By Charly SHELTON

There’s no shortage today of lighting equipment available in the market. From cheap imported LED strips to several-thousand-dollar light rigs from a trendy company, and everything in between. As a professional photographer, I want to fall somewhere in between. I want something that I can rely on but won’t break the bank. I’m always looking for a good light that I can throw in my bag and head out the door. Less is more – the less I have to think about it the more useful it is. Lumecube has recently released a new light that is exactly what I am looking for and more. Lumecube sent me the Tube Light Mini a few weeks ago for review and, after having a chance to play and work with it for a bit, I can provide my honest support for the little powerhouse light.

The Lumecube Tube Light Mini ($169.99; Lumecube.com) is a great option for filmmakers, photographers and content creators who are looking for a powerful and versatile LED light. It’s one-foot-long and about as big around as a silver dollar. It offers adjustable color either through a dial on the side of the light or through the Lume Control companion app, which controls the light via Bluetooth and can daisy-chain multiple lights into one setting. In the app, a super helpful feature is the Photo Eyedropper Tool where you can match your Tube Light to any color and any environment with the eyedropper on screen.

The adjustable light color can be changed with the side dial or on the app with a color wheel picker, or chosen from seven pre-programmed special effects like candlelight, firelight or TV light, or a full range of color temperatures from 2700K (orangish white, like an old lightbulb) to 7500K (bluish white, like a flashlight). It also boasts an impressive CRI rating of 96+ and 950 lumens of light output. That’s all fine and good, but what really sells the Tube Light Mini for me is the solid construction and long battery life.

Unlike many other lights, this is built to last. Its sturdy aluminum frame is lightweight and strong. I have broken so many good lights that aren’t durable enough for a moving shoot because the cheap plastic casing comes apart with a little bit of stress. This Tube Light Mini is solid, with magnetic plates on one side and ¼-inch screw mounts on either end to be able to slap it anywhere you want and know it will be okay. It’s weatherproof, drop resistant and it just feels sturdy in your hand. Honestly it feels like a lightsaber hilt and that makes it even cooler when you ignite the glow.

The battery life is also fantastic. I’ve had it for two weeks now and I’ve only charged it once – when I first got it. I’ve done four shoots with it so far, one of which had the light on for three straight hours at about 15% intensity, and I still have 90% of my battery left, or roughly 9.9 hours as the light says. That is unprecedented battery life for a light this bright. Even at 100%, which is overkill for many situations, it expects about 1.5 hours of battery left. Between this and the construction and the Photo Eyedropper Tool, I am extremely satisfied with this little light.

The Tube Light XL is another new release from Lumecube that is available as well, which is four-feet-long and has a similar feature set. After working with the Tube Light Mini for a few weeks, I am looking forward to playing with more lights in the series as well. More info and purchasing options can be found at Lumecube.com.