Neewer HB80C RGB Mini COB Light review: Pocketsized Cordless LED lighting

Looking for some lighting for photography and video needs in or out of the studio? Take a look at the HB80C RGBWW Mini COB LED Light from Neewer. I was recently sent the latest battery-operated portable lighting to try in the studio. I have really enjoyed the last few Lights from Neewer, so I was pretty keen to try a battery-operated option.

This small 80W pocket COB light is certainly handy when it comes to lighting, especially for still life, food and product shots in the studio. Although I have not had a chance to record any videos as yet, I am sure this tiny little light will be more manageable than my big video lights. I also love anything that can be cordless and has an optional battery pack too.

Note: Neewer sent the HB80C kit to review. However, this is a completely independent review. All thoughts about this light are our own.

Out of the box, it’s pretty simple to use, as in turning it on. Figuring out the buttons and sequence was a little tricky. The menu button gets into various menus and the scroll wheel moves through them, also there is a short press and a long press on the scroll wheel to change various values. The battery requires charging (takes about 2 hours), and then you’re ready to go. This light is actually quite soft in the studio, I was expecting a little more punch from an 80w light. You can set it anywhere from 1% to 100%. For a product shot, I found I was using it at 100%, which will burn through the battery life. Let’s have a closer look!

Pros

• Built-in 72Wh battery — no cables
• Variable controls for power and color temp (2700K — 6500K)
• 7 lighting modes & 18 special effects
• Minimalist design, sleek and modern
• Small and easily fits in your hand
• Color screen
• Bowens mount
• Intelligent cooling with fan – 3 fan modes – The fan is whisper quiet, great for video
• App connectivity for remote control -2.4G
• Easy-to-read LCD panel for color temp and illumination ratio

Cons

• Came with limited light modifiers, but optional modifiers are available to buy or use current Bowens mount
• Battery took about 2 hours to charge
• The battery on full power apparently only lasts about 1hours, 10 minutes
• Menus are a little confusing at first, took a little bit of fiddly to figure them out
• It may be 80w, but seemed a little less even at 100%, downfall of battery-operated lights
• Not exactly lightweight at 1220grams
• Download the Manual from their website, the one that comes with the light, isn’t terribly helpful and quite small

Neewer HB80C— Technical specifications

All of the technical specifications are from the Neewer website.

• Model: HB80C
• Output Power: 80W
• Runtime: 1hr 10 min (at 100%)
• Color Temperature Range: 2500K~7500K
• Maximum Illuminance: 10400lux/m 4400K with reflector
• TLCI Index: ≥97+
• CRI Index: ≥95+
• Dimming Range: 0~100% has 4 built-in dimming curves as well
• APP remote control: 2.4G (update the App if you have already installed it to load new device).
• Lighting Mode: CCT/HSI/RGBCW/XY/GEL/Source Match/FX
• Light Effects: 18 Special Scene effects – Lighting Mode: CCT/HSI/RGBCW/XY/GEL/Source Match/FX
• Battery Parameters: 14.4V/5000mah/72Wh
• HB80C Dimensions: 103x103x101 (WxDxH) mm
• HB80C Net Weight: 1220 grams

Neewer HB80C — Versatility

You can adjust the light intensity and the color of the light. You can use various gels and color filters, as well as special effects and lighting modes, similar to the Neewer CB200C. With so much to choose from, what you use is really just a personal choice, but seriously try them all!

Ergonomics are great. There are warnings about it getting hot to the touch. But as I have been using it at 100% but not for long periods (no more than 1 hour) it didn’t really get very hot at all. It does have a fan, which is fairly quiet. Built for professional exterior lighting for videos, podcasts etc. But seriously good for photography too.

Build quality

Small and sturdy, the scroll wheel and buttons are firm and stable but easily turned or pressed.

Out of the box

It comes in a handy carry bag with the light, 1 x grip handle, 1 x Bowen mount reflector, 1 x light stand adaptor, 1 x 3m 240w USB-C to USB-C charging cable, 1 x user manual. I was also sent the PS099EP V-mount battery (optional extra).

Neewer HB80C — small but mighty

Thanks to some innovative technology this little light might just change the way you see COB LED lights. Small and compact but very powerful for professional exterior (or interior) lighting. Great for streaming as well as product photography. Versatile and adaptable to whatever you want to use it for. And the best part, simple to use.

Mounting

I simply mounted mine on a light stand with the supplied bracket. You could mount it on a boom arm as well. It has a standard tripod thread.

Setup

It’s so simple to use. Charge the battery and you’re set. Place it on a light stand, and press the power button, it may take a while to get used to the menus, but you can easily adjust the controls for power and color temp, which will be output on the LCD screen. I highly recommend the Neewer App, so much easier to control. Add a reflector or softbox and shoot.

Sample images

These sample images were taken on my Sony A7RV and Sony 90mm macro lens. I had to use ISO640 to keep my shutter speed above 1/125sec (to avoid camera shake). I used a Neewer SF65Q Softbox to diffuse the light. The light was soft, but did allow me at 100% power to bring out the color in the capsicum dip.

Final thoughts

For small subject matter, it’s quite good and for the price it’s possibly a great option for entry-level photographers, looking for something portable to add to their kit. I must admit that compared to the powered CB200C (which is quite a bit larger) the power output was less than optimal. Granted the CB200C is 200w over the 80w.

• Posted on December 3, 2024