SmallRig x CineD OrBrella Crowdfunding Ends November 8 – Last Chance to Get the Campaign Price

by Johnnie BehiriToday

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Guys, this is the final week! The crowdfunding campaign for our SmallRig x CineD OrBrella soft light closes on November 8, 2026. After that, the 60W bi-color umbrella light will cost $80 more. So, if you were still on the fence about it, now is the last chance to grab it and save some money!

I can’t believe how fast these weeks went… It feels like yesterday that I stood at the SmallRig booth at IBC 2026 and watched all 200 early-bird units go in three days. The light also won a Future Best of Show Award at the show. If you missed the backstory, our launch article explains how the idea came about, and the crowdfunding article covers the IBC story and the full feature set. We also talked about it at length on Focus Check ep133. As the crowdfunding campaign is ending this week, I quickly wanted to remind you guys and also tell you why I think this light is useful. Keep reading to find out what you get if you back it before the campaign ends on November 8th.

Soft light in 15 seconds

For so long, my interview routine on documentary shoots was the same: put up a COB light, add a softbox, a grid, and a diffusion layer, and lose at least five minutes before the first question. The OrBrella turns this around. Eight LED strips sit on the ribs of a 58cm / 22.8 in umbrella and fire inward at the white fabric, so the source and the diffusion are one object. It opens in about five seconds, and in our comparison, the total setup takes around 15 seconds, against three to five minutes for a COB with a softbox.

On a face, the result is the wraparound, book-light quality that normally needs a bounce, a frame, and a stand for each. A supplied cap goes over the front if you want it even softer. Stefan Karle, CEO of DoPchoice, mentored me through the prototypes and helped us choose the diffusion fabric.

Two lights in one bag

When you need more punch, you press the knob at the end of a strip, pull it off its USB-C connector, and flip it so it faces forward. Each strip flips individually, so you can run half bounced and half direct. For me, this is the part I am proudest of, because it means one fixture in the bag instead of a soft light plus a harder key.

The OrBrella FM 60B is a 60W bi-color fixture with a range of 2,700 to 6,500K plus green/magenta correction. In my opinion, the green/magenta control matters most on location, where mixed fluorescent and daylight is exactly what a real room gives you. We chose 60W on purpose because we found it sufficient for sit-down indoor interviews.

Small, light, and flexible on power

Folded, the light is 34cm / 13.4in long and weighs 1.3kg / 2.87lb, so it fits in a camera bag next to a body and two lenses. Power runs through a separate control box on a permanently attached cable, so there is no cable to forget. The box takes a V-mount battery, USB-C from a power bank or laptop charger, or mains power. A Sony NP-F plate is available as an accessory. On a 99Wh V-mount battery, you get about 1.5 hours of runtime.

You control intensity, color temperature, and green/magenta on the box itself, or through the SmallRig app with NFC pairing. This way, you can trim the light from your chair while you set up the interview.

One honest reminder: the images you see here show a prototype. The light is still under development, and small details may change before the first batch ships.

Price and availability

Until November 8, 2026, the OrBrella FM 60B is $169.99 / €178.90 on SmallRig’s campaign page. Right after the campaign closes, the price goes up by $80. The reason is simple: the cost of components has gone up since we first set the retail price. The first batch is expected to ship on January 20, 2027. For more information, please visit our crowdfunding campaign here.

Before I close, a big thank you to the SmallRig team, to Stefan Karle (DoPchoice) for his patience and guidance, and to everyone who has already backed the light or stopped by the booth with feedback.

Will you find our light a place in your kit? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below!