Top 8 Budget-Friendly LED Video Lighting Kits for 2022

The lighting kits presented here are entry-level lights, which are great for starting out and learning the basics.

For portable lighting kits, we recommend our guide Best Portable LED Video Lights For DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras.

For professional lighting kits, we recommend our guide Best Professional Video Lighting Kits For Any Budget instead.

Last updated October 21th, 2020.

Whether you’re a professional filmmaker or just shooting some funny videos for YouTube for yourself and friends to enjoy, the lighting kit you use to shoot videos can make the difference between amateur-looking footage or something awesome!

That’s because light can influence moods, reveal or hide details as well as make your subject look at its best.

If you’re a novice filmmaker and you’re looking for the best budget lighting kit for video, you have come to the right place!

This article helps you find a suitable lighting kit, depending on what types of videos you want to shoot and your budget.

At the end of the article, you’ll find a comparison table of all the lights mentioned.

Keep reading to find out more about the best budget-friendly LED- lighting kits for video.

1. Aputure 2 H672W + 1 H672S LED Panel Video Light Kit

Aputure is a brand specialized in the production of high-quality lighting for filmmaking.

The Aputure 2 H672W + 1 H672S LED Panel Video Light Kit set is ideal for still photography as well as videography.

The kit consists of three daylight-balanced (5500K) LED panels with 672 LEDs high color accuracy of +95 CRI.

If you want to transform the color temperature of one or several panels to a warmer tungsten look, you can do so with the included orange filters.

And if you want to soften the light, you can do so with the included white diffusers.

The difference between the two H672W panels and the single H672S panel is the light’s beam angle.

The H672W has a beam angle of 75 degrees (floodlight), and the H672S has a beam angle of 25 degrees (“spot” light).

Even though these lights are slim (only 32mm thick) and light-weight, they are bright and emit approximately 4636 lumens, which are about the same as a 400W incandescent light.

Another cool thing is that these lights can run on both batteries or with the power adapter. And you can charge the batteries while the AC-adapter powers the lights. The package includes 6 batteries and 3 AC-adapters!

The kit also includes 2.4Ghz wireless remotes so you can control the lights from behind the camera. But you can also dim the lights on the back and see the exact brightness on the LCD screen.

The manufacturer also includes a carrying case in the package, so you will be able to transport your light kit in style wherever you go.

Light stands are not included in this package. We recommend the Aputure Compact mini20 3-pack light stand kit with carrying bag for these lights.

It’s not surprising that this is a very popular kit for the small one-person video production company.

2. GVM 480LS Dimmable Bi-Color Video Lighting Kit With App Control

The GVM 580LS video lighting kit is an awesome kit.

It contains everything you need to shoot video footage from different angles and controlling the direction of light with the barn doors.

These bi-colored LED-panels can be controlled on the back of the lights via the two knobs or via the app, and you can see the results on the big LCD-display on the back.

You can change the color temperature between 2300K-6800K. You can also adjust the brightness in 10% increments between 10-100%.

The lights are small in size and easy to carry but give you enough power for professional results. And the U-bracket lets you adjust the light-angle.

The 480 LEDs have a high color accuracy of +97 CRI/TLCI (no green color cast on the skin here) and give a nice and uniform light distribution. You also get a diffusion filter for a nice soft light for interviews or portraits.

Another cool thing about these lights is that they can be powered both with a wall-plug or with Sony NP-F550/NP-750/NP-F970 Li-Ion batteries.

The lights are made of Aerospace aluminum alloy for great durability.

The kit also contains 2 light stands with tripod bases and can be adjusted according to your preferences and needs. You also get a nice carrying bag.

This is one of the best and most professional lighting kits for video production if you’re on a budget.

This kit includes 2 x lights, 2 x light stands, 2 x power adapters, 2 x barn doors, 2 x diffusers, and 1 x bag for easy transport.

We liked it very much because it contains a multitude of accessories for controlling the light while remaining budget-friendly and affordable for most videographers.

3. Neewer Photography 160 LED Studio Lighting Kit

We’d like to present you with this great light-weight and travel-friendly lighting kit from Neewer.

Why it’s being presented as a photography kit, we don’t know. Because it is just as usable – if not more usable – used as a 2-point lighting kit for video.

The Neewer Photography 160 LED Studio Lighting Kit is compatible with your DSLR camera and can be mounted on a standard hot shoe.

The Neewer 160 LED lights are some of the most popular budget-friendly DSLR video shooter led lights money can buy today.

The package consists of 2 lighting panels that use 160 small LED lights (hence the name). LED lights are known to be very bright and economical at the same time, so you’ll enjoy a huge amount of light, whether you record video footage indoors or outdoors.

Each of these panels can also be mounted on a tripod. In fact, the manufacturer provides you with 2 light stands with a maximum height of 30 inches each. You can adjust the stand’s height according to your preferences and incline the LED lighting kit forwards or backward as needed.

We also like that you get 2 different filters in the package. These filters allow you to achieve a spotlight effect, a diffuser effect and dropping the color temperature to 3200K. These filters can be easily changed and allow you to achieve various visual effects while filming.

When it comes to power options, these lighting kits are quite versatile. They work well with Panasonic, Sony, and simple AA batteries. Unfortunately, batteries are not included in the package, but they can be bought online at affordable prices. The manufacturer mentions that the standard runtime for these lights is over an hour, which is definitely impressive.

4. LimoStudio LED Day Light

If you’re looking for a much simpler lighting kit for your filming needs, take a look at the LimoStudio LED Day Kit, which comes at an affordable price.

This kit is especially useful for floodlights if you want some power to light up a room. Since it doesn’t come with any softboxes, we wouldn’t recommend it for interviews.

Each light holds a 20W LED light bulbs, which corresponds to approximately 300 Watts in ordinary bulbs. These bulbs have a rated service life of more than 15000 hours and a brightness level of 1650 lumens. The included bulbs have a 6500K rating.

The downside to this kit is that the included bulbs only have a CRI of 80. So you might have to do some extra work in post get the colors right. Or you could just buy some other bulbs with a higher CRI-rating since the sockets are standard E26 (US)/E27 (EU).

The package also contains 2 tall light stands with a maximum height of 86 inches each.

This simple light kit is ideal for those who travel a lot as it can be quickly packed and set up at the destination. The tall light stands feature a tripod base, and they are completely adjustable, letting you direct the light in any direction you want. The barn doors give you more control when it comes to modifying the light’s intensity and direction.

This kit doesn’t need batteries, as you can connect the LED lights to a nearby power outlet. In other words, you can film 24/7 if you want, without worrying about running out of juice. Whether it is a pro or a con that the lights don’t use batteries depends on where you’re going to use these lights.

The lights are also equipped with small vents to release some of the heat generated by the light bulbs, prolonging your lighting setup’s life.

5. VILTROX 2 Pack VL-200T Photography & Video LED Panel Lighting Kit

If you’re looking for an affordable set that can create soft light then the two-panel LED lighting kit from Viltrox might be ideal for you.

This set consists of 2 bi-colored LED video lights with a color temperature of 3300K-5600K with high color accuracy of +95 CRI. The lights are dimmable between 20%-100%.

The panels are constructed so that they give a nice soft light, which is great for portraits and interviews. You don’t need a softbox or diffuser for these types of light (unless, of course, if you want to soften the light even more).

Everything from color temperature to brightness can be controlled via the included 2.4GHz wireless remote or directly on the back of the panels. What’s really cool about this wireless remote is that you can see all the settings on the large display.

On the back, you also find a large LCD-display and a knob for easy control.

This lighting kit can be powered by either the included DC power adapter or Sony NP-F960/NP-F970 batteries (not included).

The kit includes two light stands, which are adjustable between 26″-86″ and a carrying case for easy transport.

You can quickly assemble and disassemble the kit in a matter of minutes, so it’s great for run and gun setups.

6. Dracast BoltRay Plus Bi-Color LED400 3-Light Kit with Soft Case

Dracast is well-known for creating high-quality lights at affordable prices.

The BoltRay Plus video lighting kit from Dracast is an awesome all-in-one travel-friendly solution for the professional videographer.

Each of the LED lights is a bi-colored kit with a color temperature range of 3200K-5600K.

The lights have a high-color accuracy of +96 CRI, so you won’t get any ugly skin tones with these kits.

The 4-way barndoors let you control the light spill, and the removable diffusion filters soften the light, which makes this a great kit for shooting cinematic interviews in confined spaces.

All the lights are dimmable between 0-100%. You can see the exact setting on the LCD on the back of the lights.

Another cool thing is that these lights can run on both the included AC-adapter and Sony NP-F style batteries (not included).

The 40 watts lights are cooled by a silent fan that makes them cool to the touch.

You also get three light-weight light stands and a carrying bag so you can transport all the lights with ease.

7. Godox SL Series SL-60W 2x Daylight LED Video Lights with Softbox, Honeycomb Grid, Color Gels, Stands, and Carrying Case included

The Godox SL-60W LED daylight video light is a popular lighting kit – and for a good reason.

This kit contains two Godox SL-60W daylight balanced (5600K) LED lights with high color accuracy of 95+ CRI and 90+ TLCI.

Each light is dimmable from 10-100%.

On the back, you also find a big display where you can monitor the fixture’s temperature in Fahrenheit or Celcius, the brightness, and the channel.

The lights come with standard Bowens mounts, which is great because you can always get accessories like barndoors or reflectors.

The Godox SL-60W uses 60 Watts and uses a combination of fan and heatsink to keep the temperature and noise down.

The lights are pretty powerful and have a brightness of 4100 Lux at 1m which is the equivalent of a 300W tungsten light.

You also get a 433 MHz remote control, which lets you work with six lighting groups and 16 channels.

This particular lighting kit also includes light stands, a honeycomb grid, barn doors, and a carrying case.

The only real downside to this kit is that you don’t get a carrying bag.

This is a great little kit for two-point interview lighting setups or the indie short film.

8. Neewer 3 Packs Dimmable Bi-color 480 LED Video Light Kit

This last kit in our list also comes from Neewer, and it consists of 3 LED light panels, which can be used in still photography, videography, interviews, etc. And it is one of our favorite budget-friendly LED-panel kits on the market.

Each of the panels contains no less than 480 LEDs. This is a bi-color panel, and the color temperature range of each LED panel varies from 3200K to 5600K, so you can create warmer or cooler light depending on your preferences and needs.

The lights do this by having 240 LEDs, which are white and 240 LEDs with a tungsten color temperature.

The light panels are mounted on the strong light stands made from aluminum, which can be adjusted from 26 inches/66 centimeters to 75 inches/190 centimeters in height.

You can also incline the LED lights forwards or backward to point the light in any direction you want. The manufacturer also included diffuser covers for the LED panels, so you can create a beautiful, inviting soft light for filming interviews or similar video footage.

The batteries are not included in this package, so you’ll eventually have to buy them separately, but you can connect the LED lights to a power outlet and start filming right away. On top of that, the manufacturer also offers 3 carrying cases for your LED lighting panels, so you can safely transport them to your destination without causing damage or deterioration.

This is truly a great LED-panel kit, which is versatile and usable in a lot of different situations. Especially if you’re going to do a 3-point lighting setup for interviews for corporate clients or documentaries, you should consider this kit.

Which One Caught Your Attention?

As you can see, you have multiple options at your disposal when it comes to professional video lighting kits, which are budget-friendly.

And as promised earlier in the article, here’s the comparison table for you:

The next logical step would be to assess your needs and determine if you need just one softbox or multiple ones if you prefer LED lights or CFL bulbs, etc.

You should also think long-term when coming up with a budget for the best lighting kit for your needs.

For portable lighting kits, we recommend our guide Best Portable LED Video Lights For DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras.

For professional lighting kits, we recommend our guide Best Professional Video Lighting Kits For Any Budget.

For example, do you prefer LEDs or bigger lights with bigger softboxes? Are you going to travel a lot with the lights, so that you need batteries, or are you going to use them mostly in your home studio? You be the judge.