Best video lights in 2022: continuous video lighting for vlogging and filmmaking

The best video lights are among the best things to get to increase the production value of your video content. Natural light is a fickle beast, and it's vital to be able to create a pleasing light for your subject no matter what discipline you're working in. And that's where video lights come in. You may have an image of expensive studio lamps on stands, but a video light can be something as simple as an LED panel that fixes to the hotshoe of a camera. 

Using light effectively will make a huge difference, no matter whether you're shooting full-length features or straightforward TikToks. A good light allows you to balance exposure levels in a scene, retaining more detail in shadows and highlights. Also, once you get comfortable with your lights, you can start creating effects, using different colours to evoke different moods or even to simulate things like a flickering TV or the blue flashing light of an emergency vehicle. Lights can help you tell a story.

We've picked lights at a range of price points, so there should be something here for every user. So let's get started!

The Rotolight NEO 3 builds on the success of the preceding NEO 2, adding a raft of impressive new features. Both models deliver flash output as well as constant lighting, but the NEO 3 delivers a full range of color in both modes, with full RGBWW options. It comes in various configurations and kits and accessories will vary according to which you choose.

Small but powerful and extremely versatile as a constant LED light, the NEO 3 is a quantum leap forward from the NEO 2. It delivers a full color range in both constant and flash modes, with a huge range of electronic color filters and special effects, all available via a simple and intuitive color touchscreen menu. Maximum flash output is disappointing compared to a ‘proper’ flashgun but, even so, the NEO 3 is a brilliant solution for anyone who needs to shed a little extra light on both stills and video capture.

For content creators and videographers who regularly shoot on the move, the Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light offers a versatile lighting solution that won't weigh you down. It's only slightly bigger than a credit card and not much thicker than a phone so can be used no matter how small the space you're shooting in. It can be controlled with the Sidus Link app which is available for iOS and Android. Attach it to any metal surface using the built-in magnets or alternatively or mount it to a 1/4-inch cold shoe to attach directly to your camera. On maximum brightness, it'll work for up to 100 minutes on a single charge or up to 15 hours when used on its minimum power setting. Batteries are included and take just 1.5 hours to charge when connected via USB-C. This is the latest light in the Aputure M-series and has been designed to give you ultimate control.

This powerful, hugely versatile yet lightweight portable LED lighting panel is a radical redesign compared with the original AEOS. It gives you 16.7 million colors of light to play with, instead of just various degrees of white. And that goes for both constant lighting and flash, the latter with a high-speed sync option. The interface is also completely overhauled, with the addition of a color touchscreen that makes it quick and easy to access a huge range of lighting options, digital filters and special effects. 

The AEOS 2 is available in several kit configurations: the cheapest 'Basic' kit only includes a mains power adaptor and no battery, although the light does come complete with a good-quality diffuser dome. The Explorer Kit adds a battery and charger, plus a padded soft case. Next up the price ladder, the Masters Kit doubles up on lamps and diffusion domes while also adding light stands and a padded soft case, but this time batteries aren’t included. Top of the range is the Ultimate Kit, which is essentially the same as the Masters Kit with the addition of two batteries and chargers.

Even the cheapest AEOS 2 Basic kit is still a hefty investment, but it’s a joy to use and a top performer, making it worth the money.