Moon UltraLight 2 review: Light up your iPhone photography game

Personally, I'm the type of person who relies solely on the iPhone for photography. Yes, I'm well aware that standalone digital cameras will take better photos, but I just prefer having my iPhone 13 Pro — it's one less bulky thing to carry around. And since Apple continues to make big upgrades to the iPhone camera every year, I don't really see a reason to get a standalone camera when I'm not a professional photographer.

Of course, I'm not saying that the iPhone camera is perfect, because it isn't. Sometimes I'm in a situation where I just don't have enough good lighting to take a decent photograph, despite the iPhone 13 improving on low-light photography. That's when having a portable light comes in handy, because let's face it — that LED flash on the iPhone isn't that good.

I came across the Moon UltraLight 2 last year, and I was instantly drawn to it due to the super compact and portable size. Despite being small, it actually packs in quite a punch — you can adjust brightness levels and even choose between warm and cool lighting. Honestly, this is any iPhone photographer's best friend.

Moon UltraLight 2: Price and availability

The Moon UltraLight 2 can currently be found on Amazon or direct from MOON ULTRA's website. The retail price is $79, but you can occasionally find it for a discount on Amazon. It comes in two colors: Gloss White or Gloss Black.

Moon UltraLight 2: Compact, portable, bright light

The Moon UltraLight 2 is a small LED light that clips on to your favorite iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or even a digital camera. Optionally, you can just use the UltraLight without clipping it onto anything and just have it free-standing. It is just 1.38-by-0.98-by-0.94 inches (or 35-by-25-by-24 millimeters) big and weighs just six grams.

The LED light itself is on what appears to be a small disc, while the larger circle houses the charging port, power button, and touch-responsive controls. Both parts are connected by a metal band, and the interior sides have a soft-touch, rubberized coating to prevent scratches on your devices. The Moon UltraLight 2 fits snugly without issue on devices that are between 6mm to 10mm thick. For devices that are thinner or thicker than that, you can manually adjust the clip.

The original version of the UltraLight used micro-USB; the new Moon UltraLight 2 uses the more convenient USB-C. In the box, you'll get a super-short USB-C cable (about 3 inches) that is capable of a fast charge. This means you'll get about 60% charge on the light in about 30 minutes. Of course, if you already have a USB-C cable, then you can also use your own. The charging port is located at the bottom of the larger circular disc, and a small LED indicator lets you know when it's properly charging. On a single full charge, you can get up to six hours of continuous use at default brightness (more or less depending on brightness level), or a few days of intermittent use.

To turn the Moon UltraLight 2 on, just press the power button, which is right underneath the metal band and above the charging port on the large disc. The default brightness is set to about 50%. If you want to make it brighter, simply touch-and-hold the right half of the disc (when looking at the disc), and to dim it, just do the same with the left side. Maximum brightness is set around 500 Lux.

The Moon UltraLight 2 also has a good range of cool to warm light. By default, the light turns on into brightness mode, but it's easy to switch into color mode. This is done by using two fingers to touch and hold both sides of the disc until the LED flashes. From here, you can touch and hold the right side (when looking at the disc) to go warm, or to the left to go cool. To go back to brightness mode, just touch and hold both halves again. The range of color temperature goes from Tungsten 2700K to Daylight 5000K.

To top things off, the Moon UltraLight 2 also comes with a convenient little hardshell carrying case. There is a sewn piece of elastic in the center that you can slip the light in to keep it in place, and it will fit the included USB-C cable as well. The carrying case also has an attached carabiner, allowing you to easily clip it onto your bag or belt loop.

Even though Apple has continued to improve low-light photography with the iPhone, sometimes you just can't beat having some extra light. The Moon UltraLight 2 has made selfies and portraits look infinitely better. It also works great for food photography in those dimly lit restaurants (you know, for ambiance), and any other things you want to take photos of that need a little extra light.

Moon UltraLight 2: Cumbersome power button, pricey

Overall, the Moon UltraLight 2 is easy to use. However, I did find the power button to be a little hard to find and press sometimes, depending on how lit the environment is. Honestly, it seems like the button is designed to be pressed by a nail, considering the size and placement. If you have short nails or stubby fingertips, then it can be a little more difficult — just something to consider.

Another negative is that the Moon UltraLight 2 is a little pricey. If you look on Amazon, you can find other lighting solutions that are about half the price of the Moon UltraLight. However, they may not look as small and streamlined, or have fully adjustable brightness and color modes. And it's unknown if they come with a small little protective carrying case with carabiner for portability. The point is, while the Moon UltraLight 2 is a bit more expensive than other options out there, you also get a lot of benefits that may make it worth the price.

Moon UltraLight 2: Competition

As I mentioned, there is no shortage of iPhone lighting products on the market. One of the more popular options are the LuMee Halo iPhone cases. These are tough and durable cases for your iPhone that also have built-in LED lights on the back, as well as on the front bezels. They come in a variety of different designs and are available for most iPhone models. The cost of this light-up phone case is around the same as the Moon UltraLight 2.

There's also products like the Anker iPhone LED Flash Cube. This is a small light cube that plugs in to your iPhone to sync with the camera flash. It comes with a light diffuser for softer shots, and you can take 10,000 continuous photos with a single charge. This LED Flash Cube is also a mere $35. Still, it doesn't have an easy way to just attach to your iPhone — you'll have to hold the cube when using it, or have a separate tripod or mount.

Moon UltraLight 2: Should you buy it?

• You want a convenient, portable lighting solution for iPhone photography
• You take a lot of photos in low-light situations
• You prefer a rechargeable light

• You don't need a separate light for photos
• You don't take a lot of photos in low-light
• You are on a budget

The Moon UltraLight 2 is a compact, all-in-one lighting solution for your iPhone photography needs. It also works with your favorite iPad or even MacBook. Despite the small size, this little light can be adjusted to be super bright, and you can choose between cool and warm light thanks to the touch-sensitive controls. It fast charges via USB-C and can provide hours to days of shooting, depending on how you use it. And with the included tiny USB-C cable, protective carrying case and carabiner, it's super easy — barely an inconvenience — to take the Moon UltraLight 2 with you everywhere you go.

But be warned — it can be a little hard to find and press the power button thanks to how it sits flush with the disc, as well as the size. It might be easier if you have nails, but it really should be more easily accessible for everyone. And lastly, the Moon UltraLight 2 is a bit pricey for what it is. But you won't need any additional equipment for the light, it's fully adjustable, and comes with a protective carrying case with a fast-charging USB-C cable. All things considered, I believe it's worth the cost.

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