Achieve Expensive-Looking Lighting for Under $60! | Neewer FL10 Review
Creative lighting can feel like one of the biggest roadblocks for filmmakers, photographers, and content creators. You scroll through beautifully lit videos and cinematic product shots, wondering how people afford such polished setups. The assumption is often the same: great lighting must be expensive.
But that belief can quietly hold you back from experimenting, improving your visuals, and pushing your creative work forward.
The truth is, creative lighting doesn’t have to be expensive — and the Neewer FL10 is a perfect example of that idea in action.
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what this compact RGB light can do, how it performs in real-world use, and how you can use it intentionally to add depth, texture, and polish to your shots — all without blowing your budget.
Why Budget Lighting Still Matters for Creators
Many creators don’t struggle with creativity — they struggle with tools. Limited budgets often force people to rely on flat, uninspired lighting setups that don’t match the quality of their ideas.
That’s where small, versatile lights come in.
The Neewer FL10 is a USB-C rechargeable, flashlight-style light designed specifically for creative control. It’s compact, travel-friendly, and capable of producing patterns, colors, and focused beams that can instantly elevate a scene. In fact, it’s used directly in the video itself to create the patterned background behind the talking head.
At around $50, it’s positioned as an affordable option for creators who want more visual interest without committing to large, expensive fixtures.
What the Neewer FL10 Can (and Can’t) Do
Before jumping into creative techniques, it’s important to understand the light’s capabilities and limitations.
The FL10 is a 10-watt light, which means it isn’t designed to light an entire scene or act as a powerful key light. Instead, it shines in controlled environments — indoor setups or nighttime scenes — where precision matters more than raw output.
Core Features at a Glance
RGB and white light modes (red, orange, blue, and white)
Adjustable focus for soft or hard light
Intensity control from 0% to 100% (without numerical readouts)
USB-C rechargeable battery
Nearly 4 hours and 45 minutes of continuous use at full power
Multiple ¼-inch mounting points for flexible positioning
One thing to note is that switching between color modes causes the light to shift slightly, since different LEDs are being used. This means you’ll need to reposition the light depending on the color you choose.
How to Shape the Light for Different Looks
One of the most useful features of the FL10 is its focus control.
By adjusting the beam:
A wider beam creates a softer, more diffused look
A tighter beam creates a harder, more defined light shape
This allows you to tailor the light depending on whether you’re adding subtle texture or a sharp accent.
The intensity slider gives you full control from 0% to 100%, though it doesn’t display exact percentages. This means recreating the exact same setting every time isn’t possible — instead, you’ll need to adjust by eye until it looks right for your scene.
Creative Use Case #1: Adding Depth to Talking-Head Videos
One of the easiest ways to upgrade a talking-head setup is by creating background separation.
Using the FL10’s gobo attachments, you can project patterns behind your subject, instantly adding another layer of dimension to the scene. This helps prevent the background from feeling flat or disconnected.
A particularly effective technique shown in the video is matching the color temperature of the gobo light with the subject’s hair light. When both sit on the warmer side, the effect feels natural — almost like a practical light in the scene — even though it’s entirely controlled.
Actionable Steps:
Place the FL10 behind your subject, aimed at the background
Insert a gobo pattern and adjust focus until the shape feels intentional
Match the gobo’s color to your hair or accent light
Rotate the gobo until the pattern complements the composition
This small adjustment can make a simple setup feel far more cinematic.
Creative Use Case #2: Product Photography and Videography
The FL10 truly shines when used for product lighting.
By combining gobo patterns with focused beams, you can simulate environmental light — like daylight coming through a window — or draw attention to specific product details.
Window-style gobos create a natural, believable feel, while slip beams and pin-dot patterns can be used to highlight logos, textures, or edges.
Actionable Steps:
Choose a gobo pattern that fits the mood (window, pin dots, or beams)
Use a wider focus for softer ambient light
Tighten the beam for sharp, graphic highlights
Adjust intensity until the light accents without overpowering
Because the light is compact, it’s easy to sneak into tight product setups where larger lights simply wouldn’t fit.
Creative Use Case #3: Portraits with Personality
For creative portrait work — both video and photography — the FL10 opens up multiple possibilities.
You can:
Project patterns directly onto the subject for stylized looks
Light the background only, giving the subject shapes to interact with
This flexibility encourages experimentation and play, especially when working with expressive or conceptual portraits.
Actionable Steps:
Decide whether the pattern belongs on the subject or background
Experiment with beam focus to control sharpness
Rotate the gobo to explore different compositions
Let the subject move or interact with the light pattern
These subtle changes can turn a standard portrait into something visually memorable.
Portability, Battery Life, and Mounting Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages of the Neewer FL10 is how easy it is to bring along.
Because it’s USB-C rechargeable, you’re not tied to power outlets. At full power, the battery lasts nearly five hours, making it reliable for long shoots. Recharging overnight is simple and stress-free.
The multiple ¼-inch mounting points allow you to mount the light:
Upright
Upside down
Sideways or at creative angles
This makes it adaptable to almost any shooting scenario.
The Biggest Limitation to Keep in Mind
While the FL10 is versatile, it’s important to be realistic about what it’s not.
If you need a light to act as a key light and fully illuminate your subject, this isn’t the right tool. The output simply isn’t strong enough for that role.
Instead, think of the Neewer FL10 as a creative accent light — something that adds texture, shape, and visual interest rather than brute illumination.
Final Thoughts: Who Is the Neewer FL10 For?
If you’re looking for an affordable, creative RGB light that’s easy to use, travel-friendly, and flexible enough to enhance multiple types of shoots, the Neewer FL10 is a solid option. Pick one up using my affiliate link here.
For under $50, you’re getting a compact tool that encourages experimentation, helps elevate production value, and fits easily into existing lighting setups.
It won’t replace your main lights — but it can absolutely make your scenes more interesting.
What do you think of the Neewer FL10? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments, and keep pushing your creative work forward.
