DISCLOSURE: AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. AFFILIATE LINKS ARE MARKED WITH #ad.
"I" IN THIS CASE MEANS THE OWNER OF FILMDAFT.COM. PLEASE READ THE FULL DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
The advent of hi-quality LEDs has made small affordable RGB LED lights available to anyone. And they’re a great creative tool if you’re shooting video and want to create a more interesting and cinematic look.
Their small size, price point, and weight mean, that you can place them almost anywhere with a bit of gaffers tape, some velcro or on your camera with a cold-shoe mount.
For example, if you get more than one you can place them all around your scene without them being noticed. This is a great way and inexpensive way to spice up a boring background, e.g. for an interview or scene in a short film.
And even the budget-friendly RGB video lights lets you dial in a lot of different colors precisely.
Plus you can even do creative effects like simulating the lights from an ambulance or police car or the flickering lights from a bonfire or fireplace.
So after a lot of research, here are 5 of the best budget-friendly RGB LED lights for video. At the end of the article, you can find a table for easy comparison of some of the main features.
As always, I prefer quality to price. So even though it is possible to find even cheaper options on the market, I wouldn’t recommend them due to too low a build-quality.
1. YY-C150 RGB LED Video Light
The first light is called YY-C150 RGB LED Video Light.
It’s a great little affordable RGB light for creative lighting setups in videography. But it can also easily be used if you’re a fashion photographer looking to spice up your images or for vlogging.
The light can easily be placed everywhere you prefer, and if you decide to mount in on your camera, you’ll be glad to know, that it has a built-in cold shoe interface, which lets you attach other accessories such as a microphone to the light.
150 Quality LEDs with a High Color Accuracy
It is a great little light with a high color-precision of 95+ CRI and 97+ TLCI.
It features 40 warm white light (think tungsten), 40 cool white light (think daylight), and 70 (150 in total) high-quality RGB LEDs, which are dimmable from 0-100%.
You can adjust the color temperature from 2500K to 8500K and create up to 16 million different colors from a combination of 1530 full-colored hues.
You can control both the power output and the color temperature on the back of the light, and you can see the precise settings along with the remaining battery life clearly on the OLED display.
The light also has 9 creative effects, e.g. Candlelight, Police, Ambulance, and Firetruck. Great choices if you want to add some extra lighting action to your scene.
You adjust these settings by pressing the small buttons on the back of the light.
Great Battery Life and Lots of Power
The light has a whopping 3300mAh dual lithium-ion battery, that lets you output white light 8500K for almost 3 hours at 100% brightness.
The LED panel has an illumination angle of 120 degrees, and output up to 1544Lux/ 368 Lumens at 0.5m.
This means you can easily use it as a small run-and-gun interview light (it has two 1/4″ screw holes). You can also use it as a fill or back-light, of course.
The YY-C150 RGB LED light has a TypeC USB interface, that supports (5V/9V/12V) quick charge. And best of all it can be used at the same time when charging!
Summary
The YY-C150 RGB LED Video Light is an awesome little light set at a very attractive price point.
It’s a high-quality light both in terms of built (the casing is made of aluminum alloy), and the LEDs used.
It’s such a versatile light, which can be used for everything from a run-and-gun key light to simulating a parked ambulance outside the window.
Because of its small size (it only measures 142 x 77 x 14mm) it can be placed almost anywhere.
Check the current price on Amazon.
2. Andycine Portable Boling BL-P1 RGB LED Video Light
The Andycine Boling BL-P1 is another awesome portable RGB LED light for video, photography, and vlogging.
In many ways, it is very similar to the YY C150 mentioned above – being small, portable, but still rugged (metal housing). But it also has some unique features going for it, which I’ll get back to in a minute.
290 High-Quality LEDs
The Andycine has a total of 290 high-quality LEDs, with high color accuracy of +96 CRI/+97 TLCI, and you can choose from 0-360 color gamuts.
The color temperature can be adjusted between 2500-8500K, and the light is dimmable between 0-100%.
You adjust these by rotating the wheels on the side, which I personally prefer to pressing buttons.
And like the other lights, it also has different preprogrammed effects to simulate scenarios such as lightning flashes, candle lights, party lights, and emergency vehicles.
Quick-charging Lithium-Ion Battery
At full power, you get 1480 lux (at 0.5m) for approximately 140 minutes from the 2930mAh battery.
The battery supports quick-charging via USB TypeC, and it works while it is being charged. So get a good power bank, and you’ll be able to work for hours on set with this light.
360 Degrees Multi-Functional Bracket Adjustment System
What really sets the Andycine light apart from the other lights here is the multi-functional bracket, which holds the light.
The bracket lets you place the light on top of your camera or a lightweight light stand or table stand, and freely rotate it 360 degrees.
This makes the placement of these lights so much easier.
For example, you can easily place a couple of these light on the floor behind an interviewee on some small table tripods, and let them point upwards to the paint a boring white wall in interesting colors.
Or you can place the light on-camera and let it point upwards and hit the ceiling for a softer bounced light look.
Summary
The Andycine is another great on-camera RGB light. High-quality construction and LEDs at an affordable price.
I like the rotating knobs for adjustment of settings compared to the buttons on some of the other lights on this list, but it’s a matter of taste.
However, it “only” has an LCD screen on the back instead of an OLED. But let’s be honest here, it really doesn’t make a big difference for this usage.
But the thing that sets it apart is the versatile mounting bracket, which comes with lots of 1/4-20″ for easy mounting or attaching other accessories.
Check the current price on Amazon.
3. Aputure MC RGBWW Mini LED Light
I’m a big fan of the small portable lights from Aputure, and I use the MX and the M9 all the time, as you can read here. In size and output, the MC is more comparable to the Aputure M9 than the MX.
I think Aputure delivers in terms of quality, price and research and development.
And the Aputure MC is no different and has some very unique features, you don’t see on any of the other lights around. But I’ll get back to those in a minute.
First, let’s take a look at the basic features.
12 High-Quality LEDs in a Pocket-Sized Factor
The Aputure MC has high-quality Red, Green, and Blue LEDs as well as separate tungsten and daylight LEDs.
The LEDs have a high color accuracy of 96+ CRI/97+ TLCI. The color temperature can be adjusted in increments of 100K between 3200-6500K.
And the light intensity can be adjusted between 0-100%.
Besides the HSI (hue, saturation, and intensity) and CCT modes (white balance), the light also has an FX-mode with the lighting effects Paparazzi, Fireworks, Faulty bulb, Lightning, TV, Pulsing, Fire, Party, and Cop Car.
The Aputure MC isn’t as powerful as some of the others. At 0.5m you’ll only get 400 Lux, which isn’t enough as a run and gun key light.
But it’s enough to create beautiful backlighting, hair lighting and for creating an interesting scene.
Tiny, Portable, and with Magnets
Aputure MC is the smallest light on this list. It only measures 93 x 61 x 17 mm.
That footprint isn’t much bigger than a credit card, whereas the others are more comparable to a smartphone in size.
That means it’s easy to hide anywhere in a scene you want.
The light only ways 130g and comes with in-built magnets so you can easily hang on any metal surfaces, but, of course, it also has a 4″-20 screw mount.
It also comes with a silicone diffuser, which lets you soften the light a bit.
Wireless Charging and Travel Kits
Because of its tiny size, the battery isn’t very big. But you still get a 2600mAh, which will last you up to two hours at maximum brightness.
The battery takes somewhere between 1.5-2 hours to charge via USB-C, but can also be charged wirelessly by the majority of wireless Qi chargers on the market. The light will work while charging through USB-C.
The Aputure MC is also available in a 4-Light Travel Kit and 12-Light Production Kit.
Both kits come with a protective hardshell wireless charging case, which lets you charge your MCs on the go.
The 4-Light Travel Kit was designed for guerilla and travel filmmakers, so you can slip the case into your camera bag or backpack while you’re on the move.
The case of the 12-Light Production Kit also has an accessory drawer built into the case and lets you plug in a D-Tap or power cable.
Link the Aputure MCs together with the Sidus Mesh Technology and App
If you own more than one Aputure MC lights, you can link them together through the Sidus Mesh technology. Also, it can be linked together with other types of Aputure lights, which has the Sidus Mesh technology built-in.
The Sidus Mesh system allows up to 100 lights to communicate with each other and with the mobile app simultaneously. The Sidus Link app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
As you increase the numbers of light, you increase the strength of the network. That way you can control lights within a 400-meter range, as long as there aren’t more than 80 meters between each light.
Oh, and the app also lets you point the camera in your phone towards and object and pick the color you want directly from the scene. It’s pretty incredible.
Summary
The Aputure MC is a pretty incredible little light, with a set of unique features, I haven’t seen anywhere else on the market in this size or at this price point.
Sure it would be cool if the light had been more powerful.
But this isn’t the big bucket of white paint, you use to prime the canvas.
The Aputure MC is for finetuning all those fine details in your image, to get a truly cinematic look in your interview, short film or feature.
Single light:
Check the current price on Adorama.
Check the current price on Amazon.
4-Light Travel Kit:
Check the current price on Adorama.
12-Light Production Kit:
Check the current price on Adorama.
4. GVM RGB-10S LED On-CameraVideo Light
The GVM RGB-10S is another popular and inexpensive RGB LED video light.
It has 192 LEDs with high color accuracy of +97 CRI.
It puts out 5800 LUX at 0.5m making it – by far – the most powerful light on this list.
You can dial in the white balance between 3200-5600K, and the brightness between 10-100% with the step-less knobs on the back.
And like the other lights, you can dial in the precise color tone you want and the saturation (HSI). And, of course, it also has preprogrammed special effects
On the back, you also find a nice LCD display, which lets you see your exact settings.
You can even control the light wirelessly via an app for smartphones.
Adjustable Hot Shoe Mount and External Battery
This is the only light on this list, which uses an external battery. It uses Sony NP-F550 batteries, which you can easily find online.
You get one battery and a charger together with the light.
This can be a lifesaver if you don’t have access to a wall plug or a power bank, and the light has run out of juice in the middle of a shoot. Simply bring a couple of extra batteries, and you’re good to go.
I like that GVM has chosen to use the Sony NP-F550 as they’re pretty common and used for a lot of things within videography and photography. So you might already have a couple laying around.
The light also has an adjustable 180 degrees mount, which will fit into your camera hot shoe or on a stand or tripod.
Summary
The GVM RGB-10S is a great little light, which is budget-friendly and very easy to set up and use.
The 180-degrees adjustable hot shoe mount allows for more flexibility in terms of placement. If you need even more flexibility in terms of mounting options, you need to go with the Andycine instead.
I also really like, that the light uses an external battery. From a practical point-of-view, this makes a lot of sense, though the light doesn’t look as sexy as some of the other lights on this list.
Also, the external battery makes the light a little heavier than the other lights mentioned here, and you can’t just tape it or velcro it to a surface.
And it is – by far – the most powerful light on this list.
Check the current price on Amazon.
5. FalconEyes PocketLite F7 RGB LED with Honeycomb Grid
The FalconEyes F7 is another good choice when it comes to on-camera RGB LED lights.
And like the other lights on this list, this light also comes with some unique accessories, you won’t find on the others on this list, which I’ll get back to later.
204 High-Quality and Powerful RGB LEDs
The FalconEyes F7 has 96 RGB LEDs and 54 white and 54 yellow LEDs.
The color temperature is dimmable between 2500-9000K.
The color accuracy is great with a CRI at 97 at 2500K and 9000K, and a CRI of 92 at 5500K.
The light put out 1250 LUX at 0.5m at tungsten (2500K) and 1180 LUX at daylight (5500K).
Besides letting you dial in the hue (from 0-360 adjustable colors), saturation, and intensity (HSI), the FalconEyes F7 also has effects like an ambulance, lightning, candle, party, and paparazzi.
The light has some good dials on the side, and you can see your exact settings on the 1″ OLED display at the back.
Excellent Build-Quality, Good Battery Life and Flexible Mounting Options
The FalconEyes F7 has a rugged aluminum housing and is one of the bigger lights on this list (156 x 80 x 15mm).
It has in-built magnets so you can stick it to metal surfaces, but you can also link more lights together for more output or mixed colors.
The F7 also comes with a magic arm (as the only one on this list) and a cold shoe adapter, which makes it very easy to set up and adjust.
The in-built 3000mAh battery will give you up to two hours at full power. The battery also supports USB-C QC3.0 quick charging.
Comes with Honey Comb and a Diffuser
In this package, you also get a honeycomb grid and a diffuser.
The diffuser is great for softening the light a bit, and you can always add more diffusion in front of the light if you prefer (like the other lights on this list).
But the interesting thing here is that it comes with a Honey Comb Grid, which lets you control the angle of light.
Out of the box, the Falcon F7 has a wide beam angle (like the others on this list). The F7 has a beam angle of approximately 110 degrees. But with the honeycomb grid, you can direct the light in a more limited angle.
This is a nice option to have, e.g. if you want to separate different hues on a back wall in an interview situation, or don’t want the light to spill into the key light if you’re using it as a fill light.
Summary
The FalconEyes F7 is a great light, which is really well built and has all the features, you have come to expect from lights like these.
But what really sets it apart is the accessories. It’s so nice, that they’ve chosen to include a magic arm, as it makes the light so much easier to mount, e.g. on your camera cage besides your microphone and other accessories.
Also, it’s really nice to have the honeycomb grid, which fits the light. Of course, you can use black cinefoil to direct light, but to have the honeycomb is just so much quicker to use.
All-in-all this is a great little light.
Check the current price on Amazon.
Conclusion
So which light has piqued your interest?
It’s such an exciting time to be a filmmaker. With a DSLR or mirrorless camera, and a couple of these lights, you can create interesting cinematic looks for your short film, corporate interview or YouTube-channel.
They’re small, portable and ready to go in seconds, and they can be placed almost anywhere.
It sure beats dealing with hot fresnels and gels in my opinion.
Anyway, as promised in the introduction to this article, here’s a table for easy comparison of all these amazing lights:
| Light Name | YY-C150 RGB LED Video Light | Andycine Portable Boling BL-P1 RGB LED Video Light | Aputure MC RGBWW Mini LED Light | GVM RGB-10S LED On-CameraVideo Light | FalconEyes PocketLite F7 RGB LED with Honeycomb Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEDs | 150 (40 tungsten + 40 daylight + 70 RGB) | 290 (N/A) | 12 (N/A) | 192 (N/A) | 204 (54 tungsten + 54 daylight + 96 RGB) |
| Color Accuracy (CRI) | +95 | +96 | +96 | +97 | +97 (+92 at 5500K) |
| Color Temperature | 2500-8500K | 2500-8500K | 3200-6500K | 3200-5600K | 2500-9000K |
| Special FXs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Type | In-built 3300mAh | In-built 2930mAh L | In-built 2600mAh | External Sony NP-F550 | In-built 3000mAh |
| Battery Life at Full Power | Up to 3 hours at 100% intensity | Up to 2 hours at 100% intensity | Up to 110 minutes at 100% intensity | Up to 2 hours at 100% intensity | Up to 2 hours at 100% intensity |
| Battery Charge Options | USB Type-C Quick Charge | USB Type-C Quick Charge | USB Type-C Quick Charge, Wireless Charging | External Charger | USB Type-C Quick Charging |
| Output (LUX) at 0.5m | 1544 | 1480 | 400 | 5800 | 1250 (2500K) 1180 (5500K) |
| Mounting Options | 2 x 1/4" screw holes | Multifunctional Bracket Adjustment system with lots of 1/4-20" | 4″-20 screw mount, Magnetic | 1/4"-20 Female cold shoe mount. | Magic Arm |
| Screen | OLED | LCD | I don't know, but there is one a the side | LCD | OLED |
| Other Special Features | N/A | 360 degrees swivel due to the bracket | Can be controlled via app, and linked together. The Kits has a case with in-built wireless charger. | Lots of power. Controlled Wireless via app. | Magnetic attachement. Honeycomb grid and Magic Arm included. |
| Body Type | Aluminum | Aluminum | Plastic | Plastic | Aluminum |
| Size | 142 x 77 x 14mm | 150 x 70 x 15mm | 93 x 61 x 17mm | 17 x 11 x 3.2cm | 156 x 80 x 15mm |
| Weight | 380 grams | 260 grams | 130 grams | 1.09 kg | 300 grams |
About the author:
Jan Sørup is a videographer and photographer from Denmark. He owns filmdaft.com and the Danish company Apertura, which produces video content for big companies in Denmark and Scandinavia. Jan has a background in music, has drawn webcomics, and is a former lecturer at the University of Copenhagen.