Lighting is very important in photography, especially when it comes to smartphone photography. Because the pixels and the sensor are so small, smartphone cameras need as much light as possible in order to produce good-quality photos.
This may not be too much of a problem when taking pictures outside during the day in the sunlight. However, when the sun goes down or you’re in a low-light environment, a lot of smartphone cameras struggle to take good pictures. The resulting shots are often very grainy and perhaps blurry too.
In order to prevent these issues when taking photos in poor lighting with your mobile camera, it is important that you make use of adequate lighting. Below are some lighting options that you can use with your smartphone in order to improve the quality of your mobile photos.
Godox A1 Smartphone Flash
Godox is a professional photography equipment manufacturer. They’re known for making products such as studio lighting systems and camera lighting equipment. The Godox A1 is their first product that is designed exclusively for smartphone cameras.
The A1 is actually a 3-in-1 lighting system. Firstly, it features an 8W flash with a colour temperature of 6000K. The power output of the flash can be adjusted from 1/1 to 1/16. Secondly, this device can provide continuous lighting as well, thanks to its 1W LED light.
Thirdly, the Godox A1 can also be used as a remote trigger. It has two wireless transmitters that can connect to and trigger other Godox flash products. There’s also a sync cord jack that can be used to trigger a connected flash.
The Godox A1 connects wirelessly to your phone using Bluetooth. There’s a dedicated app that lets you adjust the output of the flash and LED, as well as control other flashes synced with the A1.
At the bottom of the device, you’ll find a standard 1/4-inch thread which allows the Godox A1 to be mounted on any tripod.
Check the price of the Godox A1 at:
Godox LEDM150
Since we’re already talking about Godox, we might as well look at their other lighting solution for smartphones-- the Godox LEDM150. But unlike the Godox A1, the LEDM150 is not a wireless smartphone flash. Rather, this unit is an LED light panel that provides continuous lighting.
The Godox LEDM150 consists of 150 LEDs that can output 9W of power. With that much power output, this LED light panel is ultra-bright but can easily be adjusted from 10% to 100% brightness. The colour temperature this light produces is about 5600K.
The LEDM150 has a 3.7V/3000mAh built-in rechargeable battery that can be charged through a USB port. And when fully charged, it can operate for up to 70 minutes at maximum brightness.
Included with the light panel is a mobile phone mounting bracket. This allows you to attach your smartphone to the back of the light. However, the Godox LEDM150 can be used universally with other types of cameras and stands, thanks to a hot shoe mount and 1/4-inch screw.
The Godox LEDM150 smartphone light is an awesome piece of equipment. It is compact and lightweight, which makes it very portable. But don’t let that fool you, this light panel provides high brightness and also comes with a diffuser.
Check the price of the Godox LEDM150 at:
Lume Cube 2.0
The Lume Cube 2.0 is a small yet feature-packed lighting tool that is designed to work in various environments and elements. It’s only 4cm high but it packs enough power to light up a room. That makes it perfect for smartphones and any other type of camera, for that matter.
The Lume Cube 2.0 is a premium LED light. It is designed with a custom Fresnel lens that provides a smooth falloff with no hot spots. The LED inside has a colour rendering index (CRI) of 95+, a 5600K colour temperature, and gives off 750 lux at 1m.
You can control settings such as brightness, light mode, and flash duration on the Cube 2.0 wirelessly using the Lume-X app. Whenever you take a photo using the app, the Cube 2.0 will fire a flash at your desired brightness setting.
A USB-C recharge port is found on the back. It takes up to one hour to recharge the Cube for a run time of 1.5 hours at full brightness. What’s more, you can use the Lume Cube while it recharges.
This pocket-sized light is perfect for travel and can take a serious beating but keep shining. It has an aluminium body and is water-resistant up to about 10 metres. So, you can use it for underwater photography with your smartphone, too.
Check the price of the Lume Cube 2.0 (Travel Kit with 16 accessories) at:
Emart Table Top Light Box
This entry on the list of lighting solutions for smartphones is a more specialised one because it deals with a specific type of photography-- product photography.
The Emart Table Top Light Box is a lighting solution for shooting small products such as jewellery, scaled models, food and more. When fully expanded, the light box is only 16” x 13” x 14”. When it’s time to travel, it can easily be folded down to a portable size.
The Emart Light Box has two built-in LED light strips that can output 10W of continuous lighting with 5500K colour temperature. The LEDs can be powered by a USB power adaptor or a power bank, so you can use it anywhere and any time.
Included in the light box kit are four different colour backdrops that can be set up and removed very easily for a variety of shooting options. A mini tripod is also included to help keep your smartphone steady as you take photos.
Made out of polypropylene, the Emart Table Top Light Box is water-resistant and wrinkle-free. Cleaning it can easily be done by wiping it a damp cloth.
Check the price of the Emart Table Top Light Box at:
Profoto C1 Plus Smartphone Studio Light
Profoto is a well-known brand in the world of professional photography. The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus are the company’s entry into the world of mobile photography. These lights are designed to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand and deliver beautiful lighting on the go.
The Profoto C1 Plus has a round shape that helps it create a soft fall-off. It gives off an adjustable colour temperature of between 3000K to 6500K, so it can match various light conditions throughout the day. And with a CRI of 90+, it produces colours very close to daylight.
The C1 Plus connects to your smartphone using Bluetooth. You can choose to use this light in automatic mode for easy point-and-shoot operation or in manual mode for more creative freedom. And speaking of creative freedom, the C1 Plus supports light shaping tools such as colour gels and grids for more creative possibilities.
A built-in rechargeable Li-Po battery that can give you more than 2000 flashes at the maximum output or over 40 minutes of continuous light at full power in one charge. Charging takes about 2 hours to complete via USB-C.
Check the price of the Profoto C1 Plus at:
Blind Spot Gear Crack Light
The Crack Light from equipment manufacturer Blind Spot Gear is probably the most unique of all the entries on this list. It is no thicker than a credit card, it’s water-resistant, and it’s flexible. The Crack Light is a truly fantastic light that takes LED lighting to the next level.
Despite its size, the Crack Light has quite a powerful output. It has high-quality LEDs, which means your photos will have good colour rendition and skin tones will be accurately reproduced. It has a 5600K colour temperature.
An optional dimmer allows you to adjust the brightness of the Crack Light. This gives you great control of your light so that you can use it in a variety of situations that require different brightnesses.
Thanks to its mounting block and Velcro pads, the Crack Light is adaptable and versatile. You can mount it on a light stand or a tripod using the standard 1/4-inch screw thread. The Velcro comes into play nicely when you need to use the light in tight spaces where a stand will not fit.
The Blind Spot Gear Crack Light can be powered directly from your smartphone or any USB power outlet such as a power bank. It’s a truly remarkable light that you can easily take with you anywhere.
Check the price of the Crack Light at:
Neewer Ring Light Kit
The Neewer Ring Light Kit is another unique and multifunctional entry on this list. It is often called a selfie light but it’s more than just that.
This particular light is designed in the shape of a ring and is made up of 240 dimmable LED bulbs that have an output of 55W and a 5500K colour temperature. It comes with a white and an orange colour filter, so you can change the colour temperature if you want.
The ring light comes with an aluminium light stand that can extend up to 155cm. The light can easily be rotated to whatever position you want. There’s also a smartphone holder that can fit a variety of smartphones.
The Neewer Right is not only great for smartphone photography, but you can also use it for mobile filmmaking, make-up, and vlogging. What’s great about this light is that it creates that round ring of light that’s reflected in your eyes, which can look really cool in pictures and videos.
Check the price of the Neewer Ring Light Kit at:
Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light
This particular lighting option is for selfie lovers. It clips onto your smartphone and gives off soft illumination without harsh light, which is key to good looking selfies.
The Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light has 36 long-lasting LEDs that can provide continuous lighting at three brightness levels. It can be recharged via USB.
There’s no need to worry about the clip-on light scratching your smartphone. It’s designed with a scratch-resistant sponge that also prevents the light from slipping off the phone.
Check the price of the Auxiwa Clip-on Selfie Ring Light at:
Conclusion
Having enough lighting when taking photos with your smartphone isn’t just about illuminating your subject. It also provides the opportunity for you to use lighting creatively in your shots to create mood and drama.
And although the lights listed above are all unique in their own way, they can all be used to improve the quality of your mobile photos.
Of course, there’s more to good mobile photography than just lighting. It takes a combination of the right camera phone, the right accessories, and a good amount of knowledge and skill to be able to take amazing photos with a smartphone.
If you’re not so great at taking pictures with your smartphone and would like to improve on that, I recommend you download the 5 Ways To Improve Your Mobile Photography ebook for free. It is simple and easy to understand yet very informative. You can download your FREE copy here.
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