Photography is the capturing of light. In many cases, natural sunlight serves as the light source. Precise planning is not possible with the sun, so artificial light sources are used. Flash was used quite early on, because people could not be expected to sit still for as long as necessary due to the low light sensitivity of the flash. Over the years, various variations for briefly illuminating a scene were developed.
Besides the classic flash, there is also the possibility of using constant light for illumination. The first clear advantage is, of course, the constant availability of light. You can see how the light behaves and you can also see the scene the whole time. Furthermore, there are creative possibilities, such as using a longer exposure time while moving the subject.
Why did continuous light not prevail in photography? One of the reasons is energy. To produce the necessary brightness, a certain amount of energy is required. The amount used is naturally much higher if it is used continuously and not just for a fraction of a second. For a long time, continuous light was therefore only common in studios with a power connection and was also relatively bulky. Today, in the age of LEDs and powerful batteries, this has changed and there are a variety of portable products. One of these mini lights is the LitraPro.
The LitraPro is an LED mini light with a light output of 1200 lumens. 60 LEDs are packed into an aluminum housing about the size of a cigarette pack. The housing is robust, shockproof, and can withstand a dive up to 30 meters. The battery is integrated into the device and is charged via a Micro-USB port. On the top there is a display with information about the battery level, brightness and color temperature settings. The brightness can be adjusted in 5% steps via buttons. The color temperature range extends from artificial light-like 3000 Kelvin to daylight-like 6000 Kelvin.
The light is rectangular and can therefore be positioned on any flat surface. Additionally, there is a thread on the side and bottom for a tripod. The scope of delivery includes an adapter for use on a flash shoe and with a GoPro camera. The LitraPro is also supplied with a charging cable, a diffuser, and a small storage bag.
The first thing that stands out about the LED light is the build quality. It is a high-quality product that does not give up the ghost after two uses. Of course, you pay for the stability with weight (170 grams), but that is more important to me personally. The resistance to water is also very nice. Although I would not use the light underwater, it is always nice when devices have no problems with rain and snow.
The LitraPro is charged via a Micro-USB cable; while you have these lying around, USB-C would be desirable. The fewer cable types, the better. For me, the decision to permanently install the battery in the device is double-edged. The reason for this, besides the underwater capability, is the performance. At full power, the battery is supposed to last 45 minutes. I got just over 35 minutes in my test. If you reduce the power, the battery lasts much longer. At 5 percent, it should be up to ten hours. So if the shoot takes a bit longer, you run into trouble. The only alternative is to bring a power bank. Charging is also possible during use. With long use at high power, the LitraPro becomes noticeably warm. After the constant 35 minutes at full power, it reaches a point where you should be very careful and not touch it with your fingers.
Using the LitraPro is simple and reduced to the essentials. The buttons have good resistance. It is a bit odd that you cannot hold down the button for temperature adjustment. If you do not want to press buttons, you can get the iPhone/Android app. The app establishes a Bluetooth connection to the device and allows you to adjust brightness and temperature. This makes sense, for example, if the light is mounted in an uncomfortable position. However, it really makes sense only when you have multiple devices in use and can control them from a central location.
Of course, there are also ways to shape the light. One option is the white rubber diffuser that comes with the LitraPro. Adapted for the LED light, there are also a softbox, color filters, honeycomb, and barn doors. Of course, there is nothing wrong with using existing light shapers such as a shoot-through umbrella or color filter gels.
An LED light like the LitraPro makes sense for analog photography because you can see the result much better. In digital photography, you can quickly take a test shot with the flash setup; in film photography, you only see after development whether a change would have been necessary. There are also other side effects like easier focusing. Additionally, the LED light can be used without any problems with a camera that does not have the ability to trigger a flash. An external light meter is also not necessary.
Conclusion: The LitraPro delivers what the manufacturer promises. It is a high-quality product that offers many possibilities for use in creative photography projects. Currently, one unit costs around 250 euros (Amazon). A price at which you have to think carefully about whether to buy one or more. But if you use the light regularly, for example for video production, the money can definitely be worth it.
