Fixed lighting has dropped dramatically in value, with corporations like SmallRig making glorious merchandise — together with equipment — which might be refreshingly accessible. How good is the SmallRig RC120B, a bicolor packing a good quantity of energy and coming in at simply $259?
In case you’re pondering your first fixed gentle to be used at house, or are merely searching for one thing inexpensive and don’t want an excessive amount of energy, the RC120B is a strong possibility. This evaluation is geared in direction of these venturing into lighting for the primary time and are researching choices for YouTube movies and a little bit of product images/videography.
About SmallRig
Based in 2009, SmallRig began out producing cages and rigging tools for videographies, exploiting advances in machine tooling know-how to supply a variety of extremely area of interest merchandise. Lately, these niches have solely deepened because of their DreamRig program, permitting SmallRig’s group of shoppers to contribute concepts that then come to market. Want a cage for the XLR handle of your Sony FX30? SmallRig has you coated.
SmallRig’s First COB Mild
Regardless of the range of their merchandise, it was one thing of a shock final yr to see SmallRig produce its first COB (chip on board) gentle. COB lights have allowed enhancements in LED efficiency, growing brightness whereas decreasing prices, and giving videographers ever extra choices. The SmallRig RC120 — a 120-watt machine — is available in two flavors: a daylight-balanced version with a hard and fast colour temperature (“D”), and a bicolor version that assist you to fluctuate the temperature from 2700k to 6500k — i.e., between heat and chilly. The daylight model is marginally cheaper at $219.
The RC120 lights have been later joined by the RC220, and SmallRig simply launched the RC350 and RC450, all in daylight and bicolor variations, and all packing extra energy.
With the bottom energy and the bottom value, the RC120 Bs and Ds have been a well-liked alternative with anybody producing content material at house. I’d been eyeing up just a few choices when SmallRig reached out to ask me if they might ship me the RC120B to evaluation, however just some weeks after receiving it, I landed a brand new job which took me away from fiddling round with my very own movies, and due to the odd little bit of journey and catching covid, it’s taken till now to get round to writing a correct evaluation. (My because of SmallRig for being affected person!)
I have been utilizing it for infrequent movies and the odd little bit of informal product images and up to now, it is held up properly, and the Bowens mount makes a flexible possibility, each for now and for the longer term.
The Specs and What’s Within the Field
120 watts isn’t a helpful metric, however the 4,450 lux at a distance of 1 meter may a minimum of begin to provide you with a sign of the brightness. By means of comparability, with virtually twice as a lot energy, the RC220B provides 8,670 lux at 5600k. The hyper reflector (included) focuses this gentle, creating the enhance in brightness.
At brief distances, that is loads of brightness for a house studio, however this all modifications while you begin to add modifiers so as to diffuse the sunshine. Including a softbox will dramatically scale back the output — extra on this beneath.
The Bowens mount is a logical alternative. It offers you a variety of choices as there are countless gentle packing containers, lanterns, reflectors, and extra out there.
Stepless dimming means you can tweak to the brightness are easy and with out noticeable increments.
In case you don’t know what the CRI ranking is, it received’t be of a lot significance, however the CRI of 95+ signifies that colours are rendered precisely. For such an inexpensive unit, that is spectacular — one other indication of how COB has progressed lighting know-how.
The carry case is a pleasant contact and for some, will probably be the distinction between the RC120 and the competitors provided by Amaran (a subsidiary of Aputure), such because the Amaran 100x. The bag is sensible, appears strong, provides good safety with out being too heavy, and every little thing has a cosy match.
The Bodily Particulars
Inevitably, there are areas the place SmallRig has lower prices. This doesn’t really feel like a premium unit and with any entry-level product provided at a pretty value, you surprise how lengthy it can final and the way properly components will survive. The lean adjustment — which provides 270 levels — whereas strong and with steel components the place they depend, may surrender.
Those that anticipate constant efficiency for a few years will know they’re in all probability greatest investing in one thing extra premium, however for infrequent house studio use, it is in all probability greater than ample. SmallRig has a fame for making sturdy gear, a minimum of. To date I’ve knocked it over as soon as with none penalties.
The Controls
On the again of the unit, there’s an on/off swap and a pair of dials. The primary dial controls the depth on a scale of 0 to 100. When clicked, it controls the temperature. The second dial cycles by way of numerous inventive modes reminiscent of paparazzi and lightning. Each are straightforward to make use of and refining settings is simple.
Provided that I can not see myself ever utilizing these inventive choices, one dial for depth and one dial for temperature could be a bit extra user-friendly.
There may be an app that pairs pretty painlessly by way of Bluetooth, and the Apple Retailer notes that, past connecting to the sunshine, the app doesn’t ship any knowledge. Once I first used it, I gave up pretty rapidly because the app was each laggy and a bit buggy. Once I revisited it for the needs of this evaluation, it labored high-quality.
Including a Modifier
SmallRig has a small vary of modifiers with these RC lights in thoughts — two parabolic soft boxes and a lantern. I opted for one thing low-cost and cheerful from Neewer that does the job, however when attempting to plan your lighting system for a house studio, remember the fact that all of this gear has a footprint. If house is at a premium, an LED panel is perhaps a barely higher possibility, and the loss in brightness will likely be offset by how shut you’ll doubtless be positioning your self. Understand that the LED panel is not going to supply the identical degree of versatility, nonetheless.
The Fan
Like several gentle, it generates warmth, and a fan clicks on to maintain the temperature down. The hum is quiet and wasn’t loud sufficient to be picked up whereas filming at my desk. Understand that the fan is totally automated and it’ll click on on and off as required; it is a lot simpler to take away a hum if it is fixed somewhat than intermittent.
What I Favored
- easy controls
- versatile Bowens mount
- good vary of tilt
- quiet
- helpful bag
What I Did not Like
- the app was a bit buggy
- I would want one dial for depth and one dial for temperature
Conclusion
The SmallRig RC120B is a strong possibility for anybody on a finances and in the hunt for a bicolor COB gentle. It isn’t as inexpensive as a few of the LED panels out there however the Bowens mount makes it way more versatile. On the time of writing, B&H Picture lists it at a reduction, making it $181.30 as an alternative of its regular value of $259. Already inexpensive, this is a superb deal.
