When it comes to streaming, there’s no denying that quality is an essential aspect. And to achieve such a level of quality, streamers need long-lasting and versatile lighting to help deliver the perfect look for long hours.
Whether chatting casually or sweating in an intense match, proper lighting will improve your streams by allowing your audience to focus on you.
In this article, we will dive into why you need a streaming light, how to choose the perfect lighting and detailed insight into our carefully picked recommendations for the best lighting for streaming.
Why Do You Need a Streaming Light
Having proper lighting doesn’t only help improve how streamers view you. It also offers benefits to current and new equipment.
- Enhances Your Background
Besides making your face look brighter, lighting is also a great way to make your background captivating. This way, your viewers are welcomed to a more warm and comfortable background.
- Helps Attract Viewers
Your viewers aren’t here to see a dull environment. Proper lighting can make your streams pop out by making them appealing. It increases your quality, adds vibrance and colors, and makes it more interesting.
What to Look For While Choosing the Best Lighting for Streaming
There are a few aspects to consider when purchasing a lighting setup for your streams, such as the area you want to light up, the perfect positioning and, most importantly, the specifications.
- LED Lights
Firstly, you must ensure that your lighting setup is made of led lights that consume less power, generate less heat and offer the brightest lighting.
- Brightness
Most LED lights come with a dial knob that can adjust your lights’ brightness according to whatever mood you want to set.
- Positioning
After choosing the right size, positioning your lighting is also crucial. Placing a light at a spot where it can’t reach the subject is a waste. So, invest in a lighting setup that can be easily moved around.
- Color Temperature
Another crucial factor to consider is the light color temperature. The light in your streams can appear cooler or warmer depending on the bulb type. For streaming, something around 5000K would be ideal.
The Two Main Roles of Light
Aside from its aesthetic value, light also has a functional purpose. Let’s have a quick rundown of the two leading roles of lighting.
- Key Lights – The primary or “key” light is the brightest and most important light in a room. This is the primary illumination source and draws attention to the main subject.
- Fill Lights – On the contrary, a softer light source is typically used to “fill in” the shadows cast by the main light. Fill lights are often used to balance things out.
5 Best Lighting For Streaming
1. Elgato Key Light
Specs
- Power: 45W
- Color Temperature: 2900-7000 K
- Brightness: 2800 lm
Pros
Cons
Elgato key light is one of the best choices for streamers looking for a light that makes them look professional.
Packed with 2800 lumens, the Elgato key light can be used by streamers, photographers and creators who want their audience to immerse in their content truly.
Additionally, its lowest temperature is 2900 K, and the highest is 7000 K. A wide range like this makes it perfect for anyone at any time. Moreover, it can be mounted on a desk to make it more flexible.
It’s controlled by an app that allows you to change the temperature and adjust other settings easily. Although it can be pricy for a lot of people, the Elgato key light proves to be worth the cost in every aspect.
2. Neewer Super Slim
Specs
- Power: 40W
- Color Temperature: 3200-5600 K
- Brightness: 100 Lux at 1 M
Pros
Cons
The Neewer Super Slim is an excellent option for those looking to get the most out of their money. Apart from coming at a reasonable price, it also offers plenty of great features.
Super Slim can be operated by plugging into a wall outlet or through a battery, making it best for streamers constantly moving. It also comes with a USB charger to quickly charge the batteries.
Additionally, it comes with an adjustable temperature range varying from 3200 to 5600K, and you can also change brightness levels.
On the back of the light is a small LCD screen with a pair of adjustment dials, and the screen also shows the light’s current battery life. Lastly, it has a well-designed tripod mount that can be easily rotated to adjust the light properly.
3. Fovitec 3-Light Lighting Kit
Specs
- Power: 45W each
- Color Temperature: 3200 – 5600 K
- Brightness: 1500 lumens
Pros
Cons
Fovitec 3-Light Kit is an excellent choice to ensure minimal shadows on your face and provides a complete lighting setup. A 3-point lighting system means you will have a key light, a fill light, and a backlight to have the highest quality lighting on your stream.
Talking about the lights, they are 45W fluorescent lamps with a color temperature range of up to 5500K. After setting up the lighting kit correctly, you will have professional lighting all around your setup.
However, the lighting kit does take up some adequate space to fit, so if you have a smaller room, we suggest you get yourself a clampable stand for your lighting, as they are available in smaller sizes.
4. Emart 60 LED Continuous Lighting Kit
Specs
- Power: 15W
- Color Temperature: 3300-5500 K
- Brightness: 1400 Lm
Pros
Cons
This multifunction LED lighting kit makes streaming hassle-free. It comes with two 15W high-output LED lights, two tripods and four pairs of filters.
Combine all this, and you get an LED lighting kit that gives 1400-lumen light day in and day out with a color temperature of about 5500K.
Additionally, the filters can balance the lighting according to your preference. The tripods are constructed with study material and can be adjusted up to 180 degrees.
This LED lighting kit is known for its multifunctionality, making it suitable for indoor and outdoor purposes. And It is also perfect for live streaming because it is simple to adjust on a tabletop.
5. MOUNTDOG Softbox Lighting Kit
Specs
- Power: 95W each
- Color Temperature: 2800 to 5700K
Pros
Cons
The Softbox MountDog lighting kit is the best option if you have sufficient room. It is inexpensive, lightweight, and simple to assemble, making it an excellent choice for those just getting started.
It comes with a 95 W bulb that can save you money on energy bills. It has a turning radius of 210 degrees and a height range of 53 inches. The larger softbox is 20-by-28-inch, preventing light from escaping and distributing.
It also casts a very soft light and eliminates shadows for excellent shots. As a result, it is suitable for general photography and streaming.
The product’s high quality can be seen from the fact that it is composed of nylon. It’s been built by experts and is simple to assemble. It also includes a bag that can be carried with you and folded up for storage.
Conclusion
Overall, improving your lighting is essential to your professional appearance. Whether you use a phone lamp or a lighting kit, lighting can undoubtedly impact your spot as a professional streamer. Since most of the lights, we mentioned offer something for everyone and deliver excellent quality lighting, choosing the best one should be easy after going through our reviews.
