- Godox has launched two inflatable LED lights — the LC500R Air (a 2.5-foot RGB stick) and the LR150 Air (a ring light) — whose diffusion heads inflate to a large, soft source and then deflate to pack flat.
- It’s a genuinely clever fix for lighting’s oldest trade-off: a big soft light source usually means a big rigid fixture. These give you the size on location and the packability in the bag.
- Specs are real, not gimmicky: 2800–10,000K color, RGB/RGBW with 14 effects, claimed CRI 96 / TLCI 98, on-board and app control, and a built-in battery (about a 1.5-hour run on the LC500R Air).
- Each kit ships with the air pump and a bag — inflate, shoot, deflate, go. Best for travel, run-and-gun video, content creators, and location portraits.
- Think of these as a portable complement to a traditional setup, not a replacement for big studio fixtures — see how they fit in our best continuous lighting kit guide.
Lighting has always made you choose: a big, soft, flattering source means a big, rigid, bag-hogging fixture. Godox just attacked that trade-off from a genuinely new angle. As Digital Camera World reports, the company has launched two inflatable LED lights — the LC500R Air and the LR150 Air — whose heads literally inflate to a large soft source, then deflate to pack flat. It’s the kind of idea that sounds like a gimmick until you realize it solves a real problem every location shooter has cursed at. Here’s how they work and where they fit.
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The Inflatable Idea
The trick is in the head. Instead of a fixed panel or a rigid ring, the light source sits inside an inflatable diffusion shell. Pump it up and you get a large, rounded, soft emitter — the kind of broad source that wraps light gently around a face. Let the air out and the whole thing collapses to a fraction of its size. Both kits include the air pump and a carry bag, so the workflow is simply inflate, shoot, deflate, and go. It’s the same logic as an inflatable paddleboard or tent: get the volume you need on site without carrying the volume in transit.
The Two Lights
Godox LC500R Air — the RGB stick
The LC500R Air is a 2.5-foot RGB stick light with a controller and battery grip. The numbers are legitimate: 854 lux at 3.3 feet (5600K), a 2800–10,000K color range with RGBW mode, claimed CRI 96 and TLCI 98 for accurate color, 14 lighting effects, green-magenta correction, and both on-board and app control. Its built-in battery is rated for about a 1.5-hour run, and it ships with the air pump and a bag. As a wand you can hand-hold, mount, or sweep through a scene, it’s aimed squarely at video and creative portrait work.
Godox LR150 Air — the ring
The LR150 Air takes the same inflatable approach into a ring light, pushing a brighter peak — Godox cites figures around 1,760 lux at half a meter — with the same wide color range and app control. A ring that packs flat is a real proposition for creators and portrait shooters who want that signature catchlight without hauling a rigid hoop around.
Why It Matters for Photographers
Soft light is flattering light, and the easiest way to get soft light is a big source. That’s why softboxes and large panels exist — and why they’re a pain to travel with. An inflatable head is a smart answer for anyone who shoots away from a fixed studio: travel and destination portraits, run-and-gun video, event and behind-the-scenes work, and location portrait lighting where you want quality light without a roof rack of gear. The RGB color and effects also make these useful for content creators chasing a look, not just clean key light.
Where It Fits in Your Kit
Be realistic about what these are. An inflatable head is brilliant for portability, but a hard-walled softbox on a powerful strobe will still out-muscle a battery LED for raw output and modifier control. Treat the Air lights as a portable complement: the lights you grab when you’re traveling light or shooting video on the move, alongside — not instead of — your main fixtures. If you’re building or rethinking a continuous setup, our best continuous lighting kit guide is the place to see where a portable RGB source like this slots in, and our coverage of the latest lighting gear tracks the rest of the category. The LC500R Air and LR150 Air are listed now at B&H.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Godox LC500R Air?
A 2.5-foot RGB inflatable LED stick light. Its diffusion head inflates to a large, soft source and deflates to pack flat. It offers a 2800–10,000K color range, RGBW mode, claimed CRI 96 / TLCI 98, 14 effects, on-board and app control, and a built-in battery (about 1.5 hours), and it ships with an air pump and bag.
How is the LR150 Air different?
The LR150 Air applies the same inflatable design to a ring light, with a brighter peak output (Godox cites around 1,760 lux at 0.5m) and the same wide color range and app control — a ring light that collapses to fit a bag.
Why would you want an inflatable light?
To get a large, soft, flattering light source on location without carrying a large, rigid fixture. You inflate it on site for size and deflate it for transport — ideal for travel, run-and-gun video, and location portraits.
Are these a replacement for a softbox or studio strobe?
No. They’re a portable complement. A powerful strobe with a hard softbox still wins on raw output and modifier control; the Air lights win on packability and battery-powered convenience away from a studio.
Where can I get them?
They’re listed at major retailers such as B&H. Check current availability and configuration there.
The Bottom Line
Most “new” lighting gear is a brighter version of something you already own. The Godox LC500R Air and LR150 Air are actually a new idea: a big soft source that packs flat. They won’t replace your studio heads, but for anyone who shoots on the move, an inflatable light that delivers accurate RGB color and a genuine soft wrap — then disappears into a bag — is one of the more useful things to happen to portable lighting in a while.
Primary Coverage
- Digital Camera World — Godox inflatable studio lights – Launch of the LC500R Air and LR150 Air inflatable lights
- Newsshooter — Godox LC500R Air & LR150 Air – Specs, features and kit contents
- Godox — LC500R Air / LR150 Air official page – Manufacturer specifications
Image Sources
- Godox — product photography – Featured image (staged via Photoroom) and the in-use photo use Godox’s official product imagery; the concept infographic is an original PhotoWorkout illustration
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