Lighting Equipment for Low Budget Filmmaking

by Tom Barrance | Updated March 2024

This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Learn to work with natural light before you buy lighting
If you need a serious lighting kit, consider hiring rather than buying
Five in one reflector-diffusers help you make the most of natural light
LED lights are safer than tungsten and can run off battery power
Worklamps from hardware stores make effective budget lights

Film lighting can be expensive and awkward to use, and it takes practice to get good results. I suggest you learn to get the best out of natural light first, maybe with simple reflectors and diffusers. If you need a full lighting kit it may be better to hire it. But it can be useful to own a basic portable light; maybe not to use as a main lighting source, but as a ‘fill’. Traditionally films used three-point lighting, but you may not need three lights. Many documentary makers just use one main light. They may use a reflector for fill, and sometimes an additional light for the background or as a rim light to illuminate the edge of the subject.

Reflector/diffusers

To enhance natural light, get an inexpensive folding 5 in 1 reflector which includes a diffuser (to reduce and soften light); gold, white and silver reflectors (to ‘fill’ or lighten shadows); and a black side to use as a ‘flag’ (to block out light and make shadows deeper). I have two – a small and large one.
Check price/buy Adorama

Tungsten lights

Traditional tungsten/halogen lights are powerful and have great colour rendition. But they’re expensive, hot, and need mains power. Most filmmakers are switching to LEDs which are cooler, safer and can run off batteries. If you want tungsten, I’d suggest looking for used sets in good condition rather than buying new.

COB (chip on board) lights

These LED spotlights are the most cost-effective and powerful options for lighting. You’ll normally need a softbox to soften the light.

They get hot, so most of them are fitted with cooling fans which can be noisy. The majority have a ‘Bowens’ mount, which lets you attach a wide range of standard lighting modifiers.

Some can run off (expensive) V-mount batteries but others are mains-only.

Godox SL150

The Godox SL 150 III is powerful, with a fairly quiet fan which you can turn off when necessary. It’s mains-only.
Check price/buy Adorama

The Godox SL60 (also mains-only) is much cheaper, but the fan is noisier.
Check price/buy Adorama

LS300x COB light

The powerful but more expensive Aputure LS300x can adapt to a wider range of colour temperatures than most bi-color lights, and has good colour rendition. You can control it wirelessly.
Check price/buy Adorama

For most uses you’ll need a softbox to make the light more even. Octagonal softboxes are slightly more expensive, and slower to assemble, than square ones. But they give a more even light and create natural-looking ‘catchlights’ in people’s eyes. The Godox octagonal softboxes come in a range of sizes. Bigger softboxes create softer lights. They include an optional grid or ‘eggcrate’ which you can use to make the light more directional.
Check price/buy Adorama

Godox Lantern

Lantern softboxes are more suitable for illuminating larger spaces. You can’t attach an eggcrate.
Check price/buy Adorama

Lighting stands

If you’re working with a friend you could get them to hold LED panels for you. Otherwise you’ll definitely need a lighting stand. Godox make a range of affordable stands.

C-stand

For heavier lights like the Godox above, you need professional C-stands, which you can weight with sandbags.
Find C-stands Adorama

Budget lighting options

Film lighting

You can use inexpensive clamp lamps, builders’ work lights or high powered torches instead of pro lights. Roberto Rodriguez used these for his low-budget debut El Mariachi.

If you’re using tungsten bulbs rather than compact fluorescent (CFL) or LED bulbs, be careful as they’ll get hot and can shatter dangerously. Never move hot tungsten lights: wait for them to cool down first.

Chinese balls

Alternatively, put high powered LED bulbs into standard light fittings or Chinese balls. For good colour rendition you need LEDs with a CRI of 95 or more (though you don’t need to worry about this if you’re making a black and white film).