Now that your DSLR shoots video, your flashgun should do too! Probably.
The NanGuang CN-16, also known as the Neewer CN-16, is a rectangular LED panel with a hole in the middle. It fits round the head of your flashgun, giving you a makeshift video light you can switch to using without having to de-rig any equipment.
Or, if you’re a stills purist and the thought of video DSLRs and so-called ‘convergence’ disgusts you, consider this an attachable modelling light (or AF-assist lamp) for off-camera flash.
You have a couple of different mounting options with the CN-16. You can strap it directly to your flash head, or mount it independently in the hotshoe or on a light stand. Why would you want to add an LED to your flashgun? While there are speedlights out there, such as the Canon Speedlite 320EX, featuring built-in LED lights, they may not be as bright and — crucially — don’t necessarily point in the same direction as the flash head.
Thus if you want to switch quickly between stills and video, focus in the dark or preview the lighting in your scene, this is one of the least cumbersome options. Others include Falcon Eyes’ strap-on VL-100Â or the DL-SL60 hybrid bounce-card.
Sporting 102 LEDs, the CN-16 puts out white light, but various filters are included (depending on your retailer) to balance it with tungsten or daylight colour temperatures. The unit draws 6.2 watts, with brightness rated 790 lux at 1 metre (88 lux at 2 metres) and there is also a dimmer switch on the side. It runs on 5 AA batteries.
Is it any good? Who knows? For around US$35 (£20) these little gadgets are available via eBay; click here for listings.
Can you see yourself using one? Do you shoot a mixture of stills and video or prefer to stick to one or the other?