SmallRig’s New Light Folds Down to Make Location Lighting Easier

Portable lights are easy to carry until you actually need good, soft light. Suddenly there is a light, stand, modifier, power source and a small argument with gravity involved. SmallRig is trying to simplify that setup with the OrBrella FM 60B, a foldable LED video light designed to combine a soft light source and diffusion system in a single portable unit.

The concept was developed with CineD co-founder Johnnie Behiri, who wanted a lighting system that could be deployed quickly without sacrificing the quality of the light. SmallRig says the OrBrella FM 60B can be opened and ready to shoot in around 15 seconds.

A Soft Light That Folds Down

The OrBrella FM 60B is built around a patented quick deploy structure. Instead of assembling a light and then attaching a separate modifier, the unit unfolds into its lighting configuration.

SmallRig says the prototype measures 34cm, or about 13.4 inches, and weighs 1.3kg, or 2.87lb. 

The compact design is aimed at creators who regularly work outside a studio. Documentary filmmakers, portrait photographers, videographers, and solo creators can face a familiar problem when working on location: good lighting often means bringing considerably more equipment.

SmallRig’s approach is to make the light itself part of the solution.

Detachable Panels Change the Light

Another unusual feature is the OrBrella’s detachable LED panel design. The panels can be flipped to change the character of the light, giving users a choice between softer and harder illumination.

That makes the unit more flexible than a fixed soft light, at least in principle. Instead of changing the entire lighting setup, users can adjust the panels to suit the subject and situation.

SmallRig also emphasizes color consistency, saying the light is designed to avoid noticeable color shifts and produce natural looking skin tones.

The light also offers precise color temperature control from warm 2700K candlelight to cool 6500K daylight, giving creators more control over white balance in different shooting environments.

Those figures are based on prototype testing, however, and the company says final specifications will be determined by the mass production units.

A Light Designed for Shooting Alone

The OrBrella FM 60B can be controlled directly or remotely through SmallRig’s SMALLGOGO app. It also supports different power options, including a V mount battery, allowing it to be used away from an electrical outlet.

That is particularly relevant for documentary and location work, where access to power and extra crew cannot always be assumed.

A compact light does not automatically solve the problem of lighting a scene, of course. Position, output, diffusion and battery life still determine how useful it will be in practice. But reducing the number of separate pieces that need to be carried and assembled can make a difference for photographers and filmmakers working alone.

SmallRig Wants to Remove the Lighting Hassle

SmallRig says the OrBrella FM 60B grew from the frustration of dealing with conventional lighting equipment that can slow down a shoot. 

The company describes it as a product developed around the idea that lighting equipment should stay out of the way once the camera starts rolling. That is a more interesting proposition than simply making another LED panel.

The OrBrella FM 60B is essentially betting that convenience can be part of lighting quality. If the final production version delivers the promised portability and control, its biggest advantage may be avoiding the familiar ritual of unpacking half a lighting kit before shooting a single frame.

For creators who spend more time setting up lights than actually using them, that could be the feature worth watching.

SmallRig will offer the OrBrella FM 60B at a special launch price of $169.99, down from its regular $199 price. The launch price will be available from September 25 through November 8, 2026.

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