One of the best tube lights I've tested has a clever battery feature

ZDNET's key takeaways

Tube lights have become quite the trend in the creator space over the past few years. Many of our favorite music videos include some level of tube light implementation to help create a captivating scene. This has led to many manufacturers creating tube lights for the creative market. Some are good. Some are not so good.

SmallRig recently introduced me to its RT 25 tube light, a handheld with mountable options and a few features to help enhance a creator's scene, be it for video or photography. I'm very familiar with SmallRig's prowess in camera accessories, as I have used quite a few of their cages and rigs, but I was not familiar with its lighting SKUs. Let's take a look at the RT 25 tube light.

Quality in design, build, and features

The SmallRig RT 25 is quite a beautifully designed tube light. The build quality is a mix of high-end plastic composite and metal. It has several mounting points for use on light stands or mounts. The mounts are ¼-20 or ⅜ -- you'll be hard-pressed to not figure out a way to mount this tube light.

The interface is simplistic: there's the typical power switch, mode button, set button, and a control dial, which is also clickable to help you navigate the menu system. The SmallRig RT 25 comes with a grip that's fairly ergonomic and comfortable to hold. In addition to offering comfort, it houses the battery to wirelessly power the tube light.

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The build quality also includes ports for barn doors to lock onto, giving you a simple light modifier for your scene. The barn doors connect and disconnect easily, but don't lead you to believe they'll detach accidentally. Nicely done. The IP54 rating means you can utilize the tube light in light rain, thanks to the splash water resistance.

Like most lights out there today, you'll get special effects from the RT 25, but that means absolutely nothing if it can't act as a reliable light source for your typical daylight or tungsten setting used on sets today. To SmallRig's credit, the RT 25 does a great job with light quality and doesn't have any performance issues, like flickering or an overheating chassis.

Back to the image sensor. The ½-inch sensor is capable of capturing 8K resolution in 360-degree video and up to 72 megapixels for still 360-degree or flattened images.

I'll put an asterisk next to these huge megapixel specs, since not all megapixels are created equal. Still images on a full-frame (35mm) image sensor at 20 megapixels will look far better than images on a ½-inch 72MP image sensor. The photosites are different. Fortunately, the X4 still captures some fantastic footage for what it is: a 360-degree action camera.

Power and battery 

Using the RT 25 on set comes with freedom in terms of battery life. On a full charge, the battery grip is spec'd out to give you two hours of battery life. I've not been able to push the limits on it just yet, but that's a reasonable and realistic number based on the 3,100 mAh rating.

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You can also power the RT 25 via USB-C. Just connect your favorite portable power source and continue to shoot. It's a perfect scenario if you're a creator with loads of V-mount batteries that offer USB-C PD output. You can mount the tube light to a light stand and also mount the V-mount battery to the light stand for continuous lighting for as long as your V-mount battery can handle it.

The good and bad with the RT 25

I can't give enough credit to SmallRig for the build quality of this tube light. It feels great and can potentially take a beating from careless drops. I didn't drop it, but I also didn't feel any anxiety about dropping it. 

SmallRig also thoughtfully added mounting points on the backside and ends of the tube. If you're looking for an edge light, you can mount the RT 25 on a stand to the side of your subject. Looking for a fill or hair light? Well, mount the light lower in front of your subject or up on a C-stand behind your subject.

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To contrast my glowing praise, I must point out the areas that could be improved. Yes, the battery life is great, but I wish the internal battery would power the light independently, so there's no need for a USB-C power source or grip. Just mount it and turn it on. SmallRig mentioned to me that my wish was possible, but in my tests, I couldn't run the RT 25 without having either USB-C power or the battery grip.

I also didn't care for the user interface not allowing some sort of mobile app interaction. If you're a solo shooter like myself, it can be a bit annoying going back and forth changing and adjusting settings on any light source that's on a stand or tripod. Having mobile app access makes this much more efficient on set. At the very least, give me the option to adjust brightness or color temperature on-the-fly.

Finally, I wish SmallRig would offer a larger font base and more useful information in the user guide. I got more out of trial and error than attempting to read the provided manual or the online manual.

ZDNET's buying advice

The SmallRig RT 25 with battery grip model is available for $180. That's a pretty good price for an unbelievably solid piece of grip for your photography or videography. The build quality alone is worth its weight in gold.