Here at SLR Lounge, we have been interacting with both photographers and videographers for many years through our wedding photography business. Now, modern-day content creators are often doing both photo and video work at the same time! Furthermore, a lifestyle content creator needs to be mobile and agile, ready to adapt to diverse, active environments. With that in mind, we’re thrilled to bring you this Godox ML40R review, because it truly is the light we’ve always wanted for such work.
It is no exaggeration to say that this Godox LED light solves more lighting problems than we’ve had any other new lighting equipment solve in many years. It’s ultra-compact, and yet incredibly bright. Also, despite its compact form factor, it offers a highly professional accessory mount that lets you control and shape your light. It’s as if you had a whole studio of lighting equipment at your fingertips!
Check out the current pricing and availability for the Godox ML40R and ML40Bi
Lastly, we’ve often talked about various LED lighting solutions and how they can be annoying to power and/or to charge up. The Godox ML40R resolves literally every issue we’ve had with power-related concerns: The built-in lithium battery lasts quite a long time, even without any external power added. When it does run low on power, you get the massive convenience of USB-C power, including the possibility of keeping the light on while plugged into your (Anker, etc) USB battery. Gone are the days of panic and swapping out a Sony NP-F style battery, worrying about how fast you can charge a dead NP-F battery, etc. All you need is a 20,000 mAh or 30,000 mAh battery, which are universal and relatively affordable.
There is still a ton to talk about, so let’s dive deeper into this Godox ML40R review and talk about exactly who should consider investing in one, (or two or three!) and exactly how we envision it being a total game-changer for your work as a professional photographer, videographer, or any type of content creator…
Godox ML40R & Godox ML40Bi | Specifications & Features
Power / Lumens: 781 Lux @ 3.3 ft & 5600K
Power Increments: 1-100%, plus 0% (off)
Modifier Attachment: Godox ML style; 17 available modifier accessories; ML-L10 included
User Interface: Power on/off button, Enter/Return button, selector dial+button, LED display
Cooling System: Built-in silent fan w/ side & rear vents
Battery Type: 4800 mAh built-in Lithium battery, USB-C charging
Battery Life: ~42 minutes @ 100% brightness
Weight: 0.93 lb (422g)
Size: 3.82×1.813.58 in (97x46x91mm)
Wireless Control: Yes, Bluetooth, Godox Mobile App
Check Current Price: $119 (R = RGB color light), $99 (Bi = bi-color, 2800-6500K CCT light)
Godox ML40R Review | Lighting Perfection for Hybrid Shooters & Content Creators
The Godox ML40R and Godox ML40Bi are incredibly compact, surprisingly powerful, and professionally capable. What I like about it the most is the hybrid capability for those of us who create both photo and video content, often at the same time.
As a professional wedding photographer, I never liked having to set up a bunch of strobe flashes, only for the wedding video team to ask me if I could refrain from using flash as they filmed. This situation is a very impractical use of my time and energy, and it’s an unnecessary waste of the client’s time, too!
In the past, when I had to work alongside a video team, I would just grab a fast f/1.4 prime lens, or at least an f/2.8 zoom, and work with their constant video lights. This was definitely an imperfect solution, however, because the video light would often change before I could get a good still photo.
If you unify the lighting system entirely, using a constant light such as the Godox ML40R, then both photo and video work can be done at the same time, or interchangeably. If you’re a one-person team and you’re creating content that requires both photo and video, you can seamlessly switch back and forth all day long. If you’re working alongside other professionals, you can at least agree upon a lighting position, intensity, and other controls, so that you can both work in similar conditions.
The final reason why I consider this particular light to be perfect for “hybrid” work is that the ML40 series is bright enough for almost any lighting condition. This means you can reach for the same lighting setup whether you’re out working in broad daylight or in a dimly lit indoor setting.
Godox ML40R Review | Performance & Limitations
For such a portable LED light, its performance is honestly equally as impressive as a large, heavy, expensive studio light. Obviously, it’s not as bright as a strobe flash, or a large constant lighting panel or other “hot light”.
Honestly, though? That’s not why you’re here right now. You’re probably a content creator or other type of professional who is working with a mobile setup, and maybe even without an assistant. Your whole goal is to be agile, versatile, and yet still create high-quality professional results.
Framed that way, you can see the performance of the Godox LM40R for what it is: one of the best choices on the market.
Godox ML40R Review | Design, Durability, & Features
I’ve grown to like how Godox has designed their user interface, but I think it is a bit difficult for my large, clumsy fingers. Simply put, with a dial that is also a button, it can be easy to do the wrong thing. Sometimes when I’m trying to turn the dial, I can accidentally hit the button, and vice versa.
This is a minor complaint about the user interface, and the more it becomes second nature to operate the light, the less this happens. The long-term benefit is that most of the time it feels effortless to control the light; dialing the brightness up and down, switching to the color temperature or the RGB hue, it’s all very easy.
Other than that, the design and interface is great. It is very intuitive to understand how to adjust the brightness and the color temperature, or how to switch over to a full range of RGB color, and/or add special lighting effects.
Another feature I appreciate is the Godox Lighting app for mobile phones; it just works elegantly well. Keeping with our theme of both versatile content creation and serious professional results, the mobile app is straightforward and easy to understand, yet also capable of the advanced, complex lighting setup diagrams of a high-end studio production.
There’s one other design aspect that comes to mind, though it’s not an actual complaint: The ML40R does not have an umbrella socket. I’m not bothered by that fact because it’s an ultra-portable light and I have light stands with umbrella sockets anyway. Also, honestly, the main point of this type of light head is to use the proprietary lighting modifiers.
Lastly, a minor design note I want to mention is this: even though the whole battery & power situation is fantastic for the ML40 lights, I do wish it had a 0-100% battery power indicator, instead of the common 4-bar solution. For example, I’m used to seeing “73%” battery on Sony cameras. I like the reassurance such precision offers me, even if it’s overkill. This is definitely not a big deal; the important thing is that the battery lasts an impressively long time for its compactness (42 min at full brightness!) …and charging/powering is incredibly easy.
Godox ML40R Review | Pros & Cons
Pros
- Incredibly lightweight and compact
- Exceptional value at $119
- Versatile, professional quality lighting results
- Impressive battery life
- Ubiquitous USB-C charging and power
- Host of affordable, compact light modifiers
- Mobile app offers integration into a whole lighting system
Cons
- Not as powerful as (bigger, heavier) LED lights
- Minor learning curve with button+dial interface; extra dexterity is useful
- Accessories are minimal (you’ll need a USB charging adapter and a light stand)
Who Is It Best For?
- Mobile content creators
- Hybrid photo & video shooters
- Wedding photographers (& videographers)
- Solo filmmakers
Overall, I’ve basically covered everything already. Yes, it’s true that in its default “in the box” form, you’ll have only one lighting modifier and a short USB cable for charging. This means you’ll need to have your own USB wall adapter, but those are “a dime a dozen” in our digital era. You’ll also need a light stand, but again, the diverse array of options is plentiful. In other words, these aren’t disadvantages; they’re simply things to keep in mind when making your investment in lighting equipment.
Godox ML40R Review | Competitors & Alternatives
There are innumerable LED lighting options on the market, and we cannot possibly describe them all here. Instead, what I will do is categorize the basic reasons why you might choose something else, or why you might prefer the Godox ML40R.
First and foremost, we must talk about light output. While ML40R is stated as having an output brightness of 781 Lux, (at 3.3 ft, 5600K) it’s obvious based on the names alone that a Godox ML80 or Godox ML150 would be much brighter. (The ML80 is listed as 29600 Lux output, and the ML150 offers 61054 Lux. They are priced at $229 and $259, respectively.) We are not sure how many EVs brighter this is, but suffice it to say, it’s likely more than 1-2 EVs brighter.
Or, if you want to maintain the form factor and lighting color versatility of the ML40R, a brighter option is the Godox ML100R, the price of which jumps to $249. As you can see, the Godox ML40R is an incredible value at $119.
So, what if you really do need that brighter light? Well, even in that instance, I’m still going to recommend ALSO owning the ML40R, for two reasons: You can never have “too many” lights, and you will always appreciate having one that is this ultra-compact.
In other words, even if you eventually upgrade to something bigger and brighter (and more expensive) …you would keep this useful little light in your bag. Therefore, purchasing it in the first place becomes a “no-brainer” to me.
Alternatively, the same thought process applies to photographers instead of videographers. What if you need an extremely bright studio strobe? Even for on-location work where you are still concerned about portability, something like a Godox AD300 is going to be far more capable at illuminating a large family portrait in bright sun. If you’re a wedding photographer, for example, you should probably own such a powerful strobe.
Yet, once again, this portable, versatile little LED light has its use, and I would personally want to own both such lights. In fact, I am certain that I’ll reach for the Godox ML40R many times more often, because for every one big family portrait outdoors, I am photographing five or ten or more intimate, candid moments indoors where I’d prefer to be as discreet as possible. Whether it’s a private tea ceremony with parents and immediate family, or the tearful reading of vows by a bride or groom, I would rather just toss the ML40R in a corner of the room, fill the room with soft, warm light, and also throw my camera in silent shutter mode too!
All in all, that is my main conclusion here. It doesn’t matter if I’m doing high-end video cinematography or high-end studio portrait work. Whatever other lighting equipment I might add to my gear arsenal, I’m still going to carry this ultra-portable little light in my bag almost everywhere I go.
Godox ML40R Review | Final Verdict
For content creators and working professionals alike, if you want a compact, powerful lighting system that gives maximum versatility for both photo and video productions, the Godox ML40R (as well as the Godox ML40Bi) is/are nearly perfect solutions.
Few other choices on the market offer such compact portability, yet also offer access to a serious lighting modifier system. To be able to go from a bare-bones simple reflector such as the Godox ML-L10 to a “luxurious”, large octagonal or square softbox, in such a small package, is relatively unprecedented even in a packed market. In short, it’s a win-win investment, and the more types of content creation or other professional image-making work you do, the more you’ll see the value of the Godox ML40R.
You can check out the latest Godox ML40 prices and availability here. Pricing starts at $119 for the light, the compact reflector, and a USB charging cable. Lighting modifiers such as square and octagonal soft boxes are priced at ~$40 and $50, respectively, and most of the other lighting accessories, from barn doors to light stands, are priced similarly.
