If you’re struggling to get clear shots at night with your GoPro or DJI Osmo, then you need an action camera flashlight.
Even the best action cameras are notorious for having poor low-light image quality, mostly due to their tiny lenses and sensors.
Unlike most DSLRs, actions cameras don’t have flash. However, what you’re looking for is a continuous light source.
To be able to get crisp video footage indoors, or when the sun starts to set, we recommend attaching a specially designed LED flashlight to your camera.
In some cases, you can even use them underwater – an environment where it’s especially tricky to get clear shots out of a GoPro.
You may have to purchase an additional case or ‘media mod’ to attach a flashlight to your action camera, but these also serve to protect them too.
Other action camera flashlights include cold shoe mounting ‘fingers’, meaning you can use them with all your favorite mounts.
Let’s take a closer look at the best products of the year.
4 Powerful Action Camera Flashlights
1. Suptig High Power Waterproof Action Camera Flashlight
If you’re looking for a good flashlight for underwater applications, this is the one for you. The Suptig flashlight has been tested to be water-resistant up to 45 m (147 ft) underwater.
This action camera flashlight is small and lightweight – 2.95″ x 1.65″ x 2.75″ (7.5 cm x 4.19 cm x 7 cm) and it weighs 2.88 ounces (81 grams).
It has 36 LEDs and lights at a 60-degree angle. The color temperature of its light is between 5500K and 6000K, providing a neutral, natural color to your images or footage.
It has three lighting modes – the brightest one (HI) reaches 500 lumens. In this mode, the battery life is about 1.5 hours, but you can use the power saving mode (LOW), which will last up to 4 hours. The longest battery life is in SOS mode when it lasts up to 6 hours.
You can recharge your action camera flashlight via a micro USB cable. Still, the battery is removable – so you can also bring some more external batteries if you need long battery life.
It’s compatible with GoPro hero 3 and up, XiaoYi XJCAM, Yi Action, and other brands. Your purchase is covered by a 24-month warranty and a 30-day money-back warranty.
2. GoPro Light Mod
The GoPro Light Mod is another excellent action camera flashlight for underwater applications – you can dive to a max. of 20 m (33ft).
It has five different light modes, including a strobe for signalling and visibility if you need help in dark conditions while using your GoPro action camera.
The four brightness levels allow you to adjust the lumens to change the beam strength. The levels are 20 lumens, 60 lumens, 125 lumens and 200 lumens for the most brilliant lighting.
The battery life changes according to the level: at the lowest level, it can last up to 6 hours, then 2 hours, one hour, and 30 seconds in overdrive (200 lumens).
The battery is built-in and can be charged via a USB Type C cable. The color temperature of the light without the diffuser is 5700k, with a CRI of 90.
As an action camera flashlight, you can attach it to a GoPro Hero8 Black, or use it with a Hero 10 Black, Hero 9 Black, or Hero 8 Black via Media Mod. However, you can also use it like a typical flashlight using any GoPro mount.
Its compact design makes it perfect for adventurous GoPro users, but unfortunately, you can’t use it on any of the popular GoPro alternatives.
3. ULANZI LED Video Light for Action Cameras
This action camera flashlight is perfect for shooting video or photos in low-light conditions.
It has 81 LEDs – 40 of them give warm light, and 41 are for cool light. Depending on which beads are on, you can have a color temperature of 3200k or 5600k, and it has a CRI of 95+.
You can charge the built-in lithium battery of your action camera flashlight using a USB Type C cable. A three-hour full charge will last 150 minutes at maximum brightness and 480 minutes in low power – longer than the battery in many popular action cameras.
The beam strength in hi-mode covers a distance of 6 meters, and the low mode illuminates 3 meters. The light angle is 120 degrees.
The flashlight body has three cold shoe mounts in case you want to attach mics, an extra light or other accessories. The universal hot shoe mount makes it compatible with many action cameras – but it’s also compatible with a compact or mirrorless camera.
This is not only an action camera flashlight: it can also work as a stand-alone flashlight because you can mount it on a tripod or a lightstand using a 1/4-inch screw.
The size is 3″ x 3.5″ x 1″ (7.6 cm x 8.9 cm x 2.5 cm) and the weight is 4.2 ounces (120 grams) meaning it won’t weigh down your favorite action camera, and you can even use it alongside an action camera microphone attachment too.
4. Suptig Adjustable Color Temperature LED Video Light
This action camera flashlight allows you to dim the light and choose the color temperature between 2500k, 5250k, and 8000k. This makes it perfect for night shots, low light situations and even for macro photography where you need to dial in the right light.
You can adjust the Suptig to different brightness levels. The battery lasts up to 60 minutes at the maximum level and 120 at the minimum power level. However, you can plug it into a computer or battery bank to run on external power without limits for longer battery life.
Remember that unlike other action camera flashlights in this article, this one is not waterproof. So, if you’re looking for something to go underwater, this isn’t the device for you.
It’s compatible with GoPro DJI Osmo, AKASO Campark and most action cameras. However, it’s not just for an action cam – you can also use it with smartphones, compact, mirrorless and DSLR or SLR cameras.
The size is 2.55″ x 2.12″ x 0.59″ (6.5 cm x 5.3 cm x 1.5 cm) and the weight is 1.92 ounces (54 grams). By purchasing this action camera flashlight, you get a worry-free 18-month warranty.
7 Tips for Getting the Most out of an Action Camera Flashlight
These are some useful tips for getting ultra-crisp footage or photographs using an action camera flashlight:
- ISO – Using an action camera flashlight will allow you to prevent noise even in low light and night shots. So, use it to your advantage by lowering your ISO values.
- Shutter Speed – The more powerful your action camera flashlight is, the faster you can set the shutter speed. This means you can freeze your subject and ensure sharp images.
- Aperture – If the brightness of the action camera flashlight is not enough, try opening the aperture to let in more light. However, if you can set it to a brighter level, you can close the aperture to achieve a deeper depth of field.
- White Balance – Many action camera flashlights allow you to change the color temperature. Make sure you set the correct white balance in your action cam.
- Diffusers – Add a diffuser to your action camera flashlight to soften the shadows. Make sure you compensate by adjusting the beam strength.
- Extra-long battery life – Avoid running out of power by bringing external batteries if your action camera flashlight has a removable battery or a power bank to recharge the built-in battery.
- Save battery – Not all low-light situations are the same. Shooting at night or in total darkness might require maximum power, but most action camera flashlights allow you to dim the light. A low setting might be enough for a sunset or indoor setting, and it’ll make your battery last a lot longer. Also, make sure you turn off the action camera flashlight when you’re not shooting.
Final Words
I hope this article helped you in your search for the perfect action camera flashlight. Let us know in the comments which one you use and why you would (or wouldn’t) recommend it.
