Hobolite Iris 5W Continuous LED Light review: The magic of light
I've recently been playing with some fabulous gear from the terrific people at Hobolite. Being a big fan of LED continuous lighting for a while now, I adore the ease of use and convenience for still life, product and even headshot lighting. So when they sent me their brand new Iris Creator Kit, I was thrilled to test out the functionality of this gem.
Just like all the other Hobolite products, it's so simple to use. It comes with a few cool accessories and they are all magnetic...yes magnetic. It's only 5W, but when you can pop it on mini light stand, behind or inside some objects, well it becomes VERY versatile. Let's have a closer look!
Note: Blonde Robot (Australian Hobolite Distributor) sent the Hobolite Mini kit to review and keep. However, this is a completely independent review. All thoughts about this light are my own.
Pros
Runs on batteries and is very small (8.6 x 5 x 3cm)
Cool and funky, great retro design
Variable controls for power and color temp (2700K — 6500K)
Minimalist design, Small and lightweight, fabulous for putting in books, cauldrons, in trees, shooting macro and so much more
Intelligent cooling with heat sink and fan
Easy to turn dials for power and temperature, and simple on/off switch
All accessories, dome diffuser, aperture ring, three different lenses and gel filters and are all magnetic.
Battery (on full power) lasts about 2 hours
Bluetooth and works on the Hobolite App
Bright high Contrast LCD Screen
Weather resistant
Cons
To be honest I am pushing things a bit, as there were no real Cons, if you want more light, grab a different Hobolite product
The battery is built-in, would be handy to swap batteries in and out
5W power…but then that’s also the beauty of it
Hobolite Iris and packaging
Hobolite Iris — Technical specifications
All of the technical specifications are from their website/marketing material.
Output Power (Max): 5W
Color Temperature Range: 2700K~6500K
Luminous Flux: 300LM
Magnetic Property: Yes (from lens mount)
Expansion Accessories: Yes
App Control: Yes (Bluetooth 65.6 feet)
Dimming: 0-100%
Battery run time: 2 hours on full power /18 hours at 10% power
Dimensions: 8.6 X 5.0 X 3.0cm (without accessories)
Net Weight: 0.45kg (without accessories)
Operating temperature: 14-104F
Protection Class: IP54
Color: Brown Faux leather
Hobolite Iris — Versatility
You can adjust the light intensity and the color. I like it set to 5600k. But that is really just a personal choice. You can change the color temperature, so it’s effectively adding gels, which could be handy in certain circumstances. This side into the actual aperture ring. Additional colored gels can also be purchased. The gel filters it came with have some cool atmospehric effects, like Blue or Golden hour, Spring Pastel and my favourite the Aurora.
Ergonomics are great. The diffuser and grid work quite well to soften and direct the light. I’m not sure I would want to place it on top of the camera, but I guess it’s possible you can (need optional hot shoe stand). I love that it is so small you can hide i in props and such, light painwith it and use it for macro work. Has a whole range of (optional) accessories too.
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. Funky retro look, a bit like an old-school instamatic camera. Non slips surface on sides.
Out of the box
It comes wih power cable (USB C-type), dome diffuser, gel filters, Fresnel lens, Aperture ring, adjustable lens, a cool funky Magic lens and Quick Start guide.
The Iris is in the book and lights up the models face
Hobolite Iris — Infinite amtosphere creativity
Thanks to some innovative technology this little light might just change the way you see LED lights (if my other reviews haven’t already). Small and compact but powerful enough for macro, light painting, and for so many other uses – like still life, adding cool dramatic or atmospheric lighting to your photography images. Versatile and adaptable to whatever you want to use it for. And the best part, it’s simple to use.
Mounting
This Iris light is so small I either place it on th floor (or ground) on a table, in my hand, but I also placed it in books, or stools, cauldrons and more.
Setup
It’s so simple to use. To turn it on you press the power button. Adjust the dials for power and color temp. Add a lens, the diffuser, grid or gels and you’re ready to shoot. It’s that simple. I used it for some light panting, macro and to ad some drama to portraits in the studio. It gave beautiful ethereal glow (especailly with the Aurora gel filter).
The Iris is in the cauldron with the Aurora Filter (camera left is the Hobolite Mini and green gel)
Hobolite Iris — 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.
Lenses, Gels and diffuser
The Hobolite Iris comes with a dome diffuser and four atmospheric gel filters: Blue Hour, Golden Hour, Aurora and Spring Pastel. More gel colours are available as optional extras.
Available from Hobolite from 15th May – SRP AUD$399.00
Our verdict
Hobolite Iris 5W Continuous LED Light
★★★★★5/5
Another fabulous product from Hoblite. What a terrific and versatile little light, so many creative possiblities. Use in the studio or on location. Great for all sorts of small subject photography, or to add some drama or cool effects to portraits. If you do macro, still life or light painting this is a fantastic tool to add to your kit. Thanks Hobolite.
