I got the Selens light today.
The box is unbranded, but otherwise the same as the Neewer SL-60w (although their are two fronts pictured, one the same as the Neewer, one different and the actual light is the different one).
The casing is the same except for the red light on top (that does not seem to do anything), but is again, unbranded and the light has two names, one on the box and a different one on the instructions. I guess we all know that brands like Neewer just brand generically mass produced stuff, but is this a level below Neewer or the same thing in plain wrap?
The LCD is identical, although the dial seems smoother, watch this space as this theme keeps recurring.
The cable is the same 4m length but the plug is nicer. The light end is also a nicer fit. Both Neewers needed a good push to make contact, the Selens just went in smoothly.
The remote is light and plasticky like the Neewers, but seems nicer, more modern and has more buttons for more intuitive operation. I have not yet checked to see i fit will run the Neewers, but I bet it will.
The light output looks to be close, so as I suspected, the devil is in the (hidden) detail. Two identically exposed images below, the Selens on the right, which may have a tiny bit more grunt and is more open-less focussed. Maybe a half stop more, but not the 3x more that was advertised.
Interestingly, the model number on the box is 150, on the instructions it is called the KW-200. Maybe 100w is most accurate. I thought it may have been brighter out wide, but it looked (and read on camera) much the same. They look matched for colour balance, maybe a little warm, which is fine and expected. The slight difference in angle is me “mr lazy science experiment” moving.
It is heavier. I did not notice until I was swapping them, but it feels about 1/3 heavier, and denser inside. You can see into the Neewer thanks to some air space and internal lights, the Selens is solid, dark and mysterious.
Here is the biggie.
The Neewers have an audible, though quiet enough fan which activates pretty much immediately when the light is set to 100% or running at most other settings for a short time.
I shot an interview the other day with the subject on the other side of a brolly to the light at 2m and the mic aimed roughly straight at it at 3m. The subject had his back to an open door and I could hear vehicle noises, children playing and birds outside up to 200m away, but no fan noise.
The Selens was silent.
Still and silent.
Dead maybe?
No internal light, no fan? I really thought it was a dud even with the front end putting out too much light to look at.
Not an award winning image. The Selens (left) seems to have maybe more brilliance, just lacks the reflector plate of the Neewers. Looking directly at these two was not pleasant.
I left it running at 100% for about ten minutes and went back to check. The fan was running and the light was cool to touch, but was still barely audible (I had to touch it to make sure my ears were not making stuff up). This will now become my “A” light when using one close to the talent, the Neewers acting as secondaries, othewise I will flog the Neewers.
So, it looks like I have 180 to maybe 200w total output by Neewers measurements, which I have learned to trust, but one light that looks on the surface to be genuinely better built or at least more heavily built.
Will I get another? If I use this a bit and it proves to be what it seems, then I think I will.