The Hobolite Micro is the Portable Light You've Been Waiting For
- The Hobolite Micro Packs a Lot Into a Small Package
- What About Power?
- Hobolite Gives You Two Kit Options<
- The Hobolite Micro is a Beautiful Light
A few weeks ago, I wrote a complete review of the Hobolite Mini - a small, portable, high-quality light. You can read that review here to see just how impressive the Mini truly is.
But now the Mini has a little brother, the Micro.
What's so exciting about the Micro is that it takes all the good pieces and parts of the Mini and puts it into an even smaller package - a pocket-sized package, to be exact. So now I have two small, portable lights for my photography and videography exploits without either one taking up much space in my camera bag. Awesome!
In fact, I've had the Micro in my bag for the last month or so, and to say that I've been impressed is an understatement. The Micro has come with me on several adventures over the last few weeks, and true to Hobolite form, it has been an incredible asset for my photography and videography work.
Now, truth be told, I should have a video embedded into this article right about at this point, but unfortunately, I got the flu bug and have been sidelined for the better part of the week. Stay tuned for another Hobolite Micro article next week with that video as well.
In the meantime, let's do a little introduction to the Hobolite Micro so you can get a taste of why this little light is such a game-changer!
Table of Contents
The Hobolite Micro Packs a Lot Into a Small Package
You might not think that a light that fits in the palm of your hand would offer much in the way of light output or features, but you'd be wrong...
The Hobolite Micro offers up to 500 lumens, bi-color output from 2700-6500K, and a CRI/TLCI of 96+. Not bad, right?!
You can add an adjustable beam angle (with the zoom lens) of 20-45 degrees, the ability to dim from 100-0 percent, and an expected lamp life of 30,000 hours to the list of features, too.
On the back of the unit is a crisp LCD full-color screen and two large knobs that make adjusting the light a breeze. Better still, you can use a smartphone app to control the light for the ultimate ease of use. Another prime feature is that the Hobolite Micro has a magnetic mount, which makes adding and removing accessories a breeze. You can attach a fresnel, barn doors, gels, and other accessories (depending on the kit you get) quickly and one-handed.
Of course, all this comes in a tiny package...
The light by itself is just 2” x 2.7” x 3” and weighs barely over half a pound. Even with accessories and the removable battery installed, the Micro maintains a slim and trim profile that makes it an ideal option for lighting on the go, in the studio, and points in between.
What About Power?
The Hobolite Micro is powered by a removable battery that gives you up to 50 minutes of runtime when at full power. Knock that down to 25 percent power, and you get well over three hours of runtime.
This is plenty of time for my purposes. But if you need additional runtime, you can add a rechargeable V-mount 95WH DC battery that extends runtime to 11 hours when on full power and an insane 47 hours when the Micro is running at 25 percent.
Again, both of these power sources add to the versatility and portability of the Hobolite Micro. Even with the larger V-mount battery, you still have a small, compact light that you can add to your bag without adding the burden of bulky, weighty gear.
If you do a fair bit of traveling like I do, having such a high-quality light in such a small package is a major bonus!
Hobolite Gives You Two Kit Options
Just like with the Mini, the Micro is available in two kits: the Standard and the Creator.
The Standard Kit features the Micro plus a frosted dome and a set of barndoors with a fresnel lens. You also get a Type-C cable and a USB adapter.
The Creator Kit, shown above, includes everything from the Standard Kit plus six gels and a charging dock with two batteries. Your kit comes in a handy carrying case as well.
You can buy numerous Micro accessories, too, including a Micro Adjustable Lens and a Micro Foldable Softbox. In other words, Hobolite gives you all the options you need to customize the Micro to your specific workflow.
The Hobolite Micro is a Beautiful Light
I've been in the photography industry for a long time and have tested countless cameras, lenses, tripods, lights, and so forth.
The vast majority of the gear I test is perfectly fine. Some of it is truly terrible. But the smallest percentage of the gear I test belongs in the "incredible" category. That's where the Hobolite Micro goes.
Aside from its ease of use, compact build, and high-quality light output, the Hobolite Micro is an absolutely breathtaking piece of equipment. I know that how gear looks isn't as important as how it performs, but it's hard not to admire the design of the Micro. It's one of the few items I've tested that makes me want to shoot more photos, more often. It's also one of the few items I've tested that compels other people to comment on it and ooh and aah over how beautiful it is.
From my point of view, the fact that the Hobolite Micro is this beautiful speaks to the commitment of the Hobolite team to create something that is a game-changer. After all, if this much time and effort went into how this thing looks, you can imagine how much time and effort went into ensuring the technical components of the light are on point.
As I noted earlier, I've got a video in the works that takes a deeper dive into the Micro, so stay tuned for that. But for now, you've got a quick overview of this incredible little light - and why you should consider adding it to your kit.
Head over to Hobolite to learn more and to pick up a Micro today!
