NEEWER® 160 LED CN-160 Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera / Camcorder Video Light, LED Light compatible with Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic,SONY, Samsung and Olympus Digital SLR Cameras

Here's a doctor's prescription you won't regret provided you understand going in that the NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel is high performance in plastic housing, reasonably durable for the price. One should not expect more than one is willing to spend. However you will receive more then you spend in this instance. This is a prescription for happiness my friend. :>) Scroll that dimming switch from dim to full brightness! (<:PROS:PRICELight WeightAccepts Multitude of batteries (Alkaline/NiMH AA, and Lithium Ion Camcorder Batteries)Long battery lifeHigh brightness outputArticulated hot-shoe mountIncludes three filters with vinyl caseTest button and four LEDs (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%)on rear for showing battery levelLost or damaged -- only out $40 bucks not $300 plus -- easily replaceableCONS:In MY opinion NONESome may be off put by plastic housingNo AC to DC adapter or connectionCannot daisy chain lights togetherOpen back exposes type of battery in use. (necessary when using larger lithium ion batteries) One could use a black index card to conceal batteries that don't protrude out back.No carrying/storage case for light itselfI had searched specifically looking for LED lighting for my DSLR and Camcorders . . . you are probably aware too that these type of lights are outrageously expensive. This tech geek is not a pro photographer/videographer by any stretch (more like an intermitted, much less than a pro). I just could not justify spending as much or more on lighting compared to camera cost no more that what it would be used.I landed on amazon.com sporting NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel. First thought, how good could it possibly be at this price? Even 3 filters with vinyl case, a battery adapter were included -- additionally -- it sported ability to use widely available Alkaline/NiMH AA batteries, as well as some standard camcorder lithium ion batteries. Best of all I had camcorder batteries specified in its product listing. The hot-shoe for attaching to camera or tripod is somewhat durable. Mine has not broken and should it ever I would acquire an universal type hot-shoe adapter for the light. The hot-shoe mount is articulated forward and backward, a little stiff but stays in position you place it. The versatility was unbelievable it had to be to good to be truth -- but it was not -- it was absolutely one of the best buying decisions I have every made for hobby photography period.After over a year and half of use (I have used this more than I ever dreamed I would) the leds are still as bright as the day I received NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel. By the way, I like using it on full brightness more times and I just threw the Duracell Alkaline Batteries I installed in April 2012. Imagine the battery life I will receive from a six hour camcorder lithium ion battery.I have not experimented with the filters, they are ridged plastic. I have only used the diffuser filter to soften the lighting output.This is not my first NEEWER product and quality has been very good across the board given they items are reasonably priced.Yes this light may be a tad thicker than some of the competitors high valued items. However, you are getting far more than the price your paying. The plastic casing is strong but not indestructible, reasonable care should ensure a myriad of years of enjoyable use. No case comes with the light for storage which was fine for me as I have two high impact cases for my cameras and camcorders. Removing some foam squares both lights with filters and battery adapters slipped right in.I love this NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel so much that I ended up acquiring a second one. The first one was tested at my nephew's high school graduation. We arrived early but still ended up halfway up on the bleachers. Giving a good distance of over thirty feet. My first thought was when they cut lights to focus on the stage my video footage would be dark and grainy.When graduating class begin to enter I turn my inexpensive high power baby on, it flooded the gymnasium in a spread of my focus. Plethora of students shaded their faces (ones walking directly in my direction to their sets), I had to dim light down so I was not continually blinding them.A couple of other people shooting with their camcorders thank me for the lighting assistance. They were just going to stow their camcorders away because everything was to dark to see. Until my light came on and their cameras were satisfied also.Once I experienced what this NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel could stream out in lumens. There was no hesitation on my part to order another.I very rarely give any product a five star rating although this is one of those rare instances. This comes with a high recommendation from me for any budding photographer/videographer, anyone on a budget, or someone that just cannot justify the premium cost of a pro lighting unit. At time of my purchase this NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel was $40.36 -- at today's price of $35 there is no reason not to pick one or two up. I would not be surprised if some professionals don't grab up a few . . . you leave one of these behind or its damaged no huge loss. I may grab a few more myself as there are plethora more uses besides the obvious.SIGNATURE: I bought both NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel with my own money. No party has given me any incentive to write this review or any compensation. I wanted to share my experience with you, inform you what an amazingly fantastic deal the NEEWER® CN-160 160PCS LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel is--DIGITAL SIGNATUREI like to close my reviews with a THANK YOU because I do appreciate you investing your precious time in reading my material. We live in a complex complicated world where time is at a premium. I do pray you found this review like my others informative and helpful in aiding your next purchasing decision. Your comments are always welcome and I make every attempt to reply to comments as time permits. Again THANK YOU for the opportunity to aid you in spending your hard earned money wisely.I am not employed or receive any compensation by the manufacture or any organization promoting this product or additional hardware. I purchased or received as a gift my product like anyone else and just sharing my myriad thoughts and experience with you.I hereby extend to you a plethora of blessing of good health and welling being. Bless you all.2013 Copyrighted by Dr. Gary Drury

My expectation for this light was pretty low, so imagine my surprise the first time I turned it on! I was not prepared for the super-bright light that came from this light head. With the diffuser lens on, it threw a nice, soft pattern and was able to flood our front living room with light with all of the normal room lights off.It's really difficult to find anything seriously negative about this light. At this price point, you can afford to take a chance with low expectations.PROS:* It's affordable.* Can take several different battery types, including AA batteries.* Battery test button with four bright red LEDs that tell how much charge is left in your power source.* Because it's an LED light, when you dim it, the color temperature won't change.* LEDs require less power to drive.* For its size, it really delivers an intense light.* Adjustable head angle.* Comes with two color correction filters and a diffuser lens.* Lightweight.* Operates cool to the touch.CONS:* Depending on the power source used (size of battery) and the type of camera you are using, the light head may become heavy enough to make your camera unwieldy. This is especially true with a battery like the Sony NPF-970.* Some people may find the filters and diffuser difficult to slide out from the front of the camera.* The hot shoe mount, like the rest of the housing, is made of plastic. The light head doesn't bounce or feel flimsy with the largest battery on it, but this seems to be the most likely spot for any likelihood of breakage.* No instructions. This might be helpful for those who are inexperienced.* The battery compartment is a bit of a mystery until you realize that the only way to use a camera battery or AA batteries is to take the battery door off first, install the battery/batteries, then put the door back in place. This is a minor inconvenience, but it actually makes sense when you realize the tight fit of the battery door around an installed battery helps keep camera batteries from disconnecting.I have been a professional videographer for almost 30 years now and I truly wish I would have had this light in my kit instead of the bulky, hot halogen lights I carried for years. I am not a fan of the "sun gun" top light, but in tight spaces it's a great thing to have when you need a little fill. The kit came with two color correction filters and a diffuser, plus a battery adapter to use camera batteries other than Sony NPs. The back of the light head also has a convenient battery test button with four bright LED indicators that can tell you how much juice is left in your power source. If you turn your light on and press the battery test button, you will see the LEDs change as intensity is changed. There is a door on the back of the light head that can be removed, allowing you to use AA batteries instead of rechargeable camera batteries. Removing the door also allows you to install the battery adapter.There are no instructions that come with this light, but the one thing you will discover if you are using Sony NP batteries is that you need to remove that battery door in order to get the battery correctly snapped in place. There is a rectangular cutout that will allow a camera battery to stick out beyond the back of the light housing when larger batteries like the NPF-770 and 970 are used. The first battery I placed in it was a Sony NPF-970, which is a pretty thick battery, but it's not the thickness of the battery that makes it impossible to install with the door on; it's the length. Remove the battery door, install your battery, then place the battery door back in position. You'll see that the rectangular cutout in the battery door fits snugly around camera batteries that stick out beyond the housing, and that should help keep the batteries firmly in place without the risk of bumping them loose.Some people have found the adjustable base to be wonky and perhaps prone to breaking. It's plastic, but fairly rigid. In extreme cold this might become brittle, but that's easy to overcome if you have little faith in the design. At least one other reviewer managed to mount the hot shoe directly to the light head. You will lose your ability to adjust your light head angle, but you could get an articulated arm with a hot shoe mount that should allow you to regain adjustability if you attempt this tweak.There are too many things to like about this light to shoot it down and you shouldn't be disappointed for what you get from this package.