Godox Litemons SR20R Introduced – Full-Color Ring Panel with Smartphone Camera Control and Built-In Battery

Lighting News

by Johnnie BehiriToday

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Godox has introduced the Litemons SR20R, a full-color LED panel with a ring-shaped light surface that places a smartphone or small camera in the middle of the fixture. Buttons on the panel operate the phone’s native camera app over Bluetooth, and the light runs for around 90 minutes at full output on its internal battery.

The SR20R measures 290 x 220 x 40mm / 11.4 x 8.7 x 1.6in and weighs around 623g / 1.4 lb without accessories. Godox lists a CCT range of 2800K to 6500K with a green/magenta adjustment of ±50%, an HSI mode, 14 lighting effects, and CRI and TLCI values of around 96. According to the company, the bare panel delivers 1,510 lux at 0.5m / 1.6ft and 393 lux at 1m / 3.3ft at 5600K. Let’s take a closer look.

Godox has been filling out the creator end of its Litemons line this year. We’ve previously looked at the pocket-sized Litemons LR15Bi and LR30Bi ring lights that attach magnetically to a phone, and at the battery-powered RS100R/Bi for mobile production. The SR20R takes a different approach to the same audience: the phone mounts inside the light, and the fixture doubles as the rig.

A panel that doubles as a rig

A sliding 1/4″-20 adapter with a locking ring sits in the opening of the panel. The included phone clamp screws onto it, and a compact camera can be attached to the same thread. Godox also mentions an optional mount for action and gimbal cameras, which is not part of the package.

Three cold shoe mounts run along the top edge for a microphone, a handle, or a second small light. Two fold-out support legs hold the panel upright on a table, and three 1/4″-20 threads allow stand mounting in horizontal or vertical orientation. Godox says the ring layout fills facial shadows and produces natural-looking catchlights, which is the familiar argument for shooting through the light source.

What can the camera controls do?

Pairing happens in the phone’s Bluetooth settings, without a dedicated app. Once connected, the shutter button on the panel starts and stops a recording in video mode or takes a picture in photo mode. A second, customizable button works together with the dial and can be assigned one of four functions.

The Godox product page describes these as focus, mode switching, focus lock, and lens switching. The manual is more specific: the first one adjusts focal length, so it is a zoom control, and “lens switching” toggles between the front and rear cameras. Focus lock only works in the photo interface, and the available shooting modes depend on the phone.

There are platform differences. Android phones can pair by tapping the NFC area on the panel, and the controls work as soon as the camera app is open. On iOS, the manual calls for an extra step: Zoom has to be enabled under Settings, Accessibility, which magnifies the screen until it is reset with a three-finger double-tap. Bluetooth range is listed at up to 10m / 32.8ft, and the light reconnects automatically after the first pairing.

Output and color

Godox publishes bare-panel photometrics at 100% brightness. At 5600K, the SR20R reaches 1,510 lux at 0.5m / 1.6ft mentioned above, falling to 393 lux at 1m / 3.3ft and 102 lux at 2m / 6.6ft. Output peaks at 6500K with 1,590 lux at 0.5m and drops to 1,250 lux at 2800K. These are numbers for a fill source at arm’s length.

In HSI mode, hue is adjustable across 0 to 360° with saturation from 0 to 100%. Saturated output is considerably lower than white light: the manual lists 357 lux for red, 983 lux for green, and 201 lux for blue at 0.5m. The CRI and TLCI values of around 96 are manufacturer figures, and Godox does not publish TM-30 or SSI data for this light.

The 14 effects are flash, lightning, cloudy, broken bulb, TV, candle, fire, firework, explosion, welding, cop car, SOS, RGB cycle, and party. Speed is adjustable on most of them, and flash, lightning, and explosion can be triggered manually with the SET button.

Battery and charging

The built-in lithium battery is rated at 7.26V and 4,800mAh, or 34.8Wh. Godox states a runtime of roughly 1 hour 30 minutes at 100% brightness, which by our math works out to an average draw of around 23W. A full charge over USB-C takes about 2 hours 20 minutes at 5V/3A or 9V/3A, and the light can stay plugged in while in use.

A few practical points from the manual: a USB-C cable is included, but a power adapter is not. Before first use, the light has to be connected to power for three seconds to activate it. The SR20R is not rated against water or dust, and the operating temperature range is -10 to 40°C / 14 to 104°F.

Price and availability

The Godox Litemons SR20R is priced at $89 and is available for preorder at B&H, where it is listed as coming soon without a shipping date. The package includes the light, the phone clamp, and a USB-C charging cable. European pricing was not available at the time of writing.

For more information, please visit the Godox website.

Would a ring panel with built-in camera controls replace the separate light and Bluetooth remote in your mobile kit? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!