The Harlowe Sol 5 Bi-Color Mobile Light is a compact, stylish and functional lighting solution designed for mobile content creators and photographers. While it’s primarily marketed towards users with MagSafe-compatible devices, I found that it still has plenty of uses even without that feature.
The Sol 5 fits easily into your camera bag, luggage, backpack or pocket, making it the perfect companion for all your adventures. Lightweight at 0.24 lb, the Sol 5 delivers a dazzling 5.5W output across the entire color spectrum (2700K – 6500K). Even without the Magsafe phone case, it has so many uses. Let’s have a closer look!
Note: Blonde Robot (Australian Harlowe Distributor) sent the Harlowe Sol 5 Kit to review and return. However, this is a completely independent review. All thoughts about this light are my own.
Pros
- Compact, lightweight and portable
- Very cool and funky, great retro design
- Adjustable brightness and color temperature (2700K — 6500K)
- Decent battery life with USB-C charging
- Soft, flattering light for photography and video
- Useful even without the Magsafe, as it is magnetised and can be attached to light stands and other objects
- Has a handy mirror, great for touchups on set etc.
- Operation time: 1 hour 24 mins
- Great optional accessories
Cons
- Not the brightest LED for larger setups
- Would be even better with more universal mounting options
Harlowe Sol 5 Portable Bi-Color Continuous LED Lighting Kit — Technical specifications
All technical specifications are from the Hobolite website/marketing material.
- Output Power: 5.5W (Boost Mode),3.5W (Standard Mode)
- Color Temperature Range: 2700K~6500K
- Luminous Flux: 360LM (Boost Mode),200LM (Standard Mode) (@6500K)
- TLCI: 99
- Input AC – 100-240V, 50~60HZ / DC input power 5V
- Control: Onboard Dials
- Battery run time: 1 hour 24 minutes full power
- Battery: 3.7V 1000mAh, 3.7Wh
- Battery Charging: 1 x Type C Charging Cable
- Dimensions: 3.14”x2.7”x1.06” (Folded) / 7.36”x2.7”x0.19” (Unfolded)
- Net Weight: 0.24 lb
- Color: Brown Faux Leather
Harlowe Sol 5 Portable Bi-Color Continuous LED Lighting Kit — Versatility
Even without a MagSafe phone, I found plenty of ways to use the Sol5:
- Fill light for photography and video: Works great as a small fill light for close-up shots.
- Portable desk light: Useful for Zoom calls or quick lighting setups.
- On-the-go creativity: Handy for adding dramatic lighting effects or experimenting with creative shadow play.
- Emergency light: Small enough to keep in a bag for unexpected low-light situations.
Build quality
The Sol 5 is impressively lightweight and sleek, making it easy to carry in a pocket or camera bag. It has a premium feel with its smooth, matte finish and well-built construction. The magnetic back is a great feature for those with MagSafe, but even without it, the light is small enough to be handheld or mounted using accessories like tripods or adhesive mounts.
Out of the box
The Harlowe Sol 5 Bi-Color Light Kit features an Sol 5 Mobile Light for MagSafe, a USB-C type Charging Cable and a soft pouch.
Harlowe Sol 5 Portable Bi-Color Continuous LED Lighting Kit — Power in the palm of your hand
The LED output is bright, and the adjustable color temperature (ranging from warm to cool tones) makes it adaptable for different shooting conditions. Whether I’m using it for still-life photography, creative portraits, or product shots, it provides soft, flattering illumination. The dimmable settings also help fine-tune the lighting for different moods.
Mounting
So the base (with the mirror) can twist and turn, you can attach it to the back of a MagSafe Case on your Phone and use it as a fill light or video light. The handy mirror is good for quick touchups to hair and makeup too. Being magnetised I could attach it to a metal C-stand and then twist and turn in the direction I needed.
Setup
It’s so simple to use. However, to turn it on you press the power button and a little message appears, to turn the dial, ie; to turn the Sol5 on use one quick press and turn the dial. This is handy so you’re not wasting the battery accidentally pressing the power. Adjust the dials for power and color temperature and you’re ready to shoot. It’s that simple. In addition, the magnetic benefits of this little light are terrific in the studio and work with Magsafe phone cases, etc.
Harlowe Sol 5 Portable Bi-Color Continuous LED Lighting Kit — A terrific lighting addition to your kit
I have been using this light in the studio for a variety of shoots from macro, still life and portrait photography. It’s a terrific little light and very handy. The fact that it is so small, lightweight and easy to use is a big plus for me. Sample images below on Sony a7R V at 5600K.
Harlowe Sol 5 Portable Bi-Color Continuous LED Lighting Kit — Sample images
Harlowe Sol 5 Bi-Color Mobile Light is available from Harlowe or B&H Photo.