BUYERS’ GUIDE
GODOX TL60 RGB £214/$191 godox.com
KENRO SMART LITE RGB £85/$TBC kenro.co.uk
NANLITE PAVOBULB 10C £72/$75 nanlite.com
The Godox TL60 RGB is a cost-effective yet full-spec LED tube light with a CRI/ TLCI rating of 96/98. At 60cm/23.6in long, it’s not the longest unit, so hanging it like a practical fluorescent tube isn’t particularly suitable. But Godox has a version twice the length, as well as a 30cm/11.8in model. An internal lithium battery gives two hours’ runtime at 100% power. Included is an AC power adapter so you can plug it into the mains. There is also a DMX cable, two wire safety fixings and a retaining clip. This clamps onto the tube and can be fitted to a stand or tripod, or another mount with a 1/4in-20 screw. The whole kit comes in a padded bag, except the remote control will cost you extra. Godox also offers a double adapter to power two lights from a single mains source. The TL60 has a CCT range of 2700 to 6500K and a library of 40 Rosco and Lee filter colours. In RGB mode, there are hue, saturation and intensity controls via five small buttons, as well as + and - buttons. So you can set most important settings from the light itself, using the small LCD panel to navigate the changes. There is also wireless control with DMX or a free smartphone app backed by 32 channels and six groups. A bank of special effects include flash, lightning, candle, fire, police car and TV.
Kenro’s mini RGB LED light panel offers multiple mounting options, an integrated battery and nine pre-programmed special effects, all for not a huge amount of cash. Its 4040mAh battery has a 10W output, lasts around 1.6 hours on a full charge and is charged via USB-C. There’s a battery life indicator on the LED display panel. It’s a diminutive unit at 200g/0.44lb and 149x80x14mm/5.86x3.15x0.55in. CRI is rated 96+ and the CCT colour temperature range spans 7500 to 3200K, with up to 1050 lux of illumination (7500K at 0.5m). It also features a full RGB colour spectrum, with 1-100% controls for both brightness and saturation. Special effects include lightning, flickering screen, candle, three emergency service settings – or cycle through the RGB colour spectrum at a choice of two speeds. The light comes with a bag and the kit also contains an aluminium mini ball head with standard coldshoe insert, which has a 1/4in screw thread in the plate, and can be removed to reveal a 3/8in screw thread for mounting on a light stand. Three further 1/4in screw thread ports are integrated into the light’s casing. Also find a USB-C charging cable and detachable diffuser. Control the light with the Lightsystem app, altering colour temperature, RGB, saturation, brightness and special effects.
Yet another option for a household bulb-type light comes from emerging Chinese brand Nanlite. Its Pavobulb 10C RGBWW light fits into a standard screw- in household light fixture, where you can adjust the colour temperature or hue via the built-in buttons on the light or with the Nanlink app. Weighing only 170g, the Pavobulb 10C features a wide bicolour CCT range of 2700 to 7500K, CRI of 95 and TLCI of 97, with 36,000 colours and 15 customisable special effects. The dome of the Pavobulb 10C is engineered to provide the optimal distance between the LEDs and the diffuser for soft light. This design also improves the beam angle, which you can adjust as much as you like using the Bouncer and Suction Cup accessory, which features an aperture that gives fine control over spill. The Pavobulb 10C may be powered directly by the E27 socket AC input or a USB Type C DC input, so you can use batteries. It can be powered by directly connecting to the standard household outlet or attaching to its own magnetic mount adapter, battery adapter or wired controller. The bulbs can be bought in a kit of four or 12. Three buttons provide quick set-up, but deeper control is available wirelessly via Bluetooth using the free Nanlink app or via 2.4G using Nanlink remote controls. The Nanlite E27 Magnetic Mount and AC Adapter is an optional accessory with a magnetic mount. This provides more freedom for the Pavobulb to appear as a normal light bulb when in the frame.
Pros: Affordable smaller tube light Cons: Remote control costs extra
Pros: Great value, app control Cons: No gel colour options
“In white mode, you can alter the intensity, colour temperature and green-magenta tint”
Pros: Simple to use and good quality Cons: No internal battery
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