There has been a lot of questions around lighting. Which honestly, I'm happy about... that means you're thinking about the right things!

I personally believe that lighting is much MUCH more important than the camera you are using. Whether you're shooting on an iPhone, or a fancy mirrorless camera, if you have crappy lighting then... your video is just not going to look good.

We all have smartphones already, which means we all have fairly powerful "video cameras" already. So don't bother with getting the latest and greatest camera (yet). If you have some cash to spend, or are considering picking up some gear for your vertical video endeavors, consider getting or upgrading your lighting.

Recommended Lighting for Video

A good starting point:
Godox SL60ii

Nearly every video creator has started out with this inexpensive and easy to use monolight.

At under $150, it's fairly easy on the wallet too, and will be far more effective than the ultra-cheap Amazon-brand alternatives.

👉 Make sure you get the bi-color version. 👈

The workhorse:
Nanlite FS-150 Bi-color

For only about $100 more than the Godox SL60, you get over twice the power and far better build-quality.

Nanlite produces some of my all-time favorite video lights and the FS-150 Bi-color gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

👉 This is the monolight I use in Vertical Video 101. 👈

Small but mighty:
Zhiyun MOLUS G200 Bi-color

I'm truly blown away by this video light. It's super compact, light-weight, easy to travel with, and incredibly bright (and bi-color!)

This one is closer to $400, but if you can swing it, it will be well worth the investment.

👉 Say goodbye to bulking lighting equipment. 👈

Most versatile:
Nanlite PavoTube II 6c

This little guy is my pet favorite. I have one of these just out of frame in the majority of videos. It's another mobile-friendly option, that is slim, rechargeable, and surprisingly bright for its small size.

👉 The linear shape also makes it ideal for shooting bottles and beverages. 👈