Best Budget On-Camera LED Light

 
 
 

This tiny light is the Lume Cube Panel Mini. A brand new pocket-sized, bi-color LED that is the perfect size to live on your camera.

What's Included:

  • Panel Mini LED Light
  • Mini Camera Shoe Mount
  • Softening Diffuser
  • USB-C Charging Cable
  • Manual

Features:

  • Power button (hold for 3 seconds to turn on & off).
  • Tap the power button to toggle between brightness and color temperature adjustments.
  • Then use the plus and minor buttons to increase or decrease them.
  • Brightness goes from 1% to 100%.
  • Color temperature goes from a warmer 3200 Kelvin to a cooler 5600 Kelvin.
  • USB-C Charging Port.

Impressions:

  • Very tiny. It's about the size of a credit card. 2.1 inches tall by 3.5 inches wide by 0.45 inches thick. And it is made of aluminum, so it weighs just 3 ounces.
  • Very bright. It has 60 bi-color LED lights which output 550 Lux at a half meter with a CRI of 96.
  • Very smart. The LCD screen on the back shows everything you need to know, even how long the battery will last at the current brightness level. So as you change how bright or dim it is, the amount of time remaining will change.
  • Very soft. Most tiny LED lights cause very harsh shadows because the light comes from such a small size, but the Lume Cube Panel Mini has a built-in frosted lens and comes with an additional rubber diffuser you can easily put on it.
  • Versatile. With the two 1/4"-20 threads on the bottom and side you can mount it into a cold shoe with the included adapter or into a SwitchPod using a simple ball joint. It’s not waterproof though.
  • Long lasting. It lasts 1.2 hours at full power and 14 hours at 1% power. And you can charge it while using it via a USB-C cable into a power bank or AC plug.

Use Cases & Pricing:

  • Now, I wouldn't use this as my main light in a permanent setup, but I would use this as an accent light.
  • I'll always put this in my gear bag now. Whether I need a slight hair light during an interview, a small light on my camera to fill in the shadows on a face while run and gunning, or I’m mounting it on a SwitchPod while vlogging this sized light is extremely versatile.
  • At launch it is $60 US.
  • Their larger panel which is about 3 times as bright, costs $150 US, so depending on your needs, also look at that one.

If you're looking for a small, portable, on camera light, I haven’t seen anything better of the price than this light. Definitely check it out here.