russej02 ReviewsI bought the STEELITE 12000mAh camping light from Amazon, and I am returning it. I wanted to like this thing, and the magnetic mounting was one of the reasons I bought it in the first place. But after using it, I do not think it is worth keeping, and I do not recommend it based on my experience.
Here is why I am sending it back.
Why I'm Returning the STEELITE Camping Light
Three things pushed me to return it: the mounting connection does not fit my camera tripods, the included tripod feels cheap, and the magnets could not hold the light's own weight the way I wanted to use them.
None of those is a huge problem on its own. Together, they add up to a product I do not want to keep.
The Mounting Connection Doesn't Fit My Tripods
I expected to be able to screw this light onto a standard camera tripod. It does not use the usual 1/4-inch-20 threaded connection that most of my tripods have. Instead, it uses a much larger connection.
I have not measured it, so I am not going to state it as a confirmed specification, but based on how it looks next to my tripods, I would estimate it is somewhere around M20.
The practical problem is simple: I cannot mount it directly to my existing camera tripods, which is what I wanted to do.
The Included Tripod Feels Cheap
The light comes with its own tripod, and my honest impression is that it feels really cheap. The legs in particular do not inspire confidence, and I doubt they will hold up very long even with normal use.
To be clear, that is my impression of how it feels and is built, not a documented long-term failure.
The Magnets Couldn't Hold the Light
The magnetic mounting was one of the features I was most excited about, because it is something I could actually use. Unfortunately, in my testing, the magnets could not support the light's own weight when I positioned it horizontally.
That was the most disappointing part, because the magnetic mounting was an important reason I wanted the product in the first place.
Where to Find It
This is the exact light I bought:
STEELITE 12000mAh Rechargeable Camping Light on Amazon
To be clear, I am returning mine and I would not buy it again.
Final Verdict
The light and the tripod both feel cheaply constructed to me. Between the unusual mounting connection, the flimsy-feeling tripod, and the magnets, I dislike the product enough that I am returning it.
Based on my experience, I do not recommend the STEELITE 12000mAh camping light. If you want a light you can mount on a standard camera tripod, or one that will hold itself up with magnets, this one did not work for me.