TOOLKIT
Pete Townshend takes a closer look at the Neewer CB200C LED, which promises power and versatility for studio-based videographers and photographers NEEWER CB200C RGB LED VIDEO LIGHT TRIED & TESTED
W e’ve seen a number of newcomers to the lighting market in recent years, both good and bad, but we’re pleased to say that the Neewer CB200C is in the former camp. With power, control and versatility, it’s definitely a worthwhile purchase at an affordable £399.99. The Neewer CB200C is a bicolour RGB LED light that offers 200W of power. It’s a continuous light, so ideal for video, but is also a strong consideration for product or portrait photographers. Being mains powered, it’s one for the studio rather than on location and, while its light output may be lower than others in its class, the CB200C’s raft of pro features make it one that shouldn’t be overlooked. The light has an all-metal aluminium shell, so it feels solid in-hand, and should withstand the everyday knocks of studio life. It measures 345x160x120mm and weighs 2.2kg, which is respectable for its class. Illuminance totals 23000 lux/m and colour accuracy is stated as CRI 97+ and TLCI 98+. The power adapter is built into the unit, so the supply comes from a single kettle lead – there are no bulky black boxes. On-board controls sit on the back of the light and consist of analogue buttons, a click-in dial and a colour display. There are several modes that can be selected using the all-round intuitive menu system. The CCT mode allows you to adjust colour temperature from 2500 to 7500K, while the HSI mode gives you a choice of
36,000 colours via a 360° hue angle and range of 0-100% saturation. You can also choose from a variety of built-in Lee and Rosco gel filters for predefined results. Furthermore, there is a ‘presets’ mode for videographers that contains a total of 17 special effects. These get quite specific, ranging from candlelight and lightning through to a TV screen, an explosion and even welding. All modes offer the option to adjust brightness from 0-100%. While the controls were intuitive for our tests, the clicked dial did lack precision. This was a little inconvenient, but not a major issue because the CB200C can also be controlled using the Neewer app. This was simple to download and set up and worked well in practice, with touchscreen sliders allowing smooth and highly accurate adjustments. The app also makes it possible to wirelessly control up to 250 Neewer lights at the same time, so it’s good for larger productions. When in use, a light of this power inevitably generates heat. To combat this, the CB200C has venting for airflow, combined with an automatic fan to control temperatures. Rest assured, the fan has a silent mode to avoid any unwanted interruptions mid-scene. In the box you get the light unit, a standard Bowens-mount reflector, a protective cover, diffuser sock and power cable.
uk.neewer.com
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