CharleyL
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 p.1 #1 · SmallRig RF 10 C Portable Focusable LED Light With color and modifier capability. | |
Last week I ordered one of these from Amazon. It's a newly released product that I think I have a good use for and although I have yet to put into use, I expect it to work very well for projecting shaped light patterns on my backdrops, but at the rated 10W max, I'm already wishing that it could be brighter. I have a large Godox DP1000 III studio strobe and Welmaking lens that I have been using, but it's big, bulky, and quite heavy so it doesn't get used much. In fact, it's hanging from my studio lighting support grid high and behind the camera position right now.
This new projector light from SmallRig is about the size of a large cylindrical battery flashlight. It's light output can be varied by a knob on it's side and it's a multi purpose knob. Pressing it turns the light on but rotating the knob 1/4 turn is needed after the green light around the button lights to actually turn the light on, so an accidental press won't actually turn the light on and waste the battery while packed in your camera bag. A longer press turns it off. While on, short presses of the button will step it through red, green, blue, yellow colors, and about 5600 Kelvin white color. Rotating the knob varies the brightness. The front lens assembly slides forward and back about an inch to vary the size/focus of the beam.
The light has a 1/4-20 female threaded hole in the center of each of the sides at 90 deg to the button, so a bit forward of the light's center of gravity, and a cell phone oval socket for charging is directly opposite the button for charging the internal non replaceable battery (maybe it can be replaced, but it's not intended for easy replacement, so likely difficult if even possible). Still, at the relatively low price of this light non replaceable battery is not really an issue. Another 1/4-20 female threaded hole is in the center of the back end of the light, and I suspect that this attachment point will be the one that I'll most frequently use, but it's nice to know that the side points are available too. I'll most likely be using one of the Godox swivel light stand mounts like come with the Godox AD200 Pro II lights to attach this light to a light stand, as I have several extra spares of them handy.
The light comes with a rubber boot that slides over the lens end of the light and this boot is zig zag collapsible when being stored. It pulls out easily and the facing edge has a groove for inserting the round plastic modifiers that are included with the light. There are 20 of these pattern disks included with the light. They are made from black plastic, a bit fragile, but since the light is LED, stainless or other metal is of no benefit here. Each is flexible, but may break if not treated carefully.
The light comes with a USB charging cable, but no charger. Being USB, I first time charged it using the USB connector on this laptop, but it had a significant charge already in the battery when the light was received.
The light also comes with a gray soft fabric cloth drawstring bag to hold the light and it's accessories. I've already started using a better suitable nylon side zipper bag for my light and it's accessories, but have added a zip Lock sandwich sized Freezer bag for keeping the modifiers protected and together inside this larger bag alongside the charging cable and other accessories. This freezer bag will likely be replaced when I find a suitable sized fabric draw string bag to replace it.
My only complaint so far about this light is that I wish it had more power. You can't do much with it in areas with room lighting, so controlled light in a studio will likely be the only place where it will be effective. I expect to only use it in my studio for both photo and video background light patterns to change what otherwise is a plain background into something a bit more interesting. Adding light this way doesn't work well unless the background material is medium gray, but keeping it far enough from the subject and this light likely behind the subject will get the result that I'm looking for, even at this low 10W power.
A few photos will follow, after I can get to use the light, but I've had some relatively serious health problems ending in surgery a week ago, and I haven't done much except stare at my photography gear since. Every day is better though, but I have doctor appointments every day now, so won't be here to play with anything until these appointments taper off.
Charley
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