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Top 3 of the Best Video Lighting Kits for Photography and Videography in 2022

Lighting is a unique camera accessory that has a significant impact on the quality of the video you plan to produce. You need to know how to capture and produce light for it to evoke emotion in what you are producing. To get the best lighting kits, we recommend using professional video lighting kits. 

These specialized kits will enhance your video production by offering the right features, flexibility, and output power. In this article, we will explore the importance of a lighting setup, how lighting can affect your videos, and the best video lighting kits available today.

Lighting for Videos

Lighting brings an extra element to your videos and films. When recording, it’s important to pre-plan your shoot and set up lights where you know you will need them. In the studio or film set, you should be following a similar thought pattern to get the best results for your production. 

For instance, think about the location and walk through the different compositions you plan on filming. If you notice the light falls off in the edges of your frame, then adopt a point source video light as either a key or fill light. You’ll quickly find that the lighting design and setup are the key fundamentals of success when correctly lighting your scene. 

So, when thinking about the design of lights, you may wonder if you get the best video lighting kit. A point source video light will deliver the results you need. Using two or more of these lights will result in clear, crisp footage regardless if you are shooting in 4K or 8K.

The Different Types of Lighting Setup

When producing video, there is one thing you’ll quickly learn about lighting – keep it simple. You don’t need to blow your budget hiring multiple rigs when some of the latest LED panel lights can cater to all shooting scenarios. With this in mind, when lighting a scene, think about a two or three-point lighting setup, which means you position lights around the camera with different power outputs to obtain a well-lit scene. 

A basic three-point lighting setup contains a key light, fill light and backlight:

  • Key Light

A key light will be the strongest of all the lights in your setup. When positioning this light, many gaffers will position the light to the left or right of the main camera. This produces an angle of around 45 degrees when it illuminates your subject. 

  • Fill Light

Fill light is the second light in a dual setup. Its characteristics are a softer light. You will need it to create an even light, which reduces the shadows from the key light. If you use a point source light as your professional video lighting kit, we recommend attaching a softbox accessory. Then, position your light opposite to where your key light stands and turn the power output to 50% of what the key light is.

  • Backlight

The next light in a three-point lighting setup is also very important. The backlight will separate the subject from the background when in the correct position. For example, if you are filming a subject in a scene, you want the light to highlight their hairline. So when you look through the camera, all you see is their outline (if all the other lights were off).

The Best Video Lighting Kits 

There are many video lights on the market, but few have the flexibility and feature set for professional video. We considered several requirements to make this list, including power output, portability, color temperature, controls, features, and wireless control. 

  • SmallRig RC 120B Bi-color Point-Source Video Light 3471

The first point source video light we recommend is the SmallRig RC 120B Bi-color Point-Source Video Light. At USD 219, this light won’t cost the earth – especially if you were to obtain more than one to create a dual or three-point lighting setup. The light offers flexibility with color temperature in the range of 2700K – 6500K. Plus, you’ll find stepless dimming a dream to use either through the wireless app control or on the back of the light. 

Some of the other stand out features include:

  • 150W Power Consumption
  • 1 meter (3.3 ft), the maximum illuminance of the bare light source is 4,450 lux at 5600K 
  • TLCI 96+ and CRI 95+
  • Supports manual light control and remote control with the SmallGoGo App
  • 9 different lighting effects
  • Standard Bowens mount

  • SmallRig RC 120D Daylight Point-Source Video Light 3470

The SmallRig RC 120D Daylight Point Source Video Light is designed to replicate the sun’s color temperature. This is great if you are filming an indoor scene and lack sunlight. With a cost of USD 219, you’ll find it hard to reason why a second or third light isn’t in your kit, so do consider this as one of the best lights to build your video lighting kit.

Some of the key features include:

  • 150W Power Consumption
  • 1 meter (3.3 ft), the maximum illuminance of the bare light source is 5,370 lux
  • Illuminance level increases to an impressive 62,600 lux after attaching the included hyper reflector.
  • TLCI 96+ and CRI 95+
  • Supports manual light control and remote control with the SmallGoGo App
  • 9 different lighting effects
  • Standard Bowens mount

  • Aputure Amaran 100X

Like the SmallRig RC 120 Series, the Aputure Amaran 100X uses LED in a point source lighting design. The light offers the same color temperature range as the SmallRig RC 120B Bi-color Point-Source Video Light, but for a higher price of USD 249. Some of its stand out features include:

  • Color Temperature 2700K – 6500K
  • CRI 95+
  • TLCI 95+
  • Output Wattage 100W
  • Power Consumption 130W
  • Operating Voltage, Battery 48V/3A

In summary, SmallRig offers a brilliant lineup of point source video lights. You should determine what color temperature you will most likely to use, which will help decide the model you will need. For instance, if you require a color temperature beyond 5600K, the SmallRig RC 120B Bi-color Point-Source Video Light should be your first choice. The LED design, professional output, and a large range of accessories make them ideal for the dual or three-point lighting system. Combine this with their affordability, and you are well on your way to choosing the best video lighting kit.

For more information, please visit https://www.smallrig.com/.