When it comes to lighting for film (or any kind of video lighting), you’ll find a wide variety of budget video lighting solutions. From simple on-camera LEDs to fresnels and panels and “chicken coops,” the level of control you can have over the lighting on your production is virtually unlimited.
Unlimited, that is, except for the budget.
And that’s why we’ve taken the time to put together our picks for the five best lighting setups for filmmakers and videographers on a budget. Now, none of these options will have the light output you’d get from pro cinema gear, but with today’s better visual qualities possible at higher ISOs, they should do the trick for most scenarios, including vlogging, documentary, indie filmmaking, TikTok, Reels, and YouTube shorts.
Best Budget Video Light Kit: GVM-800D-RGB LED Studio 3 Light Kit
If you’re only able to pick one set of lights from this guide, these LED Panels from GVM are the ones to go with. A simple setup of three lights will be enough for most basic three-point lighting needs. Having all three be the same model of light also helps ensure you will be able to match colors and white balance.
These lights are fully customizable across the color spectrum, with hue, saturation and brightness options all easily configurable. And for basic “white” lighting, you can dial from 3200K all the way up to 5000K. And as an added bonus, the lights come with prebuilt “scenes” including police lights, lightning, campfire, “broken bulb,” and others. All this, along with a rated CRI of 97 and a whopping 40 watts of power per panel means these lights can handle almost any situation you can throw at them!
With included barn doors to help with light spread management, the ability to control the lights remotely by app (or using the on-device controls and LED display), and the ability to be fully battery powered, these lights from GVM can work both in-studio and on the road.
Along with the light panels, you’ll also receive matching light stands and a sturdy carrying case.
Again, if you’re starting out and need a set that should cover most standard filmmaking and video needs, this 3-Pack of GVM-800D-RGB Studio Lights really can’t be beat.
The All-Purpose Workhorse: GVM 2-Pack Bi-Color LED Lighting Kit
What can we say? We are fans of GVM lights. And that’s why our second recommendation is this pair of Bi-Color LED panels. Think of them as the “even-more-budget” option if the 3-Pack of RGB LEDs above is a little too pricey.
Yes, there are only two – but you can always buy more as needed, or augment with other lights. And for a lot of your basic lighting needs, these will do the trick with one working as your key and the other as your fill. The fact that these are adjustable all the way from 2300K-6800K means you’ll pretty much never have to worry about your white balance or color temperature matching. Plus, like the other GVM lights above, they’re fully-controllable in terms of brightness and color temperature either from your smartphone or via the on-device controls.
Along with the lights, you’ll get the matching light stands, as well as built-in barn doors for light control. And since they can be powered by AC power or via battery, these too are fully-portable options.
An overall great “video light starter kit,” you can’t go wrong with this pair of GVM Bi-Color LEDs.
Power and Control at a Reasonable Price: GVM 200W SD200D LED Video Light with Softbox
Yes, another light from GVM. But again, they continue to make some of the best budget video lighting equipment around! Unlike their LED panels, however, these lights are starting to get you toward the top-end of the “budget range” – but they’ll also step you up into the bigger leagues – especially useful for when the lower power of the LED panels just won’t cut it for your purposes.
At 200W of LED power, this thing puts out a lot of light, but can also be dimmed to as low as 10%, which means you’ll have the lighting power you need when the situation calls for strong lights, but you’re also set for almost any other situation that a lower-output light would normally be used for. And as a bonus, the GVM 200W SD2000D kit we recommend comes with a stand, reflector, and an excellent 23.6 inch parabolic softbox. They both attach to the light’s standardized bowers mount, which means you can attach pretty much anything that uses a bowers mount – we added this fresnel to ours which gives us considerably more control over the beam spread.
If you’re looking to add one “higher-end” but still budget-friendly light to your video lighting kit, you can’t do much better than the GVM 200W SD200D.
Best Budget On-Camera Light: Lume Cube RGB Panel Go
Whether you’re shooting run-and-gun video, need something compact and portable, or even just want an eye light, you can’t do much better for the price than the Lume Cube RGB Panel Go. With both a built-in rechargeable battery and the ability to plug in for direct power (or charging), you’ll easily be able to take this little guy anywhere you need.
Small enough to fit into your pocket, the Lume Cube can mount to your camera’s cold shoe, has a built-in diffuser, and 360 degree RGB adjustable color and brightness. Plus, with a strobe function and four built-in scenes you’ll also have quick access on-the-go for any mood or vibe you can imagine.
As the Lume Cube RGB Panel Go is small and primarily designed for on-camera use (though you can mount it to a stand or simply place it anywhere you need some extra light or color), it’s best suited for fill lighting, outdoor portraits, studio photography, and vlogging. Basically, it’s just about the perfect portable video light.
However, if your budget is even tighter and you don’t need full RGB, be sure to check out the Ulani VL-81 Video Light. Its bi-color panel will give you 3200-5600K adjustable color temperature, a CRI of 95, and a super low price usually around just $20!
Low-Cost 3-Point Lighting Setup: Limostudio LMS 103 700-Watt Continuous Lighting System with White and Black Umbrellas
If the GVM Panels listed earlier are still out of your price range, but you need a decent 3-point lighting system for cheap, then this Limostudio lighting system is just what you’re looking for. While the soft white option tends to be the most popular, Limostudio does have options in other color temperatures. Though to be honest, it doesn’t really matter which you buy, as you can swap the bulbs out at any time (we prefer these Neewer LEDs versus the included CFLs).
With three light stands included, as well as a white diffusion umbrella and a black reflector umbrella, you’ll be in good shape for any basic video or photo shoots, or even at your desk for webcam meetings, livestreaming, or vlogging. Just remember, the included bulbs are not dimmable so you won’t have a lot of control over brightness other than through light placement, and these lights have to be plugged in to a wall outlet for power, so they’re considerably less portable.
Still, for about $80, they’re ones we’ve bought several sets of over the years for instances where we just need some cheap, decent lighting.
BONUS “Ultra-Low-Budget But Still Does the Job” Option: Work Lights with Dimmers and a Cheap Shower Curtain Liner
If you’re working on an extremely limited budget, don’t forget the ultimate budget lighting solution (well, other than just using practicals): the same work lights you can find at the hardware store. The ones you will want have the built-in reflectors and clamps so you can stick them up wherever you need. Grab some cheap lightbulbs, and you’re pretty much set.
You can also bring things up a notch or two, and actually have a decent little setup for a pretty low price if you add in some power-line dimmers (make sure you have dimmable bulbs!). Cut a frosted shower curtain liner into circles about the same diameter as your work lights, attach them over the light with some clothespins, and voila – soft, controllable light sources!
And there we have it: Our picks for the best budget film or video lighting systems.
Is there something we missed? Do you have a favorite budget lighting setup want to share? Tell us about it in the comments!