Pocket-Sized & Versatile: Nanlite pico
When people first see the Nanlite pico in person, they often ask, "What's that cute, little light that looks like it can go anywhere?" Then we tell them, "It's a cute, little light that can go anywhere!" Small enough to live in a little backpack compartment, the corner of a camera bag, or your pocket, pico is powered by an internal rechargeable battery or AC, provides full color or bi-color white light, and it's controlled by Bluetooth and the free Nanlink app, or the onboard controls. It's an awesome little light for content creation on the go, or used with other lights to make your frame more dynamic.
pico comes with a removable shoe mount, so it can be used as an on-camera light. It's great for that application, but there is so much more you can do: product shots, miniatures, spur-of-the-moment social content, etc. The shoe mount screws into a 1/4"-20 receiver, so you can rig it up that way, but the base is also magnetic, so you can affix it to many surfaces. It stands freely on its own, and the yoke is stepped, so you can adjust the angle and it will stay there.
Even though pico is tiny, it packs a punch for such a small light. It gets impressively bright when needed (4211 lux / 391 fc @ 0.3m 5600K), and can dim down low. It has full RGB, so there are 36,000 different colors available, and it has a CCT range of 2700K-7500K with ±150 of G/M adjustment. There are 14 built-in effects (like Paparazzi and Fireworks), and you can easily customized these effects and save them as presets in the Nanlink app.
Another set of magnets in pico holds the front diffuser on. When attached, the light is soft and diffuse, and when you pop it off, the light is hard and a bit brighter. A separate modifier accessory is available called the Magnetic Eggcrate for pico. It attaches to the magnetic mount, and the internal grid prevents the light from spilling on nearby objects and surfaces, so you can concentrate the light on your subject without lighting everything around it.
The back side of pico features its circular display, control buttons and wheel. It's pretty easy to figure out, and if you've ever used a Nanlite wand, then you already know how to use pico. Pairing it with your mobile device is just as easy, and the free Nanlink app is available in special versions made specifically for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Android tablets.
Because the pico has such a charming design, it seemed necessary to make it available in different colors. You can choose between the Mint Blue and the Midnight Blue options. If you're a pico fanatic, it is also available in a 12-kit that includes 12 Magnetic Eggcrate Grids and a custom Gutek hard case.
Not only does pico inspire creative ideas and have lots of practical uses, it's also incredibly affordable. They are so inexpensive, it's a no-brainer. Grab one today, charge it up with the included USB-C cable and your phone's power brick, and keep it in your bag. When inspiration strikes, pico will handle the light.