Nanlite has launched a new full-color handheld LED light. The Nanlite Wand is a versatile fixture aimed at creators who need a light they can use in the studio or on the go.
Design
As its name suggests, the Nanlite Wand is a long, thin light with a hand grip on one end. It has three rows of focusing lenses on top of the wand’s emitting surface. These deliver a brighter, more concentrated beam of light. As a result, the Wand is ideal as a fill, an accent light or to create a colorful background. You could even use it as a key light if it is close to your subject. There’s a ¼-20 inch thread on the base of the handle, so you can mount the wand on a light stand or tripod. In addition, the Wand comes with a diffuser and barn doors. You can choose between two color options for the body of your Wand, midnight blue or mint blue.
Build
The Nanlite Wand is 19.39 inches (492.5 mm) long, 2.19 inches (55.7 mm) wide and 1.48 inches (37.5 mm) deep. On its own, the fixture weighs 0.93 pounds (0.42 kg). Using the barn doors adds another 0.49 pounds (0.22 kg). Alternatively, the diffuser is super lightweight at only 0.044 pounds (0.02 kg). The Wand has a built-in cooling fan, but Nanlite says this is quiet at only 22dB, so it shouldn’t affect your audio.
Full color
The Wand uses the Nanlite-developed Nebula C4 RGBW Light Engine. This produces high-quality, brighter white light by mixing colored and white light chips. The Wand has a CCT range from 2,700 K to 7,500 K with a plus or minus 150 green/magenta adjustment. It is also color accurate with an average CRI of 95 and TLCI of 93. In addition, the Wand features RGB full-color chips to deliver 36,000 vibrant colors. There are 14 built-in special effects modes as well. These include police car, storm, TV, fire, bad bulb and explosion.
Output
At 1.6 feet (0.5 meters), the Nanlite Wand can output up to 14,150 lux when set to 5,600 K or 13,650 lux at 3,200 K. With the light at 3.3 feet (1 meter), these figures drop to 4,020 lux and 3,914 lux, respectively. Alternatively, in full-color mode, you can get a maximum of 9791 lux in green, 2166 lux in red and 1,530 lux in blue at 1.6 feet (0.5 meters). Again, these figures drop to 2,788 lux, 593 lux and 432 lux, respectively, at 3.3 feet (1 meter). If you add the diffuser, there’s a noticeable drop in output at all settings. This shows how effective the focusing lenses are at intensifying the output from the Wand.
Controls
You can operate the Nanlite Wand using the built-in controls. The light has a 1.28-inch round display on the back, which displays the settings. There are also two buttons for accessing functions and a single knob for adjustments. Nanlite says it’s an intuitive layout that makes on-board control simple. Alternatively, you can operate the Wand wireless via the Nanlink App 2.0. This supports group control for multiple fixtures as well.
Power
The Nanlite Wand features a built-in NP-F battery plate so you can power it with an NP-F750 or NP-F950 battery. Nanlite says that you will get around an hour’s runtime from an NP-F750 battery or 90 minutes from an NP-F950 battery with the wand set to 100% brightness. You can also use a power bank to run the Wand. Usefully, Nanlite makes an optional power bank adaptor which fits into the NP-F battery slot. In addition, you can use a PD3.0 charger. However, this will need to have an output of 37 W or greater to run the light at up to 100% brightness. You can use lower-powered PD chargers, but the maximum output of the Wand will be capped at less than 100%.
What we think
The Nanlite Wand is a fun way to add light and movement to your videos. As a handheld light, you can easily position it on the fly or follow your subject as they move. It’s also useful to have the option to mount the fixture on a stand. With a wide CCT range and full color output as well, the Wand works as a close-up key light, a fill light, or to add a burst of color. Some users might prefer to have a built-in rechargeable battery. However, the ability to swap out the battery on location means you can keep shooting for longer. The Nanlite Wand could be a useful addition to your lighting arsenal.
Pricing and availability
The Nanlite Wand is available now and retails at $119. It comes with the barndoors, diffuser, a manual and a carrying bag.
