If you’re recording a video for your YouTube channel or taking a photo for your Instagram feed, you’re definitely familiar with the concept of good lighting. Hence, a ring light with a stand may come in handy. Regardless if you’re using a mobile phone or a DSLR, the best ring light with a stand provides you with an effective and convenient way to improve the quality of your vlogs, TikTok, Zoom, and other video conferencing essentials.
Although you may not have the most advanced equipment yet, the best ring lights with a stand will provide you with a professional lighting setup at home. Whether you’re a vlogger, influencer, blogger, or photographer, you will benefit from the equal distribution of lighting that a ring light offers. They transform your portraits, documentaries, and selfies to a whole new level.
Unlike the pre-digitalization era, ring lights with a stand are no longer a mystery. The downside is there are many options to choose from, making it challenging for you to decide which one to purchase. That said, we highlight the 12 best ring lights with a stand, with an introduction on how to choose the best ring light for your vlogging, videoconferencing, TikTok, or photography ventures!
What Is A Ring Light?
A ring light is an external lighting component that can be used as an extra accessory to provide consistent and well-balanced lighting. It has a doughnut-like, circular shape that illuminates your subjects equally, removing areas of shade. Ring lights are a perfect solution when the subject is too close or head-on to the mobile phone or DSLR. Hence, it is an excellent accessory for videography or photography involving faces or portraits.
Ring lights are often marketed as vlogging lights or selfie lights. Regardless of how you’re calling it, they serve a similar purpose. Nowadays, the best ring lights with a stand are integrated with LED lighting technology. Many remote workers use ring lights for better video conferencing quality, vloggers use them to record short clips or documentaries for TikTok or YouTube, and influencers/content creators use them for flattering and convincing product photos.
12 Best Ring Light Models With a stand
The Neewer 18” ring light is integrated with a fixed 5500K color temperature, complementing a daylight-balanced light source. The ring light also comes with two color filters (orange and white), which are built from plastic, allowing you to easily adjust the temperature from 3200K to 5500K and vice versa. The Neewer 18” has a step-less dimming knob for adjusting the brightness levels.
Neewer’s portable LED kit includes a 61” light stand made from aluminum alloy, providing the stand with exceptional strength to hold on a steady position. The Neewer 18” features a 360-degree rotatable mobile phone holder as well as a Bluetooth receiver that will allow you to remotely control your ring light. The package also comes with a carrying case for easier portability.
When it comes to mid-range ring lights with a stand, Ikan is one of the best options available. The Ikan RLB48 Oryon 18” is one of the best ring lights with a stand you can purchase from the brand.
The Oryon 18” is extremely portable and lightweight, providing an ample 120-degree coverage scope. This ring light with a stand also includes a built-in diffuser; however, you can purchase an additional makeup mirror for $20.
Aside from the integrated diffuser, the Oryon 18” has 10% to 100% power settings and a 3200K to 5600K temperature range. It provides you with massive creative control, making it easier to switch the mood or environment of your content or subjects.
Ikan’s RLB48 Oryon kit includes mounts for both digital cameras and mobile phones, a power cord, two batteries with a charger, and a stand. It also comes with a handy carry case that stores everything in one go.
Although the RLB48 ring light with a stand may sound a bit expensive, it’s definitely worth purchasing, considering everything that comes in the kit. It is an excellent ring light with a stand for photoshoots in professional studios or shooting vlogs at home.
MountDog Ring Light offers three types of light according to your preferences and mood. It is integrated with SMD technology, providing high-quality and soft video recordings.
Users can effortlessly take selfies using the Bluetooth remote. With the remote, you can also control the brightness levels of MountDog 14” ring light with a stand.
The 5600K light kit from MountDog includes a stable and lightweight stand for creating smooth and steady videos. It is one of the best ring lights with a stand for every TikToker since it illuminates the perfect light balance to the entire face. It’s also effortless and straightforward to set up and use the MountDog ring light for your TikToking needs.
Integrated with unique options and features, the Westcott 18” Bi-Color LED Ring Light Kit is one of the best ring lights with a stand if you prefer a more versatile brand with the professional build quality. Westcott has been a frontrunner and veteran in the world of top-notch lighting equipment for professionals. Regardless if you’re into vlogging, capturing short clips, live streaming, still life, food, or portrait photography, Westcott is one of the best choices.
Westcott 18” Bi-Color features hassle-free installation and user-friendly controls, with claims of excellent color accuracy. The ring light also includes a built-in diffuser for producing soft and stunning lighting, filling the shadows of the face with catchlights in the subject’s eyes.
Since it is built with a ¼” 20 mounting option and two cold-shoe mounts, this ring light is compatible with almost all types of stand-alone cameras and smartphones. When it comes to power, you can either use its NP-F750 lithium-ion batteries that come with the package or the included AC adapter. According to Westcott, the 18” Bi-Color LED kit can run a maximum of 70 minutes at full power. It is equipped with a 3200K to 5600K adjustable color temperature and is also fully dimmable. The ring light kit comes with a carrying case for portability and storage.
One of the easiest and most versatile ring lights with a stand is the Neewer 18” Selfie Ring Light, featuring a high, 93+ CRI rating for the accuracy of colors. It’s one of the brightest ring lights with a stand from the Neewer family. Unlike other ring lights with limited settings, the Neewer 18” Selfie Ring Light allows you to fine-tune the color temperature and brightness levels with two dials, with 40 increments on each dial. The stand can be adjusted from 14” to 61”, making it compatible with standing and sitting setups. Adjusting the angle of a mounted phone or digital camera and the ring light itself is easy. The ring light kit includes a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi remote. Although the Neewer 18” Selfie Ring Light looks ordinary, the features and options have made it one of the best ring lights with a stand to try out.
Inkeltech Ring Light is one of the easiest ring lights with a stand to control using the stand’s knob or the IR remote control. The LED beads and LED SMD design offer perfect and balanced lighting for videos, selfies, makeup sessions, live streaming, videoconferencing, and photography.
Inkeltech’s 60W dimmable LED ring light features seven modes of lighting, including cold light mode, warm light mode, and night light mode. With the IR remote, you can adjust the perfect light mode that best fits the occasion.
This ring light from Inkeltech has a 360-degree rotatable phone holder and stand, helping you record videos from a diverse range of angles. The phone holder is compatible with a variety of smartphones, including Huawei, Samsung, and iPhone. With a lightweight and sturdy component, the Inkeltech ring light is perfect for both indoor and outdoor settings.
Similar to Westcott, Godox has an excellent reputation for manufacturing high-quality lighting equipment. Hence, the Godox LR150 18” LED Ring Light is definitely one of the best ring lights on this list.
The ring light features two knob controls to adjust the brightness levels and color temperature (6000K to 3000K and vice versa). Although the LR150 LED ring light comes with an AC adapter, batteries aren’t included. That said, this ring light is ideal for home, studio, or any indoor setting. You can also charge your smartphone through the built-in USB port. A perfect bonus of the ring light’s feature is that you can rotate its light head horizontally to 180 degrees. The tripod stand can be extended to a maximum of 78”.
The Godox LR150 LED ring light has numerous mounting options, including a tripod ball for the mirrorless camera or DSLR. A maximum of five smartphones can be mounted at the same time using this ring light.
The Diva Ring Light Nova 18” is one of the best ring lights with a stand specifically for YouTube videos and vloggers. It is extremely portable and lightweight, which is a perfect companion for a YouTuber who shoots in multiple locations.
While recording a video, the Diva Ring Light Nova 18” eliminates all areas of shadows on the subject. It also conceals skin imperfections, providing a clean and fresh appearance on the face while capturing a video or taking a selfie.
Since this ring light illuminates a soft dome of light on the face, it is the best option for close-up works and portrait photography
The LimoStudio 2-Pack LED Lighting Kit is a LED lighting panel, providing an excellent alternative to fluorescent ring lights for YouTubers and vloggers. This ring light alternative is suitable for newbies and vloggers on a shoestring budget. Hence, never underestimate what the LimoStudio 2-Pack LED Lighting Kit can offer. It provides a similar experience as fluorescent kits, offering a more diffused and soft lighting ideal for all types of content. The LED Lighting Kit of LimoStudio features industrial-grade wheels — perfect for fast video recording.
If you don’t require a ring light with a taller and adjustable stand, the Godox LR120 12” LED Ring Light is perfect for you. It’s one of the cheaper alternatives to high-end ring lights plus it offers flattering illumination at sitting positions or on a desk. Unlike other ring lights with the same price range, the LR120 provides six color temperature settings, as well as eight levels of brightness. LR120’s foldout and flat feet make it more convenient and easier to place behind a monitor. Although it doesn’t have a remote control for controlling the ring light and smartphone, the LR120 has an in-line control on the USB cord. You can also bring the ring light outdoors with the help of your laptop since it is USB-powered.
Another Neewer ring light with a stand but at a more affordable price is Neewer Ring Light [Upgraded Version-1.8cm Ultra Slim]. It has different mounting options for both mobile phones and cameras. For smartphones, you can set up a horizontal or vertical mount for easier recordings. Unlike other budget ring light options, this ring light from Neewer already includes a carry case and a stand. Although you can bring the Neewer Ring Light Kit anywhere, the lack of battery power is a restricting factor.
The ring light features a diverse range of light dimming settings. You can adjust the color temperature from 5600K to 3200K and vice versa. It is an excellent ring light option for newbie photographers and content creators.
Another lightweight ring light with a stand is the Neewer Bi-Color LED 480, making it the best traveling companion for travel vloggers.
With the Neewer Bi-Color LED 480, you can adjust the color temperature settings from 3200K to 5600K. It comes with a white diffuser that softens the source of light, enhancing the skin’s tone and mood. The U-shaped mount bracket distributes the light evenly at different angles.
Built with aluminum alloy, this ring light is perfect for heavy-duty usage. Its solid lock feature helps the ring light become sturdy and stable while recording multiple videos in different locations and angles.
The ring light includes an AC adapter. However, if you require a wireless operation, you can purchase the Sony NP-F550 and NP-F970 batteries separately.
What Should You Look For In A Ring Light With a stand?
Since there are several ring lights with a stand available on the market, choosing the perfect one that best fits your purpose and preference can be a daunting task. To help you decide, here are some of the essential factors worth considering.
Features
Do you require a ring light that provides you with the option to adjust the brightness levels or color temperature? Is a battery-operated ring light doable for you compared to using an AC adapter?
Price
Are you willing to spend a hefty amount of money for a ring light with a stand? Depending on your budget, ring lights can cost as low as $10 or as much as $200. However, more expensive ring lights offer more comprehensive and robust features. A $500 ring light with a stand, for instance, is integrated with more versatile and powerful capabilities.
Purpose
Determine the purpose of investing in a ring light with a stand. If you’re using it for casual use on a mobile phone, no need to spend a huge amount of money. However, if you’re a podcaster or YouTube content creator, investing in a more comprehensive and advanced ring light is worth the money.
Size
Some ring lights are portable and lightweight, making it easier if you’re traveling a lot. On the contrary, some are heavier and bulkier which can slow you down.
Take note that ring lights can be categorized into two types, namely on-camera and off-camera. On-camera ring lights are attached directly to your device, encircling around the camera or smartphone. Off-camera ring lights are standalone accessories, providing you with the option to move them around as desired. Regardless, they both serve the same purpose. Ring lights generally deliver even lighting on all aspects of the subjects.
Off-camera ring lights require a tripod or a stand. Your mobile phone or camera can be mounted in the ring’s center. The light will completely encircle your device, reducing any forms of shadowing. On-camera ring lights are perfect for on-location portraits, selfies, or macro subjects.
They are more compact, portable, and can be easily plugged into a mirrorless camera, mobile phone, or DSLR. Although it is perfect for still photography, it’s not suitable for video since it can be overwhelming with too much light on the subjects.
Pros and Cons Of Using A Ring Light With a stand
Pros
- – Improve lighting options regardless of content and subject
- – Reduce harsh shadows of your photos
- – Achieve a beautiful and crisp glow of your subject for fashion and portrait photographers
- – Balance the quality of light of an image, making it appear as not too sharp and not too soft
- – An excellent accessory if you’re just starting as a promoter or influencer
Cons
- – If not properly adjusted, images can have too flat light in terms of quality
- – They are bulkier and heavier, which can be inappropriate for mobile lash artists
- – May require technical know-how in setting up the ring light
- – Somehow offers limited usability since they rarely work without a mount or stand
- – Depending on the quality, some are easily breakable since they’re made of plastic
