I’ve been a big fan of constant LED lighting for a while now. The more I use it, the more impressed I get. I adore the ease of use and convenience for still life, product and even headshot lighting. Everything is jumping ahead in technology and performance and it’s brilliant. I’m also a big fan of something that not only looks good but is functional, and works straight out of the box. I recently got to check out the Harlowe (formerly Hobolite) Mini Max 40W Bi-Colour continuous LED.

Just like its predecessor the Mini, is simple to use. Now even more powerful (the Mini was 20W). It comes with a few cool accessories and they are all magnetic…yes magnetic. It’s 40W, and when you can pop it on its little light stand (or indeed a full-size light stand), this little light can be VERY versatile. Let’s have a closer look!

Note: Blonde Robot (Australian Harlowe Distributor) sent the Harlowe Mini Max Creator Kit to review and return. However, this is a completely independent review. All thoughts about this light are my own.

Pros

Runs on batteries and is quite small small
Also run on power through DC adaptor unit – LiteDock
Is very cool and funky, great retro design
Variable controls for power and color temp (2700K — 6500K)
Minimalist design, Small and lightweight, easily to clip to light stands (V-mount)
Intelligent cooling with heat sink and fan
The fan is whisper quiet, great for video
Easy to turn dials for power and temperature, and simple on/off switch
All accessories, the diffuser, the grid, gels and barn doors are all magnetic.
The battery is no longer built-in, and you can get (additional) spare batteries to swap in and out – uses the same battery pack as Avant Max too

Cons

Cons…what cons??? Seriously Harlowe covered everything this time

Harlowe Mini Max— Technical specifications

All of the technical specifications are from their website/marketing material.

Model: Mini Max Creator Kit
Output Power (Max): 40W
Colour Temperature Range: 2700K~65,000K
Luminous Flux4000lm (@6500K) / 3200lm (@2700K)
Max Illuminance7325 LUX (@1m, 6500K) (with adjustable lens) / 1414 LUX (@1m, 6500K) (without lens)
Input (AC): 100-240V, 50~60Hz
Input (DC): 5-24V
Battery: 14.4V 6900mAh, 99.36Wh
Dimming:0-100%
Operating Temperature:14 to 104°F / -10 to 40°C
Magnetic Property: Yes (from mount)
Cooling Method: Fan
Expansion Accessories: Yes
App Control: Yes (Bluetooth 65.6 feet)
Battery run time: 2h 18 mins on full power on 99Wh battery or 1h on Lite Dock / 4h 48mins on 50%
Dimensions: 4.33″ X 3.52″ X 3.89″ (without accessories)
Net Weight: 1.53 lb (without accessories) Creator Kit 7.05 lbs

Harlowe Mini Max — Versatility

You can adjust the light intensity and the colour. I like it set to 5600k, but feel free to get creative (especially with the gels). Ergonomics are great. It does have a fan, which is fairly quiet. The diffuser and grid work quite well to soften and direct the light. It’s fine on its light stand or even hand-hold it.

Build quality

Small and sturdy, dials are firm and stable but easily turned. The accessories are all magnetic, making it a breeze to add and remove. Feels very sturdy and compact. Made of aircraft-grade aluminium. Funky retro look, a bit like an old-school film camera. Non-slip surface on sides.

Out of the box

MINI Max Creator Kit comes with the MINI Max with a set of barn doors with coloured filters, a max battery 99Wh, a AC dual port adapter, a MINI Max adjustable lens, a Max handle, a 65W power adapter, and a 3m type USB-C cable.

Harlowe Mini Max — Seamless lighting options

Thanks to some innovative technology this little light moves the goalposts in regards to performance. Small and compact but powerful enough for macro, a fill light for video and for so many other uses – like still life, product photography or even headshots. Versatile and adaptable to whatever you want to use it for. And the best part, it’s so simple to use.

Mounting

I mounted mine on the supplied Max handle and attached to a light stand. For macro and product photography (with small objects), you could easily pop on a larger light stand with a V-mount attachment or adaptor.

Setup

It’s so simple to use. However, to turn it on you press the power button and a little message appears, to turn the dial, ie; to turn the Mini Max on use one quick press and twist the dial. This is handy so you’re not wasting the battery accidentally pressing the power. Adjust the dials for power and color temp. Add the barn doors, diffuser, grid or gels and you’re ready to shoot. It’s that simple. I used it for some product photography in the studio. It gave beautiful soft and natural-looking light. Especially when using the dome diffuser, and a softbox is great too.

Harlowe Mini Max — A terrific lighting addition to your kit

I have been using this light in the studio for a variety of shoots from macro, still life and product photography. It’s a terrific little light and very handy. The fact that it is so small, lightweight and easy to use is a big plus for me. It is a little on the pricey side. Sample images below on AP mode (Sony A7RV) at 5600K, even without a softbox the light with the dome diffuser, is just gorgeous.