I tested the Godox MA5R – this pocket RGB light transformed my mobile shooting

I’ve seen quite a few of these small, compact, full RGB lights before, but nothing comes close to the Godox MA5R. When it comes to features, few other devices match what this small light offers. While you might think of it as just a simple RGB light, it’s actually far more.

That difference is apparent as soon as you take it out of the packaging, as it resembles many charging stations used to top up your mobile phone due to its size and slimline design — part of the reason it looks like one is that it is. It’s designed to charge your phone and uses MagSafe technology to snap neatly to the back.

Twist it around when attached to your phone, switch on the selfie light, and you’ve got a compact lighting solution for video calls. On the other side is the main LED array that enables bi-colour lighting, full RGB, plus effects.

It can charge your phone, act as a full RGB video light, and is Bluetooth-enabled. This last feature means that you can connect it to the app and control it from there. So whether you’re using it with your phone, DSLR or mirrorless camera or as extra lighting for still life or portraits, the MA5R is a versatile option.

Ordinarily, rectangular RGB LED lights offer colour adjustment, bi-colour temperature control, and effects like fireworks or candlelight. The Godox MA5R offers all of these, with easy navigation via side buttons and a small LED screen to preview settings.

Though the 5 W output is low, it delivers full RGB, 14 effects, and adjustable colour temperature from 2800 K to 6500 K. The Bluetooth app adds another level of ease, and MagSafe allows it to snap to your phone for extra lighting in video calls.

Behind the light is the 4900 mAh battery that enables the MA5R to charge your device while also providing light, something that is really quite unique in the market.

The Godox MA5R is one of the best-looking devices I’ve seen when it comes to photography accessories. It features a modern white finish, with the MA5R graphic, NFC logo, and “5000” marking the 4900 mAh battery inside. As you look over the device, you begin to appreciate just how well-designed it is. Around the edge, you’ll find the Godox logo, a small power button to control modes, navigation buttons, a USB port, and, along the bottom edge, all the device’s technical information.

Flipping to the front, the main surface contains the LED array, visible through a very thin diffusion panel. This houses the full RGB lighting setup.

Unlike some small lights, it has a solid weight, coming in at 164 g, and measures 106.9 mm × 68.1 mm × 13.0 mm, making it very pocketable.

The overall design is well thought out, though there’s no direct way to mount it to a mirrorless or DSLR camera. However, a MagSafe mount is available for that purpose. For Android phones without MagSafe, Godox has included a stick-on magnetic ring in the box. Just peel off the backing and attach it to your phone, and the light will connect securely.

Another inclusion is the silicone diffusion panel, which fits neatly over the LED array and does a great job of softening the light. While there are a few quirks with the silicone case, it performs well when used. Some aspects of the design could have been improved slightly, but I’ll come to those later in the review.

On the surface, the Godox MA5R looks like a small LED panel, but in reality, there’s far more to it. It’s sold as a magnetic charging LED light — quite a lot for something so compact. It’s clearly designed for use with mobile phones, specifically iPhones, and features a MagSafe connector that allows it to snap neatly to the back of your device, just like many other charging stations. Because it combines an LED panel with wireless charging, you essentially get a full-fill light attached to your phone, illuminating your scene while supplying additional charge during filming — a clever idea.

At full power, the LED light can provide 220 minutes of continuous 5 W output, which is impressive for the size. Alongside the bi-colour lighting, you have full RGB, allowing for creative lighting effects suitable for both stills and video.

There’s also a smaller 0.8 W LED light on the rear. This is bi-colour (not full RGB) but ideal for adding a touch of fill light for selfies or social posts.
Colour temperature can be adjusted to match your scene — daylight or indoors.

As with most modern LED lights, the MA5R includes a range of effects. Godox has programmed 14 different options, including fireworks, lightning, flash, and TV.

Inside, the light houses a 4900 mAh internal battery, always ready to wirelessly charge your mobile device.

To suit a younger audience, the MA5R is available in a variety of colours, including white, black, red, pink, blue, and green.

Finally, there’s the Godox Light app. Once installed and connected via NFC, you can take full control of the light from your phone. When it’s attached via MagSafe, the whole system feels intuitive and integrated.
Despite its size and 5 W output, this is one of the most flexible lights on the market today.

Getting started with the MA5R is much like using any other LED light: simply power it on by pressing the small button on top, and the power percentage will appear on the small screen on the back. What stands out immediately is that the screen is a basic colour display, which adds to the premium feel.

Once powered on, you’ll see the modes, which include CCT, HSI, FX, and Selfie. There’s also a menu screen that lets you select the language, toggle Bluetooth on or off, and access other settings. Selecting the CCT option with a quick push of the select button takes you to the main control screen; as this is colour, it’s clear and visually well laid out.

On the left-hand side, you’ll see the value for the selected setting, and on the right are the adjustable options. You can modify brightness, CCT (colour temperature), and GM (Green-Magenta shift). The GM function is a welcome addition, allowing you to fine-tune the tint to match ambient lighting or your camera’s white balance. A setting of -50 adds green, while +50 adds magenta — quite unusual at this price point.

A long press of the mobile button on the side acts as a “back” function, returning you to the previous menu. From there, you can switch to HSI mode, which includes Dim, Hue, and Saturation controls. Again, quick presses let you cycle through settings, and you adjust each using the plus and minus buttons.

The FX menu contains 14 effects, each displayed with a small icon — including Flash, Lightning, Candlelight, and TV. Some are a little ambiguous, but the app makes identifying and adjusting these effects much easier. Returning to the main menu and selecting the Selfie mode allows you to switch from the front lighting panel to the smaller rear light. This also includes Dim and CCT settings, letting you tune the light for your environment.

That’s the basic onboard functionality — which already goes beyond many lights of this size — but there’s more. Designed with mobile users in mind, the MA5R features a MagSafe connector. When attached to the back of your iPhone, the light magnetically snaps into place and adds extra grip. The connection feels secure enough for filming, and once in contact with your phone, it starts charging the device.

Thanks to the built-in NFC chip, once you’ve installed and signed into the Godox Light app, the MA5R automatically connects. This lets you adjust all settings from the app instead of using the buttons on the device. If you’re filming and need to quickly change lighting, the switch between your camera app and the Godox app is smooth and far quicker than manual control. The app also supports multi-light setups, allowing several MA5Rs to be synced and controlled together.

In testing, I used one unit and found the experience intuitive and responsive. The only hiccup came during the app registration process. A delay in receiving the verification code via SMS or email slowed things down, but once I switched to using Apple ID for login, everything connected smoothly. From that point on, the app worked seamlessly.

The Godox Light app is impressive, and because it’s part of the broader Godox ecosystem, you can control a range of lights — from the MA5R up to their more professional-grade models — within the same interface. One feature I would have liked to have seen included would have been a colour temperature reader or picker. Being able to use your phone’s camera to detect ambient colour temperature and sync the MA5R to match would be a significant enhancement and very useful on shoots.

There are a couple of smaller limitations. The MA5R doesn’t include a hot shoe adaptor in the box, so if you want to mount it onto a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you’ll need to buy one separately. This isn’t a major issue, but it’s worth noting.

Another point is the diffuser. When using the light attached directly to the back of a phone — particularly something like the iPhone 15 Pro — the optional silicone diffuser can appear on the edge of your camera frame. In most situations, the built-in diffusion panel is sufficient, but it does limit when and how you can use the silicone cover.

That said, the MA5R is remarkably flexible. For a 5 W panel, it offers full RGB, effect modes, mobile compatibility, wireless charging, and app control — all in a device smaller than most smartphones. While a few features could be improved (like diffuser compatibility and maybe the addition of a colour matcher), the combination of lighting performance and mobile functionality makes it stand out.

There’s no doubt that small LED lighting panels like the MA5R are incredibly useful, and the wide range of options now available shows just how popular they’ve become. I regularly use the more powerful 10–40 W panels with full RGB control, like those from Zhiyun, in workshops due to their adjustability and brightness. For regular teaching, we use the small Neewer RGB cubes, which, like this, are around 5W and incredibly useful.

The Godox MA5R is a smaller, less powerful version of all but those Neewer lights, designed to be portable and can be quickly attached to the back of your phone to add a little more light when needed. The overall design is exceptionally well thought out and works brilliantly. Despite being only 5 W, the light output at close range is ideal, and the built-in diffusion softens that light nicely.

With the included silicone diffuser, the harshness is reduced even further. The ability to adjust the colour temperature adds to its practicality and is essential if you want to get creative with your projects. It’s just a shame the diffuser can’t be used when the light is attached to the phone — perhaps something for a future update.

Likewise, a colour temperature reader within the app would also be a useful addition, enabling automatic matching with ambient light temperature.

One standout feature is that the Godox Light app supports this unit and others in the Godox range. You can group and control multiple lights, which is very useful when working on a set.

While there’s no standard 1/4-inch mount on the bottom, the magnetic contact makes it easy to use. It holds securely to the back of your phone or any metal surface for that matter, making positioning quick and flexible to use.

All things considered, this is one of the most economically designed lighting accessories I’ve come across. Despite its low power, its flexibility and feature set make it well worth considering.