessories, this ring light is probably the most complete on this list, as it also includes the tripod itself and light stand. Although it may set you back a tiny bit in terms of cost, it is well worth the investment it you’re looking for top notch quality. You will probably never need to change the light bulbs as they will burn for a very long time!
6. Prismatic 18″ Halo Ring Light
This light ring definitely qualifies as one of the best and you’ve probably seen them around if you’re active in photography circles. They have great features such as a tilting mount for light stands and diffusion plates which you can simply snap on or off if you want to use them.
On top of that you get a handy bag to pack your entire equipment in and carry to the next shoot which is always a massive plus. That way you don’t have to look around for your stuff and you can easily store the whole equipment away whenever you’re done working. Finally it also comes with dimmable features.
5. Diva Ring Light Super Nova 18″ Dimmable Photo/Video Light with 6′ Light Stand
Although this is one of the best ring light listed here and actually an Amazon best seller, it is only on the 5th spot. This isn’t because of it’s performance or quality. Quite the contrary. The specifics are marvellous and any professional photographer would love to get their hands on this equipment.
But due to the price we thought there are better options for less of a fee. They can actually produce similar quality but for a bit cheaper. Nevertheless the Diva Ring Light Super Nova comes with a dimming feature and accepts different voltage for usage in different countries, amongst other great features.
4. Neewer 18″ RING LIGHT Dimmable Camera Photo/Video 75W(equivalent to 600W) Fluorescent (Light Only)
If you’re a photography enthusiast, a beauty ring light like this truly is a must. Especially if you’re just starting to get your feet wet in the areas of ring lights, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to acquire the best ring light. You can easily get a top quality ring light for a reasonable fee.
This model particularly is dimmable which is amazing. It’s also perfect for a small home studio in case you are planning on having a nice set up at home. You could easily fool people telling them this is worth four times the price it actually goes for. You can’t go wrong with this light!
3. Neewer Camera Photo/Video 18″/ 48cm Outer 55W 240PCS LED SMD Ring Light 5500K Dimmable Ring Video Light with Plastic Color Filter Set + Universal Adapter with US/EU/UK Plug
This macro ring light is dimmable when you decide to do so. This obviously helps to create the desired lighting you want depending on the scenario and pictures you are aiming for. Thanks to the LED SMD design, the power of the light is constant and current as well as very energy efficient in general.
It’s actually possible to dim the light from 1-100% which is quite practical to say the least. Due to the great lights, you will never feel like they get too hot and uncomfortable. Additionally it will give a crisp white light unlike some which tend to be more yellow in color.
2. Neewer Camera Photo/Video 18″Outer 14″Inner 600W 5500K Ring Fluorescent Flash Light (Light Only)
This camera ring is a 14″ ring which shines a fluorescent flash light for your photography sessions. Additionally you will find that it comes with a flexible arm to attach the light onto. This is a very movable one to get real creative with your photos. Because of its excellent quality and physical attributes, you’ll find that this will never drop either.
It comes with a very long cord so you don’t have to find an extension cord everytime you go to a new place for a shoot. If you didn’t already guess it,
with small attachments you can fit it to be used for your phone as well.
1. Neewer Dimmable 18″ Diameter 75W(600W equivalent )Camera Photo Studio 5500K Ring Fluorescent Flash Light Lighting Kit for Portrait,Fashion Photography and Youtube Vine Self-Portrait Video Shooting
Not only is this the best ring light because of the remarkable feedback and customer reviews of people that have purchased this, it is also remarkable because of the efficiency and the way it works flawlessly. The fact that this ring light doesn’t just come on its own but as a kit is also a huge plus.
The light can be dimmed to either white or orange. Ring light photography doesn’t always need to have the bright white light most are used to as there are other options too. Overall the stand helps to get a perfect picture but it also collapses easily for transport and storage.
For more technical gadgets and reviews related to digital products, feel free to have a look at our other reviews which can be found here! Be sure to go through it thoroughly! For cool camera ideas why not try one of the trendy polaroids? For all the serious photographers reading this, make sure to consider these stands or tripods as they can really simplify your life and improve image quality.