Camera & setup
Is a Ring Light Worth It for Video Calls?
Is a ring light worth it? For video calls, yes if you often chat in the evening, in a dim room, or somewhere you can't face a window: it gives soft, even light from the front whenever you need it. If you can sit facing a window during the day, or you have a desk lamp you can soften, try those first. Many people get most of the benefit for free.
This guide covers what a ring light really changes on camera, how it compares with natural light and a lamp, the problems nobody mentions (glare in glasses is the big one), and how to set one up well if you do buy one.
What a ring light actually does on camera
A ring light is a circle of LEDs with the camera or phone in the middle. Because the light comes from almost exactly where the lens is, it fills in the shadows under your eyes, nose and chin.
- Even, front-facing light: fewer harsh shadows and smoother-looking skin.
- A sharper picture: webcams produce grainy, smeary video in the dark. More light lets the camera use cleaner settings.
- Consistency: the same look at noon and at midnight, regardless of weather.
- Catchlights: a small ring reflected in your eyes, which some people like and some find distracting.
What it can't do: fix a low camera angle, a blurry lens, or a cluttered background. If your webcam image is soft even in good light, start with how to improve webcam quality for free.
Ring light vs natural light vs a desk lamp
| Option | Cost | Look on camera | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window you face | Free | Soft and flattering | Daytime only; changes with clouds and time of day |
| Desk lamp, diffused or bounced | Free if you own one | Good once softened | Can look yellow or harsh without diffusion |
| Ring light | A purchase | Even, shadow-free, consistent | Glare in glasses; can look flat; takes desk space |
| Small LED panel on a stand | A purchase | More shape and depth than a ring | Needs placing to one side; another thing on the desk |
Natural light from a window you're facing is still the most flattering source for most people. The ring light's real advantage is that it's there after dark.
Try these free fixes before you buy
- Face the window. Sit so daylight falls on your face, not behind you. If sun shines in directly, a thin curtain or sheet softens it.
- Bounce a lamp. Aim a desk lamp at the wall behind your screen, so light reflects back onto you. Bounced light is far softer than direct light.
- Diffuse a lamp. Clip a sheet of white baking paper or thin fabric in front of an LED lamp, kept well away from the bulb.
- Add a second light. Overhead light plus a lamp in front is better than either alone.
- Use your screen at night. Turn up the brightness and keep a white page open beside the call. It acts as a soft front light.
Only put paper or fabric near cool-running LED bulbs, never near hot halogen or incandescent ones, and never leave a covered lamp on unattended.
Phone users can find more tricks in best lighting for video calls on a phone.
Ring light for video calls: size and placement
Size
- Clip-on rings attach to a laptop or phone. Portable and easy, but small, so the light is harsher and can be too bright up close.
- Desk rings on a short stand are the usual choice for video calls, big enough to look soft at arm's length.
- Floor rings on a tall stand give the softest light but need space behind your desk.
Placement
- Put the ring at or slightly above eye level, centered on the camera, about an arm's length from your face.
- Start at low brightness and raise it until shadows soften; full brightness usually washes faces out.
- Match the color to your room: warmer settings blend with lamps, cooler ones with daylight. Mixing a cool ring with a warm lamp gives patchy skin tones.
- Keep the brightest part of the scene on your face, with the background a little darker. See video call background ideas for adding depth behind you.
Glasses glare and other ring light problems
The most common complaint: a bright circle reflected in your lenses that hides your eyes. Some fixes, roughly in order of how much they help:
- Raise the ring higher and tilt it down, so the reflection bounces below the camera.
- Move it to one side at an angle instead of straight ahead.
- Lower the brightness; a dimmer ring makes a fainter reflection.
- Tilt your glasses down slightly by lifting the arms off your ears a little.
- Anti-reflective lens coatings, if you're getting new glasses anyway, reduce the effect.
Other issues to watch for:
- Shiny skin: too bright or too close. Back off or dim it.
- Flat, featureless face: move the ring slightly to one side for some shadow and shape.
- Flicker or rolling bands in the video: some LEDs flicker at certain brightness levels. Try a different setting.
- Tired eyes: a bright ring at close range can be uncomfortable over long calls. Use the lowest brightness that looks good.
Do you need a ring light? A quick decision guide
Probably worth it if: you mostly chat after dark, your room has no usable window, you've tried a bounced lamp and still look grainy, or you want the same look every time.
Probably skip it if: you can face a window during your usual call times, you wear glasses and don't want to fiddle with angles, or your desk has no room. A lamp you already own may be enough.
Phone rings with a center clamp double as an eye-level stand. If you chat on an iPhone, installing Omlet on your Home Screen makes it one tap to open once the phone is in place.
Whatever you choose, compare before and after in a camera preview. Omlet shows your own preview before you press Start, so you can adjust your light and then start a random video chat when it looks right. For the rest of your on-camera setup, see how to look good on webcam.