7 Best Alternatives To The Elgato Key Light – [Much Cheaper]

Let’s face it. 

Streaming is insanely huge in today’s modern gaming world. There are roughly 41.5 million users on Twitch alone, and that figure is expected to rise to 51.6 million by 2024 with streamers now expanding into Facebook Live, Youtube Live, Periscope and more. Many retail brands have tried jumping onto this success by providing all sorts of streaming equipment for PC that could be useful to streamers just like you. 

One such brand that’s becoming more prominent in the streaming world is Elgato. If you don’t know, they’re a German based retailer that sells audio devices, cameras, capture devices, streaming tools, green screens, multi-mounts and most importantly: LIGHTING. 

In some cases, lighting can make or break an aspiring professional streamer. Have too little lighting, and you can potentially discredit your reputation or authority as a content creator. Have too much and well… who wants to watch a screen that’s too bright? 

Most professionals with some serious pocket change are investing into Elgato’s Key Light, a desk-attached extendable light fixture that provides professional quality lighting, a color temperature range of 2900 to 7000 K and comes with an adjustable Control Center application . Not too shabby, if you’re prepared to spend £319.98 (That’s $432.85 US dollars). 

But is there a cheaper alternative? Get On Stream says YES. 

What are the Best Elgato Key Light Alternatives?

1. Samtian Desk Mount LED Video Light Kid

Most Expensive – Best for Larger Studios

Kicking off our list is the Samtian Desk Mount 2-Pack which offers two light up LED screens at 16.5” each. These LED screens feature remote wireless control, a multi-angle range of 120 degrees, desk mounting straight out of the box and comes with a carry bag. 

These LED Soft Light panels are a great choice for streamers who are chasing the best streaming lights at a cheaper price. Already you’ll be getting not just one panel, but TWO for a much lower price than the Elgato Key Light, and almost all of the same quality and functionality. 

That’s a bargain. 

2. Dazzne D50 Desk Mount Video Light

 Moderate Expense – Ideal For Streaming

Next up is the very popular Dazzne D50 Desk Mount Video Light  which offers a single 14.5” panel screen with adjustable brightness, a color temperature range of 3000K to 8000K and uses 45W of power. 

Throw in a multi-angle setting of 120 degrees, power cable, remote wireless control, heat reduction, and desk-mountable straight out of the box and you’ve got a solid contender. 

Already we can see the Dazzne D50 rivals Elgato’s Key Light in terms of premium features for less than ⅓ of the price. 

3. Neewer Desk Mount LED Kit

Moderate Expense – Best for Streaming

The crème de la crème of our choices. Coming in at number three is the Neewer Desk Mount kit which features adjustable brightness, a color temperature ranging from 3000K to 5600K across 2 18” LED screens and remote wireless control.  

Like our previous entries, the Neewer kit offers 120 degrees in multi-angle settings, desk mounting straight out of the box and its own carry bag and power supply. This contender is slightly cheaper than its Dazzne D50 cousin, and you get an additional LED screen, again, for less than ⅓ of the asking price for Elgato’s Key light. 

If this is still above your price range, don’t worry. Get On Stream has a few more ideas. 

4. Raleno LED Soft Light Panel

Cheap Expense – Perfect for a Small Studio

If you’re looking to keep things cheap and basic then this entry is just right for you. The Reno LED Soft Light Panel is everything you need for lighting – adjustable brightness, color temperature ranging from 3200K to 5600K and a nice wide 18” in line with our premium options earlier. 

This LED panel comes with two 4000 mAh batteries and power adapter, with the battery life ranging from 90-110 minutes of use. 

You’ll need to purchase a compatible adapter in order to attach the Raleno LED to your desk or studio. In saying that, you do have the flexibility of attaching a much larger mount if you prefer. And at the end of the day, the smaller price tag is worth a little bit of extra work too. 

5. ViltroxL-116T LED Panel

Cheap Expense – Perfect for Start-Up Streamers

An even cheaper alternative to the aforementioned Raleno is the ViltroxVl-116T which features adjustable brightness and a color temperature of 3300K-5600K, but not much else. 

This 12” lightweight panel is a cheap, yet dependable, option for streamers and content creators working on a tight budget. You will also need to buy a compatible desk mount and power cable in order to use the VL-116T. 

The small price tag, in some eyes, definitely justifies the extra bit of legwork to get this set-up rolling. 

6. Enegon 6” Selfie-Ring Light Kit

Cheapest Expense – Perfect For Start-Up Streamers

The well renowned ring lights. You’ve seen them all over Youtube, TikTok and Instagram, and we have to say, they’re pretty useful for lighting.

 

Enegon’s 6” Self Ring Light Kit features adjustable color and brightness, a color temperature of 3000K to 6000K, 360 rotation, a power bank, an adapter and a 2m long USB cable. If you’re wanting to give streaming a try, but don’t want to invest all of your money, then this lighting option may just be the choice for you. 

Despite its small functionality, the Enegon Selfie-Ring is a perfect tool for those looking to get started with video and literally 1/10 of the price of a high-end lighting system. 

7. DIY

The final entry to our 7 alternatives is simple: do it yourself. A home-made lighting system using whatever resources you have from home could save you some serious dollars. Can you just rely on natural lighting? Have you got any outdoor lights sitting at home you could use? Maybe a family member has something you can share. Whatever helps you get acceptable lighting for your streaming is a perfect start. 

And while there is a never ending wealth of tutorials and How-Tos on the internet, we here at GetOnStream recommend YouTube. You can watch and follow step-by-step and perhaps find information you weren’t expecting. 

What Now?

So, you’ve just discovered the best streaming lights for your home studio. If you haven’t settled for a desk-mountable option, then you may be in the market for different kinds of lighting stands. Don’t worry, we’ve already done the legwork. Keep reading for Get On Stream’s best 3 lighting stands for your home studio. 

The 3 Best Light Stands

1. Neewer PRO 9-FT Studio Light Stand

The Neewer Pro Light stand is made from aluminum alloy for tough work and boasts an adjustable height from 113cm to 260cm with a max load of 5kgs.. Most importantly, the PRO supports all major brands of photo equipment such as lighting, reflectors, softboxes, umbrellas and background material which opens the use of this lighting stand to film, modeling and more. 

When it comes to lighting stands, you can fall prey to ridiculously overpriced vendors. 

Our recommendation is: stay cheap.

2. Neewer Mini Backlight Stand

More suited for a desk home set-up, the Mini Backlight is the perfect, cheap option for a simple lighting stand fixture. Featuring a durable Aluminum material, a max height of 50 cms and a max load of 2 kilograms, we believe this option is perfect for streamers on a budget. 

A potential downside to the Backlight is desk-space which is why our third and final option should solve all your problems. 

3. Neewer Tabletop Light Stand Clip 

Combine this bad boy with one of our cheaper Lighting panel options from earlier and you’ve got a winner. The Neewer Tabletop Light Stand has everything you need for a home studio – adjustable height, durable material, adjustable table clamp, and versatility, meaning you can use this lighting stand for just about anything from lighting rings, cameras, smartphones, and more. 

If you’re looking for an insanely cheap lighting combination, then the Neewer Tabletop Light Stand must be part of that equation.

How to Position Lights in Your Streaming Set-Up

Lighting can be very complicated for the uninitiated, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, with a little bit of knowledge from our tech wizards, you’ll be fully set up and streaming like a professional in no time. So let’s recap on some facts you may or may not know. 

We categorize lighting based on how we apply them to our sets and studios. For example, the most common 2 lighting terms you’ll hear are Key Light and Fill Light. 

Key Lights are our primary lighting source that makes the magic happen. 

Fill lights cover everything in between like shadows and glare. We can achieve this by positioning the Fill Light in a way that softens the Key Light’s light.

Confusing, right? 

Let’s explain this further. 

You can stream with just one light source placed in front of your face or to your side, but not directly in your eyes. This works fine. But what you may notice, depending on your lighting quality, is that shadows and glare can appear. If you’re just starting out as a streamer and content creator, this is completely acceptable. 

Mess with your brightness settings and positioning to eliminate at least some of these issues. 

But if you’re already a bonafide streamer with some money to spare? We recommend getting a second lighting option. But how do you set up lighting for streaming? Well, these helpful graphics from restream.io are a great example. 

Key Things to Remember

• You can just stream with 1 Key Light. 
• When using two lights, your Key Light must be brighter than your Fill Light. 

Do I need More than 2 Lights in my Streaming Setup?

The short answer: yes and no. The complicated answer: well keep reading. 

Your Lighting will depend on your circumstances, your budget and more importantly, what kind of content are you producing and at what production level? Start-up streamers and even some content creators can get away with using just one lighting source alongside natural lighting. 

Like we suggested earlier, if you’ve got cash to spend, a minimum of 2 lights are the best strategy when producing quality level content. But what about 3 or more? When would you use this much lighting?

Again, that depends on your situation. You have to make that call, you’re your own boss. If you feel like 2 lights just aren’t cutting it, then it’s time to introduce a concept called 3-Point Lighting. 

A three-point lighting setup utilizes three lights for a home production set: 

Key Light

Fill Light

And an exciting new lighting term called Back light. 

A back light is generally situated behind and facing the point of focus in order to eliminate any shadows that still remain from your key and fill lights. The positioning will depend on your needs, however restream.io offers a useful graphic for 3-Point Lighting beginners. 

You could take this journey a step further and introduce a 4th Background Light, a lighting source that faces away from the point of focus and illuminates your background. In all honesty, not every background requires lighting, especially if you’re pursuing some sort of cool lighting aesthetic, but just in case, here’s one final graphic from restream.io to keep you informed. 

Wrapping Up

You’ve got a premium selection of affordable lighting sources, alongside the 3 best lighting stands to boot and NOW you know all the funky lighting terms and positioning strategies. Seriously, why are you still here? Go and get amongst the infinite world of streaming! 

We’re looking forward to seeing you make it big out there! 

Read More From Get On Stream:

• Best Webcams For Streamers
• Best Stream Setup For Playstation 5
• 6 Best Audio Mixers For Streamers