Scottish filmmakers Blind Spot Gear have always focused on their own slice of the filmmaking territory. From their original on-camera "my-God-that's-bright" lights to their battery handle (years before anyone else made one) for powering your camera to their ultra-bright pinpoint lights, there are clearly filmmakers out there making the tools they want for themselves.
That is exceptionally evident with their newest light, the LumiCard.
If you are a modern-day filmmaker, the latest generation of iPhones or the newest smartphone has absolutely become part of your workflow. The LumiCard builds on that ubiquity, with a MagSafe-powered light that you slap onto your phone and gives a tremendous amount of light without needing a cable.
Here's why we think this tool deserves a spot in your kit bag.
Expanding on Apple's MagSafe Tech
One of the major perks of the MagSafe connector on modern iPhone is that it can both receive and give power. This is designed for those moments when you want your phone to power or charge another device or to extend the life of your iPhone via external powerbricks or wireless charging.
But Blind Spot Gear has snuck in and realized you can also use it to power a light.
You slap on the LumiCard, and you can get a decent amount of output for either some extra fill to a scene or even a solid key for a quick night interview. As more and more smartphones are used for content creation, we see this as a quick kit to keep your setup super compact.
While the LumiCard is built for MagSafe, it's versatile enough for other devices.
Credit: Blind Spot Gear
More Power or Non-iPhone Devices
If you want even more power, you can of course plug it in over USB-C.
Blind Spot Gear has a handy custom 90°-angle cable (on both end) available for doing just that. This allows the unit to also work with Android phones that don't support the Magsafe standard. The company even includes a MagSafe-style sticker that you can pop on your non-iPhone devices to hold the light.
Having the extra output via USB-C is a nice addition.
Blind Spot Gear
You don't have to use it only on your phone, either. The included accessory clip allows creatives to mount the LumiCard anywhere they want, including to a laptop for better webcam lighting. Since it's USB-C powered in this configuration, this also means you can just plug it into any device that provides power over USB-C, like laptops, power banks, and even D-Tap adapters.
Even if you never use the LumiCard on an iPhone, it's a nice compact light to have.
Blindspot Gear
Is This A Tool For You?
If you're running a set that requires a fully rigged cinema camera, the LumiCard probably won't be the right fit for your project or workflow. But if you or your team ever rely on a smartphone (especially an iPhone), the LumiCard might be a lifesaver. At the very least, it belongs on your short list of new gear to get.
Right now, the LumiCard is launching on Kickstarter.
While there is always some risk involved in these kinds of projects, we've been covering Blind Spot Gear for more than half a decade. In that time, the company has consistently delivered exciting projects using that platform for funding, and we see no reason it won't be able to do so again here.
As of this article, the LumiCard has already acquired over five times its funding goal.
