Photographers and videographers alike already know the brand Godox quite well; they’ve made a name for themselves in offering professional and high-quality lighting solutions in photography and videography. Today, we are reviewing the Godox ML60II BI BI-Color LED Monolight from Insstro! Relatively new on the market, this video light is a truly powerful little light with an impressive feature set.
Simply put, it’s bright, it’s compact, and it’s incredibly affordable! We work in relatively demanding conditions sometimes, including on-location video production such as cinematic wedding videography. Plus, of course, we create a ton of in-studio and on-location educational content, too! For these reasons, we are keenly interested in anything that is remotely along the lines of what the ML60II Bi offers, let alone everything all in one!
With that said, let’s dive into this review. (Spoiler alert: This light is pretty perfect for what we do!)
Godox ML60IIBi Bi-Color LED Monolight | Specifications & Features
Power: 70W
Lux (Brightness): Exact “Lux” measurement not given (See Below)
Color Range: 2800K to 6500K, +/- 200K (Tungsten To Daylight/Cloudy)
Dimmer: 100% to 1%
Physical Design: LCD display for brightness, color temp, & special features. 2 physical push-button dials (controlling)
Additional Control: Godox Mobile app
Operating Temperature: 14°F to 104°F/ -10 to 40°C
Weight: 1.2 lbs (526g) (Light Head & Mount Only)
Dimensions: 4.38 x 3.62 x 3.46″ / 11.13 x 9.19 x 8.79 cm (Light Head & Mount Only)
Price: $199 ($179 without battery grip kit)
Godox ML60II Bi Review | Real World Use
If a relatively new content creator, a spec sheet shouldn’t impress you very much! What you want to know is, what’s it like using this product in the real world? We will attempt to answer that question first and foremost.
The world of lighting equipment is vast, even more expansive than the realm of camera bodies and lenses, in fact! You can get as complex and advanced as you want, or as your budget will allow. Oppositely, of course, there are tiny and truly simple lighting kits, too. Where on that incredibly wide spectrum should you look to find the best light for you?
This will depend on the type of content you create, but as a general rule, we strongly recommend that most people look for something that offers a well-rounded balance of performance, quality, and value. The Godox ML60II Bi offers all three of those things. We could go in-depth and create a whole article about all the different content creators out there, and which different lights might be best for you, but Godox does have an article on this subject.
Portability
One of the features you’ll easily understand the value of is quite simple: its compact size. Lighting can get extremely large, heavy, and elaborate. This is not just intimidating for beginners, it’s also either impractical or downright impossible for many of the next generation of content creators! Whether you’re a travel vlogger or you are making a wildlife documentary film, portability is extremely important.
With that in mind, this light is a perfect travel companion. Whether you’re using the external power source (AC adapter) or battery power, (using the AK-B01 accessory kit) …both options actually fit neatly into the rather diminutive carrying case that comes with each of be base kits. Even with an additional (sold separately) pair of NP-F style batteries and a small softbox (such as the ML-SF3030) or a simple diffusion dome, (like the ML-CD15) …the whole lighting kit will fit easily into a mid-sized backpack, (35-45L) along with your camera and a few lenses, and room for more, probably.
This means that you can now take impressive production value with you anywhere. Setting up a podcast/vlog in a hotel room, or out in nature, or at any sort of event, conference, or gathering? No problem!
Color Range & Accuracy
Since most of us here at the studio got our start in still photography and then later transitioned to video capture, we’ve used strobe flashes a lot, too. And one of the biggest challenges with strobe lighting is color balancing! It is truly annoying to fiddle with color gel filters, fitting them over the strobe head, and capturing test frames to see if the light balance is correct, or if maybe another CTO filter is needed.
With many video lights today, one of the best features is the ability to smoothly dial the color temperature up or down, in beautifully fine increments.
The accuracy of the color itself is also impressive coming in rather high with CRI/TLCI ratings of 96/97, respectively. In our real-world testing, we noted that our fixed Kelvin white balance stayed pretty consistent! We would have to really nit-pick to say that you might have to bump the WB tint in one direction or another by just 0.25 or 0.5 increments, which is a negligible difference.
Brightness Range
Oddly, the actual brightness of the Godox ML60IIBi is not listed as a standard Lux number, like other Godox lights have. However, as its name implies, it likely offers either 60W or maybe 65-70W output.
Either way, we have a solution to any measurement confusion, and it’s dead-simple: Camera exposure settings! We tested the brightest setting to require an exposure setting of 1/30 sec, f/2.8-4.0, and ISO 100. Also, in case you’re wondering, the brightness range, from 1% to 100% encompasses about 4-6 EVs in total.
In other words, this “tiny” little light is more than bright enough to be used even in broad daylight, and it’s also useful in extremely dim lighting conditions, too. Of course, if you do a lot of work in bright sun, we would indeed recommend a more powerful unit, but obviously it’s a huge leap in size, weight, and price to go up to 100W, let alone 200W, and that is simply not the point of this product; the whole point is portability for active content creators.
Onboard App Control
Whether you are part of a large film crew, or you’re a highly active wedding videographer, or especially if you’re a solo content creator, one of the most important aspects of lighting is remote control. That is where the Godox Light app comes in; all you need to do is download the app to your mobile phone and you’ll have compete wireless control over your lighting.
Influencers and vloggers and any solo content creator will appreciate this feature for obvious reasons; it’s super convenient because you’re the one on-camera! Additionally, even movie-making film crews can appreciate wireless control because it allows lighting to be adjusted without bumping the light during filming.
Creative Lighting Effects
Although this light could easily pay your bills as a working professional merely by being just that, a simple light source, it does offer much more! The main highlight of “much more” is indeed the eleven special effects that the ML60II offers. For all kinds of creative effects, this light suddenly transforms into an expansive movie-making toolkit all in one! Whether you need a candle/fire, or you’re looking to simulate an explosion or fireworks, this light has so many options!
Godox ML60II Bi Review | Design, Durability, & Cooling
In my personal experience, lighting equipment can be significantly more prone to breaking than a camera or lens, believe it or not! This can be for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is that light bulbs and flash bulbs are just extremely delicate items. Especially for newer brands selling affordably-made products, I have found that flash bulbs in particular break…incessantly.
Therefore, I have a lot of great news for you in this regard! If you’re looking at the Godox ML60II Bi, as with any LED video light, there is one huge advantage: LED lights have no delicate filament, and are exponentially more sturdy for that reason alone. Although I don’t recommend letting this happen, and I certainly did not do any “testing”, I think this thing could survive a fall onto concrete and be just fine.
However, with constant/video lights, there is another major potential failure point, and that is, heat. Constant lights generate a lot of heat, even LED lights, and they can get literally burning hot! This can melt plastic, and/or start fires if the head comes in contact with a highly flammable material, so, always use caution and educate yourself about correct handling of a light, especially after it has been on for more than a few minutes, or especially hours!
With all of that being said, here’s the other great news: The ML60II Bi has a built-in cooling fan, and it works exceptionally well. Plus, it’s nearly silent, so as long as your audio recording isn’t literally inches away from the light head itself, there’s virtually no chance you’ll pick it up in any meaningful way.
So, I can confidently say that this Godox is built to last. It’s sturdy, both the materials and quality control feel very professional. Lastly, the design itself, including the LED lights and the cooling fan, ought to ensure a long life.
Godox ML60II Bi Review | Kits & Optional Accessories
This is where the Godox light gets even more versatile and capable! You can purchase the ML60IIBi in three different kits; the first being just the light head itself plus a padded carrying case and the AC power adapter, plus a small reflector dome and a standard mounting kit socket for your light stand as well as an umbrella type lighting modifier.
The 2nd and 3rd kits include one more accessory, the AK-B01 or AK-B02 battery grip. The former accepts NP-F style batteries and the latter accepts V-Mount style batteries. It is important to note that, as the word “optional” implies, V-mount batteries or NP-F batteries are also aftermarket items that must be purchased separately.
Godox ML60II Bi VS Godox ML60/Bi
What about the competing options? There are dozens of different lights out there that we could compare against this new Godox ML60II Bi. So, we are only going to consider the most immediate “neighbors” that are nearly identical in price, performance, and portability. That is, the slightly older Godox ML60(Bi), and the Amaran COB 60d/x. Each of these lights and their slight variations fit within the same form factor, budget, and feature set.
So, what are the biggest differences? Quite simply, the main things to note are the various improvements that the newest Godox has to offer in terms of value and performance. It’s smaller and lighter than its 60-series predecessor, and also more affordable especially when comparing against the ML60Bi’s $299 MSRP. We aren’t 100% certain if the newer flash offers the same brightness, but its portability does make it highly attractive, and the brightness seems to be more than enough for any challenging condition.
Compared to the Amaran 60d/x series lights, the Godox has even more to offer. While the “x” version does offer color balancing from 2700K to 6500K, as well as compatibility with both AC and battery power, the Godox is (approximately) just as bright, yet offers a superior overall user experience. (We prefer the two similar physical push-button knobs for control.) Also, it is important to note that all of the Godox lights have a much quieter cooling fan, plus the option to completely shut the fan off when working in cold environments; the Amaran lights have a constant fan that is a bit louder.
Lastly, there is another final touch that makes a difference in convenience: The Amaran series of lights usually comes in a very tight hardshell carrying case, very similar to that of a drone, and this means you have virtually zero room for adding any other accessories. Plus, you’ll have to wrap your power cords perfectly every single time, otherwise the case probably won’t close at all. Not so with the Godox; the slightly flexible yet well-padded case is perfect for transporting the portable lighting setup.
NOTE: keep in mind that the ML60II is a bi-color light, however, each of the other lights we’re comparing against also offers a monocolor version that is only slightly cheaper, and you are “stuck” at around 5500K. In our opinion, that is flat-out a non-option, we’re only using bi-color lights from now on because of how amazingly versatile they are!
Godox ML60II Bi Review | Pros & Cons
The advantages and disadvantages can be summed up very simply:
Pros
- Optimal portability
- Impressive power
- Excellent value (price)
- Durable build quality
- Versatile & functional
Cons
- Limited brightness (only compared to larger, heavier lights)
- External batteries sold separately
- Bowens adapter sold separately
The strengths of the Godox ML60II Bi are indeed more than enough to convince us to recommend it; portability, power, and price are all that really matter with lighting equipment. Yes, the versatile functionality and special features are a great bonus, but most users will be more than happy to just have a dependable, compact, professional quality light that allows them to take their studio everywhere. Oppositely, the main drawbacks are along the same lines: It may not be the brightest light out there, even though it is one of the brightest in its size/weight class, so if you want a high-powered light, you’ll either need two of these, or a different, much bigger light.
Other than that, there’s not much to complain about! Honestly, the other cons we listed aren’t even about the light itself; they’re merely related to the overall investment you might have to make. (Accessories…)
As we mentioned above, it is important to note that the modifier accessory mount is a proprietary Godox mount, so you’ll need an adapter to get up to the Bowens mount. Again, you’d only consider this a drawback if you already own a ton of lighting accessories with that mount; otherwise the Godox mount is a huge advantage because of its compactness. One other thing is that the very nifty battery level indicator on the AK-B-series battery grips, displays its lights rather close to the button you press to activate them, so if you have very large thumbs, it can be difficult to see the closest of the four (per battery) blue LEDs. A solution to this could be if Godox updates future models to at least display the power level LEDs for just 1-2 seconds after pressing the button, of course.
NP-F Batteries Not Included (Two Required)
Speaking of the battery grip, as we mentioned earlier, there isn’t a kit option that includes a V-mount and/or a pair of NP-F batteries.
These batteries vary in options and range in price, of course, and they would add significantly to the price tag of any light, since most kits (including some from competitors) do not include batteries, either. From as little as just under $70 each, up to almost $170 each, the NP-F style batteries are affordable, but still, just three of the cheapest options would double your investment. A single V-mount battery can fun between $180 and $280, easily, and we usually recommend having two of any kind of batteries so that production doesn’t halt while charging. Either way, this isn’t a drawback about the light itself, it’s merely something to keep in mind regarding your overall investment.
Godox ML60II Bi Review | Final Verdict (Who Should Buy It?)
If you are a hobbyist/beginner, or an aspiring filmmaker, or a full-time professional videographer of any kind, we absolutely recommend the Godox ML60II Bi-Color LED Monolight. Especially if you need portable options, and of course, even more so if you need affordability and portability together.
It’s just an incredible value, and the features + performance will take you from a user-friendly beginner experience to advanced, cinematic special effects in almost no time with virtually no learning curve. Impressive, but quite honestly, that’s the truth!
We would also recommend the Godox to any photographers who are also looking to create at least some video content. If you are a “hybrid” content creator who does both stills and video, quite honestly, it’s time to ditch the annoying flash strobes and embrace the amazing capabilities of these next-generation types of lighting solutions.
Lastly, for photographers, it should be noted that we are seeing a rapid increase in high-speed (FPS) framerates for still photography as well, and strobe flashes aren’t really keeping up at all. If you’re buying a new action sports camera and hoping to use external lights at 20 FPS or 30 FPS, let alone higher, …you absolutely should probably give up on strobes and just get a solution such as this.
Conclusion
With all of that being said, it is certain that we’ve enjoyed using this light, and we won’t hesitate to add it to our real-world equipment arsenals for both everyday and travel work. Whether we are creating cinematic wedding films or just creating educational content in-studio or on-location, the Godox ML60IIBi Bi-Color LED Monolight ($199) is the most portable, versatile light source we have seen!
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