Investing in a key light is a wise option if you want to look your best during a video call or in any type of video appearance (in addition to getting a good webcam, of course). And Elgato has a brand-new, flexible option that goes on sale today called the Key Light Mini. It is a portable, rechargeable solution with a $99.99 price tag that can be fastened magnetically to any surface, affixed to a tripod (which isn’t included), or connected to a camera’s hot shoe mount adapter through its 1/4-inch tripod mount.
The Key Light Mini has several mounting options, which makes it unique, but there are other qualities to this model that assist to explain its fairly high price. It has physical controls for changing the colour temperature or brightness. However, Elgato’s free Control Center programme for macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS allows for remote control over Wi-Fi.
The company’s Stream Deck device, which gives streamers (or just devoted multitaskers) a command centre of user-programmable buttons to subtly activate programmes or carry out macros for capture software, is also compatible with the Key Light Mini. Similar to its more expensive sibling, the $199.99 Key Light, the 800-lumen Key Light Mini also uses OSRAM LEDs. Other notable features include a four-hour built-in battery and a 15W USB-C charging connector that supports a 60-minute quick charge. The range of its colour temperature is 2900–7000 degrees kelvin.
Elgato Key Light Mini review: Design
The 6-inch, slightly weighty Elgato Key Light Mini is a face-illuminating rectangle that may be placed anywhere. This battery-operated light has a significant edge over competitors like the Logitech Litra Glow and most inexpensive ring lights because it is completely wireless and can even connect to magnetic surfaces. The Key Light Mini, unlike those lighting alternatives, is not provided with a stand or mount, so you will need to find a way to support it on your own.
The good news is that I had no trouble attaching the Key Light Mini to my tripod because it has a conventional quarter-inch mounting attachment for attaching to most stands and cheap cameras. And I was able to attach it to my whiteboard with ease using the magnets built into it for some wall lighting. The Key Light Mini is a multipurpose light from Elgato, but those who don’t have access to the appropriate stand or surface will need to purchase one of the two in order to use it properly.
The Key Light Mini has a dial for brightness adjustment, a power button, and a USB-C charging port. When installed above my monitor, I found the light’s side-facing brightness slider to be user-friendly and simple to access, especially when compared to the Litra Glow’s more difficult-to-reach, rear-facing settings. Even better, the Key Light Mini may be operated in a variety of useful ways without ever having to touch it.
Elgato Key Light Mini review: Performance
Despite its diminutive size, the Key Light Mini has an impressive punch. When I first turned it on, the amount of light it produces truly caught me off guard I was briefly rendered blind. The edge-lit panel can produce up to 800 lumens, which at full output is probably too much for most applications camera. However, even with the light set to 20% indoors, I was getting excellent results.
The Mini produces soft, homogeneous light across an amazingly wide field for such a small source using the same double-layer diffusion as the rest of the Key Light line. I observed that the 2900-7000K colour gamut is noticeably wider than that of competitor panels, especially at the warmer end of the scale. There is adequate room here for designers to work in most situations, including outdoors, since pure sunshine is around 5000K.
In place of my usual stream arrangement of two Elgato Key Light Airs, I substituted a single Key Light Mini, and the Mini worked well. The Mini isn’t necessarily outpowered because I run the Airs at 30% brightness, but I thought the dual Airs were better overall. Since the Mini is smaller than an Air, it lit me more evenly thanks to its wider source area. However, it was only somewhat competitive and the Mini will work well for the majority of broadcasters.
Elgato Key Light Mini review: Setup
The Elgato Control Center desktop or mobile app can wirelessly control the Key Light Mini in addition to being able to configure it using the on-board controls. Sadly, despite attempting two different lights and a complete factory reset, we were unable to get the Key Light Mini to link with our Wi-Fi network. If you can connect the Key Light Mini to your network, you can easily adjust brightness and temperature using the Elgato app.
Additionally, the lamp has a “Studio Mode” that you can use to turn off the battery and only use AC power. You may quickly turn the Key Light Mini on or off and change the settings using Elgato’s Stream Deck, which is also compatible with the Key Light Mini.
Elgato Key Light Mini review: Controls
The Litra Glow’s physical controls are more sensitive and more pleasant to push, but they provide slightly less control than the Key Light Mini. The Litra Glow has five tactile buttons that can be used to modify the brightness, colour temperature, or switch the gadget on or off.
The device itself doesn’t offer as fine a level of control as the Logitech G Hub. For instance, in place of a full slider, you can only alternate between 5 preset colour temperature options, from chilly to warmest. You may adjust the brightness by holding it up or down. When you click it, the mode changes to colour temperature, where you may then hold up or down to adjust the light’s Kelvin value.
Elgato Key Light Mini review: Battery Life
I cycled between each lamp’s default, warm and cool colour temperatures at 50% brightness while taking a series of pictures with a Logitech C920 camera lens in both natural and low light. When the colour temperature was neutral or cool, Elgato’s light excelled, giving me a more realistic and detailed appearance in comparison to natural lighting. But compared to the Litra Glow’s more even lighting, in many other situations the Key Light Mini had a propensity to make me look quite blown out at half brightness.
Because it has a maximum brightness of 800 lumens as opposed to the Litra Glow’s 250, the Key Light Mini is brighter and harsher than the Logitech light, in my opinion. The Key Light Mini will probably perform better in your setup if you’re illuminating yourself from a distance and require a very pronounced light. However, I discovered that the Litra Glow was less strain on my eyes for up-close use in a smaller arrangement when I installed both lights on top of my monitor and sat in front of them for long periods of time.
Elgato Key Light Mini review: Price and availability
Elgato’s Key Light Mini is now on sale for $99.99. It’s a very cost-effective option for a single, portable light when compared to Elgato’s own Key Light Air ($129.99) and Key Light ($199.99). However, it actually doesn’t make much sense to buy two Key Light Minis for your stream; it would be better to just purchase this product from Elgato’s official store one of the larger lights.
Final Words
A lightweight, premium, rechargeable lighting option is the Elgato Key Light Mini, which can be attached to a variety of accessories and common tripod mounting. It can be used to improve your appearance in front of the camera, take better pictures for your review articles, produce better video game for your YouTube channel, or simply when you require portable lighting.
You may take it with you and use it everywhere you go because it is portable and rechargeable. It’s preferable to simply grab the Key Light Air if you only intend to use it on the desk, though. However, this will easily enhance your workflow if you want adaptability or if you currently own other Elgato lighting kits.
