Hi! Good light on your desk is a necessity to many so here a short review of a desk lamp that may suit your needs. I bought a few of these as gifts and to see if they can compete with high quality lamps like those by Waldmann. Well they do at a fraction of the cost. I paid 63 Euro a piece included shipping.
Nice wide high output (12W max but I suspect a little less like 10W) power light for your desk. No detectable fainting, shadowing etc. In fact it is just as good as a Waldmann Para.Mi (over 400 Euro, lower power and a foot not included) in this aspect and maybe slightly better. It is made of painted aluminium except for the lamp head, the lamp foot and the power on button/intensity know which are all made of plastic. This is ergonomic design as it can be operated with just 1 knob that is multifunctional. The bottom part of the lamp foot is black plastic (filled with a weight) and has rubbed pads to protect the desks surface. I have some fear for discoloring but for this price one should not need to think twice. White tone can be changed. Intensity can be changed. Since the lamp has 2 hinges it can be positioned in many positions including upright placement on a small desk to minimize footprint. The power supply is a small off white HNHL120100WX wall wart SMPS (the best for lamps 🙂) with a 1 meter cable. The good thing is that they can be controlled with an app which as I discovered last night still works when you are not at home so it is over the web. It may all be standard to some but I thought it to be nice when I could switch on my desk lamp while parking my car. It works flawlessly with the Apple Home kit. I can not comment on security and privacy issues but one needs to register to be able to use the Xiaomi Home app. This is against my likings but hey it is just a lamp.
Only thing that needs attention is to update the firmware with the app to version 2.1.7_0046 as it has some quirks originally (it was less easy than intended to set it up). The only more or less irregular feature I could find is that the lamp head can not be turned but maybe that is not a feature you are after. Because of the plastic parts I would not recommend this one to be used on a soldering desk but if you don't care about slight damage it can. It will be hard to find an equivalent that is suitable for that job for this price. I tested this and if the foot is placed out of the vicinity of the soldering tool it is very usable provided you don't need to turn the head. The original medical lamp with loupe has that feature and combined with the loupe feature it was therefor superior in usability. To lighten a desk where devices are (dis)assembled it is perfect.
There is no usable way to define longevity (so it is assumption) but I think it can last a few years when hinges are not tested everyday and it is not transported too much. Mechanically it is not Waldmann/Derungs/Muuto quality but that should not come as a surprise. Electronically it offers nice Spielerei to those that are into gadgets though some are useful features one gets accustomed to quite fast. In that aspect they offer more than the regular quality brands. I see a parallel with Maglight somehow 😉 Overall impression is that relatively good materials are used for the price, it certainly is not the typical throw away quality you might expect. First thing to fail could be the power on/off knob but usage of the app could prevent that.
Maybe an odd item on an audio forum but seeing fellow DIYers working in the dark (why?) I thought it to be a good tip. Recommended!
Nice wide high output (12W max but I suspect a little less like 10W) power light for your desk. No detectable fainting, shadowing etc. In fact it is just as good as a Waldmann Para.Mi (over 400 Euro, lower power and a foot not included) in this aspect and maybe slightly better. It is made of painted aluminium except for the lamp head, the lamp foot and the power on button/intensity know which are all made of plastic. This is ergonomic design as it can be operated with just 1 knob that is multifunctional. The bottom part of the lamp foot is black plastic (filled with a weight) and has rubbed pads to protect the desks surface. I have some fear for discoloring but for this price one should not need to think twice. White tone can be changed. Intensity can be changed. Since the lamp has 2 hinges it can be positioned in many positions including upright placement on a small desk to minimize footprint. The power supply is a small off white HNHL120100WX wall wart SMPS (the best for lamps 🙂) with a 1 meter cable. The good thing is that they can be controlled with an app which as I discovered last night still works when you are not at home so it is over the web. It may all be standard to some but I thought it to be nice when I could switch on my desk lamp while parking my car. It works flawlessly with the Apple Home kit. I can not comment on security and privacy issues but one needs to register to be able to use the Xiaomi Home app. This is against my likings but hey it is just a lamp.
Only thing that needs attention is to update the firmware with the app to version 2.1.7_0046 as it has some quirks originally (it was less easy than intended to set it up). The only more or less irregular feature I could find is that the lamp head can not be turned but maybe that is not a feature you are after. Because of the plastic parts I would not recommend this one to be used on a soldering desk but if you don't care about slight damage it can. It will be hard to find an equivalent that is suitable for that job for this price. I tested this and if the foot is placed out of the vicinity of the soldering tool it is very usable provided you don't need to turn the head. The original medical lamp with loupe has that feature and combined with the loupe feature it was therefor superior in usability. To lighten a desk where devices are (dis)assembled it is perfect.
There is no usable way to define longevity (so it is assumption) but I think it can last a few years when hinges are not tested everyday and it is not transported too much. Mechanically it is not Waldmann/Derungs/Muuto quality but that should not come as a surprise. Electronically it offers nice Spielerei to those that are into gadgets though some are useful features one gets accustomed to quite fast. In that aspect they offer more than the regular quality brands. I see a parallel with Maglight somehow 😉 Overall impression is that relatively good materials are used for the price, it certainly is not the typical throw away quality you might expect. First thing to fail could be the power on/off knob but usage of the app could prevent that.
Maybe an odd item on an audio forum but seeing fellow DIYers working in the dark (why?) I thought it to be a good tip. Recommended!
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A 'smart' lamp that requires an app which lets the chinese know when it's on? Not for me thank you. I like my lamps to be dumb. But good reminder I need a better work lamp...
Same idea over here but then I thought it to be OK when the Chinese switch on my light when I get home 🙂
BTW it does not really require the app as all functions can be used with the multifunctional power on/off, intensity, color grade knob at the foot.
BTW it does not really require the app as all functions can be used with the multifunctional power on/off, intensity, color grade knob at the foot.
Mmm maybe it is better to discuss audio on an audio forum 🙂 Ah well, it was well intended. Now a coffee.
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Not sure I'd want to have to wear sunglasses to solder 😛 But these are useful for macro photography
Well, I cheat. I use it to wash the ceiling with light, not the desk. I wish it didn't flicker at 60Hz though...
On the desk I have a 1 watt LED gooseneck light from Ikea though.
On the desk I have a 1 watt LED gooseneck light from Ikea though.
Here a light with 6 x 1 W Led, goose neck, and big magnifying lens, with a smaller higher magnifying lens, is only about $5...on-off is the only control, and driver in the heavy base.
Adequate, and little to break.
Representative image, no ties to seller.
Adequate, and little to break.
Representative image, no ties to seller.
Jan may mean: darkness not on the desk but between the ears.
That's a fluorescent tube. I had one of those. Great until the tube goes and you can't find the right size replacement anywhere.
Mine has LED, and I could not find the image.
For some reason, posting photos from my phone to this forum is a problem, so I took one off the net.
Yes, this one shows a circular fluorescent tube, and those have an issue with the ballasts as well.
But you do get the idea...?
For some reason, posting photos from my phone to this forum is a problem, so I took one off the net.
Yes, this one shows a circular fluorescent tube, and those have an issue with the ballasts as well.
But you do get the idea...?
Aha that is what I thought but I was not sure. It strikes me how many work with 1 or 3W lighting.
NareshBrd, I try to find very high quality lighting but for a normal price. This Xiaomi is the exception to the rule. It is a tic, one of many 🙂 Normally I use surgical lighting for my electronics hobby.