For casual video calls with friends, the Rotolight Conference Kit is arguably overkill. However, if you’re on the hunt for a smart-looking, premium quality light to use within a professional or a serious piece of kit for your photo and video work, the Rotolight should be on your shortlist.

Besides that, most lights are flexible and let you switch between different color temperatures. Read our recommendations for the best phone tripod with a ring light. But before that, READ NEXT: The best tripods for iPhones The best ring lights you can buy in 2023 1. EOTO 18in Ring Light: Best budget large ring light

The best ring lights you can buy in 2023

The Litra Glow is a flexible, economical, easily adjustable fill light that can only help you look better on your webcam during video meetings. Serious gaming streamers will want one of the previously mentioned panels for maximum wattage, but this is the only light around that works this well right next to a webcam. Key specs – Ring diameter: 43cm; Brightness: 2500 lumens; Dimmable: Percentage increments; Colour temperature: 2900-7000K; Advertised CRI: 94; Internal mount: Camera; Power source: Mains adapter The light is bright, compact, colour accurate, and feels built to last. A bright rear display makes adjusting brightness and exact colour temperature a breeze, while a set of included diffusion filters let you soften the light to taste. The light can be powered using the included mains adapter or, for a cable-free setup, you can use a set of six AA batteries (although we’d recommend looking into rechargeables). These simple rings of light usually use LEDs to produce a soft, continuous glow, producing flattering shadows and giving you a ring-shaped glow in your eyes. By using one, you’ll always look your best on screen and in photos. Depending on how you plan to use your ring light, the power source can be worth noting. If you’re mainly working indoors you’ll want a mains powered light. Need a more portable option for working on the go? Look for a light that can run off of batteries. USB powered lights are also quite common and these are great for keeping cable clutter to a minimum. They can also be run off of a USB power bank which can come in handy.

Additionally, consider the size of the light: some are quite small and portable, which means you can take them on the road with you; others are larger and heavier, which may weigh you down. Unlike the majority of ring lights, Elgato LEDs are built into the frame rather than the face of the ring. The result is a uniform ring of light, free of harsh hotspots which is noticeably less fatiguing on the eyes. If you plan on spending extended periods facing the light, then this design is a game-changer. While ring lights may seem like simple devices, there's actually a lot to consider. So how we test them is by putting them through their paces in real-world conditions, using them for Zoom calls, photographing portraits, filming YouTube content –all at different times of day, in different natural and artificial light conditions. With so many ring lights available at so many different price points, how do you choose which model is right for you? Key specs – Ring diameter: 13cm; Brightness: 2500 lumens; Dimmable: Percentage increments; Colour temperature: 2900-7000K; Advertised CRI: 96; Internal mount: None; Power source: 6x AA or included mains adapter

DSLR-Friendly Tripod 

The light features a clamp so you can mount it directly on your laptop, monitor, or the edge of your desk with no need for an additional stand. Once set up it can then be angled to suit, and can be plugged directly into your computer’s USB port, which keeps messy cable runs to a minimum. For versatility, you can alternatively opt to power it via a USB wall adapter or power bank. The UBeesize phone tripod is one of the most popular choices out there. The highlight of this tripod is that the phone holder is located in the middle of the ring light. This ensures that your phone’s camera can access as much light as possible. At the same time, the tripod head is highly flexible and allows for tilt and swivel motion. Some of the best ring lights for phones will offer advanced features, such as the ability to adjust the light’s color temperature or RGB output. Some are also powered by an AC adapter, whereas others use batteries — or have both options. Consider your needs. There are two dials on the front, one for cool light, and the other for warm, rated for a color temp range of 3,200 to 5,600 K, but you can't tell what the setting is because this unit is all analog. The hot shoe mount in the center of the light is easy to work with, but was tight even on my iPhone XS, so larger phones will be a problem. There's a bright red, Bluetooth-based smartphone camera shutter remote in the box you can use to start or stop a video, or shoot a still with your phone mounted. The best ring lights work with both cameras and smartphones (we’ve actually got a specific list of the best ring lights for phones). So if you’ve just bought a new phone with an incredible camera or have invested in a new vlogging camera to take your TikTok videos to the next level, you’ll want to invest in a suitable ring light to give your content that professional edge.

It produces super soft, wrap-around light to provide flattering, shadow-free lighting across the face. Thanks to its size and brightness, it doesn’t need positioning too close, giving you more options when it comes to where and how far away it can be positioned. The light is also easy to control thanks to its simple control layout and wireless remote. It also a pair for USB power outlets, enabling you to keep your phone topped up while recording. You get a good amount of control over the light, with both color temperature and brightness adjustable either via buttons on the ring light or the included Bluetooth remote, but the buttons aren't as easy to use as the touch pads or knobs found on some options and in our testing we felt the tripod was a little flimsy. How to choose the best ring light for your phone This ring light earns its "Pro" designation with distinction. At 17 inches in diameter, it's an inch smaller than the Lume Cube Wireless Ring Light (below), but it gives you a half hour more battery life, and the new light stand is a half-foot higher.The new remote control is a godsend for lighting yourself without having to keep getting up and down, and the improved diffusion is a dream for lighting portrait subjects. The quality of light is also absolutely spot-on, which is particularly important for creators shooting content such as makeup tutorials. Key specs – Ring diameter: 46cm; Brightness: 2000 lumens; Dimmable: Percentage increments; Colour temperature: 2900, 5500k, 6500k; Advertised CRI: 90; Internal mount: Phone or camera; Power source: Mains adapter It's an 18-inch ring light which makes it perfect for shooting portraits or filming videos. As it's wireless you can use it on location or in the studio which makes it a great option if you want to be able to do both.Key specs – Ring diameter: 16cm; Brightness: n/a; Dimmable: 10 levels; Colour temperature: 2700, 4400, 5500K; Advertised CRI: n/a; Internal mount: None; Power source: USB