The word light has a lot of meaning for the content creator. First, good lighting is paramount when creating good video. You can make a shot look better with a cheap camera and cheap lights than you can with an expensive camera by itself. The other light refers to the weight of your gear. A vlogger values low weight and easy portability above all.
With other companies currently releasing more portable lights for content creators, I got a chance to look at the Pixel Liber RGB Pocket Video Light. With a profile that is about the same size as a credit card, the Pixel Liber contains an astonishing amount of power and functionality.
Out of the box, the Pixel Liber is incredibly well-built. It contains 48 LED’s and comes with a silicon diffuser that slides on over the light. On the side, you’ll find a power switch, USB-C port for charging/powering the light and a rocker switch to switch between a myriad of settings to meet virtually any lighting need.
On the back is a small display that shows the Pixel Liber’s battery life, Bluetooth connection status and scene settings. Also on the back is an internal magnet to adhere the light to any magnetic surface. On the bottom and side of the light are ¼” threads to attach the light to any standard mount.
The Pixel Liber can provide all kinds of looks from such a little device. It allows you to adjust the brightness from 1-100%, provides a colour temperature range of 2500K-8500K, has a number of preset scenes such as candlelight and flashing emergency lights from a police car, ambulance or fire truck, an HSI (Hue, Saturation, Intensity) setting for some bold colours and the ability to select specific RGB settings to create any colour you can think of.
“The Pixel Liber is much more powerful than it needs to be. At a distance of about two feet, I only needed my brightness to be at 29% to be properly exposed on camera.”
The Pixel Liber is much more powerful than it needs to be. At a distance of about two feet, I only needed my brightness to be at 29% to be properly exposed on camera. For fun, I cranked it up to 100% and as soon as my eyesight returned, I saw that my face had been completely washed out. The power of the light and the brilliance of the colour provides you with the opportunity to create some wonderful cinematic looks.
The battery life for the light is fantastic for any shooting session. I have used it for hours without the need to charge. In fact, since I received this unit, I have charged the light once. But in the event that you need to keep the lights on when the power is low, you can plug it in directly via the USB cable and continue to use the light.
Another beautiful feature is its flexible mounting capabilities. To be able to mount it in a portrait or landscape form via its ¼” threads would have been sufficient, but the ability to use the magnet to mount it adds a whole new level of choice. Stick it to your fridge and make a TikTok. Stick it behind a metal pole with an RGB setting for some interesting ambient lighting. The choices are nearly limitless. Also, for lazy folks like me, the silicon diffuser makes for an excellent non-slip surface. I can set my light up on my monitor, which is thin and at an angle, and it stays put.
The light also has an app available on iOS and Android that can control every aspect of your light. It connects via Bluetooth and is incredibly easy to use. You can also connect multiple lights and control them all at once.
Its ratio of functionality to price is such a gigantic selling point for the Pixel Liber. Some major brands that have recently come out with portable lights offer a fraction of the features at an inflated price. To be able to get this light, with all that it does, at the price of $59.99 USD, is an incredible value.
