Play Video
I needed some good strong constant lights for video and Photogrpahy shoot and I found GVM creating these constant lights that are powerful (50w) but also have good color options.
I¡¯m using them mainly for shoots but also sometimes atmospheric set up when hosting company.
I liked the easy and fast set up process for the light and it¡¯s mobility (battery optionally).
I still didn¡¯t figure how to use the app to control them separately but I know it¡¯s an option.
5 out of 5
benjamin edwards –
As I continue to build out my light kit, I’m looking for the most versatile pieces I can find-always striking the balance of cost and quality. This kit was intriguing to me in that I knew I could (via the very solid GVM app) gang them together to create a nice booklight for scenes, or use them separately for a hair light/kicker or ambient.
I ordered the product and received it in a very timely manner-it’s always nice to receive something on a Sunday.
immediately, you’re greeted with a well constructed padded case that holds the three stands, power supplies and instruments-comfortably. I always dislike bags and cases that “almost” have it right. This works great for general use. I’m going to see if it will fit in my large Pelican case on its side for travel work. While the kit does come with instructions I found that within a couple of minutes I had the lights all up and working, very intuitive and the app, unlike others I’ve used, seems bulletproof with no drops in connection and quick, flawless connections upon firing everything back up.
5 out of 5
Outdoor Enthusiast | Geek | Photographer –
Our studio’s business has expanded a bit and we purchased an additional set. Our original review for the 2-pack is the same as for this 3-pack.
I had been a professional photographer since 2008 and retired six years ago to focus on being as good of a father to my children as possible. That did not mean hanging up my cameras. I still use them to photograph my kids as they grew through the years.
Towards the end of my photography career, I traded my bulb/umbrella setup for a RGB LED based lighting system instead, primarily for the lighter weight, more compact size, and battery portability. As a bonus, I liked the ability to control the lights via a Bluetooth-connected smartphone app without having to interrupt my shoots with the infant/toddler kids.
RGB LED lights allow you to simulate and color-correct certain lighting conditions. From cool daylight (5600 Kelvin) to warm sunsets (3200K) and control over the intensity, hue, and saturation of the lights, the variety of scenes you could use this light kit with is quite open ended. The trick, as always with photography or videography, is to understand how light works and to use that to your advantage.
The GVM 1200D is a very nice upgrade over its predecessor with over 3.5x the number of RGB LEDs, providing more consistent, smooth control of the intensity, color, hue/saturation of the produced light. A built-in diffuser helps cast softer shadows and make skin look more flattering on the subjects.
Like its older model, the lights can be set as Master and Slaves so all the lights can be controlled together through the Bluetooth-connected “GVM LED” app (available on both iOS and Android). It also has the same amount of “lighting scenes” (8) that are activated through the app, though their use cases are limited to special occasions.
The new, red-colored coating of the aluminum frame makes it stand out (compared to the black of its predecessor), and that could potentially cause a small, red color cast on the subject in certain shooting situations. I would have preferred that GVM kept everything black, but this is just a minor concern.
60W AC adapters power the lights, while the LEDs themselves are rated to output 50W (up from 40W of previous models). They can also be battery operated with Sony F750/970 batteries (not included) for on-location shoots anywhere outside for that perfect, low-light shot or video footage. Brightness, according to GVM, is rated at 22,000 lux at 0.5m (1.6′) or 7,300 lux at 1m (3.3′). What does that mean? Lux is the intensity of light at a specific location away from the source. The farther away you travel, the lower the Lux rating, whereas the Lumen (light intensity) remains unchanged. In other words, these lights produce an intense amount of luminosity that can produce enough to fill an entire room.
The lights’ panels direct where the light should go and also help minimize spill onto the surrounding.
Impressive still is the lifetime warranty with a 3-year, full refund guarantee. That is just unheard of and shows that the company had been standing behind its products (and why I had been a fan of GVM for years.)
The light stands fold relatively compact and are quick to deploy. The light frames can be mounted to the stands in two ways to accommodate different lighting angles.
When you finish a shoot, be sure you always turn off the lights. You do not want to leave them on and accidentally cause a fire.
5 out of 5
Jkuo –
I have been slowly switching over to LED lights, since they are more affordable and more powerful as well. I use them for both videography, and photography. They are more energy efficient too.
5 out of 5
Eddie8620 –
Purchased the GVM studio light bundle for my professional work and I have used it on multiple shoots already with success. The GVM studio lights offer a wide spectrum of colors on the RGB map. You can tune them for daylight as well with adjustable kelvin temperatures. They are silent and won¡¯t interfere with your audio, no noisy fans!! This is a plus for video work. The RGB functionality allows you to use the 3 panels to really make your studio a dynamic set, adding separation and great tones to your subject/model. The application is really to use and allows you to set up your lights as masters and slaves, all fully controllable on the app. The application was easy to download and pair to the lights. The app also has some cool scenes like candle, party, flash, police, etc. It even allows you to create and save your own scenes. The brightness and strength is perfect for everyday needs. It can be powered by electricity via the provided outlets or with NP batteries. At this price point I am extremely satisfied and can recommend it to my fellow creators. I also run a YouTube channel and these will be perfect for my studio space at home as well. Finally, the lights are packaged extremely well in a organized secured case which makes it easy to store them and transport.
I am happy!
5 out of 5
Ryan¡¯s Tech World –
This was not my first set of video/photo lights .. This set is my second set . My first set was also from gvm so I knew what I was getting. Let me start by saying this light is great for what it is . It has a nice output power and, when used correctly, can provide a nice soft light or something that is eye breaking. The issue is how the lights are incrementally increased. These lights increase in 5% increments I wished they are more precise . Which causes problems when you are going from the bottom of the range to the initial 5% or from 95 to 100%. The LEDS are, at that point, all of nothing, so when warming the color temp at the top of the range the white LEDS simply turn off making a huge orange shift, same for the lower end going to blue. The 5% increments make things difficult in all aspects as the RGB side also changes color intensity very harshly at the top of the range. Convenient light, but I just wish that they changed the output to 1% increments so therefore the lights are better . This light would be perfect, in my eyes, if they made that switch. Pros: RGB – No more gels LED – so no loud fan WIFI works great in testing Barndoors included Cons: 5% Stepped increment changes
But overall at this price I don’t see anything that can beat the functionality of this led light. Build quality is insane and functions and features are out of the water !
5 out of 5
Amazon Customer –
Most of my video work consists of using the GBM products primarily because it allows me to control the light in the way that works for my needs precisely. Comparing to some of the older models I’ve had in the past and still use, this RGB LED light has beefier barn doors I’ll buy it’s made of plastic, it also has a diffusion panel built into the frame itself.
There’s also a transparent frame that as an ambient lighting which doesn’t seem to affect the scene by any means but gives a really nice touch and visually, it helps to gauge the output of the color even though it’s obvious the light that is being casted on to. But when mixing two or more colors, sometimes having a visual cue with this new design seem to work better in terms of understanding the setting at any given time.
The app also seems to have improved where it auto selects the channels and connects to the Wi-Fi very quickly once the unit is turned on. Like many of these gvm led panels, the aluminum frame design with the bracket is very solid and there’s absolutely no heat even running this panel at 100% brightness in either white or RGB color mode.
The app also has the scene mode which is common with these LEDs that can mimic strobe lights, police car lights, and various mood setting effects if you are looking to use it in any video production. I could be wrong, but the RGB LEDs seem brighter than my other older RGB panels so that’s something to keep in mind it easily overpowered the white LED lights I have above for the basement studio.
The initial investment might be high but having a 3-point lighting setup is also crucial if you want to have a unique look whether it’s for your social media channel or creating more depth using different colors as well as angles in your videos. This type of product is totally worth it and do recommend GVM for their quality and longevity
5 out of 5
Will E. –
This is what I was looking for and when they on a flash deal through Amazon, you don¡¯t hesitate, you buy. Lights are bright and work great in any situation. Definitely recommend these if you¡¯re in the market for studio lights.
5 out of 5
Muhammad Abdullah Al Shanfari –
This kit is like a kickstarter for your studio/filming business, and you can go for other, more expensive ones if needed with much higher output. I love the versatility of it and how they’re packed very well in a well-made large bag, although the grip could use some stuffing as it can uncomfortable moving the bag around with how thin the grip is but that’s nothing that can’t be solved with some gloves or so.
5 out of 5
David Misany –
I love the quality of the lighting
5 out of 5
Mike –
Love these lights! Far less expensive than their competitors, and I don’t know why everyone doesn’t jump on these. Color accuracy is fantastic. Very bright. The frosted lens is great for diffusion. Creates nice soft light even without adding a diffusion layer. And love the case. Top access and very sturdy. Wish their lower level lights had this same case.
Ellie Thoughts –
Play Video
I needed some good strong constant lights for video and Photogrpahy shoot and I found GVM creating these constant lights that are powerful (50w) but also have good color options.
I¡¯m using them mainly for shoots but also sometimes atmospheric set up when hosting company.
I liked the easy and fast set up process for the light and it¡¯s mobility (battery optionally).
I still didn¡¯t figure how to use the app to control them separately but I know it¡¯s an option.
benjamin edwards –
As I continue to build out my light kit, I’m looking for the most versatile pieces I can find-always striking the balance of cost and quality. This kit was intriguing to me in that I knew I could (via the very solid GVM app) gang them together to create a nice booklight for scenes, or use them separately for a hair light/kicker or ambient.
I ordered the product and received it in a very timely manner-it’s always nice to receive something on a Sunday.
immediately, you’re greeted with a well constructed padded case that holds the three stands, power supplies and instruments-comfortably. I always dislike bags and cases that “almost” have it right. This works great for general use. I’m going to see if it will fit in my large Pelican case on its side for travel work. While the kit does come with instructions I found that within a couple of minutes I had the lights all up and working, very intuitive and the app, unlike others I’ve used, seems bulletproof with no drops in connection and quick, flawless connections upon firing everything back up.
Outdoor Enthusiast | Geek | Photographer –
Our studio’s business has expanded a bit and we purchased an additional set. Our original review for the 2-pack is the same as for this 3-pack.
I had been a professional photographer since 2008 and retired six years ago to focus on being as good of a father to my children as possible. That did not mean hanging up my cameras. I still use them to photograph my kids as they grew through the years.
Towards the end of my photography career, I traded my bulb/umbrella setup for a RGB LED based lighting system instead, primarily for the lighter weight, more compact size, and battery portability. As a bonus, I liked the ability to control the lights via a Bluetooth-connected smartphone app without having to interrupt my shoots with the infant/toddler kids.
RGB LED lights allow you to simulate and color-correct certain lighting conditions. From cool daylight (5600 Kelvin) to warm sunsets (3200K) and control over the intensity, hue, and saturation of the lights, the variety of scenes you could use this light kit with is quite open ended. The trick, as always with photography or videography, is to understand how light works and to use that to your advantage.
The GVM 1200D is a very nice upgrade over its predecessor with over 3.5x the number of RGB LEDs, providing more consistent, smooth control of the intensity, color, hue/saturation of the produced light. A built-in diffuser helps cast softer shadows and make skin look more flattering on the subjects.
Like its older model, the lights can be set as Master and Slaves so all the lights can be controlled together through the Bluetooth-connected “GVM LED” app (available on both iOS and Android). It also has the same amount of “lighting scenes” (8) that are activated through the app, though their use cases are limited to special occasions.
The new, red-colored coating of the aluminum frame makes it stand out (compared to the black of its predecessor), and that could potentially cause a small, red color cast on the subject in certain shooting situations. I would have preferred that GVM kept everything black, but this is just a minor concern.
60W AC adapters power the lights, while the LEDs themselves are rated to output 50W (up from 40W of previous models). They can also be battery operated with Sony F750/970 batteries (not included) for on-location shoots anywhere outside for that perfect, low-light shot or video footage. Brightness, according to GVM, is rated at 22,000 lux at 0.5m (1.6′) or 7,300 lux at 1m (3.3′). What does that mean? Lux is the intensity of light at a specific location away from the source. The farther away you travel, the lower the Lux rating, whereas the Lumen (light intensity) remains unchanged. In other words, these lights produce an intense amount of luminosity that can produce enough to fill an entire room.
The lights’ panels direct where the light should go and also help minimize spill onto the surrounding.
Impressive still is the lifetime warranty with a 3-year, full refund guarantee. That is just unheard of and shows that the company had been standing behind its products (and why I had been a fan of GVM for years.)
The light stands fold relatively compact and are quick to deploy. The light frames can be mounted to the stands in two ways to accommodate different lighting angles.
When you finish a shoot, be sure you always turn off the lights. You do not want to leave them on and accidentally cause a fire.
Jkuo –
I have been slowly switching over to LED lights, since they are more affordable and more powerful as well. I use them for both videography, and photography. They are more energy efficient too.
Eddie8620 –
Purchased the GVM studio light bundle for my professional work and I have used it on multiple shoots already with success. The GVM studio lights offer a wide spectrum of colors on the RGB map. You can tune them for daylight as well with adjustable kelvin temperatures. They are silent and won¡¯t interfere with your audio, no noisy fans!! This is a plus for video work. The RGB functionality allows you to use the 3 panels to really make your studio a dynamic set, adding separation and great tones to your subject/model. The application is really to use and allows you to set up your lights as masters and slaves, all fully controllable on the app. The application was easy to download and pair to the lights. The app also has some cool scenes like candle, party, flash, police, etc. It even allows you to create and save your own scenes. The brightness and strength is perfect for everyday needs. It can be powered by electricity via the provided outlets or with NP batteries. At this price point I am extremely satisfied and can recommend it to my fellow creators. I also run a YouTube channel and these will be perfect for my studio space at home as well. Finally, the lights are packaged extremely well in a organized secured case which makes it easy to store them and transport.
I am happy!
Ryan¡¯s Tech World –
This was not my first set of video/photo lights .. This set is my second set . My first set was also from gvm so I knew what I was getting. Let me start by saying this light is great for what it is . It has a nice output power and, when used correctly, can provide a nice soft light or something that is eye breaking. The issue is how the lights are incrementally increased. These lights increase in 5% increments I wished they are more precise . Which causes problems when you are going from the bottom of the range to the initial 5% or from 95 to 100%. The LEDS are, at that point, all of nothing, so when warming the color temp at the top of the range the white LEDS simply turn off making a huge orange shift, same for the lower end going to blue. The 5% increments make things difficult in all aspects as the RGB side also changes color intensity very harshly at the top of the range. Convenient light, but I just wish that they changed the output to 1% increments so therefore the lights are better . This light would be perfect, in my eyes, if they made that switch. Pros: RGB – No more gels LED – so no loud fan WIFI works great in testing Barndoors included Cons: 5% Stepped increment changes
But overall at this price I don’t see anything that can beat the functionality of this led light. Build quality is insane and functions and features are out of the water !
Amazon Customer –
Most of my video work consists of using the GBM products primarily because it allows me to control the light in the way that works for my needs precisely. Comparing to some of the older models I’ve had in the past and still use, this RGB LED light has beefier barn doors I’ll buy it’s made of plastic, it also has a diffusion panel built into the frame itself.
There’s also a transparent frame that as an ambient lighting which doesn’t seem to affect the scene by any means but gives a really nice touch and visually, it helps to gauge the output of the color even though it’s obvious the light that is being casted on to. But when mixing two or more colors, sometimes having a visual cue with this new design seem to work better in terms of understanding the setting at any given time.
The app also seems to have improved where it auto selects the channels and connects to the Wi-Fi very quickly once the unit is turned on. Like many of these gvm led panels, the aluminum frame design with the bracket is very solid and there’s absolutely no heat even running this panel at 100% brightness in either white or RGB color mode.
The app also has the scene mode which is common with these LEDs that can mimic strobe lights, police car lights, and various mood setting effects if you are looking to use it in any video production. I could be wrong, but the RGB LEDs seem brighter than my other older RGB panels so that’s something to keep in mind it easily overpowered the white LED lights I have above for the basement studio.
The initial investment might be high but having a 3-point lighting setup is also crucial if you want to have a unique look whether it’s for your social media channel or creating more depth using different colors as well as angles in your videos. This type of product is totally worth it and do recommend GVM for their quality and longevity
Will E. –
This is what I was looking for and when they on a flash deal through Amazon, you don¡¯t hesitate, you buy. Lights are bright and work great in any situation. Definitely recommend these if you¡¯re in the market for studio lights.
Muhammad Abdullah Al Shanfari –
This kit is like a kickstarter for your studio/filming business, and you can go for other, more expensive ones if needed with much higher output. I love the versatility of it and how they’re packed very well in a well-made large bag, although the grip could use some stuffing as it can uncomfortable moving the bag around with how thin the grip is but that’s nothing that can’t be solved with some gloves or so.
David Misany –
I love the quality of the lighting
Mike –
Love these lights! Far less expensive than their competitors, and I don’t know why everyone doesn’t jump on these. Color accuracy is fantastic. Very bright. The frosted lens is great for diffusion. Creates nice soft light even without adding a diffusion layer. And love the case. Top access and very sturdy. Wish their lower level lights had this same case.