I’ve been a big fan of LED lighting for a while now. I adore the ease of use and convenience for still life, product and even headshot lighting. I’m also a big fan of something that not only looks good, but is functional. And well, just works straight out of the box. I recently got to check out the Hobolite Mini 20W Bi-Colour continuous LED.
Out of the box, it’s pretty simple to use. It comes with a few cool accessories and they are all magnetic…yes magnetic. It’s only 20W, but when you can pop it on its little light stand (or indeed a full-size light stand), or a tripod this little light can be VERY versatile. Let’s have a closer look!
Note: Blonde Robot (Australian Hobolite Distributor) sent the Hobolite Mini kit to review and return. However, this is a completely independent review. All thoughts about this light are my own.
Pros
- Runs on batteries and is quite small small
- Is very cool and funky, great retro design
- Variable controls for power and color temp (2700K — 6500K)
- Minimalist design, Small and lightweight, easily to clip to light stands (screw on)
- Intelligent cooling with heat sink and fan
- The fan is whisper quiet, great for video
- Easy to turn dials for power and temperature, and simple on/off switch
- All accessories, the diffuser, the grid, gels and barn doors are all magnetic.
Cons
- The battery is built-in, would be handy to swap batteries in and out
- Battery (on full power) only lasts 50mins, which can be a pain on a day trip and you can’t swap out the batteries
Hobolite Mini — Technical specifications
All of the technical specifications are from their website/marketing material.
- Output Power (Max): 20W
- Color Temperature Range: 2700K~65,000K
- Peak Illuminance: 28888 Lux (@0.5m, 6500tK)
- Magnetic Property: Yes (from Barn door mount)
- Cooling Method: Fan
- Expansion Accessories: Yes
- App Control: Yes (Bluetooth 65.6 feet)
- Battery run time: 50 mins on full power
- Dimensions: 3.3″ X 2.5″ X 4″ (without accessories)
- Net Weight: 1 lb (without accessories) Creator Kit 3.75 lbs
- Operating temperature: 14-104F
Hobolite Mini — Versatility
You can adjust the light intensity and the color. I like it set to 5600k. But that is really just a personal choice. You can change the color temperature, so it’s effectively adding gels, which could be handy in certain circumstances.
Ergonomics are great. It does have a fan, which is fairly quiet. The diffuser and grid work quite well to soften and direct the light. It’s fine on its light stand, I’m not sure I would want to place it on top of the camera, but I guess it’s possible you could. You can even get an optional magnetic light mount for attaching to metalwork for stability up high. Has a whole range of (optional) accessories too.
Build quality
Small and sturdy, dials are firm and stable but easily turned. The accessories are all magnetic, making it a breeze to add and remove. Feels very sturdy and compact. Made of aircraft-grade aluminium. Funky retro look, a bit like an old-school film camera. Non slips surface on sides.
Out of the box
It comes in a handy carry pack with the light, mini light stand, power cable (USB C-type), diffuser, grid, gels, barn doors and Quick Start guide.
Hobolite Mini — Seamless lighting options
Thanks to some innovative technology this little light might just change the way you see LED lights (if my other reviews haven’t already). Small and compact but powerful enough for macro, a fill light for video and for so many other uses – like still life, product photography or even headshots. Versatile and adaptable to whatever you want to use it for. And the best part, it’s simple to use.
Mounting
I mounted mine on the supplied mini light stand on my desk. For macro and product photography (with small objects), but you could easily pop on a larger light stand with a screw-on attachment or adaptor.
Setup
It’s so simple to use. However, to turn it on you press the power button and a little message appears, to turn the dial, ie; to turn the Mini on use one quick press and twist the dial. This is handy so you’re not wasting the battery accidentally pressing the power. Adjust the dials for power and color temp. Add the barn doors, diffuser, grid or gels and you’re ready to shoot. It’s that simple. I used it for some product photography in the studio. It gave beautiful soft and natural-looking light. Especially when using the diffuser.
Hobolite Mini — A terrific lighting addition to your kit
I have been using this light in the studio for a variety of shoots from macro, still life and product photography. It’s a terrific little light and very handy. The fact that it is so small, lightweight and easy to use is a big plus for me. It is a little on the pricey side. Sample images below on AP mode (Sony A7RV) at 5600K.
Sample images
Gels and diffuser
The Hobolite Mini comes with a grid, dome diffuser and four gels: red, yellow, blue and green. See the sample images below.
You can check out the unboxing video below:
Available from Hobolite or B&H Photo.
