Joby’s Beamo Ring Light And RangePod Tripod Is A No-Brainer

Have you ever seen someone on a live stream or broadcasting from home who seems to have a superbly clear video feed? Your first thoughts may be that they have a top-of-the-range webcam, but they may also have a proper lighting setup.

Webcams need a decent amount of light to produce good-quality images and if a scene is too dark, the images will soon look fuzzy and grainy. So, before you ditch your webcam for a more expensive model, check whether your lighting is adequate, especially if you want to look your best during a Zoom call or when livestreaming.

All sorts of lights are available from various manufacturers, but many are unlabeled products from China and may not guarantee optimum performance. Choosing a well-known brand is one way to ensure you get a high-quality light. Companies with an excellent reputation to protect seldom market sub-standard products.

A ring light is probably the best source for live streaming or Zoom calls. I’ve tried quite a few over the year, but they can vary significantly in quality. Ring lights are a perfect illumination source because they produce an all-round soft lighting effect that’s incredibly flattering. A good ring light can take years off your face.

The Ring Light RangePod Smart Kit from Joby is an all-in-one lighting solution that includes a ring light and a tripod to mount it on. The kit has been designed for video conferencing and live streaming and comprises a 12-inch Beamo ring light with multiple cold shoe attachment points at each quadrant for attaching accessories like microphones.

The Joby Beamo has 10 brightness levels and can be powered using a USB 5V/2A source. There’s a choice of color temperature settings ranging from 3,000K through to 5,600K. The brightness and color temperature settings can be changed using an inline switch on the power cable, which offers instant changes so you can see which settings work best. The Beamo weighs just 330g so it can also be mounted on a microphone boom arm.

Along with the Beamo Ring Light, this kit comes with what I think is one of the best compact tripods on the market. The Joby RangePod Smart is a professional tripod with a sturdy aluminum construction. It also ships with a ball head, quick-release plate and Joby’s smartphone clamp for mounting a phone in landscape or portrait orientation.

The tripod legs use Joby’s M-lock system, a fast twist-and-lock mechanism that quickly and easily adjusts the four leg sections. There’s also an Arca-Swiss compatible quick-release plate featuring the same metal plate technology used in Joby’s GorillaPod 5K Kit. Although the tripod is compact with a closed length of just 42.5cm, it can carry cameras up to 8kg and reach a height of 1.6m.

If you don’t already have a tripod for your video or still camera, then the Joby RangePod Smart is a great choice. It’s straightforward to adjust and can be set up to shoot from a low viewpoint. The RangePod also makes the ideal stand for the Beamo Ring Light. It ensures it is always at the correct height and heavy enough to ensure the light doesn’t get blown over, especially when shooting outdoors under windy conditions.

Verdict: If you don’t own a tripod already and need to upgrade the lighting setup for your webcam, then Joby’s Ring Light RangePod Smart Kit is an affordable and convenient way of getting yourself set up for professional video production. Because the Beamo Ring Light can run off USB power, it’s possible to use it on location with a power bank. The Joby RangePod Smart is a great compact tripod for the money and provides enough height for standing shots to camera. The tripod can handle 8kg of kit, packs down to just 42cm, and comes with a deluxe carry case. If you haven’t got a tripod and ring light yet, this kit from Joby is a no-brainer.

Pricing & Availability: The Joby Ring Light RangePod Smart Kit is available now and costs $194.90 / £157.90. The Beamo Ring Light can be bought separately for $34.95 /£24.95. The Job RangePod Smart tripod costs $159.95 / £132.95.

More info: joby.com

Tech Specs:

Joby Beamo Ring Light 12”