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Best Ring Lights For Photography

If you are a professional vlogger than you need the best ring flash for you in order to take eye-catching and stunning photos and videos. Lightning is one of the most important things when taking a photo or a video, and the best ring lights provide this. They soften the image by using a rounded expression of light. They are great tools for macro photography, selfies, and portraits. The ring lights on this list will give you the ability to symmetrically light their subjects in plenty of configurations.

Ring lights are very easy to use lightning tools that allow you to obtain a source of uniform light that comes from the cameras directly from their point of view. These devices are made from several connected small LED lights or a single circular fluorescent bulb.

Most of the vloggers nowadays on the internet use the led ring lights to make high-quality photographs and videos. LED ring lights were originally developed for dental and medical purposes, but since they have wide potential capabilities, these flashes have been adapted for various commercial usages which is great. The ring lights that we have chosen provide you a lot of advantages and they make your pictures very unique. Here are 5 of our photography ring light picks:

Image Product Rating Price
Best For Videos
Neewer 18
Neewer 18″
 
10
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Best For Close-Ups
Diva Ring Light Super Nova 18
Diva Ring Light Super Nova 18″
 
9.8
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Best For Selifes
Auxiwa Clip on Selfie Ring Light
Auxiwa Clip on Selfie Ring Light
 
9.6
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Easiest To Use
Neewer RL-12 LED Ring Light 14
Neewer RL-12 LED Ring Light 14″
 
9.5
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Best Price/Performance
YONGNUO YN-14EX YN14EX TTL
YONGNUO YN-14EX YN14EX TTL
 
9.2
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The Top 5 Best Ring Lights For Photography

5. Yongnuo YN-14EX 

Flash rings have been a thing over the last few months, that’s why we did some research and came up with our top 5 picks. Yongnuo YN-14EX is one of the best in the market. The built quality and the performance of this flash ring are amazing, and what is the best thing about this flash ring is that it comes at a very reasonable price. The company has done a pretty good job with the YN-14EX, because it is very budget-friendly, and has almost every feature that other high-end ring flashes have. This one is currently getting very popular among the YouTubers, and if you want an excellent ring light that has plenty of features and that doesn’t cost much, make sure to check this one out.

The user interface system is very easy on this one because it allows you to quickly adjust the settings so that you don’t have to waste time. The directional pad control is also very easy and you will be able to get used to it in a short time. I also noticed that the battery holding bay on this ring light is pretty easy to use and it locks securely too. Something else that I noticed, was that the external power socked on this one allows you to use plenty of popular external battery power packs with this one.

If you want to use this ring flash for portrait photography sessions, I assure you that the Yongnuo YN-14EX is one of the best on the market for that. It is very easy to use during portrait photography, and it can deliver some nice portraits. Also, the Yongnuo YN-14EX is a great choice for those who want to use if for macro photography. This one can help you improve your image quality when it comes to macro photography, because it illuminates the subject, and it makes it look more professional. It is a nice choice for those who want a great camera accessory but are on a tight budget.

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4. Neewer RL-12 

Moving on we have the Neewer RL-12. It is very versatile and it has a wide compatibility, which means that this right light can be used for a variety of applications. It is compatible with plenty of flagship smartphones, which is amazing. It has a nice built quality and it can last you for years without a problem. It has plenty of more great features, and if you want a nice looking and performing ring light, you should definitely check out the Neewer RL-12.

It has a pretty nice design, and it works perfectly with all the cameras. It is very convenient and simple to set up and carry the Neewer RL-12m and also it is very solid and it ensures the users complete safety of your lighting equipment. There is the absence of infrared light radiations and UV radiations in the corresponding ring and it guarantees environmental protection. It also comes with more than 50000 hours of service life to ensure long-term use, which is great. The Neewer RL-12 comes with an exceptional LED SMD design, that makes this one very portable and lightweight.

Something else that caught my eye was that there is the use of aluminum alloy to provide amazing strength for heavy-duty work and in this one, the white and orange color filters are prepared from high light transmission plastic material, which is great. Overall the Neewer RL-12 is an amazing ring light and can help you a lot with your video/photo sessions.

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3. Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light 

Moving on, we have a great led ring light that has plenty of features and comes at a very reasonable price. It is the Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light.

It is one of the most popular ring lights for taking selfies. It makes your pictures look super high quality and it can give great lightning to your pictures, no matter where you are. It is great for selfies and for video recording too, so if you want to make high-quality videos, you should definitely check the Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light.

Something else that is great about this ring flash is that it is not very expensive, and despite the fact that it comes at a very reasonable price, it still delivers amazing results. Moving on, the performance of this ring flash is just astonishing, you can enjoy taking portrait shots and many more great pictures with the  Auxiwa Clip ring light.

Something that you should know about the setup process is that the legs are upwards, which means that you should unfold the legs upside down if you want to prevent any damage. This one gives soft illumination without harsh light and it feels like you have a professional studio photographer whenever you take selfies with the Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light, make sure to check this one out.

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2. Diva Ring Light Super Nova 

Diva Ring Light Super Nova is an amazing studio lighting equipment for videographers and photographers. You can eliminate all of your imperfections thanks to the 5,400 K fluorescent light. It has plenty of great features, looks nice, has a pretty solid built quality and also the setup process of the Diva Ring Light Super Nova ring light is very easy.

I noticed that included are a z-bracket which allows you to mount the Diva Ring Light Super Nova to your tripod, and a flexible gooseneck for mounting light stands. The aluminum body of the Diva Ring Light Super Nova is painted in black on the outside, and it looks pretty great. It has plenty of features and it gives the image a very clean, and modern look. The light stand is also pretty nice. I can say that it’s the nicest light stand I’ve seen in a ring light.

Unfortunately, one thing I didn’t like about this ring light is that you can’t change the color temperature.

The dimming knob can dim to 20% of full power which is amazing, and it also has a diffusion cloth to reduce harsh shadows. This means that you will be in complete control of your look which is awesome. There are multiple setup options, that can help you a lot in making your pictures look more professional than ever. If you want one of the best performing ring lights in the market, make sure to check out the Diva Ring Light Super Nova.

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1. New 18″ Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light Kit 

As our top pick, we have the Neewer 18″ Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light Kit, this one is one of the most popular ring lights on the market. It is widely applied to indoor photo light, portrait, fashion, wedding art, shooting video, filling light indoors and more. It comes in an orange and white color filter, and it is made of high transparent material which is amazing.

You should also know that the color temperature of the Neewer 18″ is very stable and the loss is pretty small. Color temperature is very important to get a smooth and stable experience with a ring light.

There are plenty of great features that this ring light has. If you want to work more efficiently, there is a hot shoe adapter and a soft tube. These accessories are great for efficiency, make sure to check them out. Another great thing about the Neewer 18″ is that you can take the equipment wherever you want thanks to the carrying bag. It is constructed from aluminum alloy, and it is very lightweight too.

Something else that you should know about the Neewer 18″ Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light Kit is that it has a reinforced flexible arm which can move freely. It does a great job when it comes to portrait shots and macro photography. I can say that it is the best in the market without a doubt. It has plenty of great features that anyone who wants to lighten up their photo sessions should take a look at the Neewer 18″  and see if this is the one you were looking for.

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Why Should You Use a Ring Light

Video Production

The reason why Youtubers use led ring lights is simply that they can enhance their facial features and because they are very inexpensive. They produce a very nice halo shadow that amazingly outlines the subject of the video or photograph. I should mention that it is better if you use only the ring lights as a source of lightning because they can produce amazing photos.

Led light is also not very hard on the eyes, which makes it easy to record videos and shoot photos while the led light is projecting to you.

Makeup Tutorials

These devices are also great for makeup tutorials, because most of them can produce a daylight color rating of 54000k, and this means that the led ring lights are ideal for makeup application. Some days the weather is bad and there is no good natural lighting, that’s when the led ring lights shine. They are perfect on and overcast day.

Macro Photography

The reason why most photographers use led ring lights when taking pictures is that they produce perfectly balanced lightning and they are very inexpensive. They allow you to create some high-quality, great looking photos, without spending a lot of money. You can also use a lens ring light if you want to capture a better front focused light. They are great for macro work because you can get up close with the ring light.

Emphasizing Details

Emphasizing details is another reason why you might need a led ring light. The circular design of the led ring light allows you to use your cameras in between the hole of the ring light, and this helps with the focusing of specific details of the shoot.

Thanks to the structure of the body, these devices are amazing for emphasizing details on videos and photographs. These lights hide shadows and emphasize detail only with their design. They hide blemishes and wrinkles, which make these devices great for make-up tutorials and portraits.

Alternatives

If for some reason you don’t want a ring light, or you travel often and find it difficult to carry it around with you wherever you go, then i recommend you take a look at our best on-camera lights roundup.

Photography

If you want a ring light for photographing yourself, then i also recommend you get a camera for self-portraits. There are some great performers in this field!

Conclusion

You should know that these lights are not great for big objects or big groups of people, they are great for photographers that want to give a professional and shiny look at their photos. Make sure to choose the one that fits you best, but no matter which one you pick, you should know that all these lights have something in common, they are very simple to use and they can all give you amazing results.

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