8 best lighting for creators
The lights I film with, from my main key light and diffuser to the small RGB units I use for background color. What to buy first and what to skip.
Find the video gear I use and recommend, by type, budget and what you film. Navid's picks come first, and each one opens its own page.
This is a list of the best lighting for creators.
In fact, it has 8 picks, with the gear I use myself first.
So if you want gear that earns its place in your setup, you'll love this list.
The lights I film with, from my main key light and diffuser to the small RGB units I use for background color. What to buy first and what to skip.
Here's what's inside:
- Amaran COB 60d S
- Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 RGB Camera Light
- Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light
- Aputure Light Box 45x45 (18 x 18")
- Godox CS-85T Lantern Softbox (85cm)
- Aputure Light Dome Mini III Softbox
- Amaran PT1C Pixel Tube Light
- Aputure MT Pro RGBWW Mini Tube Light
Each one comes with its type, its budget and what you'd film with it. I may earn a commission if you buy through my links, at no extra cost to you.
The best lighting at a glance
Here's every pick, with its type and budget.
Amaran COB 60d S- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Mid-range
Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 RGB Camera Light- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Mid-range
Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Budget
Aputure Light Box 45x45 (18 x 18")- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Budget
Godox CS-85T Lantern Softbox (85cm)- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Mid-range
Aputure Light Dome Mini III Softbox- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Mid-range
Amaran PT1C Pixel Tube Light- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Mid-range
Aputure MT Pro RGBWW Mini Tube Light- Type
- Lighting
- Budget
- Mid-range
The 8 best lighting, ranked
1. Amaran COB 60d S
Main key light for content creation. My main key light. Portable, powerful output, and easy to set up anywhere.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Mid-range
Made for: YouTube, Studio, Travel
Rating: 4.7
See Amaran COB 60d S on Amazon · More about Amaran COB 60d S
2. Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 RGB Camera Light
Small & powerful RGB light. Compact but powerful on-camera light with full RGB. Super versatile for video.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Mid-range
Made for: YouTube, Travel, Studio
Rating: 4.7
See Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 RGB Camera Light on Amazon · More about Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 RGB Camera Light
3. Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light
Mini RGB light. Tiny RGB light I use for background accents. Adds depth and color to any setup.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Budget
Made for: Studio, YouTube
Rating: 4.6
See Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light on Amazon · More about Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light
4. Aputure Light Box 45x45 (18 x 18")
Portable light box for content creation. My travel softbox — pairs perfectly with the Amaran 60D S for professional lighting on the go.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Budget
Made for: YouTube, Studio, Travel
Rating: 4.5
See Aputure Light Box 45x45 (18 x 18") on Amazon · More about Aputure Light Box 45x45 (18 x 18")
5. Godox CS-85T Lantern Softbox (85cm)
My main diffuser. My go-to softbox. Quick to set up, beautiful soft light, and works with Bowens mount lights.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Mid-range
Made for: YouTube, Studio
Rating: 4.6
See Godox CS-85T Lantern Softbox (85cm) on Amazon · More about Godox CS-85T Lantern Softbox (85cm)
6. Aputure Light Dome Mini III Softbox
Compact softbox for studio setups. My softbox for longer studio setups. Creates soft, even light for video.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Mid-range
Made for: Studio
Rating: 4.7
See Aputure Light Dome Mini III Softbox on Amazon · More about Aputure Light Dome Mini III Softbox
7. Amaran PT1C Pixel Tube Light
RGB tube light for creative backgrounds. I use this to add color and RGB effects to my video backgrounds. Makes any setup pop.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Mid-range
Made for: Studio, YouTube
Rating: 4.5
See Amaran PT1C Pixel Tube Light on Amazon · More about Amaran PT1C Pixel Tube Light
8. Aputure MT Pro RGBWW Mini Tube Light
Compact light for creative effects. RGB tube light for adding creative color to backgrounds. Compact and easy to place anywhere.
Type: Lighting
Budget: Mid-range
Made for: Studio, YouTube
Rating: 4.5
See Aputure MT Pro RGBWW Mini Tube Light on Amazon · More about Aputure MT Pro RGBWW Mini Tube Light
FAQs about lighting
The questions people ask most about lighting.
One good key light and something to soften it. That is the whole starting kit.
Mine is the Amaran COB 60d S at $135 on sale, which is bright enough to overpower a window, and the Godox CS-85T lantern softbox at $69, which is my main diffuser. Under $210 together, and it is the setup I still use. A second light can wait until you can say what the first one is not doing.
Because the light source is small relative to you. Softness comes from size, not from turning the power down.
A bare LED panel a few inches wide throws hard shadows no matter how dim you set it. Put the same light through the Godox CS-85T at 85cm and the shadow edges soften immediately. The fix is always a bigger diffuser or moving the light closer, never lowering the brightness.
One COB light and a collapsible box, and nothing else.
The Amaran COB 60d S packs down small, and the Aputure Light Box 45x45 at $59 folds flat and pairs with it directly. That combination gives me the same look in a hotel room as in my studio. For power away from an outlet, the SmallRig NP-F970 USB-C battery at $63.98 on sale runs it.
Lantern for speed, softbox for control.
The Godox CS-85T lantern at $69 is my go to because it opens like an umbrella and throws soft light in every direction. The Aputure Light Dome Mini III at $129 is a proper octagonal softbox, so it puts light where you aim it and spills less onto the background. If your room is small and you want the wall to stay dark, use the dome.
It is decoration, and decoration is what separates a flat frame from an interesting one.
I use the Aputure MC at $72 on sale for small background accents and the Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 at $179.99 when I want something brighter with full color. Neither lights my face. They give the background depth so the shot does not look like a person in front of a wall.
One, if it is soft and placed well. Two if you want to separate yourself from the background.
Key light slightly off to one side and above eye level does ninety percent of the work. My second light is usually not a second key, it is an Aputure MC or a tube light putting color behind me. Adding more lights before you have the first one right just multiplies the problem.
It is the standard fitting that lets any softbox attach to any light, and it is the reason I buy the lights I buy.
The Godox CS-85T is a Bowens mount modifier, so it works on my Amaran COB 60d S and on almost anything else I might buy later. Choosing a light with a proprietary mount locks you into one brand's modifiers, which is an expensive way to save money once.
You can, and it looks great for about two hours a day.
The problem is not quality, it is repeatability. A window gives you a different look at 9am, at noon and on a cloudy Tuesday, and you cannot film in the evening at all. A single Amaran COB 60d S means the video you shoot today cuts against the one you shot last month. That consistency is what you are buying.
A tube light or a small RGB panel out of frame, aimed at the wall rather than at you.
The Amaran PT1C pixel tube and the Aputure MT Pro at $159 on sale are both built for this, and the MT Pro is small enough to hide behind a plant or a monitor. Keep the color subtle. If a viewer notices the light before they notice you, it is turned up too far.
The brightest one you own, with a battery.
Daylight will beat almost any LED, so outdoors your light is filling shadows rather than replacing the sun. I run the Amaran COB 60d S off the SmallRig VB99 Pro V mount battery at $199.98 on sale, connected with the Nanlite D-Tap to 5.5mm cable at $44.20. That combination gives me continuous power for long outdoor shoots.
No, and it is the most common lighting mistake I see.
A ring light puts a flat, shadowless light straight at your face and a distinctive circular reflection in your eyes that reads as amateur on camera. Every light on this list is a better use of the money. If you already own one, put it off to one side rather than dead in front of you and it will look considerably better.
Less than on audio, more than you probably want to.
My lighting category runs from a $59 light box to a $179.99 RGB panel, and the two pieces I use every single day cost $135 and $69. Lighting has the best value curve of any category here. There is a large jump from nothing to one good soft light, and a small one from there to anything more expensive.
Final thoughts on lighting
The best gear is the gear you'll actually use. Start with sound and light, then upgrade the camera once your setup holds you back.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
More video gear
More video gear topics
More free tools
X
YouTube
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Bluesky
Threads
Mastodon
Amazon KDP
Apple Books
Amazon
Substack
Related MCP servers & CLIs
Free AI newsletterThe most actionable AI newsletter for founders
Every week, get proven AI strategies, curated tools, and step-by-step systems to grow your audience, create better content, and build a profitable creator business.
No fluff, no filler, no BS. Just five minutes each week that might level up your online business and life.
P.S. Sign up now to get free access to my ultimate AI tools guide for creators.
