Elgato Key Light Air (first generation)

When this model makes sense

Keep an owned light and its matching mount. Start with that job, then check the surrounding connections. A feature on this device does not establish that the computer, software and destination support the same path.

If you already own this model, keep it in the builder and test the path you actually use. Its lifecycle label is a new-purchase boundary, not a claim that functioning equipment must be replaced. Current-generation features are deliberately kept separate from this record.

Three useful fits

• Keep this exact owned generation when its recorded input and output cover your existing session.
• Replace a missing cable or mounting part before replacing a working device; use the connector and dimensions listed for this generation.
• Rehearse the current host and software path after an update. Retain the device if the recorded output still works for the whole session.

• Best starting job: keep an owned light and its matching mount.
• Upgrade around owned gear: use the setup builder to check this connection against your existing computer and sources before replacing adjacent equipment.
• Controlled comparison: compare the required input, output and workflow using the lighting layout guide. Choose the smaller sufficient path when extra hardware does not solve a declared problem.

Connections and decision fields

Read connector shape and data protocol separately. An adapter can change the cable ends; it cannot create a faster host controller, add a microphone preamp or convert protected HDMI into a supported capture source.

Exact identity

Elgato Key Light Air (first generation)

Lifecycle

Legacy; for owners only

Equipment role

lighting

Connector shape

None documented

Brightness

1400 lm adjustable

Color Temperature

2900–7000 K

Power Draw

Up to 25 W

Leds

80 OSRAM LEDs

Color Rendering

CRI above 94

Panel Area

About 300 square cm

Dimensions

205 × 205 × 35 mm

Weight

550 g

Mount Height

60–89 cm

Mounts

1/4 inch ball head

Data protocol

Wi-Fi2.4 GHz802.11b/g/n

Wireless Security

WPA/WPA2

Power input

DC13 V2 A; adapter100–240 VAC

Included parts

Key Light Air panel; Telescopic pole and base with securing screw; Ball mount; Power supply

Use the listed modes as a starting point for the connection. Before a live session, select the exact source in OBS and record it with the other devices connected. If the required mode is absent, lower the output or change the connection before replacing the source.

Check these conditions first

1. The main limitation: Keep its original stand and matching power supply. Measure that base on the desk; the MK.2 clamp, USB power and dimensions do not describe this light.
2. The rest of the path: the operating system must recognize the input, and the production application must expose the selected mode. A device visible in a system panel may still be unavailable to OBS if another application owns it.
3. The session conditions: check the full intended duration with all the other devices connected. A short isolated test does not expose shared USB contention, camera runtime limits, accidental monitoring loops or changing household upload.

For a light, check the stand or clamp against the actual desk and keep the power path separate from control. Place the light for the face and camera exposure first; do not assume a bigger fixture fixes glare, glasses reflections or mixed room color.

If the builder reports a hard blocker, solve that requirement before buying an alternative. A conditional result needs the named check. An unknown result means the information is insufficient; it is not a negative review of this model.

What is included, and what may be missing

• Key Light Air panel
• Telescopic pole and base with securing screw
• Ball mount
• Power supply

These are the components shown in the original Air assembly guide. Retain its matching power supply and base; the MK.2 clamp and USB power design use a different setup.

Write down both cable ends and the required data rating. Check length against the real desk route, allowing slack at moving joints without putting tension on a socket. If a host has USB-A and a device arrives with only a C-to-C cable, choose a suitable data cable or adapter; the host’s underlying data speed still applies.

Mounting parts deserve the same check as signal cables. Confirm thread, clamp thickness, load and available space where these apply. “Mount compatible” is incomplete without the mating connector or dimensions. Keep adapters in the plan so the final wiring sheet does not conceal an extra purchase.

Use the optional cost fields in the builder for amounts you have observed yourself. A missing purchase amount stays unknown and is excluded from the known subtotal; it is never shown as a free item. The site does not display hardware prices or stock.

Place it in the complete setup

The diagram illustrates a direct USB setup. Put Elgato Key Light Air (first generation) in its lighting role, then follow each required input to an actual source and each output to an actual destination. For an HDMI or XLR component, insert the required capture device or interface between the source and host; do not interpret the direct USB illustration as a universal connection.

1. Connect mounts and power before plugging in the signal cables. Keep the input gain or monitor volume low while changing connections.
2. Select the exact device and mode in the operating system and production software. Close any second application that may be using the same video device.
3. Add each source once. If a routing application already feeds the capture audio to OBS, do not enable a second direct route for the same sound.
4. Record a representative sample with speech, movement and other sources active. Play it back independently of the live monitoring path.
5. Test the platform preview with the intended network and output settings, then save a recovery scene and reconnection order.

Use the Setup Path Builder to produce a connection ledger, or go directly to the pre-stream checklist when you have finished the wiring. For the underlying choice, see lighting layout.