Our Verdict
75%
A great choice for starters, the Vivitar ring light is limited in some senses and overachieves in others. It's a solid ring light that should get you very far on a budget or until you're ready to upgrade some something more professional.
I have a nasty habit of obsessing over decisions that need to be made, especially when it comes to potential purchases like with this ring light. I’ll read hundreds of reviews from different sites for my top two products, go back and forth on features that one has over the other, and agonize over the most minute difference in price. When I finally decided to purchase the Vivitar 18-inch LED ring light to take my work content to the next level, I still worried that I had made the wrong choice as it didn’t strike me as one of the best ring lights you can buy.
After using it consistently for almost a year now, I’m happy to report that, for the most part, the right choice was made.
Pros
- Adequate lighting
- Ability to change the strength of light and warmth/coolness
- Adjustable
- USB charging
Cons
- Cannot be operated unless it’s plugged in
- Gooseneck mount comes loose occasionally
- Not an on-the-go ring light
Vivitar Ring Light design and performance
First things first is the light itself. When it’s at full power, the Vivitar ring light is bright. Like, blinking-repeatedly-to-clear-your-vision bright. Let me be clear, this is absolutely a pro! I would rather have too much light than not enough.
If you’re filming in a darkened room or somewhere where the lighting is not optimal, this ring light will absolutely help to make sure that there are no problems with you being seen. Luckily for those that are dealing with another source of light and just need a little extra light directly on them, the ring light is dimmable. You can adjust the warmth of the light as well, anywhere from 3200K – 6500K.
The Vivitar ring light comes with an adjustable 63-inch tripod stand, as well as a dedicated gooseneck phone/tablet mount, a wireless remote, an AC adapter, a power cable, and a carrying case.
As previously mentioned, the tripod stand is 63 inches when fully extended. This is more than enough height for filming in most locations, especially since it’s adjustable. It offers 360-degree rotation and 180-degree pivot, which makes it perfect for when you need to have full control over the angle of the light to get the perfect shot.
The ring light also includes a USB charging port, allowing you to keep your phone or tablet charged while you’re filming content; a huge positive when considering how much filming drains the battery.
With the remote, you can change all of the aforementioned settings wirelessly. Though you can also change these settings on the back of the ring light itself, the remote makes it simple if you’re filming with a phone and can only see how the lighting looks from the screen.
The main con with this ring light is that it can only be operated when plugged into an outlet. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to film somewhere where an outlet might not be readily available and you’ll either have to drag an extension cord with you or scrap the filming location altogether. Not ideal, but just something to be aware of when you are preparing to film and needing a ring light.
I also found that the gooseneck mount has some trouble actually staying attached to the cold shoe. It holds its shape just fine, but if you’re moving the ring light around while trying to find the perfect angle, the mount itself might try to make a run for it. This isn’t a problem that I frequently have, as I typically check my angles and filming setup before actually attaching my phone, but it is a nuisance when I need to switch locations and have to set up my phone all over again.
Should you buy the Vivitar Ring Light?
All-in-all, I would recommend the Vivitar ring light for anyone who is openly looking for an entry level product that won’t involve an obscene fee. Incredibly accessible for first-time ring light users and even hobbyists, you can’t go wrong with this light and might even be surprised at just how far it will go.
There are moments when the Vivitar ring light far exceeds it’s value but others where it becomes painfully obvious that this isn’t professional grade equipment. That’s to be expected, especially given the price point, but don’t hold this light up to the standards of those used by professional photographers.
Verdict
If you’re a vlogger who needs a ring light that can be carried with you and set up at a moment’s notice, this is not that ring light. Though it comes with a convenient carrying case, it’s still on the larger side of ring lights, and, as previously mentioned, it needs to be plugged into an electricity source to work.
That being said, in terms of myself actually creating content with this light stand, I have found that it meets the vast majority of my needs. It does what a ring light should, which is to provide adequate light on a subject that needs it. Used in an array of settings with different natural light, capturing short-form TikToks on a phone or longer YouTube videos with a camera, for portrait and product photography, this ring light has had me covered.