I have a very small office space which I use to work and film tutorials. For the filming part, I was looking for a compact lighting solution. Typical studio lights are usually quite large and won’t provide the versatility I need. That’s why I’m happy to recommend the Colbor CL60R that I review in this article.
This tiny LED studio light is perfect for small spaces and offers some cool features at an affordable price.
specifications
The Color CL60R is an RGB LED that not only lets you control brightness and color temperature, but also lets you choose from over three million colors in HSI mode. At full intensity, it can deliver 2,600 lux at a distance of one meter. It can be further augmented with the included reflector mounted via a Bowens adapter.
CRI rating of 97+, quiet fan, weight of only 600 g, option to combine multiple lights in one matrix and an app you can use to remotely control all the lamp features in the package provided by Colbor.
I should also mention that 13 lighting effects can be simulated, including lightning, fire, and TV. If you use the Colbor CL60R as ambient light in your video production, those effects can be useful even though they are unrelated to photography.
In addition to a carrying bag, Bowens mount, reflector, and adapter for attaching the light to a lamp holder, the Colbor CL60R also comes with a compact AC adapter for plugging into a wall outlet. Included with this adapter is a 3 m USB-C cable that powers the device.
What I Like
As I show in the featured video, since I didn’t have much space behind the camera when filming in the office, I placed the light outside the frame and hit the white wall and ceiling above the camera. The light reflected from this setup is very soft, and thanks to the power of the Colbor CL60R, it was still bright enough for me to use. I rarely go over the 50% intensity when recording movies at 1/50th of a second, ISO 100 and f/2.8.
And with that intensity, I can use the so-called quiet mode of light. The fan then goes largely unnoticed, which is ideal for filming. And even at higher intensity in smart mode, the fan is very quiet and never a problem when I record with DJI Microphone near my mouth.
What I noticed as soon as I opened the lightbox was the quality of its build and its cube-like design. It feels well made and solid, and has different mounting points on each side. They allow you to attach accessories such as V-Mount batteries or combine multiple lights in a matrix.
However, the build quality doesn’t contribute too much weight. At 600 g, the Colbor light feels very light. Size wise, it’s no more than a few.
One of the most important features of LEDs is the variable temperature setting. I can find the perfect temperature for any situation between 2,700 and 6,500 K. With the Colbor app, I can do it remotely.
Electric mother 99
If you buy such a compact lamp, one idea that may come to your mind is to use it outside. Since it doesn’t add much weight to a regular camera backpack, it’s perfect for those outdoor photo shoots where you need extra light. I recently used it to take pictures of the woods at night.
Now you might be asking how to power the light in such a photo session. The answer comes from Moman, who have several compact V-Mount batteries in their lineup. For my photo session, I paired the Colbor CL60R with Mother Power 99 . Battery. The temperature did not exceed 5 °C and I used the lamp at about 70% intensity for almost 30 minutes. After shooting, the 99Wh battery still has nearly 80% capacity.
Similar to the Colbor lamp, the battery is a compact power source. It fits in the palm of your hand, weighs just 500g, is rated safe to take on board, and has two 200 W D-Tap outputs that you can use to power not one, but two. lamp. Alternatively, you can use the two USB outputs at the top of the battery to charge smaller electronic devices.
The only thing that takes away some of its versatility is the relatively large D-Tap charger, which you have to buy separately. If Moman manages to get rid of it in a future battery version and allow charging via USB-C, it will be perfect for off-grid travel. Another feature I would like to see is support for fast charging via USB socket. The battery can then power tablets and laptops.
What can be improved
I like the ability to use the app to control the lighting, and the offer from Colbor works well enough. But there is room for improvement. Apps can be more responsive, and moving the slider will affect the lighting directly. Currently, new settings are only sent to the device after you release the slider. It will be fixed in future updates of the app.
Then I had a bit of a problem with the two wheels on the back of the device. It’s not a wheel but a switch that isn’t as well built as the rest of the lights. Instead, I enjoyed the proper knobs. LCD can also use an upgrade.
Conclusion
Based on the features, portability, and build quality of the Colbor CL60R, the $199 price tag is reasonable. If you don’t require the RGB option, you can save $50 and choose the option CL60, sold for $149. The biggest selling point for me is its size and weight. If you’re not attaching a large dimmer via the included Bowens adapter, you can fit the light even into small spaces. Combined with a V-Mount battery like the Moman Power 99, it gives you all the flexibility you need to get creative.
