Use Case:

# On-the-go Photoshooting

How to create full-fledged, portable photographic sets with Relio² in just 10 minutes.

Michele Cottali (Fotofficina SRL) takes advantage of Relio² magnetic modularity to build extermely lightweight, portable and re-configurable photographic sets that can be assembled - and disassembled too - in just 10 minutes. @fotofficina.co

Perfect lighting that’s always with you

Relio² is a tiny, portable, modular and re-configurable illuminator.
A real feat of engineering, for those situations where carrying an entire photographic set is not possible (air travel, unplanned events, excursions, last minute calls).
Thanks to its replaceable lenses, magnetic base and the many shapes it can take, you can create customized photo sets which can be re-modeled in a few minutes. All without the need for any other tool.

Example #1: Spotlight set

Here’s a wooden board, on which we applied twelve metallic washers, provided in the standard Relio² Base kit. Three Relio² 4000K with 25º lenses were magnetically anchored to these washers, and the wires were passed from the back, by punching three small holes in the wooden board itself.
The entire set was powered by a standard 3-port USB wall adapter, such as those used to charge multiple smartphones at the same time.
Maybe it’s not the most beautiful set in the world, but "gets the job done", and it was built in less than 10 minutes.
The "spotlight" effect is very convincing, and once the work is finished, it can be dismantled in no time.

Example #2: Macro set

For macro photographs, you need a lot of light concentrated in a small area.
In this example, we used a boom arm stand to support the camera, and four Relio² 4000K "Desk" kits (with the long, non-jointed mounting rods) as light sources on the four corners.
The right balance between each projected shadow has been achieved by adjusting the light intensity of each Relio² unit, by using our Bluetooth® smartphone App that’s available free of charge.
Thanks to the minimal dimensions of our Relio² kits, positioning each light source is easy and immediate.

Example #3: Low-key photography set

Thanks to the extreme luminance of Relio², you can craft spectacular low-key compositions.
In this example, we used multiple Relio light sources, all aimed at the same spot, to create a stunning backlit photo where all the ambient light fades to black.
You can't do this with a wide-aperture lamp: you need a very tight and powerful light beam like the one you can generate with the narrower lenses of Relio.

Magnets: a guarantee of total reliability

Both Relio² USB cable and magnetic Base plate make use of powerful Neodymium magnets with a clamping force of 10Kg.
Compared to other solutions (wall plugs, glue, springs, hooks, nails), Relio² magnetic strength does not fade over time, ensuring a solid - yet easily repositionable - assembly.
The metallic washers provided in Relio² Base kit are standard-sized, thus easily available in common hardware stores.

Low operating temperature

Relio² is designed to never exceed 60ºC of operating temperature.
This means that you can touch and orient the light modules by hand, even after they’ve been powered-on for hours (or days).
Thanks to this, Relio² is safe to use, even when installed in museums or close to extremely valuable works of art.

A clever carrying box

We paid a lot of attention to packaging design.
No, it's not just a matter of aesthetics!
Each Relio² carrying box can accommodate a fully assembled Base kit, with up to three light modules already mounted.
There’s still space for two USB cables, all the accessories and lenses and even to fit an USB power pack for on-the-road use.
The aluminum parts of Relio² are protected by a special foam coated in soft, anti-scratch velvet.

An entire light-set that fits inside a flight-case

We designed Relio² to be the smallest illuminator in the world.
Thanks to the magnetic plate included in the Base kit, photographers can travel lightly, carrying up to 10 Relio² lights in a standard flight-case, without the fear of ruining them.
No heavy equipment and no power adapters required: Relio² is powered via USB.

Here are the 3D-printable accessories used in these shots

We will never stop telling you this: Relio² is the most versatile professional illuminator ever made. You can make it even better by 3D-printing our already-engineered accessories. Thanks to this, you can polarize its light, tighten the beam, change its shape, direction, intensity and sharpness. Enjoy!


Back to use cases


Get in touch... and be rewarded.

Want to know more?
Tell us something about you.
Reseller?  Partner?  Custom solution needed?  Write us as-well!

I authorise the use of my personal data in compliance with this information document, as per European GDPR 2016/679 art.7

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Relio² kit?

Currently, Relio² is sold exclusively on this website.

Does it have an internal battery?

No. We want Relio² to withstand years and years of 24/7 use. An internal battery in such a small and powerful device would be able to power Relio² for just 15 minutes at full brightness, with a lifetime spanning no more than 6 months. Name - if you can - one product with an integrated, non-removable battery that’s still 100% funcional after years of use...

How do I power it up?

Via the external microUSB connector. Every USB outlet in the world capable of providing at least 1A of current is suitable.

Why does Relio² still have a microUSB plug instead of the newer USB-C?

The answer is simple: maximum cable length and cord flexibiity. USB-C is born to transport a lot of data channels, so the internal wire count is 4x more, making it very thick and more rigid. For the same reason, USB-C cables lenght is limited to 2m. In the Relio² Base Kit package, we include 1x 1.5m magnetic, nylon-braided microUSB cable and 1x premium, gold-plated, nylon-braided 3m microUSB cable from a premium brand.

Can I use USB-C to USB-A, or USB-C to microUSB adapters?

Yes, of course.

Is the magnetic cable user-replaceable?

Yes. Contact us for a suitable replacement.

What if I use Relio² a lot and some parts wear out?

We engineered all the Relio² parts subject to normal-use wear and tear to be of common availability. Contact us for suitable replacements.

Does it have a manufacturer warranty? What does it cover?

We offer 2 years of manufacturer warranty on our terms of use and warranty. Please consult our sales terms for details.

How much power does Relio² draw?

1A at 5V DC. Since it integrates a step-down buck converter capable of up to 15V DC, power consumption at higher voltages will be less.

Can I power it up with a car battery or other sources of electricity?

Yes. Every source ranging from 4 to 15V DC is suitable. Input lines are protected from overvoltage and reverse bias. For more info, please consult the manual or our technical specifications.

Is it water resistant?

Yes, moderately up to IP53. For more info, please consult the manual or our technical specifications.

How many units can be operated through the smartphone App?

On iOS, we successfully tested up to 16 devices. On Android, it varies depending on the platform (around 5 units). Please note that aggregate brightness control function is still in development.

Can I develop a custom Bluetooth BLE application?

Yes. You can refer to our BLE API documentation. Please note that developing commercial applications is not permitted unless an explicit consent is received by us. Please contact us for more info.

I need assistance and documentation on how to operate Relio² via an external, wired microcontroller like the Arduino®.

We will provide you with full documentation on how to operate Relio² through logic-level signals. Please contact us for more info.

I need assistance in determining how many Relio² kits I need for my work.

We can do digital simulations tailored to your environment. Drop us a message via the contact form.

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes, with some limitations in some remote areas. If you don't see your Country listed in the shipping form, please contact us.

You said that the LED will be upgradeable. How will you handle that?

This is a commitment and we will honour it in case the technology advances. All the future LED upgrades will be backwards-compatible, so you'll be able to ship your Relio² kits back to us for the upgrade, for a minimal servicing fee.

Can I disassemble the LED and eletronics by myself?

Yes, and it's rather easy to do, but the warranty will be voided.

I accidentally damaged something in my unit. Are spare parts available for sale?

Yes, depending on stock availability. Please contact us and we will help you.

Do you sell physical versions of your 3D-printable accessories?

Currently no, but we partnered with some local and international suppliers that will be able to 3D-print and ship them to you. Please contact us for more info.

I want to sell your 3D-printable accessories.

Yes, why not? We release all our accessories under the Creative Commons CC-BY-4.0 license, so you are free to do that. Please remember that you have to mention us on your sales page. Also, please note that we may also link to 3rd-party items, and they may not share the same license terms of our own accessories. Always check the license bundled with each accessory that you download.

I want to be a reseller of your product.

Sure. Drop us a message via the contact form.

I want to be the exclusive distributor of your product.

Maybe. Drop us a message via the contact form.

Let’s know each-other!

We’re a super-small company that listens to its users.
You can help us make a difference.

Send us a message to unlock all our free accessories.

The download links will appear immediately.

Let’s know each-other!

We’re a super-small company that listens to its users.
You can help us make a difference.

Send us a message to unlock all our technical documentation.

The download links will appear immediately.

Let’s know each-other!

We’re a super-small company that listens to its users.
You can help us make a difference.

Send us a message to unlock all our technical documentation.

The download links will appear immediately.

Relio² 2020+ Editions. Now Available!

We engineered some majestic Editions of Relio².

After our successful Kickstarter® campaign, they are ready to be delivered. Click here below to discover more!

Discover the 2020+ Editions
Message submitted

Thanks for saying “Hi”!