What lights do you use for your personal projects, or are you in the market for your first? Let us know in the comments.

Cameralights for photography

I don't know about you, but I have been consistently entertained by Jay P. Morgan and The Slanted Lens for several years now. With videos and tutorials covering everything from C-stand how-to's to 50 ways to use gaff tape (yep, that's 50, not 5), Jay P. Morgan has been dropping film and video knowledge for as long as I can remember. This time, he shows us the top 13 LED lights that anyone can pick up for less than a thousand dollars.

We all know rejection sucks, but don't sweat it. Be proud of your project no matter what. And watch Mark Duplass's full snippet of encouraging wisdom below.

Bestvideo light 2024

One last thing, the shootout didn't include LED panels, which can be incredibly powerful and inexpensive, as well. If you're more interested in panels as opposed to "studio" style fixtures, there are many great options, many of which we talked about in our own LED shootout post.

My parting thoughts are that the best deal on the list is the Godox SL200W because it walks the line between inexpensive and high-output/light quality (CRI) and the worst deal is the Hensel Intra because it's essentially a house lightbulb in a fancy dress. A 5000K temperature light with a proprietary mount, one of the lowest CRI ratings on the list, and pushes 3 full stops lower output than a 1K... You might as well just go to Home Depot.

CameraLight Attachment

If you're looking for LED panels way further south of $1000, there are many low/no budget options, too, so check out these posts to learn which ones will give you the most bang for your buck.

I personally own the Godox SL60W and I love it. My only complaint is that it doesn't have enough output, at 1.6 stops under a 1K output.

Beston-Camera light for video

Mark Duplass has always been a filmmaker's filmmaker. He famously delivered his "The Cavalry is Not Coming" speech at SXSW as a call to action for independent filmmakers to stop waiting and start shooting. Duplass also historically creates and works on small-budget indie projects, including being a key member of the lo-fi, bare-bones mumblecore movement. He's also a charismatic actor who brings a relatable ethos to every role he plays—not to mention seems like an overall cool dude.

All the above considered, it's no surprise to see Duplass take to social media with an encouraging statement following the recently announced 2025 Sundance lineup this past Wednesday. Duplass, hot off positive reviews for the recently released The Creep Tapes on Shudder, warmly comforted filmmakers that if you happened to apply to Sundance and weren't selected, hey, that's okay. They curate 15,775. It happens.