Ring Light Buying Guide: How to Pick the Perfect Ring Light

If you’re looking to buy a ring light, then you have a multitude of options, brands, and price points to consider. In this blog post I’ll give you some tips on how to navigate the sea of products out there and find the ideal ring light for your specific needs.

Determine Your Purpose and Budget:

The first step in picking the right ring light for you is to determine what you want it for and how much money you want to spend.

• For example, If it’s just a hobby, then spending $200 on an expensive ring light might be overkill—a cheaper option may do just fine!
• However, suppose this purchase is going to be used professionally. In that case, the ring light must be the best and durable enough to withstand constant use, which could lead to the best results.

You can expect to spend between $30 and $500 for a ring light, depending on its size, features, and bulb power. The more expensive models have more features that you might find useful when working with your camera equipment. They also tend to be larger in size, so they’re better for more serious photographers who need to use their ring lights as a primary lighting source.

The cheaper models are smaller and lighter, making them easier to move around—but they also tend to have fewer features and less powerful bulbs than the higher-end models. If you’re just starting out with photography or don’t anticipate using your ring light very often, then it’s probably best not to invest too much money into the purchase of one right away; instead, buy something inexpensive but reliable so that if you decide later on down the line that ring lighting is something worth pursuing further professionally or personally then at least there won’t be any regrets about having spent too much money on equipment earlier on when there was no guarantee it would work out as well as we hoped!

Learn About the Different Styles of Ring Lights:

Ring lights come in a variety of styles, and each type offers a different kind of benefit. You’ll want to consider your individual needs before choosing one over the others.

Studio Ring Lights:

Flexible Ring Lights:

TableTop Ring Lights:

Note: I make these categories as reference only, so if your situation differs from the ones here, please follow your own circumstances and use case. Remember, exceptions apply.

Decide Whether You Want to Use a Filter or Not:

Another point to choosing the ring light is deciding whether or not you want a filter. Filters are a great way to add color and change the intensity, quality, and color temperature of your ring light. If you’re looking for something more subtle, though, then maybe it’s not necessary. If you decide that filters are right for you, keep these points in mind.

1. Color filters can change the color temperature of your light (i.e., how warm or cool colored objects appear). This can help give images an additional pop of vibrancy or tone down warmth from certain colors, depending on what look would work best with your subject matter.
2. Bokeh effects can be used when photographing jewelry pieces like rings or necklaces with interesting designs. Placing different-sized lenses between your object and camera lens at different distances creates vignettes that will make these small details stand out even more!

Understand the Features of a Ring Light:

Once you understand the basics of ring lights, it’s time to start looking at the details. This is where you’ll find the features that make a good ring light great and a bad one terrible.

Here are some of the most important specs and features to consider:

Light Quality:

If you are shopping for a ring light, the first thing that you want to look at is the light quality. A good ring light should have soft and diffused lighting so that it does not produce harsh shadows on your face or cause unflattering reflections in your makeup. It should also be bright without being glaring or harsh on your subject’s eyes and skin. One way that manufacturers test how even their lights are is by using a meter called an integrating sphere, which allows them to measure how evenly their lights are distributed across the entire surface of their products.

Diameter

The diameter of a ring light is important because it will determine how much light you get. The larger the diameter, the more light you will get. The larger your ring light is, the more you will be able to see your face clearly in it and the less shadowing there will be. If you have a small face or want to use this for close up shots then a smaller diameter would be better suited for your needs; however, if you are looking for something that can give off lots of illumination then go with something with a large diameter such as 500mm or 1000mm because they tend to provide more lighting than their smaller counterparts which could lead to better results overall in terms of getting great looking shots out at night when there isn’t enough natural brightness available from outside sources like street lights etcetera

Dimmable

Dimmable lights are the best. They allow you to use the same light for any situation, whether it be for a portrait or a video shoot. Dimmable lights also offer better energy efficiency, as you won’t have to keep switching them on and off when shooting different types of content; just turn up or down your dimmer as needed!

If you want a ring light that will serve all your needs, look for one that has dimming capabilities.

If you’re looking to use your ring light in a variety of different situations, then it’s worth spending a bit more on one that is dimmable. Dimmable lights are more versatile and can be used in a wider range of situations. This comes from being able to adjust the brightness of the light, making it useful for both close-ups and distance shots.

In addition to having more uses, dimmable lights also tend to use less energy than non-dimmable ones. More energy efficient lighting means lower electricity bills! However, this benefit does come with an increase in cost; dimmable lights tend to be slightly more expensive than their non-dimmable counterparts.

Color Temperature

Color temperature is the measurement of how warm or cool a light is. The higher the Kelvin temperature, the more blue the light is. The lower the Kelvin temperature, the more yellow it will appear to be.

The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal black-body radiator that radiates light of comparable hue to that of the light source. Color temperature is a characteristic of visible light that has important applications in lighting, photography and videography, shopping malls and most recently home theater systems.

The key advantage of using high CRI led lights instead of conventional fluorescent or incandescent bulbs is that they do not produce much heat but give very bright output. This makes LEDs suitable for decorative and accent lighting as well as signage and architectural applications where heat would be undesirable.

For example: If you want a ring light that’s going to make your skin look super pale and natural (i.e., soft) then you might want to avoid one with a high color temperature. On the other hand, if you like to have really dramatic makeup looks then maybe having a ring light with some extra blue in it would be better for your needs!

Brightness

The brightness of a ring light is measured in lumens, and the higher the number of lumens a ring light has, the brighter it will be. Lumens are the measure of how much light output your ring light can produce, and they show up as watts for incandescent bulbs or watts for LED lights. However, there are other things that affect brightness besides just sheer wattage/lumens: The quality of materials used in construction also affects how bright or dim each ring light may appear. As well as this quality factor affecting overall brightness level, so does size—larger diameter lights tend to emit more visible light than smaller diameters do (although this does depend on other factors).

Power Consumption

The power consumption of a ring light plays an important role in determining its cost of operation. If you will be using your ring light for long periods of time, then it makes sense to consider a model with low power consumption as this will reduce your electricity bill and help you save money over the long run. On the other hand, if you are going to use your ring light occasionally only and don’t want to spend too much on electricity bills, then there is no need for you to look at models with high power consumption ratings.

Adjustable Stand or Tripod Compatibility

Some ring lights have built-in stands, but most do not. If you are interested in a light that does not have a stand, it is important to make sure it will work with your tripod or lighting stand. Many tripods and stands can be used with different brands of lamps; however, some require an adapter or other accessory in order to work together properly. When shopping around for a light with no stand, look at the specifications of the lamp and see if they include any information regarding compatibility with tripods or stands.

LED Bulbs

The type of LEDs used in a ring light is one of the most important features to look for. There are several key things to pay attention to here:

• Brightness
• Energy Efficiency
• Longevity
• Small size and shape (LED bulbs tend to be very small)

The last three are related because they all have to do with heat management. The smaller a bulb, the easier it will be for your ring light’s case design team to manage heat — this means that you can have smaller, cooler lights with less energy usage than if they were larger and made from incandescent or halogen bulbs. This makes them more durable as well.

Ratings

The next thing you should look at is the ratings. You will be amazed by the number of customers that rate a product with five stars. This means that most people who have bought this product love it and would recommend to others. The rating also helps you to get an idea about whether this particular ring light is worth buying or not.

If you are looking for more detailed reviews about a specific ring light, then check out Amazon reviews or YouTube videos that show how well they work in different settings. These reviews will help you understand how a particular model performs under different conditions so that you can make an informed decision while buying one yourself!

User reviews

User reviews are helpful when you’re trying to decide on a product. They give you an idea of how well the product works, and whether or not it’s worth buying.

Users can write about their personal experience with the product and give their opinion on it. You can also find out if other users have had any issues with the product, like if it broke down after a few months of use.

Longevity of the Product

A good brand will provide a long-lasting product. You don’t want to buy a ring light that will break down after a few months of use, or even worse, if it breaks within the warranty period. The quality of the product should be high enough so that it can last for years without any problem.

There are two things to consider when looking at the longevity of your ring light: How long will it last? And how easy is it to get a replacement if something breaks?

The company it is purchased from

When you are buying a ring light, it is very important that you look into the company that it is purchased from. You should look for a company that has a good reputation, has a good return policy and warranty, and also has great customer service. There are many companies out there who sell cheap knockoffs of products like these. These are usually low quality so it is best to avoid them at all costs!

Warranty

Another important feature to look for in a ring light is the warranty. A good warranty can be a big factor in buying a ring light, as it will help you out in case of any problem or damage that might occur over time.

Dimensions of the product

It is essential to measure the dimensions of your ring light before buying it. The size of the product should be as per your requirement, so that it can fit in place without any hassle. Also, check out if there’s any other accessory that comes with it and how much space does it occupy.

Light diffuser

The light diffuser is important to spread the light evenly so that your face and body are well lit.

You can find diffusers made of plastic or fabric, which you can attach to your ring light or keep detachable. Some models come with multiple diffusers, like a soft one for applying makeup and a harder one for taking photos.

Some ring lights include built-in diffusers, while others have removable ones that you can take off when not needed.

Lighting modes

These different modes are important because you may want to use the ring light for different purposes. For example, if you are using it for makeup, then there is no need to have a lot of light intensity. But if you are using it for photography and videography, then it is essential that the model has enough brightness so that you can get high-quality images with good dynamic range and depth of field. It’s also important to note that most models allow users to change the amount of brightness by adjusting settings manually or remotely via an app on their smartphone or tablet devices.

USB port for charging mobile device

If your camera or phone needs charging, you might as well use the same USB cable to charge them and the ring light at the same time! This is especially useful when you are travelling and need to charge both your camera and ring light.

If you have a laptop, tablet or phone with a large battery capacity then this can be used to power up your ring light even if there is no electricity available in the area. The USB port will allow you to connect your phone or laptop directly into it using a micro USB cable which comes with most modern laptops or chargers for phones (if not included).

Conclusion:

With so many products on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. Hopefully this guide has helped you narrow down your choices and understand what you need from your ring light. If you’re still not sure, feel free to ask a sales associate about any of the products we’ve mentioned here!