Review on 🎥 COB Studio Video Lighting: 150W 2500K-8500K CCT Continuous Light with Bowens Mount Monolight, APP/Wireless Remote/DMX Control, Silent Fans by Michelle Linares

I bought the 150w Weeylite Ninja 400 as a more powerful and brighter version of the 80w GVM bulbs I used to buy for my studio. While I like the small, lightweight GVM form factor, I couldn't get the brightness I wanted. Meet the Ninja 400. Not only was I able to double the output power, but I was also able to control the color temperature from 2500K to 8500K with dual-color LEDs. Let's start with the fact that the design is solid - the body is metal, as is the yolk and bracket. With the angle adjustment lever on the right side, you can easily open the angle adjustment and securely close the clamp without play. My GVM will sag when I attach my 60″ Neewer softbox, but the Ninja 400 doesn't wobble and holds up. This is the difference between a metal structure and a plastic structure. My softbox uses a Bowens mount so it's easy to attach things like a Fresnel lens or barn door to it. The included reflector plate really helps focus the light when I'm not using the softbox. I noticed that the mounting hole/tube can be placed at a 90 degree angle vertically or horizontally for attachment to a light stand or baby plate. I don't know if I need this feature but I thought it was pretty cool and it would be nice if it could work without an adapter in the future. The controller is simple and easy to use. It can use V-mount rechargeable batteries, so you don't have to connect to a power source with a cable. I haven't tested this, but I'm sure I'll use this feature one day. It's also worth noting that the cables are really long and strong. This is about 10 feet from the light mount to the controller and about 8 feet to the wall from the controller. This means you can either hang the controller from a light stand or simply place it on the floor to keep it from dangling. The controller features a backlit LCD display and can adjust the intensity from 1% to 100% in 1% increments. The color temperature changes from 2500k to 8500k in 100k increments. A dial on the controller makes adjustment easy, while a selection button lets you switch between intensity and color temperature. The kit also includes a remote control that works in a similar way. It connects instantly and has the ability to control multiple lights in multiple groups on multiple channels. Although I'm not using a DM512 controller, you also have the option of using DMX in/out connections. The last option to control the light is the Bluetooth app (iOS and Android). Installing the app directly from the APK rather than through a certified app store is a bit annoying, but I had no issues. The app is also intuitive and easy to use. It connects instantly automatically and has presets for specific color temperatures. If I had a bigger studio I would use the app and remote more often, but for me using a controller is enough. Although the Ninja 400 has a fan for cooling, I found it to be very quiet. Even when I was very close to full power, I didn't pick up anything or make any sound when capturing video. Coming back to my initial need for more power/brightness compared to what was offered with my GVM, I tested with the Zebras feature. on my sony a6300. I set Zebra to 107 and everything above it gets cut off. I then pointed the GVM at a white wall from 1m away and positioned the camera at 1m as well. I manually went through the camera settings until the zebras appeared. I then switched the light on the Ninja 400 and found that I had to stop down 1 stop to reproduce the zebras. 1 light stop means Ninja emits twice as much brightness at the same distance. I also tested the Ninja 400's color temperature against a Gary Fong dome at 18% gray. I found my a6300 to show between 4900k and 5100k at 1% and 77% light intensity respectively when the Ninja 400 was set at 5500k. This means that the light will run a little warmer than the controller indicates. It's ok as I always calibrate the colors before I start shooting, but it's worth noting. Note: I recommend the X-Rite Color Checker Passport video. This greatly improved the color accuracy of my shots. There is a lot of competition with different lighting manufacturers in this area, which gives the consumer the opportunity to have a choice. That's a good thing for me because I like the solid construction and improved brightness over what GVM offered me. The construction also seems much more solid than what I've seen in reviews of the Aperture Amaran 100x. Being two tone gives me a lot of flexibility for a variety of studio needs and I appreciate having this option in my back pocket. The remote control and Bluetooth app are also nice to have. For a 105w bi-colour bulb at this price I'm impressed that it has so many bells and whistles. In summary I am impressed with this long lasting bright light and can definitely say it is worth buying. I recommend!