Also: The 5 best streaming mics: Start that podcast or Twitch channel Many lighting options for streamers integrate Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless connections, and Wi-Fi which allow you to connect companion apps, control decks, and remotes for more precise control over brightness, tone, and lighting patterns. To help you decide which type of light you need for your streams, I’ve put together a list of the best lights you can buy. I’ve chosen options from the three main categories as well as some others to help you find the right fit for your budget and your needs. I personally use this Neewer professional softbox lighting kit for recording videos, live streaming, and doing photography, and they are some of the best key and fill lights you can get. They come with everything you need to set up, including tripods, reflective soft boxes, diffuser sheets, and CFL bulbs. You can also switch out the bulbs for LED ones for longer-lasting lights and a more eco-conscious lighting solution. The included carrying bag makes it easy to take both lights with you for off-site filming and photography and better protects your equipment while it’s in storage. The tripod mounts extend up to 83 inches, which means that you can use them as fill lights to eliminate harsh shadows or as key lights to make you the main focus of your video. The lights are also incredibly easy to adjust with a quick turn of a knob, letting you adjust angles, tripod width, and stand height in seconds. The Elgato Key Light Mini is another light that I personally use, and it’s an incredibly versatile key light. Not only does it have a threaded mount for use with a tripod or desk mounting arm, but it also has an integrated magnet in its backplate so you can stick the light to any magnetic surface for more placement options. It also has an integrated, rechargeable battery that lasts up to 4 hours, so you can take the Key Light Mini with you for outdoor events and vlogs, collaboration projects, and whatever else you need. The Key Light Mini also lets you switch between both cool and warm lighting tones to suit your environment, and the dimming wheel on the side lets you quickly adjust the intensity of your lighting. The unit uses edge-mounted LED bulbs to provide plenty of light without washing you out or creating harsh shadows and flat colors. And if you have the Elgato Stream Deck or control app, you can connect it to the Key Light Mini for better control and on-the-fly adjustments. If you’re a make-up or visual effects artist, you know how important a ring light can be for filming. And streamers can find them very useful as well. The Joby Beamo Ring Light is a versatile option for vloggers, podcasters, streamers, and other content creators as it can be mounted on a traditional or desk tripod. And it also has an attachment for mounting your webcam, phone, or DSLR camera in the center of the light for optimal placement. The in-line controller lets you turn the light on and off, change the lighting tone from warm to cool, and adjust the brightness without any fuss. It uses a USB plug to connect to your computer for power, though you could also use any USB wall plug as well. A lot of established streamers use RGB lighting in the backgrounds of their videos to add more visual flair, and the Govee Glide Hexa light panels are some of the coolest you can get. You can buy them in sets of 7 or 10, and I highly recommend springing for the 10-pack because you’ll be able to create more patterns. The companion app has an easy-to-follow video guide for creating a layout and setting up the panels, and installation takes maybe 10 minutes in total. The lights stick to any flat surface with an adhesive pad, which is great news for renters or anyone else who doesn’t want a permanent installation. Once installed, you can either use one of the dozens of preset colors and patterns or create your own custom scheme to match your branding. The companion app also lets you group lights into rooms so you can set up multiple kits and control them from a single device. There’s also an in-line power button for when you want to quickly turn the lights on and off without changing any colors or lighting patterns. Established content creators have specific lighting needs for a variety of projects, and the Neewer CB60 is an excellent choice for both indoor and outdoor filming. While it looks like a traditional fresnel light, it uses an LED bulb for bright, continuous light without causing the unit to create a lot of waste heat. And with an internal fan, any waste heat is quickly and quietly dissipated to protect electronics without ruining your take with loud noises. An LCD panel and knob on the back of the light let you adjust brightness and give you temperature information at-a-glance, though you can also use the included remote for more control options. The light also has a Bowens mount, which allows you to attach a wide variety of reflectors, diffusers, and shaping tools for truly versatile lighting. You can even use gel filters for tinted ambient lighting. The light weighs just over 4 pounds, making it lightweight enough to carry with you to off-site shooting or outdoor filming. If you want to add a bit of visual flair to your streams, there are tons of RGB lighting solutions on the market, like the Govee Glide Hexa panels. These lights can be set to virtually any color and often use different lighting patterns to make your backgrounds more interesting. Another trick you can use to mimic professional lighting is to turn your monitor into a key light. You can do this by pulling up a blank document in Word or Google Docs. The bright light will help illuminate your face for streams. You can also search for specific color swatches and make them fill the whole screen for a bit of DIY RGB accent lighting.
