Godox, a company known for its professional photography gear like flashes and reflective umbrellas, has announced a new lighting product for smartphones. Its MA5R is a magnetic power bank with an array of diffused color-changing LEDs on the back that can improve phone photography while keeping battery anxiety in check. It’s priced at $49, and while you can preorder it through online specialty stores, official availability isn’t known.
The MA5R attaches to MagSafe-compatible iPhones, smartphones supporting the Qi2 wireless standard, or mobile devices upgraded with a magnetic ring on the back. It can also be used handheld, but Godox didn’t include a standard tripod mount for attaching it to stands — an odd omission given the company’s lineup of pro gear.
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Image: Godox
The accessory can be controlled through the Godox mobile app over Bluetooth, which allows its color temperature to be adjusted across a wide range — from 1800K (warmer) to 10000K (cooler) — so you can match the lighting in almost any environment. You can also opt for a wide range of colors if you’re looking for a more dramatic lighting effect or choose one of “14 pre-programmed special effects,” which could be useful when shooting video.
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Image: Godox
On the other side of the MA5R, next to its magnetic mount, is a small display showing battery life and lighting brightness. There’s also a smaller front-facing LED light that can be used to improve selfies by rotating the accessory while it’s attached to a phone. It offers a smaller range of color temperature adjustments between 2800K and 6500K.
The added lights mean the MA5R is 13 millimeters thick, so it’s not exactly going to disappear when attached to your phone. And it’s only got a 5,000mAh battery inside. That’s enough to keep its LEDs running for up to three hours, 40 minutes at full brightness or up to seven hours, 20 minutes at half brightness, but not quite enough to fully recharge many smartphones more than once.
Wireless charging also stops while the LEDs are turned on, so maybe think of the MA5R’s charging capabilities as a bonus feature for what looks like a solid portable lighting solution.