NEEWER 160 LED CN-160 Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Camera Video Light

I wasn't sure what sort of lamp I'd need to light up some of my videos. Did a bit of research online (as I imagine if you're reading this you're also doing) and discovered these rather cool CN-160 LED lamps. There seems to be a few versions of this out there but this one is a Neewer CN-160. I can't vouch for the other brands making this light but Neewer seem to have got it right. I did read some people say that it was cheap and plastic. Well, it is cheap and made of plastic but the plastic itself isn't as flexible and bendy as some suggest - they may well have been describing some of the CN-160 knock offs. the Neewer looks the part with a slightly sparkly black plastic, it has the ability to run from AA batteries (which I'm using at the moment) as well as three Sony camcorder style batteries and one type of Panasonic battery with an adaptor. So far I have had good life with the AA's but will probably move to a sony rechargeable one so I can get a boost in running time and also so I don't have to have a small bag full of AA's with me! If you don't already have the Panasonic battery I wouldn't bother investing in that system as you have to fiddle with adding an adaptor, just use a sony one direct. the back battery plate has a hole in in which allows you to use the oversized extra capacity camcorder type batteries too. The LED's produce a blindingly bright light which seems to be daylight balanced and I've not noticed any flicker, your results may vary depending on camera and situation but certainly its been stable for me. It also has a dimmer wheel on the side, though my only complaint would be there is no means of dialing it to the same level each time unless you make your own marks. If you need to change shot but want the same lighting levels you either need to leave them on r d your own light metering. Especially if you're filming over any length of time. There are also two filters in this version, a clear frosted one which acts more as a shield to the LEDs getting damaged than a diffuser, as it doesn't really diffuse much. The orangey one is better as it changes the colour temperature of the light; useful if you're having the LED augment regular artificial lighting. No pinkish one in this pack, no big loss either as you can easily pick up theatre gels and make your own. The LED is very cool running compared to more traditional lights. The hot shoe adaptor fits fine and it has a standard tripod screw mount on the bottom as well. I wouldn't handle it roughly though as this is probably its weakest area. If you're looking for a cheap, cool simple way to add extra light continuously to your photos/videos this will do the job nicely. If you need to, you can also expand to a second one as a fill light and a third as a backlight/hairlight quite easily as these are fairly cheap but do bear in mind that you'll have to workout light eves yourself. However if you intend to do a lot of three-point lighting setup then a more traditional system may be better in the long run. If you need something to make your online videos less grainy though and more professional, this will do nicely.

After posting a question about this device previously, I decided to take the plunge and buy. And I was glad I did, as I am delighted with it, so far. It arrived after 4 or 5 days and was well packaged, with everything described contained inside, including basic instructions. I found the light on assembly very light, which meant I wouldn't need heavy duty tripods. I inserted some basic AA rechargeable batteries - 6 in all - and turned the dimmer on to maximum, and was astonished to see the power of illumination! It was blinding, and as a rough guide, it could easily light up a small living room! However, I was expecting the brightness to diminish after 20 minutes or so, but 1 1/2 hours passed, and I couldn't believe it was still going strong! Even on reaching 2 1/2 hours, it still shone brightly, sitting proudly on top of my tripod. I never used a lux meter for accuracy but it appeared as bright, to the naked eye at least. Very impressive indeed! This product is well worth the money as it is well made, and although it won't put up with lots of abuse, out in the field for example, it should give any budding Steven Spielberg many hours of satisfation. An excellent key light, so much so, I am purchasing another two, so I can adequately light pieces to camera or any scene that may need some additional lighting, out in the field, as I will be making documentaries. For convenience I will be using Li-ion batteries in each light, because I would otherwise need 16 AA batteries for 3 lights! So whilst Li-ions are expensive initially, it is the sensible way to go, as I don't relish having to change so many AA's in my 3 lights, for by having to carry them around with me! The 'gels' that come with this product are of a sturdy plastic construction too, and slip snugly to the body of the light, and will last years - I just hope the light will, ha! I am off to experiment now, but it goes without saying, I am thrilled and can recommend the CN 160 LED light to any iPhone/Android/camcorder/ DSLR hobbyist. (Message to seller: After such a positive review from my self, I look forward to receiving two free lights promptly. Cheers! - Well, I can only try, lol!)

Does the job perfectly well, producing a nice bright light (in fact a lot brighter than I was expecting!). The dimmer switch on the side is very easy to use, and it attaches very securely to the camera. The warming filter works very well for more creative situations, but the regular diffuser seems to make no difference (to me, anyway, although I have not used it in a wide enough range of situations to make a professional judgement), although it is more suitable for editorial/interview situations and does make it easier for the 'interviewee' to see. Comes with a nice little case for the filters too, which are easy to insert and remove. I especially like the light for two reasons. Firstly, it is very easy to change the angle of the light (vertically), with a single tightening screw located on the side. Secondly, the fact it is battery powered means it can be moved anywhere, even held by someone else depending on where you need the light source to come from. Similar lighting setups are quite often used in fly-on-the-wall documentaries such as Traffic Cops, allowing the light to move with the camera, and an absolute essential when filming in similar situations at night. However, in other situations (e.g. in a studio), it may be wiser to look at other lighting solutions such as softbox lighting. I have not used the device with a rechargeable battery, however when using with regular AA batteries (of which it takes six), there is a gap in the rear of the casing, which I have had to cover with gaffer tape to stop water getting in when outside.

I figured for £26 I couldn't go wrong with this light. I'm happy to report that, so far, I haven't. I'm new to lighting my video clips so rather than splashing out on expensive gear I thought I'd dip my toes in the water and give this a shot to see if I liked it. I'm often finding myself in difficult lighting situations and my m43 camera is only so-so at low-light videography, often going yellow under fluro lights etc. This gear throws out quite a bit of light, but the skin tones stay true and don't wash out, surprisingly. I took a video clip in a darkened room and slowly dimmed the light from off to full and off again. At full the subject was lit perfectly from two metres away. The dimmer is essential IMO. At full whack this is almost blinding and I can see myself instructing my gf to hold the light from behind the camera, rather than mounted on top of it (the light, not my gf). The filters slot into position tightly, no rattling. I opted to buy a Sony NP-FH70 battery and charger, rather than going for the AAs. I'd read that this will last hours and it seemed to make sense. There is no plate to hold the battery in place, however, it just slots in and protrudes out the back by about 7mm. This is no big deal currently. There's a 'test' switch on the back with four red LEDs to indicate battery charge, which is useful. I've yet to try it out in the real-world so if my view changes on this I will edit my review of this gear. I'm no professional but for someone getting into videography I couldn't recommend this enough. For the price, you can't go wrong.

Tried it with 6 x Alkali AA cells the day I got it and it seemed okay, pretty bright. Fast forward to today, the first day I needed to use it in anger. Loaded it up with 6 x brand new high capacity NiMH cells and it wouldn't come on at all. Seemed weird as I'd just charged them overnight. Switched to Alkali to get some filming done, feeling a bit sad for the environment, but at that point I thought my new rechargeables were probably duff. 3 minutes in it switches off, spoiling a take in the process. Turned it off and on again and 2 minutes later it went off again, then 1 minute, then nothing but a blinking battery light, so all in all just over 5 mins useful light out of 6 x brand new AA batteries! Tested the batteries and they are still showing 90% charge. Also tested the rechargeables and they are fine too. Unit is clearly faulty & detects a low voltage when there is still plenty of charge, but guess when my return window closed? 3 days ago that's right!

The Good... cost £25 9 years ago so it wasn't cheap then. longevity is the first thing in my case. I looked back to see when I purchased and it was 2015. It still works and that is every LED. I've used it a lot, in the dry, with rechargeable AA batteries. It's been ok for some fill light. The Bad .... I think after the time I've had it I can tell you what's bad. It is heavy on the batteries, but it works. It is big and bulky, bigger than the pictures have made it look by a bit. I'd say it's more 5Dmk4 size just to give you an idea. Then, pretty weighty with AA's in it. Good job I never have to take it out. I have lighter versions for that. The price should be less for this product or, perhaps include a battery and charger. Tech has moved on in leaps and this is old and clunky, robust for 9 years ago but today it's to bulky. In conclusion, if you want a light that does the job, this may be good for you, it's lasted me well. What you might want to consider is something lighter and thinner for around the same price that's rechargeable. It is in no way a bad product but realistically it's just out dated. Hope that helps

I think every photographer should have one of these. They range in price and I didn't need one so bought this one as it was reasonably priced. IT is as described. I haven't worked out what the test button is exactly showing as when I press it two small LED diodes light up on the back and then turn off. There were no instructions in the box bar the little bumpf that explains which batteries can be used on this device. It comes with two diffusers, one was installed on the lamp already, that was the opaque one, and the other one is a warm filter which I haven't tried out yet as I have other filters and gels that I use for studio photography. It is a piece of kit I'd take out when I am out and about with my camera and rucksack perhaps to throw some light with a reflector to brighten up an area to avoid using a higher ISO than I would ordinarily want. I haven't been able to try this out and about as I am not able to go out at the moment. I'll be honest, it feels far from premium in terms of the material it is made out of, a bit too plastic, but I can assure you it is a very well-thought out piece of kit and for the price compared to other video lights I'd say it's worth it if even just to try it out. The dimmer is on the side of the light and is easy to use, not stiff or too lose. When you go to put the batteries in, the AA batteries do fit, you have to carefully remove the plastic fascia in order to insert the batteries. You can use a number of different batteries with this model. If I find that I use this as a go-to gad about auxillary then I will get the rechargeable lithium-ion battery for it as it has the adaptor case for it. All in all I think this is a value for money piece of lighting.

Like any 'new' photographer with a reasonable but certainly not unlimited budget, after buying my Canon 700D I decided that it was necessary to spend nearly the same amount on 'essential' accessories that are going to make me brilliant at it. So, two extra lenses (50mm 1.8 + 75-300mm), wide angle and telephoto adaptors, two flashes (one of them speedlite), home studio lighting, backdrops, lighting tent, tripods, lighting stands and goodness knows how many bags of all types and a cleaning kit or two later I have everything I need. Except that I don't have a constant bright source that's easy to use without an umbrella and stand. Well, I do now and for the price, this is ideal. I could get it cheaper if I'm prepared to wait three weeks for it to arrive from China, but once I've decided I really need something, I want it then. Amazon knows I'm not alone which is why they offer the fastest delivery service for just about anything anywhere in the country. The dimming function on this is simple yet very effective and the two diffusers really make a difference. Although it does have a forward/backward hinge I've mounted mine on a ball joint that makes it a lot easier to point. Along with the hot shoe mount it has a standard 1/4" screw in hole which allows you to screw it onto a light stand or tripod. As I have a large supply of rechargeable AA batteries I haven't bought the power source that the enclosed battery adapter would enable but if I end up buying more than one of these (as a lot seem to do) I may reconsider that. As other reviewers have pointed out, the brightness is truly amazing and I had to shield my eyes with my hand when walking towards it. Yes, it's plastic, but so are a lot of items I own; if it was made of a stronger material it would be heavier and more expensive. Like all my camera equipment, I treat it with care so it shouldn't get broken. I have other Neewer products and have been more than satisfied with the quality. All in all, a very good product and great value especially as it comes with Amazon backup if needed.

Bought it about a month ago together with quite a lot of pro video gear. I was worrying that as it was advertised as shipping from UK it would take forever to get it into Canada. I was wrong! It came on a third or fourth day I think to my great surprise - winning hands down even with local suppliers. These guys are super express shippers! A small package but all in perfect brand new condition. After feeding the lamp with set of alkaline batteries I was pleased with its performance. It is not a huge lamp but glows like a 300W traditional lamp which is totally sufficient for video. Built in dimmer makes life of the operator a pleasure. This lamp has a cold shoe mount with pivoting head, as well as a thread to mount it on a tripod, which I also tried to get a bit more angle light effect. The lamp performs superbly after several weeks and is very efficient After some two hours of constant usage I saw only the first of five LED indicators to go down... this tells me that we are good for at least a full day of light on a single set of batteries. I also bought a set of two rechargeable LI-Ion batteries for SONY camcorder NPF550 that are listed among several models of batteries this lamp can use. After charging them again a pleasure - all works the way it should. This lamp has proven to be very well designed, and also very well manufactured. I could find no flaw in this product. In fact I am so pleased with what I bought, that I am going to buy two more of them to have my portable affordable 3 light set. Also it might help some users with compact Cannon pro cameras like XA10, XA25, Vixia etc to know that this lamp fits perfectly well with an external shotgun microphone. As to the durability of LED I cannot say yet, but they seem to be of a proper standard - they have a professional look too. They look exactly the same as these used in much more expensive flat LED panels. Highly recommending this product.

三脚につけたりカメラにつけたりできるのが素晴らしい、バッテリー使えるのもありがたいし、緊急時にコンビニで電池で使えるのもいい。

Súper buen precio y muy buena calidad. Es una lámpara excelente para empezar con la compra de equipo por su relación calidad-precio. Se puede modular la intensidad de la luz, que es muy práctico, y viene con dos filtros (un “difusor” y un CTO) que personalmente no he usado, pero creo que pueden ser útiles en algún momento. Necesita tripié o montarse en la cámara, tiene la zapata para usarlo como flash, y en mi caso está perfecto para grabar documentales con cámara en mano. También lo he usado para foto fija y funciona muy bien. Recomendaría usar batería recargable y no pilas desechables porque esas duran muy poco. Yo hice un arreglo con el adaptador que trae para baterías Sony para alimentarlo con cable y enchufe convencional.

I bought it one week ago. The lamp does NOT work properly. You can turn it on for a few seconds and then it shuts off by itself over and over again. Very annoying. I have tried reaching out to customer service and the seller about this, but I have not gotten any reply since and then it says I can not return the item. Complete nonsense.

Great light perfect for low lighting conditions work like a charm smoothly gets attached on the top of the dslr perfectly happy with this product