Are you looking to make your photos brighter? The Mamen SLC02 Light Review might have precisely what you need. I’m always open to making my photos look better, so when Mamen contacted me for a fill-light review, I immediately jumped at the opportunity.
Mamen is a Chinese company specializing in photography equipment and accessories. They don’t have a considerable presence outside of China but aim to expand. I’ve used their Mamen SLC02 Light and played with a smaller ring light for smartphones. Both products are of pretty solid quality. The Mamen SLC02 Light Review explores whether this fill light is a worthy addition to your photography toolbox.
Tech Specs
| Type | Fill Light |
| Size | Compact, Portable |
| Body | Aluminium Metal |
| RGB | Yes |
| Brightness and Hue | Yes |
| Lightning Effects | 24 |
| Battery | 4000 mAH |
| Charge Time | Approx. 90 Minutes |
Design
The Mamen SLC02 Light has a rectangular, low-profile design. The light has a solid aluminum body on the back with a small cutout for an OLED screen. The front is covered by plastic glass and LED lights.
The bottom and the left side have threads to mount the light with the included screw-type mount. I used it to mount the light on my DSLR without any issues. It can also be mounted on tripods or monopods for easy handling. The other side has all the controls: the brightness, hue, and the mode selector button. On the top, you’ll find the on and off switch.
The Mamen SLC02 Light Review has to acknowledge how well-designed the light is. It’s simple, practical, and gets the job done. The metallic body also makes the unit sturdy to carry in the camera bag; the light can easily survive a couple of tumbles. A USB Type C port charges the light quickly.
Light
The Mamen SLC02 Light gets bright; I don’t have a light meter to measure how bright, but it can light up a room pretty well. I used it in a completely dark room with my camera. I also kept the ISO, aperture, and focal length the same; here is the pitch-dark door:
Here is the same door lit up with the Mamen SLC02 Light; I found the image usable.
The light also ranges from 2500K to 9000k, making it ideal for replicating natural light. I’ve used the light in portraiture, easily matching the sunlight. Sure, it’s not as bright as the sun, but it gets the job done well for a fill light. Even in bright sunlight, the light gives a lot of extra oomph to the images. Here’s a plant with just ambient light (I kept the camera settings the same):
Check out the same image I took with the Mamen SLC02 Light Review shining on the plant.
RGB
The Mamen SLC02 Light Review also offers a full 360-degree full color. Each LED has RGB capabilities and can be adjusted on the fly using the controls. You can change the hue and saturation of the RGB lights as well.
This level of control is especially significant if you want to add texture and mood to your images. I’d recommend using two of the lights to light up a portrait in exciting ways.
I’ve used the Mamen SLC02 Light Review for my review photos for a while. Almost every review I did in the past month or so has photos taken with the help of the fill light. The light was used in the Ugreen OTG and the Acefast Crystal T9 review. I’m delighted with the uniformity and color delivery of the Mamen SLC02 Light.
Light Effects
The fill light comes with some light modes that can help in video making. Some are subtle, like the candle that flickers between warm yellow and orange tones, draping the scene in candlelight.
The lightning effect is also solid. Some others are odd; I’m not a videographer, so I cannot chime on how useful the strobing blue light would be. There are 24 lighting effects on the light. Unfortunately, you cannot program the effects yourself; this is a missed opportunity.
Another drawback is that you cannot sync the light with the camera. It’s a static fill light that cannot be used as an external flash. Mamen could include synchronization capabilities with the next iteration, elevating the features even more.
Screen
A small LED screen gives information about the current light on the back. You can easily adjust the brightness, saturation, hue, modes, and color temperature by using the LED light at the controls.
The screen was handy as it let me change settings on the fly. There is no need for a companion app here; the screen and intuitive controls are enough to adjust. The screen reminded me of the small one on the Lofree Touch mouse; it is equally great.
Conclusion:
For around $30, the Mamen SLC02 Light is an excellent fill light that won’t break the bank. It’s not for professionals but instead targeted towards folks that need simple fill light to make their photos pop. The company only provides after-sales services or warranties in China, but I expect those outside later. The Mamen SLC02 Light is a solidly built fill light with more than enough power to deliver quality photos with a camera or a smartphone.
