Gone are the days of dragging around heavy gear! With small video lights, you can achieve professional-looking results without lifting heavy lighting equipment. Today, I’m here to shine a light on why small video lights are your new best friends for quick shoots.
Why are small video lights best for quick shoots?
Small video lights come to the rescue in spontaneous shoots, offering instant illumination without the too-long setup time it’d usually take with big ones. So, in three words: portable, lightweight, and user-friendly.
On top of everything, they also have a lot to offer control-wise. Adjustable brightness and color temperature settings let you easily tweak your lighting on-the-go to match your environment. Quick setup? Check! Versatility? Double check!
What makes a good small video light?
When hunting for the perfect small video light, it’s essential to have a criteria in mind.
First, brightness and color accuracy are top priority! You want a light that can illuminate your subject beautifully, without causing harsh shadows or unnatural hues.
Second, consider the battery life. A longer-lasting light means fewer interruptions to recharge. Don’t let anything make your creative flow buffer.
Lastly, don’t overlook the ease of use. Look for lights with easy controls and multiple mounting options for ultimate flexibility. After all, you want to spend more time getting great takes and less time fiddling with confusing settings.
Godox ML100Bi
With adjustable color temperature ranging from a toasty 2800K to a cool 6500K, this small video light from Godox is perfect for any lighting scenario. But that’s not all — its dimming capabilities let you control the vibe, from soft shadows to dramatic highlights. Think of it as your personal lighting wizard, minus the hat and wand.
But wait, there’s more: this beauty delivers a powerful punch, cranking out up to 34,300 lux with the 15° lens reflector (yep, that’s right). Color accuracy? You bet. A whopping CRI of 97+ ensures every color is spot on, making your subjects look, well, subjectively amazing.
Plus, with 11 built-in creative effects, from simulating lightning to a cozy candlelight glow, your shoots will never be dull again. And thanks to wireless control through the Godox Light app, your lighting game just got a whole lot easier.
Features of the Godox ML100Bi that might convince you to hit “Shop Now”:
- Up to 34,300 lux with the 15° lens
- 11 Creative Effects
- Adjust remotely with the Godox Light App.
Godox ML60IIBi
With 60W of raw lighting power and a color temperature range from a warm 2800K to a cool 6500K, this LED light fits in your hand. However, despite its size, it lights up your whole set!
One of its most impressive features are the CRI 96+ and TLCI 97+. Both take most of the credit for making your colors look as true to life as your artistic vision. And it’s lightweight, weighing about 500g. But wait, don’t let its size fool you yet. It can handle pretty much any lighting challenge, from moody portraits to lively YouTube videos. Oh, and it’s got 11 dynamic FX presets, so when you need to fake a lightning storm or fireworks, you’ve got it.
Why the Godox ML60IIBi is a must-have:
- 60W power
- Dynamic FX presets
- Control brightness and effects from your phone.
GVM PD60C 60W RGB Handheld LED Light
It has a 60W COB LED chip, so it offers stunningly accurate color rendering (CRI 97+), making your shots pop with lifelike hues.
The GVM PD60C isn’t just powerful, it’s also waterproof! So, go ahead — shoot in the rain, at the beach, or anywhere your adventurous spirit takes you. Plus, with Bluetooth control, you can tweak settings without breaking the flow of your creative process. You’re also spoiled with multiple lighting modes, including CCT, RGB, HSI, and even fun special effects like strobe or fire simulation. Whatever vibe you need, this light has you covered.
Why the GVM PD60C is a good choice:
- RGB & Special Effects
- IP25 waterproof rating
- Seamless adjustments via Bluetooth for pro-level convenience.
GVM 8RS RGB Full-Color LED On-Camera Light
Enjoy a variable 2700K to 7500K color temperature that lets you seamlessly blend it into any environment, from warm indoor settings to outdoor shoots at dawn. It’s ideal for interviews, vlogging, or on-the-go shoots where you need professional-quality lighting.
The GVM 8RS has a tough body while remaining light, so it won’t weigh you down. It’s perfect for creators who need flexibility without the hassle of heavy gear. And let’s not forget the price — this light packs a lotta punch without emptying your wallet.
Key features of the GVM 8RS:
- Full-color RGB control
- Portable and lightweight
- High build quality
SmallRig Vibe P96 Pro
With a sleek new embedded LCD screen, you can easily tweak color temperature and brightness on the fly.
This baby packs a punch with a 5W bi-color light source and a CRI > 95, so you can trust it to give you pro-level color accuracy without breaking a sweat. You’re looking at 1160Lux @ 0.3m/5600K, which is impressive for such a compact light.
The built-in 1500mAh battery is perfect for those quick shoots, giving you 1.2 hours at full power or up to 3 hours for more chill lighting setups.
Why it’s a must-buy:
- Stepless knob with LCD Screen
- 5 Special Effects Modes
- Multiple Mounting Options
Lume Cube RGB LED Tube Light
This light offers a remarkable RGB spectrum with over 16 million colors. Its body is premium aluminum with guaranteed durability and weather resistance, making it ideal for outdoor video shooting.
With a high CRI rating of 96+, colors will be rendered naturally and vibrantly, true to life! It’ll release an output of 950 lumens, so you get excellent illumination. Yup, even in challenging conditions.
Control your lighting effortlessly via the Bluetooth-enabled Lume Control App, allowing you to match any color using the photo eyedropper and synchronize multiple tube lights from a distance.
Tis tube light features a rechargeable lithium battery that provides up to 192 minutes of runtime at 50% brightness, ensuring you stay powered throughout your shoot.
Other features of the Lume Cube RGB LED Tube Light:
- Magnetic mounting options
- Rechargeable lithium battery with extensive runtime
- Seven pre-programmed special effects
Aputure MC
Offering full Hue, Saturation, and Intensity (HSI) control, this light allows you to reproduce any color effortlessly. With an impressive color quality, boasting CRI and TLCI scores of 96+, the MC ensures every video is gorgeous.
The MC features multiple lighting modes, including HSI, CCT, and FX. That’s quite a selection of versatile options for filming! Its FX mode offers nine built-in lighting effects, such as pulsating fire and TV effects. Both of those and more are adjustable via the Sidus Link app!
Lightweight and easy to mount with built-in magnets, the Aputure MC is perfect for on-camera use. It’s even great as a hidden accent light, in case you need it. And with its compatibility with Qi wireless charging, it’ll stay powered up and ready to shoot anytime.
Highlights of the Aputure MC:
- Full HSI color control with 360° hue adjustment
- 9 built-in lighting FX
- Small and weighing only 130g
Aputure MT Pro
Packed with an industry-leading 36 RGBWW pixels, this light offers unmatched pixel controls and smooth transitions for creative pixel chases and effects.
It has a max output of 614 lux at 0.5 meters, so you get your ideal color quality. And it’s across a wide CCT range of 2,000K to 10,000K! Additionally, its high CRI of 95+ and TLCI of 98+ guarantee accurate skin tones. Yay to capturing diverse skin colors!
With built-in magnets and a mini tripod, it’s easy to mount and conceal, making it a perfect practical light for your any video shoot.
A summary of the Aputure MT Pro’s top features:
- 7.5W output with 36 pixels in a 1-foot tube
- Fully tunable CCT from 2,000K to 10,000K
- Extensive control options via Sidus Link, DMX/RDM, and LumenRadio CRMX
Ulanzi VL-120
This delightful little device isn’t just a video light, it’s a mood maker! With a better-than-the-last soft light board, this bi-color LED light transforms your creative space into a soft, glowing room.
But wait, there’s mooore! With a color temperature range of 3200K-6500K, you can for sure mimic the beauty of natural light. Plus, the high CRI of 95+ ensures that your colors pop just right, minimizing the need for stressful post-grading.
And let’s not forget about the 3100mAh rechargeable battery, giving you up to 15 hours of radiant illumination — perfect for those marathon shoots!
Key features of this small video light:
- Color temperature range of 3200K-6500K.
- High CRI (95+) for color rendering.
- Up to 15 hours of shining brilliance without a recharge.
Hobolite Iris Light
This 5W Bi-Color Portable LED Light has a lot in store while being pocket-sized. This video light is inspired by vintage cameras, this quirky light invites you to experiment with your modern creativity.
It has an adjustable beam angle from 20 to 45 degrees, so you can easily customize your lighting. Wanna turn up the drama? Boost the brightness up to 6x! It’s like a mini sun!
But that’s not all — this light comes with four fabulous gel filters (Aurora, Blue Hour, Golden Hour, and Spring Pastel) that add a splash of color to your visuals and a bit of extra something to your storytelling.
Top features of the Hobolite Iris Light:
- Adjustable beam angle (20 to 45 degrees)
- 4 creative gel filters
- Bluetooth control
Zhiyun FIVERAY V60
Featuring an impressive peak illuminance of 22500 Lux, the V60 guarantees that every shot is bright, crisp, and Instagram-ready.
You can activate the MAX mode with a simple press and unleash a glorious 100W surge of brightness. Blinding! Oh, and don’t worry about overheating, the DynaVort Cooling System with its six FOC fans keeps things cool. You can shoot for hours without breaking a sweat!
With a color temperature range from 2700K to 6500K and a CRI of >=96, this light is a color reproduction whiz, ensuring your visuals are as vibrant as your imagination.
Highlights of the Zhiyun FIVERAY V60:
- MAX Mode: Instant power surge of up to 100W.
- DynaVort Cooling System
- Only 890g.
Kelvin Play RGBACL LED Pocket Creative Panel Light
The Kelvin Play utilizes Red, Green, Blue, Amber, Cyan, and Lime (RGBACL) LEDs to produce a jaw-dropping spectrum of colors. RGB who?! And with an astonishing 1700K to 20000K CCT range, you can explore every hue under the sun (and beyond!). Plus, with a high CRI of 98 and TLCI of 99, your colors will shine as true-to-life as they come!
Built from aluminum and boasting an IP65 rating, this light is ready for any environment, rain or shine. Want to take control? The Kelvin Narrator App lets you manage lighting effects, presets, and gels right from your phone — because who doesn’t love tech that makes life easier? With a 3-hour runtime at maximum brightness and a sturdy design, the Kelvin Play is an Adorama-approved must-have.
Features you’ll love about the Kelvin Play:
- RGBACL Technology
- Bluetooth control via the Kelvin Narrator App.
- Pocket-sized
Small video lights: Reliable and portable
In this fast-paced world of content creation we live in today, having reliable lighting is non-negotiable. Small video lights are the ultimate choice of lighting equipment for creators who crave flexibility and quality without the weight of traditional lighting setups.
With an array of features like adjustable brightness, multiple color temperatures, and long-lasting battery life, these 12 small video lights above cater to every creative whim. So go on, embrace your inner light wizard, and let your creativity shine brighter than ever before.
