LUMIEE RGB and Bi-Color Light Bracelet REVIEW

Never have you had so much fun with wearable portable lighting

I’m always trying to lighten my load by eliminating heavy gear in my daily carry-all backpack. I like to be prepared as much as possible. The problem there is that I end up with a lot of gear weighing my camera backpack down. Lighting is always a hit and miss game for me. I always have my flash with me, but somehow I feel as though I need to supplement that on-camera flash with additional lighting like Lume Cubes or LED Video Lights. Both those devices are great, but they add unwanted weight. That’s why I really like the Lumiee Light Bracelets from Spiff-y Gear. 

DETAILS

Lumiee bracelets are the first cinematic wearable light. The bracelet is a ‘slap light’ and is designed like old slap bracelets. This design makes it possible to carry it anywhere — even on your wrist. There are two models of bracelets — Bi-Color and RGB. The Bi-Color version only produces white light while the RGB version produces all RGB colors, sub colors, and effects. The Bi-Color version is ‘cinematic’ and features a 95 CRI (Color Rendering Index) with a color temperature range of 2700K-6000K. Both bracelets are lightweight and mountable using their built-in magnets. Given their portable size and adjustable light levels, Lumiee bracelets are perfect for selfies. They are also splash-proof and rechargeable. 

SPECS

Bi-Color

• CRI 95
• 2700-6500 Kelvin
• Operation time @ full power: 1 Hour
• Operation time @ low power: 4 Hours
• Effects: Breathing, Candle, Explosion, Red carpet, Stroboscopic

RGB

• Main colors: Red, Green, Blue
• 15 sub-colors
• Operation time @ full power: 1 Hour
• Operation time @ low power: 4 Hours
• Effects: Breathing, Police, Fire, TV, Fireworks

USER EXPERIENCE

Last month I attended a conference where I had the opportunity to learn about how to use different types of lights while taking professional-grade photographs. In the evening, I took advantage of the lessons I learned during the day and used the Lumiee bracelets to light some products in my hotel room and around the facilities. They were ideal for this trip because I didn’t want to overpack (again) and I was able to simply toss them in my bag and go. While I was roaming the halls of the convention center, I wrapped one of the bracelets on my wrist for the ‘just in case’ moments. I was really impressed with how bright the Bi-Color bracelet gets. Even though I think a lot of people would consider these as ‘secondary’ lighting, they do such a good job that they can be primary lighting sources for certain situations.

I do have a few observations of the products. First is that the packaging and all its supporting documentation spell Lumiee as “Lumee.” It’s possible I got an early batch of the product, but since everything — even the user manual calls it out as “Lumee,” I’m just not sure. If you’ve read any of my recent reviews you’ll know that I am not a fan of modern devices using Micro USB as a charging option. I believe it’s outdated technology and that anything made with in the last 2-3 years should be taking advantage of newer options like USB-C. Needless to say, I was disappointed to find Micro USB as the charging port of choice on both the RGB and Bi-Color bracelets. 

Aside from that, I have to say that I really like these as a product. I think the concept is amazing and having this simple, but very effective option for on-the-go lighting. The bracelets are actually fairly comfortable to wear even if they are on the heavy side. The RGB bracelet can produce 15 different colors as shown in the collage below. The first three photos are the primary red, blue, and green colors with the following shades being the secondary colors. Each primary color has four additional secondary colors that you access simply by pressing the third control button on the bracelet.

CONCLUSION

If you are looking for affordable, convenient lighting for your camera kit, the Lumiee bracelets are a unique and brilliant choice. They produce bright, clear light and ensure that you can capture your subject no matter where you shoot with them. 

For more details, visit LUMIEE and Facebook.