For photographers and video creators on the go, sometimes what matters most is keeping your kit light. Camera gear can be heavy, so getting powerful tools in small packages is vital to mobile work. Lume Cube’s RGB Panel Pro 2.0 makes a compelling case to be that light.
While not cheap, the RGB Panel Pro 2.0 delivers incredible power, versatility, and features creators need. But does it pack features in its tiny frame to justify its price tag? Here’s everything you need to know about the new RGB Panel Pro 2.0.
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What is the RGB Panel Pro 2.0?
Lume Cube’s RGB Panel Pro 2.0 is a delightful device that packs the features of pro panel light in a device the size of a smartphone. Weighing .51 lbs, it’s light and compact. The RGB Panel Pro 2.0 easily slides in the front pouch of most camera bags or fanny packs. It has multiple mounting options, works as a power bank, and has a host of lighting features.
Thanks to its powerful lighting features, this panel is excellent for everything from filmmakers to photographers to TikTokers. The RGB Panel Pro 2.0 retails for $179.99.
What Features Set The RGB Panel Pro 2.0 Apart?
Brighter and More Powerful Than The Original
We were fans of the Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro. However, the reboot has even more to offer. At 596 Lumens, it’s got 10% more Lumens than the original and is 400% brighter when using colors on the RGB spectrum. With 204 LEDs, you always get bright, even, and consistent light from the RGB Panel Pro 2.0.
2700K – 7500K Adjustable Color Temperature
Getting the perfect skin tone in your photos or video is simple with the Panel Pro 2.0’s 2700K to 7500K adjustable color temperature. Like most Lume Cube products, the Panel Pro 2.0 has a 96+ CRI rating, 6 points higher than the original Panel Pro. That 96+ CRI rating is handy when you have so many color temperature options.
CRI rankings are a scale out of 100, with 100 being able to perfectly replicate color under white light. This color accuracy helps bring out the vibrance of your locations and subjects. Seeing such a high score on such a small and portable device is remarkable.
Full Spectrum of RGB Colors
The RGB Panel Pro massively improves the color performance found on the original Panel Pro. That device has 360 colors to choose from. The Panel Pro 2.0 has 16 million possible color options, giving you the ultimate in creative lighting on the go. While it’s easiest to quickly find your dream color on the app, fine-tuning colors with just the device’s buttons is still simple.
Lume Control App
Lume Cube’s app was a big part of what made the Panel Pro 1.0 shine, but the new app is a jump forward. It’s faster, more responsive, and features the same great connectivity that allows you to control multiple Lume Cube devices at once. But where the app shines brightest is in color. You get an eyedropper feature that matches your lights exactly to a specific color. There’s the ability to manipulate hue, saturation, and brightness from the palm of your hand.
Lume Control simplifies your workflow even more than the original app. Multitasking multiple lights while behind the camera makes setting up shots solo easy.
Adjustable Special Effects
The Panel Pro 2.0 has seven pre-programmed special effects, from shifting color lights to lighting effects. What sets it apart from other panels with similar effects is that each is adjustable with ten stepless speed settings. Give your scene explosive lightning blasts or the soft rolling light of heat lightning. Exploring your creativity with these effect settings is one of the most fun aspects of learning this device.
Powerful Battery Life
Lume Cube’s panel lights are known for great battery life and the tradition has continued here. At 100% full brightness, this light will last for two hours, with four hours of life at 50% brightness. At lower settings, it can run for almost half a day. However, don’t let that two-hour battery limit fool you. Even at just 50%, this light is bright enough for portraits and video work. Even at full power, you’ll never be surprised by a low battery, thanks to dynamic runtime updates on the display.
Works As A Power Bank
The Panel Pro 2.0 has a 16.72 Wh battery with a 12.54 Wh output, which can charge your devices in a pinch. When the bank is full, you can get one full charge on a standard iPhone. While this isn’t enough to bring your camera or computer back to life, it’s a blessing in emergencies.
Incredibly Durable
It’s also built like a tank, constructed from a single piece of aluminum. I did not test its durability. At least, on purpose. I am a klutz who dropped it down three flights of concrete stairs and down a cliff face while hiking without a loss of function or even a scratch.
It’s a Joy To Use Casually or Professionally
This metric is more subjective, but the RGB Panel Pro 2.0 is a joy to use. For example, I like to offer to take photos of strangers taking group pictures in public. Normally, I just offer, take their phone, and take the shot. But numerous times during testing, I’d pull it out of my bag while taking photos for strangers. To the point that my friends started to take pictures of me when I’d do it.
Even when I wasn’t in a work mindset, I found myself grabbing this light because it never felt like grabbing gear. I just slid it in the front of my camera sling and forgot I had it until I needed it. When I used it on an album cover shoot, its Bluetooth powers shined, letting me change the background fill from my phone.
What Downsides Are There To The RGB Panel Pro 2.0?
Price
At $179.99, the RGB Panel Pro 2.0 is expensive, particularly for a light thats the size of a cell phone. We understand if you blink twice before pressing “purchase.” However, this is one of the “if you’re going to buy one light for your kit get this one” choices for mobile creators.
You can get more powerful lights, but they’re heavier and require batteries. You simply cannot beat this light for the sheer range of options, power, durability, and features.
Gets Hot After Long Periods Of Use
This shouldn’t surprise anyone who has ever worked with lights, but the aluminum casing of the RGB Panel Pro 2.0 can get very hot after prolonged use at full power. That means you might want to put it on the ground or let it rest before throwing it back in your bag after a shoot. This is however a minor complaint.
Is The RGB Panel Pro 2.0 Worth Your Money?
Spending money on gear is my least favorite element of content creation. There are seemingly endless possible pitfalls, like getting addicted to new gear or spending money on the wrong thing. Lighting is one of the areas where these pitfalls can appear the most. That is why it’s great when a product lives up to its promises and exceeds them.
The photos shared in this review were all taken in low-light settings. They’ve had color correction and editing in Adobe Lightroom. Most importantly, they were all shot using only the RGB Panel Pro 2.0 as the only controlled light. The included diffuser helped me get soft but bold light while holding the panel in one hand and my camera in the other.
As someone who primarily does street photography and comedy skits, having the functionality of a creative light in a tiny package is invaluable. From a safety standpoint, it makes you less of a target than ring lights or large panels. But also, camera gear can be cumbersome. Every pound you drop from your kit is a gift.
Being able to quickly add effects like a police light or lightning to your TikToks opens up new creative options. Sure, you can use filters, but there’s nothing like in-camera lighting to make your content stand out. We also truly love how the RGB Panel Pro 2.0 can serve as a power bank in a pinch. This little light considers every on-the-go creator’s problems and does its best to help.
This light will never replace a complete set of studio panel lights. However, it’s bright enough to add a professional air to your videos. We’re so used to how mobile phones correct for low light that sometimes it’s easy to forget that video looks better in light. This panel is small and light enough to fit in any day bag, even if you never carry a professional camera.
Whether you’re a portrait photographer who likes to shoot in low light or a TikToker trying to bring life to your clips, the RBG Pro Panel 2.0 is a delight. Beyond its power and quality, it’s so small you’ll never worry about keeping it on you. Smaller than a Kindle and about the size of the smartphone you’re already carrying.
The $179.99 price tag is nothing to sneeze at, but you can feel the quality of every dollar in the light. Ultimately, the Panel Pro 2.0 is a quality product that will help you get to making stuff faster, with the options to match your creativity. For that comes highly recommended.
