I’m a photographer for Curaçao’s national sea turtle conservation organization, STCC, and I needed a superior night light so we could see the turtles safely. Based on best practice guidelines, I needed true RGB lighting that could be set to red; not white light passed through a red filter. And the light source needed to be dimmable so that the light was only as bright as needed for photos, not brighter. Curiously, hatchling turtles will orient towards a bright red light, despite the fact that red light is considered turtle-safe (non- or low-impact). And I needed the light to be hand-held, so my assistant could instantly change orientation depending upon which scurrying hatchling I was seeking focus. After too much time reading reviews, I purchased the Lume Cube XL and two other LC lights. I’m glad I did. Top shelf kit!
Baby turtles are surprisingly quick, and moonless nights are notoriously dark. Even using a Canon R5 MK II with a RF 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM Z lens, achieving critical focus on scampering hatchlings is a challenge, but the Cube XL worked, often by providing a raking sidelight which amped up the highlights and deepened shadows in the darkness, developing the contrast the camera system needed to function.
Equally as valuable for the organization, the broad red light of the Lume Cube XL allowed staff and volunteers to more easily work, ensuring the safe passage of dozens and dozens of hatchlings - in short, one massive light was far less distracting than…
