A Hands-On Review of Manfrotto’s SPECTRA2 Portable LED

Next to photographing the models and designer outfits walking the runway, one of my favorite pastimes at New York Fashion Week is checking out the gear used by other photographers and videographers. While runway lighting is plentiful, shooting backstage and front row often requires a little help from artificial light sources. It’s no surprise that videographers are using LED light panels, but I noticed at least a few still photographers using the same types of devices rather than flash, either mounting the LED light on their cameras or holding them off to the side to control the angle of light. But that’s only one small application of these lightweight and efficient light sources, which can be used singly or in multiple configurations in studio or on location.

One of the latest LED lights—the Manfrotto Spectra2 powered by Litepanels (the two brands share the same parent company)—is the most compact of Manfrotto’s professional on-camera LED lights. Like its siblings, the Spectra2 utilizes SMT (Surface Mount Technology) to ensure that the LEDs deliver efficient output and accurate color rendition. Manfrotto rates the daylight-balanced CRI (Color Rendering Index) at >93, and I found that color accuracy was generally spot on whether the light was at full power or dialed down to 1 percent. 

Rated up to 650 lux at 1 meter, the $220 Spectra2 provides a 50-degree angle. And, if 650 lux isn’t enough output, a 50 percent boost mode is available as well. Powered by six AA batteries, the light can also be powered by an optional L-Type Li-ion battery or via an AC adapter. A small ball head is bundled with the light, along with a trio of full CTO (Color Temperature Orange), 1/4 CTO and diffusion gel filters. 

DESIGN
Measuring 6 x 3.7 x 1.7 inches and weighing 7.94 ounces, the plastic bodied Spectra2 is highly portable. It’s simple to use with an on/off switch and a knob on the side to dial the power up and down. The battery light provides a color-coded indication of how much life remains, but not an actual percentage or time remaining indicator. I tested the light using 6 AA alkaline batteries, which is rated to last about 50 minutes at full power (approximately 110 minutes and 180 minutes with NiMh and Lithium ion batteries, respectively).

While the Spectra2 is small and light enough to handhold, I preferred to use the included small ball head accessory shoe to mount the light on the Nikon D4S’s hot shoe. It fit perfectly and felt well-balanced on the DSLR’s body, although I think it might be a little top heavy for smaller mirrorless cameras. The bundled gel filters slide into the front panel of the light for adjusting white balance or diffusing the light. The filters don’t quite cover the entire surface, allowing small amounts of non-gelled light to escape through the sides and top/bottom of the light, although this spillover was inconsequential for most of my test shots.

What We Liked
With an ever-crowded gear bag, the compact and dual-purpose Spectra2 is a welcome addition, particularly when you’re shooting both still and video. Multiple mounting and power options add to the light’s versatility as well. The light quality was good throughout the power range, and while I preferred the Spectra2 for softer lighting of portraits and macro shots, the 50 percent boost provides extra output when needed. Of course, caution has to be taken when photographing people since the light is quite bright.

What We Didn’t Like
Sometimes you have to compromise, and perhaps the biggest compromise with the Spectra2 is its build quality. Although plastic helps keep the weight (and price) down, the light doesn’t feel very sturdy. Be careful when removing and replacing the battery cover and try not to drop the light. My other complaint is that the slots for the AA batteries are very tight and it was difficult to insert/remove them.

How it Compares
The Spectra2 may not be the strongest LED light panel on the market—both in construction and light output—but it’s nicely compact and easily mounted on a hot shoe for those shooting video on DSLRs. Manfrotto and other manufacturers offer more powerful—and more versatile—LED lights such as the Manfrotto Croma2, which is also compact and can be mounted on a DSLR hot shoe but provides output up to 900 lux and user-controllable color temperatures from 3100 to 5600K. As LED panels become more popular, the variety of choices will continue to expand even further. But, even now, there are plenty of options to choose from. 

Theano Nikitas, a full-time freelance writer, has been covering photography for over 20 years and currently pens Rf’s PhotoForward Tech Tuesday blog posts.

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