The benefits of great lighting is often unknown to new streamers and can play a huge role in viewer adoption. Here we’ll check out some options like Ring Lights, LED panels and Soft Boxes while covering the basics in an effort to better understand what the best lighting for streaming to Twitch is and how to better utilize lighting placement.
Whether you’re streaming to Twitch or YouTube proper lighting is just as important as any other element of your live streaming setup.
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| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Elgato Key Light - Professional 2800 lumens Studio Light • with desk clamp • for Streaming,... | 3,619 Reviews | $139.99 | Check on Amazon |
 | Elgato Key Light Air - Professional 1400 lumens Desk Light for Streaming, Broadcasting, Home Office... | 3,278 Reviews | $109.99 | Check on Amazon |
 | Neewer 2 Pack Dimmable 5600K USB LED Video Light with 433HZ Remote Control and Color Filters for... | 22,265 Reviews | $60.18 | Check on Amazon |
 | NEEWER Ring Light 18inch Kit: 55W 5600K Professional LED with Stand and Phone Holder, Soft Tube &... | 64,365 Reviews | $88.99 | Check on Amazon |
 | Neewer 700W Equivalent Softbox Lighting Kit, 2Pack UL Certified 5700K LED Lighting Bulbs, 24x24... | 3,209 Reviews | $111.99 | Check on Amazon |
What factors determine the Best Lighting for Live Streaming?
If we’re going to understand what makes the best lighting for live streaming we’ll also need to discuss the live streaming setup and soft lights. Soft Lights will be broken down into three sub categories being Ring Lights, LED panels and Soft Boxes; you can read more about these later.
A ring light generally fairs best with a gaming desk as they often come with a C-clamp to fix itself onto the edge of a desk and this can save a tremendous amount of space. This is important if you’re considering a dual pc streaming setup or a streaming setup that might include various pieces of kit like an audio mixer or an audio interface, an XLR microphone or even a programmable keypad called a stream deck.
If you have considerably less free space on your gaming desk then perhaps another option suites your live streaming setup better. An LED panel that can plug into a common wall socket will come with an adjustable stand and can be placed anywhere in your room for the best possible lighting setup. This will alleviate a cramped gaming desk and still provide you with the proper amount of luminance.
A Soft Box lighting kit is an excellent option for those that are looking to construct a permanent streaming setup that will take full advantage of a green screen, a high-end webcam and the best desk for streaming to bring it all together.
Elgato Key Light – Best Ring Light for Streaming
Elgato Key Light
The Elgato Key Light is one of the best lights for streaming to Twitch. It’s designed to be space saving while not compromising on features or quality. It can clamp to any gaming desk to remain out of the way while providing a considerable amount of luminance.
Additional features include extendable height of lowest to highest, 22 in/55cm to 49 in/125cm along with tilt and swivel adjustments.
The Elgato Key Light produces upwards of 2800 lumens of brightness with an adjustable color range of 2900 to 7000k.
All features and adjustments can also be controlled via software from the Elgato Control Center. This is done via Wi-Fi as the Key Light will connect directly with your PC and with the Elgato Control Center you will tweak your lighting in real-time with an on screen display.
The Key Light can also connect to an Elgato Stream Deck and this allows you to control any of the aforementioned features with a button press or two.
Elgato Key Light Air – Cheap Ring Light with Stand
Elgato Key Light Air
The Elgato Key Light Air is the cheaper ring light of the two produced by Elgato, however it’s still a high quality key light with a plethora of features for any live streaming environment.
It comes with a height adjustable stand from lowest to highest is 23 inc/60cm to 34in/88cm that is perfect to sit on any computer or gaming desk. It also comes in at a weight of 1.2 lbs or 550 grams.
The Elgato Key Light Air boasts 1400 lumens of brightness while producing a low amount of heat in addition to an adjustable color range from 2900 to 7000k.
Additionally, the Key Light Air also works with the Elgato Control Center and will connect with your Elgato Stream Deck making this a great addition to any live streaming setup and remains one of the best lights for streaming to Twitch.
Neewer Dimmable 5600K Video Light – Best Budget Lighting for Streaming
Neewer Dimmable 5600k Video Light
The Neewer Dimmable 5600k Video Light is the best budget lighting for live streaming while providing a soft lighting environment. The lighting effect is slightly less bright than a ring light, however at 1000 lumens it’s still bright enough for nearly any room you’re streaming in.
Powered from a USB port it can be placed near your PC or any wall outlet in your room. Nearly any 5V wall charger or motherboard USB will work. It comes with a foldable and height adjustable tripod, therefore they can be placed on top of your gaming desk or other furniture should you require it.
It also provides eight additional color filters, 2 red filters, 2 yellow filters, 2 white filters and 2 blue filters. This is a great budget lighting option for anyone live streaming as it provides the basic features required for any streamer while not breaking the bank.
Dazzne D50 Desk Mount Video Light – Best Lighting for Webcam Streaming
Dazzne D50 Desk Mount Video Light
The Dazzne D50 Desk Mount Video Light is one of the better desk mounted lighting kits available. Instead of a tripod or stand as a base it comes with a C-clamp that is perfect for any gaming desk and its height adjustable from 12 inches to 21 inches along with a full 180 degrees of rotation for the LED light.
Additionally, at 45W and 3600 lumens it can get quite bright but it also helps by providing a wide range for color temperature, from 3000 to 8000k. With an LED light this bright it means you can place it further away from you while still retaining the benefits.
Some features included in the package are a wireless remote, one 14 inch LED panel, one C-clamp and 1 power adapter. With full tilt and swivel adjustments, the desk clamp, 3600 lumens and a wide color temperature range makes the Dazzne D50 Desk Mount one of the best lights for streaming to Twitch.
Neewer 18-inch Ring Light – Best Lighting for Facebook Live
Neewer 18-inch Ring Light
The Neewer 18-inch Ring Light is a great option for anyone live streaming to Facebook. It comes with a stand and a remote along with a universal power adapter.
With the remote you can adjust the color temperature from 3200 to 5600k and manually adjust the brightness from 10% to 100%. You can also use the remote to control multiple Neewer ring lights should you purchase more than one, that’s a pretty neat feature if you’re expanding your live streaming setup to include multiple angles or brighten an entire room to be bereft of shadows or poorly lit areas.
This ring light is measured by an 18 inch outer ring with a 14 inch inner ring that is filled with 272 LED beads. Additionally it comes with a DSLR camera compatible adapter and a phone holder should this be a part of your live streaming setup.
All in all, a pretty good lighting kit, relatively feature rich and pretty easy to use for anyone streaming to Twitch, YouTube or Facebook Live.
Neewer 700W Professional Photography – Best Cheap Lighting for YouTube
Neewer 700W Professional Photography
The Neewer 700W Professional Photography lighting kit consists of two soft box lights that are adjustable upwards of 210 degrees in addition to a height adjustable stand.
The soft box lighting is capable of 85W 5500k color light along with a low temperature while providing a bright, soft light environment. The E27 sockets are compatible with light bulbs, fluorescent lamps and slave flash so you can swap them out freely depending on your live streaming environment.
Additionally, it comes with a carry bag for the soft box lights and the included stands. The low operating temperature is useful so you don’t get hot during long streaming sessions, but it remains fairly bright so you can eliminate shadows and dark areas. Overall, one of the best lights for streaming to Twitch.
What are the Best Types of Streaming Lights for Twitch?
There are three major types of lighting kits available for live streamers. Each of them have their own strengths and weaknesses. What you want to concern yourself with is Soft Light. Soft Light is important because it reduces shadows and this allows you to appear brighter, clearer and more vivid while live streaming.
There are three types of Soft Light and they are as follows:
Ring Light
A Ring Light is a ring of LED’s in a circular pattern that is often the smallest possible lighting kit you can find but also extremely effective at lighting a relatively small area. Distance is normally a concern with a Ring Light and therefore you find them as desk mounted via a C-clamp or a small stand.
They’re incredibly effective when placed behind your webcam or DSLR camera and remain the most popular live streaming lighting kit due to ease of use and overall simplicity during setup.
Soft Box
Soft Boxes are lighting kits that are used to provide a large amount of soft light to a larger area, normally in front of a green screen or a larger live streaming setup. They are often sold in pairs as you want to reduce shadows and under lit areas by having two soft boxes adjacent to one another while pointed in the same direction.
LED Panel
An LED panel is a middle ground compared to what Ring Lights and soft boxes provide. They are smaller than a soft box setup and larger than a Ring Light with the added advantage of color filters that can be placed over the LED panel.
The LED panel consists of multiple LEDs across a flat panel, spread over a much larger surface area than a Ring Light.
Any of the soft lights are great options and remain some of the best lighting for streaming to Twitch. Let’s take a closer look at the next step in your lighting setup journey when it comes to lighting placement.
3-point Lighting for Streaming to Twitch
3-point lighting is a long known technique for providing the best results for video, webcam and live streaming. It’s a technique that consists of three types of lights; Key Light, Fill Light and a Backlight.
Key Light
The Key Light is the primary light source, designed to provide the light for the subject. Often placed behind the webcam or DSLR camera while live streaming. This would be your Ring Light.
Fill Light
A Fill Light is designed to remove any shadows created by the Key Light. It’s a support light that is often placed off to the side of the subject, adjacent to the Key Light to wash away shadows. An LED panel would fit well in this position.
Backlight
The Backlight is used to aid in the creation of definition for the subject by casting soft light from above and behind the target. This is the last light in the 3-point lighting technique and is often a soft box light.
What is the Best Lighting Position for Twitch Streaming?
The best lighting position for streaming is directly behind your webcam or DSLR camera. Ideally most live streamers will use a Ring Light and this can make it easy as they often come provided with a DSLR or smartphone stand and the lens will sit comfortably in the middle of the Ring Light.
However, if you’re using a C-clamp or a small desk stand then placing it behind your monitor should provide the amount of brightness you require for your webcam to pick up the subject in vivid detail.
What is the Best Ring Light for an iphone?
Almost every ring light will include a mount for an mobile phone and will always include the proper proportions for an iphone.
In addition to a mobile phone mount each of the aforementioned ring light kits include mounts for an DSLR camera as well. This is great because you can take it with you on the go and get some great pictures and video no matter where you are.
Making sure you stick with high quality, name brands is key when selecting a ring light and it’s even more important when you’re placing a $1000 dollar iphone within the Ring Light housing. When you’re searching for the best ring light for an iphone be sure to remember these takeaways:
- Recognizable brand ring light
- Purchase from an online store with a return policy
- C-clamp so you can clamp it to your desk
- Height adjustable stand
- Comes with a mobile phone and/or DSLR camera mount
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Lighting for Streaming to Twitch
Should I use a ring light for streaming?
Using a Ring Light for streaming is a fantastic addition to any live streaming setup. It will make you or your subject appear brighter and more vivid and help to reduce shadows that most webcams in dark rooms often pickup.
Is the Elgato Key Light worth it?
The Elgato Key Light is currently one of the most popular ring lights and is designed to be the premier live streaming lighting kit. It’s compatible with an Elgato Stream Deck and all of it’s feature rich options are accessible through the Elgato Control Center software.
What lights do you use for streaming?
There are three types of lights you can use for streaming such as a Ring Light, LED panel and Soft box lighting kits.
You could even use all three in a 3-point lighting technique to brighten up the subject while eliminating shadows and retrieving maximum detail while live streaming.
What background lighting do streamers use?
Soft box lighting kits are often used as background or backlight for streamers. Especially if you are making use of a green screen for streaming. They are great at providing a large amount of soft light while reducing the amount of shadows your webcam will pick up.
What is the best lighting for green screen streaming?
The best lighting for green screen streaming is using the 3-point lighting technique and you can accomplish this with a Ring Light placed behind your monitor to light the subject. Then have an adjacent light acting as the fill light to remove any shadows created by the Ring Light and finally a backlight or a large soft box lighting kit to enhance detail and remove additional shadows.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Elgato Key Light - Professional 2800 lumens Studio Light • with desk clamp • for Streaming,... | 3,619 Reviews | $139.99 | Check on Amazon |
| | Elgato Key Light Air - Professional 1400 lumens Desk Light for Streaming, Broadcasting, Home Office... | 3,278 Reviews | $109.99 | Check on Amazon |
| | Neewer 2 Pack Dimmable 5600K USB LED Video Light with 433HZ Remote Control and Color Filters for... | 22,265 Reviews | $60.18 | Check on Amazon |
| | NEEWER Ring Light 18inch Kit: 55W 5600K Professional LED with Stand and Phone Holder, Soft Tube &... | 64,365 Reviews | $88.99 | Check on Amazon |
| | Neewer 700W Equivalent Softbox Lighting Kit, 2Pack UL Certified 5700K LED Lighting Bulbs, 24x24... | 3,209 Reviews | $111.99 | Check on Amazon |
Conclusion
The Elgato Key Light still remains a best seller and a popular choice among live streamers. If you’ve watched any live stream from Twitch or YouTube there is an excellent chance they were also using it.
While you cannot go wrong with any of the aforementioned choices, it depends on your live streaming setup and what you’re trying to accomplish. There are a great many options for the best lighting for streaming to Twitch, hopefully this was helpful in pointing you in the right direction.
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