Spending your hard-earned cash on filmmaking equipment can be a tough decision. When you are trying to find something affordable it can be hard to be sure which is the best value and will provide enough of the features you need to get the job done.
Among the most saturated areas is with lighting where there are plenty of good (and not so good) lights in the affordable spectrum. If you want some solid bi-color LEDs that won’t break the bank then you will be interested in this video.
Godox has recently released two new bi-color fixtures: the ML60Bi and SL100Bi. Godox has been doing great with affordable and high-quality lighting, so this overview of the lights from Momentum Productions is a good look if you are looking to buy.
Starting with the ML60Bi you have a quite compact LED light. It’s bi-color, so you do have an adjustable range for the color temperature at the very least. It’s also decently powerful for the size and has effects like candlelight, lightning, etc. You will need a separate accessory to use some standard Bowens-mount modifiers.
Control is good and just light any solid slight. You can dim from 0-100% and the LED itself is high-quality with very good CRI and TLCI of greater than 95. It’s an aluminum construction that makes it feel premium. There is a fan, but it is quiet and can be turned off for situations where you need perfect silence.
If you want to run it off battery, there is a way to use standard Sony NP-F L-series battery packs. It’ll burn through those quickly but it is a viable option for portable shoots. It does come with a case for those who want something for mobility.
Image Credit: Godox
The SL100Bi is very similar in terms of overall quality with the ratings for CRI and TLCI of 95+. It’s a very different design though with a plastic construction and a larger, noisier fan. This might actually be something you might consider. It is a bit more powerful than the ML60Bi and that can make it a lot more practical.
Plus, the SL100Bi is more affordable and has support for Bowens-mount accessories without needing to purchase anything extra. The screen is large, but some of the settings, like effects modes, are more difficult to use on location since you can’t clearly see the different options.
Image Credit: Godox
Otherwise, for the money, the quality of light is something everyone will be very happy with. If you are looking for something on a budget then the light itself should be among your most important factors for making a decision.
Do you have any favorite budget lights?
[source: Momentum Productions]
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