Guides, reviews and how-tos from the people who make the gear.
The general method for any fiber optic costume, from hiding the light to sewing and trimming the fibers, plus three full builds to follow.
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The real sizes of every LED staff, saber, whip, rope and costume bundle we make, what each length is for, and a quick way to pick yours.
How to size an LED jump rope, what to look for in a light-up rope, the tricks that look best lit, and how to photograph your turns.
Light painter Hugo Baptista takes a pair of RGB Critter BTs into the forest at night and shows how he draws orbs, spheres and mirrored shapes.
Night photographer Ken Lee's Editor's Choice review of the RGB Critter BT for light painting, first published on Photofocus in 2024: the app, custom colors, field tests in Joshua Tree and a car graveyard, and the Illuminator attachments.
Flow instructor Micah Enguio unboxes the RGB Critter BT, compares it with the original Critter, tours the app and clicks on a BitWhip fiber head.
Settings for fiber optic whip photos that work on the first try: trails-only long exposures, showing the performer at dusk, framing, phones and quick fixes.
Three ways to run two fiber optic whips, how the Double BitWhip goes together, keeping colors in sync, and what flow artists say to learn first.
A fiber optic brush is a short bundle of glowing strands on a light. Here is how it differs from a whip and a tube, and how to light paint with one on your first night.
The RGB Critter BT can dim by PWM or by analog current. How each works inside the light, what it means for photos and video, and the quirks of switching between them.
A lumen measures brightness to the human eye, and the eye discounts deep blue and red heavily. Why an RGB light's lumen number looks low, why it can't be compared with a white flashlight's, and what to compare instead.
Colored trails that come out white in the middle are one sensor channel clipping. Why a dim blue can blow out harder than a bright white flashlight, why RGB lumens don't compare with white lumens, and five fixes that work.
Premade kits or the Kit Builder? The premade tiers are priced below the sum of their parts, and the Kit Builder lets you assemble your own set around one RGB Critter BT and see exactly what fits together before you buy. Here is how to choose, plus a sensible first custom kit with real prices.
Tubes, blades, caps and adapters all twist onto the same RGB Critter BT, but they shape light in very different ways. Here is the full taxonomy: what each diffuser family does, how the patterns change the light, and which one to buy first for your style.
Start at ISO 200, f/8 and a 15 second shutter - then use the cheat sheet: starting settings for light writing, orbs, big outdoor scenes, portraits and bright urban frames, plus the failure modes and their actual fixes.
Most 'broken' fiber whips are a ten minute fix. We build the BitWhip and repair the whips that come back, so this guide is organized the way our bench is: by symptom. Dim trail, flickering, dead light, loose head, and when a whip genuinely is not worth fixing.
Ten glowing Halloween costume ideas for 2026 - jellyfish, will-o-the-wisp, fairy wings, skeleton, angler fish and more - with the exact pieces that build each one, battery math for a full night, and the trick-or-treat visibility angle.
You do not need a camera to start light painting. How to shoot glowing trails, orbs and written words with an iPhone Live Photo long exposure, Android Pro mode, or a long exposure app - plus fixes for the ways phones fight you in the dark.
The RGB Critter BT runs on a replaceable 2500mAh 18650 cell. What that means in practice: about 7 hours of color per charge, simple USB-C charging, safe long-term storage, carry-on-only travel rules, and the signs a cell is due for retirement.
The free Ants on a Melon app is what unlocks the RGB Critter BT: 145+ modes, a 16.7 million color picker, unlimited custom playlists and up to 10 lights on one palette. Here is how to pair it, build playlists, and fix a stubborn Bluetooth connection.
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This lithium-ion battery cannot be shipped internationally and cannot be added to your cart.
You can purchase the required battery locally with these specifications:
Do not purchase protected, button top, 3.2V, or 1.5V cells.
Ants on a Melon is not responsible for batteries purchased from third-party sellers. Please verify specifications and use only high-quality lithium-ion cells from reputable brands.
