Good lighting can make all the difference in the quality of work you can produce as a photographer. If you’ve never heard of a self-inflating light, today could be the day you add one of these to your camera bag.
Lighting is obviously an important part of photography, but not all light is created equal. Many factors come into play when trying to decide if a light is good or not. The two main areas for many potential buyers are the power of the light and how portable it is. These two factors seem to score high in SIRUI A100B Two colorsThis is a versatile light that has been recently reviewed by photographers and educators Nigel Barros in his latest video.
The review begins with Barros talking about the light and pointing out some of its potential uses. This is where we find out that the product is a little different in construction, as it is self-inflating. This may sound like a gimmick, but the build quality looks as solid as similar softboxes on the market, with the added benefit that you don’t need to build anything and everything. Foldable when not in use.
Next, we’ll see one of the more useful features of light, which is a color temperature that ranges from 2800k all the way up to 8500k. This means you’ll be able to get everything from extreme cool to warm sunshine if you need to balance multiple light sources. The video goes on to show some of the pros and cons of the light, which you’ll be glad to know are mostly positives. A few downsides to this particular lamp are the noise from the fan in the power brick and the way the panel attaches to the bracket. Two small details that I think most photographers can accept.
What I really like about Barros’ videos is that they are equally informative and educational. The video shows us all we need to know about the lighting in question, as well as shows us a few setups that we can try out for ourselves. As an added bonus, Barros shot the entire video using a 10 year old kid Panasonic GH3 . Camera to illustrate how important good lighting is to equipment. A lesson that I think many of us need to remind ourselves from time to time. Is the SIRUI A100B Bi-Color Lamp worth adding to your camera bag? I think it’s well worth considering, especially if you’re mixing stills and video. These lights don’t come cheap at around $400, so I’d recommend trying to rent one to see if it fits all your boxes first.
What do you think of this inflatable light? Do you think you’ll add one to your camera bag? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
