Skip to main content

Polaroid wants the Force to be with you with the weirdly wonderful Brightsaber

polaroid brightsaber 61s75ddlil  sl1024
Polaroid / Amazon
Polaroid’s latest photography accessory may look like it came from a galaxy far, far away but the new Brightsaber could actually be a versatile lighting tool. Introduced in the spring and finally hitting digital shelves on Wednesday, the strange but potentially wonderful Brightsaber Travel Light Wand and the Brightsaber Pro LED doubles as both a continuous light source and light-painting wand.

unnamed-2
Polaroid
Polaroid
Recommended Videos

The Brightsaber Travel Light Wand uses 98 LED lights in a panel along a handle, quite obviously designed to mimic the famous Star Wars lightsabers. With 10 different power settings, users can determine how much light the wand emits while color filters offer four different colors for light painting.

The Pro version also includes a shutter release compatible with most Canon, Nikon and Pentax cameras, theoretically to make it easier for light-painting selfies. Using 298 LED bulbs, the more advanced option is also able to output a daylight color as well as a tungsten color filter.

Both options break down for easier traveling and are rated for 50,000 hours of use.

The Brightsaber resembles more of a toy lightsaber than other tools — the Pixelstick is a long customizable LED panel, for example. The Westcott Ice Light is similar, but instead of using rows of lights it works more like a flashlight, with the ability to put out beams of light at up to a 72.6-degree spread.

But the biggest difference between the Brightsaber and other options on the market — besides that remote control on the Pro version — is the price. The basic Brightsaber retails for $79 while the Pro version is $169. Westcott’s light retails for $549 and the Pixelstick for $349.

Whether the force is with Polaroid’s new accessory or photographers will opt for the pricier Ice Light is anyone’s guess, but the versatile settings and shutter release in the pro version could make it flexible tool for the price.

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
An ace photographer is about to leave the ISS. Here are his best shots
The moon and Earth as seen from the ISS.

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is preparing to return to Earth after spending seven months living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

After arriving at the orbital outpost, Dominick -- who is on his first mission to space -- quickly earned a reputation for being an ace photographer. He's been using the facility’s plethora of high-end cameras and lenses to capture amazing shots from his unique vantage point some 250 miles above Earth. Sharing his content on social media, the American astronaut has always been happy to reveal how he captured the imagery and offer extra insight for folks interested to know more.

Read more
Filter-free and fun, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera is on sale Right Now for Prime Day
fujifilm instax mini 11 camera prime big deal days

It's 2024, and you’re considering a point-and-shoot camera. Zero judgment here. I miss the good ol’ days of flipping through actual photo albums instead of doom-scrolling on Instagram. You can get back to those days by snagging a (in the ice white color), and it’s the perfect time because it’s on sale. Get it for 24% off during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, but hurry while inventory is going strong.
There’s something magical about having a physical photo right in your hand seconds after snapping the shot, and it adds a fun, retro vibe to moments you want to capture and keep. Plus, having an actual picture to hold and display can be so much more satisfying than just another digital file on your phone. I picked one up two years ago for my eight-year-old daughter, and it’s been an instant hit in our household. And now, at its $59 sale price, I'm definitely going to be stocking up on a few to gift ahead of the holiday season.

How the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 works
The delightful throwback comes with a FUJINON 60mm lens and an automatic exposure feature that adjusts the shutter speed for the best shot, even in low light. While the picture quality won’t be as crisp as what your smartphone can capture, it’ll still produce a quality image worthy of slapping on a refrigerator.
If selfies are your thing, this camera has a dedicated Selfie Mode (with a mirror). We set up a DIY photo booth for my daughter's birthday party with sticker frames so each kid could go home with a photo souvenir, and it was a total hit.
You can opt to make it a set with a range of accessories to buy separately, like a carrying case, a handy strap, those sticker borders I mentioned, and photo albums to hold the memories.

Read more
The Canon EOS R100 mirrorless is ideal for beginners — $170 off today
Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera with lens attached

If you don't want to spend the money on a high-end DSLR camera, mirrorless cameras are an excellent alternative. But they, too, can be expensive, at least normally. Right now, thanks to a bevy of Prime Big Deal Days discounts, the best camera deals, in general, and super great Prime Day camera deals there are a ton of offers available. So, it's a great time to shop if you've been on the fence. However, we wanted to call out a great deal for novice photographers on the Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera. Normally $600, it's just $429 right now as part of the event, saving you over $170. The bundle includes the RF-S18-45mm lens. Again, a great starting point for casual or novice photographers.

 
Why shop this Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera deal for Prime Big Deal Days?

Read more