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Cool Stuff: Fabulous "Lume Cube"

Lou Schmidt co-owner of Hoodman enjoys the magic of an Osmo + Gimble, his company's Hoodman Hood and the fabulous "Lume Cube"  [Photo by Barry Markowitz]

What commands 90% of our professional media travel decisions is what equipment do we need, what equipment do we want, what is our back up plan for a failure.... and sadly most important... how much does it weigh?

In the golden age of travel, we used to be able to check in two bags at 70 lbs or less, and no airline cared about your carry on if the size was right.

Now we are usually down to one free 50 lb bag and one 7 or 15 kilo carry on (depending on the airline).

An extra bag or overweight carry on in the South Pacific gives you a $100 USD hit. Traveling for pre Ohana Cup rugby league coverage last July, for Cool Stuff Jr and I it was usually $100 USD or more per stop... Australia, NZ, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, back to Oz, then Hawai’i and Los Angeles.

Our budget was about $835 short, which we paid out of our own pocket and were never reimbursed.

There is no use in arguing, the airline makes the rules and you will obey or not fly at all.

But thanks to innovations by Lume Cube and others, you can smartly reduce the weight and size of your equipment, adapting to a variety of your needs.

At only 2.5 oz per Lume Cube, I can light my "Osmo +" Gimble as above, use it at 45 degree angles for sit down formal interviews (with a "key light" atop my camera, which could also be a "Lume Cube"), I can stage still camera location/product shots (it is also a strobe light), and for life & death concerns in the islands... I can mount a "Lume Cube" on each side of my DJI Phantom 4 Pro to find a lost hiker in the jungle/hills, search for a disabled boater 4 miles out to sea, or help first responders after the next tsunami, earthquake or cyclone.

In October I shared these amazing rescue capabilities of combining the Lume Cube, with DJI Phantom Drones, and Hoodman (shading your monitor) to both Hon. Governor Lolo Moliga and Sadie's Tom Drabble.  They both understood that with no dedicated first responder helicopters, that this DJI/ Lume Cube/ Hoodman combination could be an ASG asset or a blessing of good samaritan drone enthusiasts who step up when a drama requires their help. Cool Stuff's featured photo was to be the Samoa News Cool Stuff drone at sunset/sunrise with mounted Lume Cubes... but winds have been on 50-60mph lately in Hawai’i.

I cannot hold back my praise for all aspects of the "Lume Cube's" well thought out functionality and ruggedness.

Waterproof to 30'!  Rechargeable!  Runs 30 mins at full brightness, 60 minutes at half brightness!  Uses the always-common 1/4-20 mount.  350 lux at 3 feet.  Only 1 1/2" by 1"!  Adjustable manually or by Bluetooth on any Android or Apple phone or tablet.  Mounts on those devices and GoPro!

You can participate in their Kickstarter program in which you will get their latest items first with either a cheaper deal or something thrown in to sweeten your purchase/Kickstarter contribution.  Check their website today as their current Kickstarter campaign ends in a day: www.lumecube.com/

Get a two pack of Lume Cubes direct from Lume Cube site or their first rate retailer Samy's Camera for approximately $149. You might have some incredible fun and possibly save a few lives.