This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
The NEEWER BASICS MagSafe light (NL48B, black) is a tiny rechargeable LED that snaps onto the back of an iPhone. It cost ¥2,599 on Amazon Japan at the time of recording. In my tests it brightened my face without changing the background, it can rotate and extend upward for vertical selfie video, and it made a clear difference even in a nearly dark room. For anyone who shoots selfie video on an iPhone, it is a cheap, useful thing to keep in a bag.
What I tested
- NEEWER BASICS MagSafe photo light with a mirror (rotating, extendable, rechargeable)
- In the box: charging cable, a metal ring for phones without MagSafe, and a manual
- Tested on an iPhone with the front camera and the rear camera, in a normally lit room, a dim room and an almost dark room
What I found
- Flattering, local light: with the room lights off, turning it on lit up my face while the background brightness barely changed. That is exactly what you want when a bright background makes your face look dark.
- Rotate and extend: the light head flips around and slides upward. In landscape you don’t need to extend it, but for vertical front-camera video you do, otherwise the light doesn’t clear the top of the phone.
- Adjustable brightness: you can turn it down if it looks unnatural.
- Low light: recent iPhones already handle darkness well, but with the light on, the dim room and the near-dark room both looked dramatically better. I think it is enough to light a person, though I haven’t tested how far it reaches outdoors.
- Mirror: the lid opens to reveal a small mirror for rear-camera selfies. It is only good enough to check that you are roughly in frame.
- Color: in the dark room the light looked slightly warm (yellowish) to me.
Who it’s for
- Good fit: people who shoot selfie video or vlogs on an iPhone, especially indoors or at night.
- Not necessary: if you mostly take photos (the flash often does the job) or only shoot in bright places.
Watch the review
The video is in Japanese. Useful moments: around 3:00 the light on/off selfie comparison, around 6:15 the dim-room test, around 7:25 the near-dark test.
Limitations
I had only just bought it, so I can’t comment on long-term durability. It is a light you attach when needed rather than leave on the phone. NEEWER sells several similar MagSafe lights in different colors and designs, so check the model number. The price is the Amazon Japan price at the time of recording.
Products
NEEWER BASICS NL48B MagSafe light (black, with mirror): on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
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This review is also available in Japanese.