In-Lab testing showed this ring light generates up to 300 lux at two feet from the light source, and we found the quality of light particularly flattering when comparing photos taken with the different ring lights. The color temperature range left something to be desired, only ranging from 3,200 Kelvin to 5,500 Kelvin. The difference between the three temperature settings on this model weren't as noticeable as some of the other models we tried, but given the price and other tools this light comes with, we can't complain.

In general, reflective, displacement, and rotation prisms are common in imaging applications. Dispersion prisms, on the other hand, are strictly made for dispersing light and therefore are not suitable for applications requiring quality images. Such prisms, like Equilateral and Littrow, are ideal for spectroscopy and laser tuning.

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Fiber optic based solar lighting will help to bring natural sunlight into a building. Effectively speaking one can store sunlight and then use it indoors.

Lume Cube's massive 18-inch ring light is a favorite among professional videographers for its brightness, size, and perhaps most importantly, portability. It comes with a carrying case that can fit the 6.5-foot tripod stand and mounting equipment, and the ring light is cordless and powered by two included rechargeable lithium ion batteries, obliterating the limit of needing to film near a power source.

Additionally, the demand for prisms is high as new and improved uses are discovered for sophisticated optical instruments. Fields such as ophthalmology and various types of scientific research utilize prisms as a common tool. Devices like vision correction glasses, microscopes, and many types of cameras rely on the principles of the prism to operate. Most importantly, they offer simplicity of design, which is crucial to developing highly accurate, yet straightforward technologies.

Though not the brightest light we tested, we were wowed by the ratio of brightness to size, improving the lighting of Zoom calls and photo booth pictures substantially considering its meager 3.25-inch length and width chassis. Specifically, we liked how the design of this light eliminated the tell-tale reflection of the ring light that shows up in people's pupils when they use one. The light itself only weighs 0.2 pounds and with the mount it clocks in at 0.35 pounds, making it perfect for traveling. We also loved that the laptop mount is easy to attach and remove, and feels stable when latched onto the screen.

To choose the best ring lights, we combined both hands-on testing with our expertise and research to find the best ones available on the market.

Beyond the actual lighting components, we examine the kit that the ring light comes with, noting the ease of assembly and setup, the sturdiness of equipment, the utility of the accompanying accessories, and any unique or standout features.

Reflective prisms, another main type, are able to manipulate beams of light by flipping and inverting them. These types of prisms are typically used to construct the image viewed through binoculars or single-lens reflex cameras. The Porro prism, for example, consists of two prisms arranged to both invert and reverse an image. Without reflective prisms, the image would be upside down for the person using them.

Light changes speed as it moves from one medium to another, such as from air into glass. This change of speed causes light refraction, causing the light to enter the next medium at a different angle. Snell’s law, also known as the law of refraction, describes the interaction between light and an optical surface. Furthermore, it explains the relationship between the angles of the entering and exiting light paths through media with varying refractive indices.

This ring light from JOBY is a powerhouse when it comes to performance. Of the five ring lights we tested, this model had the brightest light output, measuring 590 lux at two feet away from the light source. It also has three different temperature settings, ranging from 3,000 to 5,600 Kelvin, which can be accessed via the switch.

✔ Size: The size of your ring light will be dictated by the kind of content you'd like to film. If you plan on using it to illuminate video conferences and selfie videos, a compact (less than six inches in diameter) clip-on device might be the most convenient and logical, though you won't get as bright results as a larger model. For filming full-body content or lighting a larger scene, you'll likely want to size up to a larger model (nine- to 14-inches or larger) since these will not only likely have a stronger light output but will disperse that light more widely.

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✔ Temperature range: Temperature range matters for more precise filming and is useful if you're a filmmaker or do creative shots. It's a measure of the warmth or coolness of light's tone, and it's reported in Kelvin (this comes from the correlation of the color of emitted light by a black-body radiator at a given temperature in Kelvin). If you only plan on using your ring lights for TikToks and video conferencing you likely won't need a large color range, but if you plan to get creative it might be useful to to have a large range so you can simulate different lighting conditions

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On the other end of the spectrum from massive lighting apparatuses, Rotolight's Ultimate Vlogging Kit condenses the most necessary aspects of a ring light kit into a design that's under one-foot in size all together. The ring light comes with a kit that includes a mini tripod for mounting a phone, camera or microphone at the same time as the ring light, and the tripod is compact enough to fit into your hand for on-the-go video creation and vlogging.

Ring lights are the secret to perfect lighting in your favorite viral TikToks, YouTube videos, Twitch streams and even Zoom conference calls. These (often) circular lighting apparatuses are composed of many LEDs arranged to disperse light in a way that reduces shadows on the subject that other directional lights might produce. The ring construction is one of the ways these devices reduce shadows, allowing the photographer or videographer to place their recording device in or behind the ring such that it doesn't cast a shadow on the subject.

In instrumentation, prisms find application in devices such as microscopes, lenses, telescopes, and laser diodes. Their ability to manipulate and bend light is crucial in this department. Cameras, microscopes, and even submarine periscopes utilize prisms in their operation. On the forefront of the optical instrument industry, scientists are even developing new Ultrafast Dispersing Prisms that are specifically designed to meet the unique demands of ultrashort pulse laser systems.

Ophthalmology, a science dedicated to the study and treatment of eye diseases, has utilized prisms since the 19th century to diagnose and treat various diseases of the eye. Ophthalmologists use the light reflected and refracted by a prism to exam various parts of the eye to diagnose diseases and deficiencies. Furthermore, they also aid in the construction of corrective vision lenses for a number of different eye problems. Using prisms aids the eyes in working together. Sometimes, one or both eyes tend to pull in a different direction than the other. The use of prisms in lenses tricks the brain into believing the eyes are working together by slightly shifting the image in a specific direction.

Ring lights illuminate photo and video content in a flattering way that reduces shadows on the face and blurs the appearance of blemishes. This is possible thanks to their unique shape, which allows for filming without the camera casting a shadow, as well as their construction, being an assemblage of many small LED lights. The configuration of these LEDs is what makes the light appear diffuse and flattering compared to overhead lighting or spotlights which can cast harsh shadows or exacerbate skin's texture in collected footage.

✔ Brightness: Naturally, you'll want a ring light that's as bright as possible, but also has some dimming options so that you can use the appropriate amount of light for different scenarios. Brightness can be reported in lux, but it can be difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison between manufacturers. In general, larger lights tend to (but not always) be brighter since a ring light is really a composition of lots of small LEDs in a ring formation, so more surface area for the ring equals more light.

Isaac Newton’s findings are explained by Snell’s law, which explains the relationship between light and an optical surface. Courtesy of Optical Illusions Wiki.

Prisms come in many different shapes and sizes and are used to redirect light through a several different methods. Courtesy of Sciencing.

One of the most notable characteristics of prisms is their ability to model as a system of plane mirrors, simulating the reflection of light within the prism medium. This unique characteristic allows for the replacement of mirror assemblies, which is possibly the most useful application of prisms. Typically, multiple mirrors are required to achieve similar results to that of a single prism. Substituting a prism as a single optical component reduces the potential for alignment error, increases accuracy and reduces system complexity.

While we loved the mounting options as well for this ring light, being able to screw onto a tripod and attach a phone mount, we noted that the separate sale of these accessories may not make it fit for novices in the video lighting sphere.

To make picks for this article, Nikolas Greenwald spent over 10 hours researching, examining and testing ring lights. Combining his knack for quantitative analysis and his right-brain aptitude for aesthetics, he evaluated ring lights for not only their brightness and performance, but also the quality of footage created with them.

Although technically not a "ring," the Litra Glow packs everything you'd want in a ring light into a compact frame: a bright, diffuse light with five temperature settings spanning 3,800 Kelvin, easy-to-use temperature and dimming controls (accessed on the back of the light) and the ability to mount to a laptop via the computer mount (included) or tripod (not included). The included laptop mount features a head that can be angled and pivoted so you get light exactly where you need as you stream or partake in video conference calls.

As their name suggests, image rotation prisms, are commonly used to rotate, invert, or revert an image. These  are ideal for use in microscopes, telescopes, and for the microscopy, astronomy, or defense industries. Wedge prisms, a type of rotation prism, can deviate a laser beam anywhere from a few millionths of a degree to as much as three degrees of angle.

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If you plan on making any content where you'll need to film yourself, EMART's ring light has everything you need to make the process seamless. The light comes with a tripod that expands to 55" tall and features a pivoting head so you can easily light a wide variety of content. Additionally, it comes with a phone holder, remote Bluetooth shutter for iPhone and Android devices, and Bluetooth remote for changing the light settings for a totally hands-free experience. The switch on the light operates simply yet effectively, allowing you to cycle through three color temperatures and 10 brightness levels with the click of a few buttons.

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The optical prism remains in demand as new and improved uses are developed for sophisticated systems. Courtesy of Shutterstock.

Finally, we take a look at manufacturer-reported stats like color temperature range, color rendering index and luminosity to help understand the differences in performance and recommend the best ones.

Though we didn't test this model, we loved how much control and accuracy this light delivers. This ring light is capable of producing light with a color rendering index (CRI, a measure of the proximity of appearance of artificial light to natural sunlight) of up to 97, meaning it'll illuminate anything you're filming in a natural, flattering way. We were also impressed with the dial control of both brightness and temperature, letting you very granularly choose the exact amount and color of light for your shot. While this ring light is pricier compared to some of our other picks, its pro-level control and purportedly powerful illumination make it a worthwhile splurge for those looking to take their video content to the next level.

For the beginner just getting into video content, the QIAYA Selfie Ring Light with Tripod Stand and Phone Holder offers the most bang for your buck. This ring light comes with an attachable tripod and phone holder to get you started on your video and photo projects right out of the box. We also love the inclusion of a Bluetooth remote that can be connected to iPhone and Android devices to remotely operate your phone's shutter for hands-free shooting.

While we didn't get the opportunity to test this model in the Lab, we were appreciative of the robust mounting options in this ring light kit, and its design particularly for overhead shooting. We also loved that the tripod head is compatible with lots of different filming equipment thanks to its 1/4 threading. Those hoping to mount a more weighty camera may want to look elsewhere though — the tripod's maximum bearing weight is three pounds. If you're only in it for the ring light though and don't mind the use of a second tripod for your camera, or if you're using a lightweight camera or phone, this kit is perfect.

As a data engineer in the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

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For more on how we test and evaluate ring lights, as well as a guide of the top things to look for when shopping for ring lights, keep scrolling after our picks.

Even as early as in the 13th century, six-sided crystals of natural quartz were used to generate rainbows. In the late 1660s, people believed that color was a mixture of lightness and darkness, and that prisms colored light due to corruption within the glass. Our modern understanding of light and color stems from experiments done in 1672 by Isaac Newton, where he demonstrated the ability of a prism to break up white light into its component colors as well as recombine the spectrum back into white light.

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Many ring lights come equipped with phone mounts for easy DIY video creation, or are clip-on so that you can mount them to a laptop for easy use in video conferencing. Some even allow for express control over the brightness and light warmth and color to achieve different effects. When shopping for a ring light it's important to consider the application, ambient filming lighting conditions (e.g. if you film in a bright room you may need a brighter ring light to counteract the lighting) and power supply.

✔ Color Rendering Index (CRI): CRI is a metric that relates an artificial light's appearance to natural light. The index is a 100-point scale with 100 being 100% accurate to natural light, and 0% being a very poor rendering of natural light. Try to find a light with a high CRI (95 or above) for the most natural looking shots. Many manufacturers do not report CRI so this metric can be tough to use while shopping.

Lastly, the function of a displacement prism is to maintain the direction of a ray path, yet adjust its relation to the normal. Rhomboid prisms can laterally displace a beam of light without inverting the image. Right angle prisms, which also fall into the rotation prism category, can deviate a ray path by 90°. This characteristic is beneficial in areas such as endoscopy, microscopy, and medical instrumentation.

Today, the prism is a powerful tool that offers much more than just dispersing light. It also has the ability to inverse, reverse, rotate and orient images. This includes flipping an image over its horizontal or vertical axis, rotating it 180 degrees or even changing the orientation.

We weren't able to test this model in the Lab, but couldn't help but be impressed with the design. Unlike other portable ring lights that clip directly onto your phone, this design allows you to keep full use over your phone's screen while filming, helpful for adjusting focus and lighting on the fly or interacting with TikTok filters. Due to its compact nature, it's unsurprising that reviewers have pointed out that this light isn't as bright as other models, but gets the job done for impromptu creation. We also wish color temperature could be controlled via a button as opposed to having to attach filters, but for filming on the go, we can appreciate the sheer simplicity of this device.

The optical prism is an essential component in both simple and sophisticated optical systems. It can be found in a variety of instruments and is used heavily by a number of different industries. The passive optics market, which includes lenses, mirrors, prisms, crystals, fibers, and wafers that go into optical systems, is about $56 billion.

A prism is an optical component that disperses or modifies the direction of light. They are made from many types of materials, including glass, plastic and fluorite, and are usually transparent to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum in question. In some cases, a prism has more than one function. The shape of a prism and the angles between its surfaces vary depending on the application.

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In testing this model performed impressively, delivering 530 lux at two feet from the light source. Additionally, we were impressed with how lightweight this light is, clocking in at just 0.45 pounds (not including the tripod and phone holder), making it a great pick for the creator on the go. During testing we noticed a somewhat grating hum from the light while in use, but considering the value with respect to performance, the noise isn't a huge concern.

A prism is typically classified by the shapes of its base, such as triangular, rectangular, and hexagonal. However, in addition to their geometrical shape, they are also classified based on their function. The most common types based on function are dispersion, reflective, rotation, and displacement prisms.

The first thing we look at (unsurprisingly) while testing ring lights is the light's functionality. We take note of the controls and note the differences between different light color modes and brightnesses. We evaluate brightness with the use of a luxmeter, which reports the lux (how much light is passing through a specific surface area) in our darkroom so we can quantitatively compare the maximum brightness across different ring lights. We find lux more utile than lumens (the total brightness of light emitted by the source) because when we use a ring light our goal is to illuminate some other object, so total light is far less useful of a metric than useful light. We measure lux at 2 feet from the light source, with our luxmeter facing the center of the ring light. We take lots of selfies and videos to evaluate the qualitative characteristics of light, and appraise their use on laptop and phone cameras.

We loved the sheer brightness of this model, not only being quantitatively brighter than the others we tested, but qualitatively being noticeably brighter than these models as well. We found the quality of light flattering and liked the USB power supply which allows you to skip out on extra cables and adapters.

The refractive index, a dimensionless number that describes how light propagates through that media, typically varies based on the color of light used. This concept is known as dispersion. Different colors of light will refract differently and will also leave the prism at different angles. This explains why Newton was able to separate white light into its component colors in his experiments.

Filming overhead shots as you're crafting, cooking or doing anything else on a tabletop can be tougher than it looks. Getting a direct light source right above your work area and keeping your filming device steadily above is deceptively tricky, which is why we love the design of this ring light from Pozliv. It comes with a tripod that clips onto the desk and additional mounting equipment for attaching your smartphone or camera. The phone/camera mount features a ball-and-socket joint and the kit comes with the addition of a gooseneck mount for the ring light, making lighting and filming even the most intricate tabletop activities a breeze.