If you have begun streaming and wish to upgrade your stream to a higher level, you have certainly found out that professional Twitch streamers use key lights. Presumably, you have seen a setup of a certain streamer and noticed that he is using an Elgato key light, but then you have noticed the price.
Do not let that discourage you. Indeed, the Elgato key light is quite expensive, but there are many Elgato key light alternatives that will significantly enhance your stream and that have a lower price. Namely, Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K is a great alternative because you get almost the same options with Elgato, but at a lot lower price.
In this article, I will provide you with 5 product reviews of Elgato key light alternatives. Furthermore, I will instruct you on what to look for when buying a key light.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Elgato Key Light Alternatives
 | Top Choice Neewer 2-Pack
| |
 | EMART LED Video Light
| |
 | RALENO LED Video Light
|
Table of Contents
Best Elgato Key Light Alternative
Reviewed & Tested
This article includes both key lights that are quite affordable and suitable for beginner streamers as well as key lights that could possibly satisfy the demands of professionals.
1. Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K
Best Elgato key light alternative
Stefan’s Take:
Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K is a great, cheaper Elgato key light alternative that has a decent number of lighting options.
It works best in darker settings, but it can also be applied in bright as well. This is a great option for beginner Twitch streamers.
| Lighting Quality | 9.5 |
|---|---|
| Adjustability | 9.6 |
| Power Options | 9.1 |
| Price | 9.6 |
Why do I think Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K is the best key light among these?
Neewer dimmable led lights emit low heat, which is mandatory for good lighting. They also come with four color options (blue, red, yellow, and white) which give you more possibilities for a different light setup.
The lights will be stable even if you set the brightness settings to low.
It uses USB for a power adapter. Therefore, you can easily use this key light with a PC. However, bear in mind that it consumes a significant amount of power. Hence, it is not suitable for laptops and tablets.
It comes with a tripod as a light stand with a conventional 1/4 screw, and you can detach the LED panels if you desire so as to achieve different lower angles. You could also possibly attach another cheap light source to the tripod.
The tripod head is also equipped with a ball head that has a 180-degree rotation which provides you with further options for adjusting your video light.
The package includes two light panels, two light stands in the form of tripods with an extendable pole mount, and color filters.
Overall, this is a great Elgato key light alternative, and if you are looking to improve your streaming setup with key lights, this could be a perfect solution.
Pros
- Quite inexpensive
- Quite adjustable
- Four different color options
Cons
- The material from which it is made is fragile
2. EMART LED Video Light
The most versatile video light
Stefan’s Take:
EMART LED Video Light is a truly versatile key light setup with many options and a great package for its price.
It is a great lighting source with great temperature settings which provide stable lights. The lights come with four different color filters ( white, orange, red, and blue), which will provide you with many different lighting options for your streaming setup.
| Lighting Quality | 9.3 |
|---|---|
| Adjustability | 9.4 |
| Power Options | 9.2 |
| Price | 9.5 |
EMART LED Video Light comes with a 65 inches USB power cable which is quite suitable for a PC setup. However, devices with low battery power, such as tablets, are not recommended.
The tripod and the extension pole are made of aluminum alloy and have a safety lock that you can set when you reach your desired height. It has a 1/4 screw. Overall, great, stable stands.
Besides the regular tripod, the package also includes a mini tripod onto which a LED panel can be attached. For instance, this is a great option if you need to use your desk space for lights.
The ball head has a 180-degree rotation which gives you many possibilities for the adjustment of your lighting set.
The package includes two LED light panels, two tripods with extension poles, two mini tripods, and a color filter.
Also, when purchasing this product, you get a one-year warranty if the product should develop any fault.
This key light package has great value for its price. Its USB cable has great length, the brightness settings have a wide range of options for adjustment, and overall, with a stable color temperature, it is a good lighting source.
The additional mini tripods truly provide you with further possibilities to adjust your light source as they are quite compact.
Pros
- Great price
- Sturdy material
- Quite adjustable
Cons
- Light produced by the LED panel can be too bright and unnatural
3. RALENO LED Video Light
Great key light for professionals
Stefan’s Take:
If you are truly looking to make a breakthrough in the streaming world, then this lighting kit can really make a difference.
This lighting kit has truly high-quality LED lights that can help you achieve some high standards set by other professional streams. In addition, it is a portable lighting kit that is easily disassembled. All the parts are light but at the same time sturdy, and the carry bag is a huge plus.
| Lighting Quality | 9.5 |
|---|---|
| Adjustability | 9.4 |
| Power Options | 9.5 |
| Price | 8.9 |
The lights have a color temperature range of 3200-5600k and complete brightness maneuverability, which you can adjust according to the needs of your environment.
The two ultra-thin PLV-S192 Soft LED lights are made for portraits, and they can help you achieve the HD effect.
This device has a built-in battery that can last for about two hours, but if you plug it in, you can use it continuously.
The tripod and the extension pole are made of high-quality aluminum alloy with a conventional 1/4 screw.
The package also includes a carry bag specially designed for this product that provides great protection and a convenient way for transportation.
When buying this package, you also receive a USB microphone as a present, which is compatible with all sorts of devices.
The light stand can reach a great height of 190.5 centimeters (75 inches) which can modify your lighting setup in numerous ways. It comes with a conventional hot shoe and a 1/4 screw. Therefore both the lights and the light stand can be used with numerous other setups.
The package includes two PLV-S192 Soft LED lights with a power adapter for each, two light stands, two hot shoe mounts, a carry bag, and an instruction manual.
Pros
- High-quality LED light panel
- Easy for transport
- Great potential for adjustments
Cons
- Quite pricey for a lighting kit
4. VILTROX 2 Packs
Best key light with wireless remote control
Stefan’s Take:
Viltrox video light kit is another high-quality lighting kit that can truly enhance the performance of your stream, making it one of the best choices for the Elgato key light alternative.
The LED panels have a high CRI, which vastly improves the quality of color rendering and can help you achieve natural lighting. The lights which are produced are soft to the eyes, which makes this lighting kit great for longer usage.
| Lighting Quality | 9.3 |
|---|---|
| Adjustability | 9.1 |
| Power Options | 9.6 |
| Price | 8.8 |
Here also, you can adjust the color temperature according to your needs and the environment. Brightness settings can also be adjusted, but when compared to some devices, the range for adjustments is limited.
This light setup has built-in batteries that can last about three hours, but also there is the option to connect it to a power source for continual use.
The LED panel has a LED screen that shows you the current settings which you are using for your lights.
This lighting kit can be remotely controlled, and a remote controller is included in the package, which you can use to adjust the settings of a LED light.
The LED lights are ultra-thin, and the framework of both the lights and the tripod is made of durable aluminum alloy.
A carry bag specially designed is also included, which greatly facilitates the process of transportation and ensures the protection of the product.
All in all, this is a high-quality lighting kit that has many lighting options that can be modified. The LED light panel emits soft, pleasant light, and, overall, when taking into consideration the battery life, this product is made to be used for longer durations as the light is not harsh for your eyes.
Another great aspect is the wireless remote control, so if you have to change some options of your lighting set, you do not have to leave your place.
The package includes two LED panels, a power adapter, two tripods, a wireless remote controller, and a carry bag.
Pros
- It can be remotely controlled
- Great quality of lighting
- High battery durability
Cons
- The brightness range is limited
- Pricey
5. Dazzne D50 Video Light
Best key light with C clamps
Stefan’s Take:
Dazzne desk mount is a high-quality lighting kit that has a C clamp as a light stand. It is designed to save space, and it is a great lighting source for PC setups.
The light which is emitted by LED panels is soft and pleasant. This product can be used for a long time without experiencing any difficulties with your eyesight.
| Lighting Quality | 9.0 |
|---|---|
| Adjustability | 9.2 |
| Power Options | 9.3 |
| Price | 8.7 |
The LED panels have a truly wide range of settings, especially the color temperature, which you can set to greatly improve your stream.
This lighting setup comes with a power cable, but it also has the option for batteries.
The C clamp can be attached to a surface of a maximum of 2.5 inches of thickness.
The LED panels can also be controlled by a wireless remote, which is included in the package. On the panels, there are screens that show you all the current settings that you are using.
This product is designed for desk space, so if you are sure that your streaming activities will be limited to your PC setup, this lighting kit can be your choice. However, if you plan on changing places, you might want to look for another lighting setup as the C Clamps can impose big limitations.
The package includes two LED light panels, two C clamp stands, 2 power cables, and a remote controller.
Pros
- It saves a lot of space
- Suitable for PC streaming setups
- High-quality light
Cons
- Not made for environments other than a desk space
- Lower price but still somewhat expensive
Things to Know Before Buying Elgato Key Light Alternative
Your personal requirements
Before buying a key light setup, you need to know for what purposes you are going to use one in order to choose the best lighting.
You need to know whether you are going to use key light in an open space or in a closed space, whether your current ambient is brighter or darker, and whether you are going to change places of your stream or continually stream at a single place.
Most beginner lighting kits include two light panels, which should be sufficient for your stream as well. However, the power of the led panel light can vary, so in order to accommodate the needs of your environment, you need to buy a LED panel with sufficient power.
Many streamers have to travel a lot and change the scenery of their stream, so if you are one of them, you should consider buying a key light that is convenient for carrying and has its own specially designed carry bag.
The parts are usually quite fragile, and carrying them around without the right protection can be dangerous.
If you are a streamer that will mostly stream on PC setup, you should then consider maybe key lights with C clamps. This can be quite convenient as they are made for desk spaces and do not use much space.
Color Rendering Index (CRI)
When you are buying a key light, you will probably notice an acronym CRI which stands for Color Rendering Index. This is an extremely important aspect of any key light.
Color Rendering Index shows the ability of a certain continuous light to precisely reveal the colors of your environment, and it needs to be high in order to achieve the best lighting for your stream.
The range of CRI is wide, and it goes from 0 to 100, but for present standards of quality streams, anything below 90 will most likely be insufficient.
Power source
You will have to establish how long you will use your key lights, which usually coincide with the duration of your stream.
Depending on the product, key lights are either powered via USB adapters, batteries, or electrical sockets. You need to know what you have at your disposal.
USB adapters are quite convenient. However, these devices consume a lot of power, so if you are using a laptop or a streaming tablet, for example, attaching a key light to such devices can be quite detrimental to their batteries.
If you are planning on streaming somewhere where you have to rely on batteries only, it is advisable to know how long you plan to stream and buy a key light setup with batteries that have that capacity.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this review has helped you to choose an appropriate key light for your stream, especially if you have been looking for an Elgato key light alternative.
If you have begun streaming recently and have decided to buy a key light, my advice is to consider these products:
- Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K, as the best solution for Elgato key light alternative,
- EMART LED Video Light, if you need different color options,
- RALENO LED Video Light, if you need professional setup.
You may think that such cheaper options will not have great options, but it is quite the opposite, they can greatly enhance your stream, and you will learn all the necessary techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any more inexpensive Elgato key light alternatives?
Yes, there is a plethora of products that can perform the roles of key and fill lights. Elgato key light is certainly a renowned brand.
However, their products expensive as well, so if you are looking for a budget option, there are plenty of other options to choose from.
Furthermore, many of the products which are available can produce similar if not the same effects, even though it is an Elgato key light alternative.
A lot depends on your own ability to use the product and manipulate the lighting of your environment.
How many key lights do I need for a stream?
Sometimes just one key light is enough to improve the quality of your stream. However, bear in mind that most key light packages include two lights.
Rest assured, if you are looking to improve your stream, two key lights are more than enough.
With just one lighting source, you already have a lot of possibilities to modify the lighting of your environment.
What brands should I look for when buying a key light?
Certainly, the most renowned is the Elgato key light. However, their prices are quite high, so if you did not plan to invest so much money for a key light, there are other alternatives.
Other more affordable brands which produce key lights are Dazzne, Neewer, EMART, Raleno, Viltrox, etc. Do not think that the quality of lighting will be lower with these products.
Although they are more affordable alternatives, each of these products can greatly enhance the quality of your stream when used skillfully and correctly.
