GVM Pro Series Lights (SD300B & SD650B) - Do They Work for REAL Professionals?
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- Опубликовано: 24 окт 2023
- In this video I review the GVM Pro series of bi-color LED lights (specifically the SD300B and SD650B) to see how suitable they are for actual working professionals.
The build quality of the GVM Pro lights is astronomically better than budget lights from GVM, which has always been the biggest source of their cost-cutting measures.
Everything from the carrying cases to the clamps, cables, and connectors has been upgraded, and the price of the GVM Pro lights is fantastically low for what you get.
The color accuracy and output is also great, but there are a couple minor issues, so watch the full video and let me know how you think these compare to other alternatives.
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== LINKS ==
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GVM Pro SD200B - geni.us/gvmprosd200b
GVM Pro SD300B - geni.us/gvmprosd300b
GVM Pro SD400B - geni.us/gvmprosd400b
GVM Pro SD500B - geni.us/gvmprosd500b
GVM Pro SD650B - geni.us/gvmprosd650b
GVM Pro SD200B/SD300B V-Mount Adapter - geni.us/gvmprovmountadapter
GVM Quick Release Softbox (24") - geni.us/gvmprosoftbox24
GVM Quick Release Softbox (36") - geni.us/gvmprosoftbox36
Brightness & color accuracy measurements: newlayer.com/gear/lights/comp...
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== CONNECT ==
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TikTok: / nwlyr
Instagram: / newlayercom 
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I was really interested in these lights until I read a buyer review that said the Bowens mount is not a standard depth, making it incompatible with both the Aputure and Godox fresnel attachments. If you are planning to use a fresnel you're going to have to wait until or if GVM releases their own.
This is correct, and GVM has told me they are addressing it, although I don't know exactly how at this point. I would recommend against using non-same branded Fresnel's anyways, because the COB needs to sit in the right spot within the lens for it to work properly. Of course, that's not always possible due to budgets etc., and they do still work, just not as efficiently as ones meant to be paired together.
Regardless, it's a big consideration, but one that GVM is supposedly taking care of.
@@NewLayer Ideally, as COB LED's become more common, and maybe a film & television authority needs to weigh in, is a standard for bowens mount so that Fresnels can be interchangeable.
I own and i’ve be en using de 300 with the godox fsl-8 with no problem at all. Maybe the 650 have that problem.
Ya these lights are beasts! Thanks for the review
No problem 👍
I bought this 300W spotlight and am really love it. First of all, its design style is simple and stylish, which perfectly fits into my shooting scene. The quality of the lamp shell is very excellent, the feel is very good, and the production process is very fine. What surprises me most is that its color temperature is accurate, the lighting effect is very natural and comfortable, and it does not glare or affect the vision. I deliberately conducted a long test, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the heat dissipation performance of the lamp is very good, there is no sign of heat, so I am completely at ease with use. Overall, this spotlight is not only stylish in appearance, excellent in quality, but also consistent in performance, and is definitely one of the best lighting products I have ever bought.
It's definitely a quality light, and way, WAY better than the budget-level GVM lights in every way.
Those are really great lights!
At the moment I can not afford them, but I know that they are in a really good price.
I keep with some Nanlite fs line, that I decide to buy after I watched your review!
Thanks!
I think they are probably the best value in "pro" level lights right now. If they could refine the menu system, it would be hard to find any reason not to buy them.
Hi, Thanks for such an informative and in-depth review. You covered the key features, pros, and cons, as well as why this could be a good option for you. I just got into lighting equipment. I know the importance of high-quality light and how big of a difference it can bring to your images. That's why I have been going through many RUclips review videos online about all the different types of lights. To my knowledge, the LED technologies are very similar these days. What sets them apart is the design of user-friendly features and support systems. So far it looks like a solid blue light and I do like the eyecatching red accent on the light. I would love to get my hands on these lights to test them out thoroughly to see if they will fit well in my workflows.
Honestly I love and have Aputure/Amaran because of their ecosystem and app support but this GVM lights are too good to pass so I got some and I love them, They CRUSH the whole Amaran lineup and compete directly with the LS line IMO, DEFINITELY will add more of this Lights to my set.
My reply here will be almost the same as another comment, but I agree. They are VERY hard to beat for the price. If GVM "fixed" the special effects and refined the menu system, there would be pretty much no reason not to buy them.
I am buying a 7 foot large Photoflex Octodome soft box . Would the 300 be enough to really light that? Or should I get the 450?
Used the 650 on a shoot this past weekend. Worked well but one HUGE thing missing from this review is that the head lead (from the control box to the light head) is only about 9ft long. We needed to get the light about 15-18ft in the air so I had to fly the control box as well as the light head. FAR from ideal. Fortunately I discovered this during pre-light and brought my Mombo Combo stand which could support that extra weight.
It feels like if they had put this light into the hands of some working gaffers, that would have come up quickly and a longer head lead could have been included. If no longer cable is available from GVM, it would make this light a no-go for me.
Good feedback! I CONSTANTLY come across this with almost every brand, where the floor cable is 100' long and the the lead cable is 5', or the opposite. It's so rare for both to be a good length. Some do it purposefully and offer longer options (like Intellytech), while most others I think it's just an oversight.
@@NewLayer I have never seen this from an Arri or Mole. Even Aputure finally got the message though their Amaran lights are still a problem. But for these other companies, it's a crapshoot.
I think the REAL pro lights are OK. But these mid or lower tier lights... not so much.
Thanks for the videos
with BF coming up, im shooting indoor only, I was looking at a Led panel or/ 60w+ light / a tube light / mic all in the budget section.
im a 1 man band, im mostly gonna film 2k and products / top down reviews. could you tell me some good items to keep an eye on for BF>
I don't know what BF is, and that's quite an open ended question with a lot of "correct" answers. DM me on Insta @newlayercom so I can ask for details and better help.
Can typical C-stands hold them, or are those fixtures too heavy for a c-ctand?
For sure! GVM makes a regular, air-cushioned light stand that holds even the SD650B no problem, so any decent C-stand will do even better.
Did you find that mounting a softbox, the tightening screw to keep softbox from spinning, scratches the front of the light? Others have and they are saying the bowens mount is to deep.
I personally didn't come across this at all in my testing with the high end GVM softboxes. Were others using third party modifiers? There's all kinds of random weirdness using differently-branded modifiers and lights, so maybe that's the case?
Also, I guess it depends a lot on what modifiers you have, because the majority of softboxes I own don't have that thumbscrew, and all 4 attachments at the speed ring are flat screws + washers.
@@NewLayer No it was GVM softboxes. It was scratching the front. Saw 2 different reviews and they showed the problem. Maybe they fixed it.
@@RobertJohnPhotography Weird! Maybe, because it didn't happen to me.
@@NewLayer I sent you a email with link to the problem. He shows it at the 17:00 mark. You do grreat reviews as always.
Need a 120cm softbox for GVM Pro SD300B & SD650B any recommendations?
GVM only makes a 24" and 36" specifically geared towards these lights: geni.us/gvmprosoftbox36
If 42" is big enough, I would HIGHLY recommend a collapsible beauty dish. They are way lighter and more compact, but produce the same exact light when using the diffusion panels as a parabolic: geni.us/glowbeautydish42silver
Glow also makes a 48" octabox: geni.us/glow48octa
If your dead set on a 120cm parabolic, then Neewer makes a good one (it also has a big coupon right now if you're in the US): geni.us/neewer120parabolic
In your opinion, which is better, Godox SL150wii or Nanlighte FS150?
I couldn't choose between them
I would get the Godox SL150 III, especially because it's on sale right now for $20 less than the FS-150, at least at B&H: bhpho.to/3QMALlo
I have the sd300 pro and it doesn’t work with v mount because the cable that comes with the v mount accessory only works with the 200d pro which is disappointing because the image on the website says it will work and I have not gotten any support. SMH
Interesting, I have not heard that. I wonder if it's a defect, or there will be a different v-mount adapter just for the SD300B? It wouldn't make sense that the SD200B supports v-mount, but the 300 doesn't, then the 400+ all do again... weird.
🔥🔥
what about nanlite fs-300b vs zhiyun g200? Brightness, overall. Will you make a video of this both light comparison. For the price, because g200 has max of 300 watts but that's an option for max mode. When fs-300 is 300 watts by its full power.
The brightness will be quite similar, within 1/2 a stop or so of each other. The bigger difference between those lights is in their form factor."
The FS series is very much a studio light. Very simple, head unit and power cable. The G200 has external controller + the cable associated with that, so it depends on your needs. I always prefer less cables/parts whenever possible.
For your brightness results, why did you not tell us about the measuring distance and what modifier was used?
All measurements are always from 1m and with no modifier so they are a fair comparison to other lights.
Very good and informative video. I will try to make investment to SD 650B since i see B&H has pomotion now.
It's a beast of a light! I think you'll love it :)
Used gvm penal a long time ago.
Looks like a professional review, important for a filmmaker.
I would choose to prioritize the use of gvm because in such professional lighting. aputure is too expensive for me. The money left over can buy more lighting combinations.
Yes, there are definitely differences between Aputure and GVM Pro lights, but the price difference is huge, so you can buy multiple GVM lights for the same price as 1 Aputure light, so they're definitely worth considering.
That sounds good I am deciding to buy two lights for building my studio and your advice is important. Thank you. 👍 @@NewLayer
Hello :)
To using in a small room would you recommend the 200 or 300? (Like 20 mq) 1-3 m from the subject.
I'd get the 200. The brightness difference to the 300 is very minimal, especially in a space that small.
@@NewLayerthank you for answer. Even with a 120 parabolic softbox? (I read
You need more light) thank you again
@@shumayla25 The 300 is only 1/3-1/2 stop brighter than the 200, so the difference is quite small, no matter what modifier.
@@NewLayer thank you so much ☺️
How far was you seconic when you measured the output? Have you used the reflector or it was with just bare light?
Always bare/no modifiers and always from 1 meter!
@@NewLayer Great, thank you.
Pulled the trigger on this one. In my country this one is exactly 3 times cheaper then Aputure 600x.
I planned to buy 600d pro, but it's not avail on amazon (still 2x more expensive then GVM) Local retailers got 600d pro 3x times the price of GVM. Worst case scenario I can return it if it's too magenta or build quality is bad. Seems currently they got a promo, so my final price (no tax) was ~650€ with shipping.
@@JoATTech That's a big consideration for non-USA buyers since pricing can vary wildly in other countries!
@@NewLayer Actually turned out to be 747€ (without tax) due to complicated tax laws in EU ... but it's still kinda cheap compared to Aputure 600x, which is 1985€ without tax in my country - so 2.7x more expensive :o
Thanks for the great review on these amazing lights!!!
My question is, for a small crew and being used mostly for documentaries and web advertising is it worth the investment?
Really like GVM, They seem to be investing heavily and listening to consumers, I believe that in a few years they will be competing up there with brands already consolidated in the market!!!
Thanks! I think GVM did what they set out to do with their Pro series of lights, and made something that is professional level in build and light output. Their menus/controls could use some finessing, but they are great lights.
They are also all very cohesive, so the Pro SD lights + Pro tube lights are a really good way to build a big, capable lighting kit for that for as little as possible.
I was in the market looking for a high quality light to level up my contents. After watching your review I am absolutely sold on the GVM Pro series of lights. It is well build with high quality materials and have all the important features a professional is looking in a studio light like this one. The most important things it seems very easily to learn and use. Features like app control makes it even more user friendly. Yes, at this point there are many options in the market, however at this price point it sure seems like a no brainer. Thanks for another awesome review!
I’m learning product photography and videography and looking for a good budget light. At first I looked at gvm sd80, but realized it wouldn’t be bright enough. I think gvm pro sd200 might be a good option for me. At the same time I think maybe I should get a single color gvm sd200 and use gels or edit colors later. Would it be brighter than gvm pro sd 200 bi-color? Are gvm pro series much better?
Also someone recommended me Yongnuo lights, as a good budget light, but I’m not sure if they work good:)
The Pro series is WAY better than the SD series for sure in terms of build quality and brightness. And I would definitely get a bi-color light rather than a daylight light + gels.
The bi-color light will actually be brighter than a daylight + a full gel. It's also significantly easier to adjust the CCT and much faster than gels.
Yongnuo makes good stuff, but they have a tiny US presence, so in my experience, it's impossible to get ahold of them for any kind of issues/support.
If you're in the US, the SD200B has a coupon on Amazon right now making it barely over $200, which is an absolute killer deal on that light: geni.us/gvmprosd200b
@@NewLayer Thank you! Appreciate your advice.
Wow! Thanks for the link, such a good deal, I'm gonna buy it right now:)
Also could you recommend me a good stand for Pro SD200B please? And softbox for product photography:)
Good point about Yongnuo. I didn't think about it:) Thanks!
@@marinakocherga1196 I highly recommend the Glow collapsible beauty dishes. They are much lighter and more compact Vs. a parabolic softbox, but create the exact same soft output when using diffusion. 34" is a good standard size, but you can go bigger or smaller if you need to:
geni.us/glowbeautydish25silver
geni.us/glowbeautydish34silver
geni.us/glowbeautydish42silver
For a stand for that light, I'd get a more heavy-duty, air cushioned stand. Neewer makes a good, inexpensive one in a few sizes. The 8.5ft is fine unless you need something taller.
geni.us/neewer85airstand
geni.us/neewer92airstand
@@NewLayer thank you so much!
@@NewLayer I have one more question:) I’m thinking maybe I’d better buy a C-stand to take an overhead shots. Could you recommend me a good one please?
Looks like I got faulty unit, cause at 100% I register just 14000 lux. Or maybe something else is wrong?
Although with Aputure 300C I register more or less what it should be - 9600lux, while it should be 9370 at 1m.
I paid for 650b got 400b performance ... LOL.
Interesting, what device are you using to measure the output? And I can only assume you're measuring from the same distance for everything, 1 meter? And what CCT?
@@NewLayer Sekonic 858D, and yep same distance - 1m. 5600K. My light meter shows any other light with proper values, so it's not a measurement error. And the light draws ~650W at full power from the socket.
But seems I know what's the issue here. GVM 650B is supposed to have "a lens" on a COB. My unit does not have it. So it's either old version of the unit, they forgot to attach the "lens" or since I ordered it from Amazon someone lost it.
It kinda looks like unit that has been already returned (display is a bit scratched), although the COB shape looks a little bit different then what they show on their homepage, so maybe it's older version ... not sure.
Hate such purchases, especially that it was a nightmare on amazon side (9th payment was successful with 50€ fee).
@@JoATTech Gotcha, I get people who are measuring with phone apps and stuff so I always have to ask and make sure.
The lens is just a diffuser, it doesn't focus the light at all, so wouldn't make it any brighter. If anything, it would cut down some of the light. The fact that its missing though is not good, and makes me think it was previously bought and returned, possibly damaged. I've bought "new" stuff on Amazon that was VERY clearly used, so that's not too surprising.
I would try a return/replacement with same product through Amazon. Alternatively, you could contact GVM directly, but that might not be as streamlined.
@@NewLayer Yeah, even if the lens is focusing the light it does not magically add output to the light. It would be just narrower beam and wouldn't impact output with modifiers.
I can see now that GVM has also shop which appears to deliver to Poland (where I live). So I guess I would return Amazon one and either get second GVM unit from their own shop or just order Aputure 600d .... haven't made up my mind yet.
Not sure how good is return policy with GVM online shop, I do not want to get another defective unit I cannot return.
I actually contacted GVM via their page, no answer yet :D - I do not expect one during the weekend :(.
@@JoATTech In my experience, their customer service is a little slow, but very good as far as replacements/returns go, so hopefully it's the same for you.
"The light that they output; metal." 😂😂
Don't laugh, it's the next step in the future of LEDs 😎
1.3 plus green at 5600k? I don’t know of any pro light that needs anything over 1/4 green at Daylight. That’s a lot of magenta.
The CC# is not a direct correlation to actual gels, which can be confusing. I find it to be about half, so a CC# of 1.0G would require ~1/2 plus green.
The vast majority of daylight lights come in around 0.5-0.8G or so, so in reality, these are around 1/8-1/4 green different. Some high end daylight lights I've tested come in at perfect 0.0, or even slightly green at 0.2-0.3M (meaning they are more green than neutral). Funny enough, a 0.0 light is just as "problematic" as a light with a CC# of 1.3 since it's just as far off of the average.
LEDs also turn greener over time with use. Sometimes it will be a 0.1-0.2 shift, other times I've seen 1.0+ shift after 20 hours of use or so.
On top of all that, a simple softbox, stock reflector, or Fresnel can change the CCT by 500K+ and the tint by 1.0 or more as well.
So in a way, it's a lot more complex than just the numbers, which funny enough, makes it more simple in my eyes. Meaning, as long as the CCT/SSI/CRI is good, and your lights are close to matching each other, then the tint isn't very important since you will pretty much always use modifiers in some way, so you'll need to set white balance/tint before shooting, but after setting up your lights.
And then if you're changing these (or any) lights more towards tungsten, then the tint shifts more towards green as well.
All in all, you basically ALWAYS have to account for tint changes, unless you're shooting in a perfectly controlled environment. And if you are, you just set your white balance and tint and it's irrelevant. Of course, the big caveat being that if you're using multiple lights, they all need to match each other.
Fatal flaw: Doesn't work with fresnel lens.
Doesn't work with SOME other-branded Fresnel lenses, important distinction. It works fine with the GVM Fresnel, and I've had other lights in the past that don't work interchangeably with off-brand Fresnel's as well. So it's flaw, just not a deal breaker for people who will be getting the GVM Fresnel. I don't like using non-matching Fresnel's at all because they are all meant to focus properly with only their intended lights.
I am buying a 7 foot large Photoflex Octodome soft box . Would the 300 be enough to really light that? Or should I get the 450?
I am buying a 7 foot large Photoflex Octodome soft box . Would the 300 be enough to really light that? Or should I get the 400?
That is massive! I've used 48" softboxes with 150-300 watt lights no problem, but that's a whole lot bigger.
The 450 watt is only going to be 1/3-1/2 stop brighter than the 300, so it's really not much at all. I would get either the 300 or the 650.
It also depends on what you plan to do with it. For photography? It won't be very bright in a modifier that big, I always recommend actual flashes for photography, as continuous lights, even 600+ watt ones, are not comparable.
If you're just wanting to film talking head stuff with a giant modifier, 300 watts should be fine.
@@NewLayerAwesome reply thanks! I plan to shoot video and I’m doing something a bit unconventional as described in this video:
ruclips.net/video/qqtP6-O90hY/видео.htmlsi=Wd7nsm_et8Xt_Dd5
I need a pure white background in a small room, so using two lights to light a simple white backdrop floods the subject too much. I am going to use the large soft box as my actual background to create that look. I will use other lights to light the subject and then focus the camera on the subject to “blow out” the whites in the background.
What do you think?
@@KyleTurner-hc3zk Ah gotcha! Then 300 should be even more doable, because you need less light to use the actual softbox as a white background than you would to point it at something and illuminate it to be white.
If you want to be shooting at ISO 100, f/8, and 1/250 or something, then I'd say go for a brighter light, but if you're OK using higher ISOs like 400 and maybe 1/125 shutter speed, the 300 should be totally fine.
@@NewLayerTruly appreciate your response! I ended up buying the SmallRig RC350B due to a great sale. It was your comment about the small difference in f/stop going from 300 to 400 watts that gave me confidence to buy it! Can’t wait to test it out. Thanks again!