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5 Inexpensive Video Conferencing Lighting Solutions

by Earendel | Aug 14, 2020 | PC Tips

5 Inexpensive Video Conferencing Lighting Solutions

Video conferencing has surged in usage since the outbreak of COVID-19. As organizations around the world quickly implemented work-from-home policies to slow the spread of the virus, video conference calls became the ultimate solution to connect the remote workforce. Conference calls have now become so commonplace that many employees who historically never participated in video meetings are now experts at hosting, joining and collaborating with colleagues virtually. However, there is one aspect of video calls that is still often overlooked — lighting quality.

We’ve all been on calls where some participants are hard to see because of poor lighting. Often, they are backlit, giving a silhouette effect; otherwise, they may have harsh shadows on one side of their face, have too much light resulting in a blown-out look or be barely lit at all. Regardless, lousy lighting that interferes with participants’ clearly seeing one another is, at best, a distraction and, at worst, detrimental to the entire experience. That’s why it’s essential to have proper lighting in place before the start of your call, especially if you’re meeting with key stakeholders, leading a team meeting or hosting a company-wide event or a customer-facing webinar.

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When looking for lighting solutions for video conferencing, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1. Dimmable lights: This will allow you to control the brightness of the light to avoid blinding light shining directly into your eyes.

2. Color temperature control: Having the option to control the color temperature will help you have true-to-life video lighting.

3. Adjustable positioning: To avoid harsh shadows, you need to have the light centered right above your camera or have two similar lights on each side of your camera to balance out the lighting on your face.

1. Lighting solution under $70

The Lume Cube Video Conference Lighting Kit costs $69.95 and comes with a small LED light panel with an attachable silicone diffuser, a USB cable for charging the built-in battery as well as a suction cup mount to attach the light to the back of your laptop, monitor or smart device. You can adjust the brightness and color temperature of the light with a dial on the side of the panel. A small LCD screen on the back of the panel displays the battery life, brightness level and color temperature.

2. Lighting solution under $50

The Neewer Portable LED Lighting Kit costs $47.99 and comes with two small light panels and adjustable tabletop tripods. Ideally, you would adjust the height of the lights to be about eye level and put them on each side of your computer or video conferencing camera. You can power the lights by plugging them into your computer’s USB drive or directly into the wall. Adjust the brightness with a switch on the cord of each light.

3. Lighting solution under $40

The TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp costs $39.99 and plugs directly into the wall. It has a built-in USB port if you want to use the lamp to charge your phone or other electronics. Adjust the color temperature and brightness levels by swiping left and right on the base. The lamp is exceptionally adjustable; you can tilt the head up 135 degrees and swivel 90 degrees, and the base tilts down to 150 degrees and swivels 45 degrees. You can easily center the light above your laptop camera and tilt the light toward your face to be well-illuminated during a video call. When you’re not using the light for a conference call, it can function as a stylish desk lamp.

4. Lighting solution under $20

The UBeesize Duo Ring Light costs $16.99 and comes with two small ring lights attached to a single base. A lot of Youtubers and social media influencers use ring lights because they provide soft, warm and even lighting. You can clamp the lights to the back of your desk and adjust the long, flexible arms to find the right lighting balance. Your computer’s USB drive powers the lights, and you can control both the brightness and color temperature with a single switch on the cord. In case you need to host a conference call from your smart device, it also has a place to hold a phone.

5. Lighting solution under $15

The Whellen Selfie Ring Light costs $12.99 and is powered by AAA batteries. The small light clamps directly onto your computer or smart device. A hole at the bottom of the light lets your camera shoot through the ring light. It has a single button to control the on/off function and brightness levels.