Godox ML60II Bi review: powerful LED light for video creators in a studio or on location

Since 1993, Godox has become an experienced creator of a wide range of photography and video lights, from traditional photography flashguns such as the Godox V1 to always-on LED (light emitting diode) lamps like the Godox LC500R Mini light stick . 

As a videographer, I prefer a portable light source, the 21W Godox LC500R Mini light stick, but occasionally I need to shoot in a video studio that requires a more powerful light source - such as the Godox ML60IIBi tested here.

 I can mount the Godox ML60IIBi on a studio light stand and power it from the mains. However, it also ships with an NP-F battery kit that lets me operate the LED handheld to illuminate my subject in any location - without being tethered to a mains supply.  LED lights come in two ‘flavors’ - RGB and Bi. An RGB light such as the Zhiyun Molus X60 RGB  can emit millions of customizable colors. A bi-color light such as the Godox ML60II Bi is limited to adjusting its colors along the Kelvin scale, so you can make the LED complement the color temperature of available light sources such as a warm artificial tungsten light (3200K) or cooler natural daylight (5600K).  Basically, bi-colour lights are for pros who want to make their LED’s key or fill light match a location’s existing light sources. RGB lights are for photographers and videographers who need to add a wide spectrum of creative colors to the mix. 

Godox ML60II Bi: Specifications

Godox ML60II Bi: Price

We tested the Godox ML60II Kit 1 which costs $199 in the States at the time of writing, and £186 in the UK. There is an alternative Kit 2 version, which uses V-mount batteries, that also retails for $199/£186. With both kits, the batteries need to be bought separately. The light can be bought without either of the battery handle options for $179/£168.

Godox ML60II Bi: Design & Handling

The Godox ML60II Bi has a lightweight (526g) white plastic body that fits easily into one hand. The lamp’s plastic build makes it feel cheap and potentially fragile - I wouldn’t want to drop it for fear of damaging its casing or dislodging the plastic buttons on the rear of the LED. The two buttons enable you to control properties such as Brightness and Colour Temperature and these values appear on a small LCD screen at the rear of the light. You can also use the Dim button to toggle through a collection of 11 animated light presets and modify properties such as the frequency of lighting flashes for example. Its predominantly plastic build does mean that the Godox ML60II Bi is relatively cheap at around $200. It’s a similar price to the Hobolite Iris that has a sturdier aluminum body, but the Godox ML60II Bi outperforms the Hobolite Iris in relation to its 70W output (compared to Iris’s meager 5W).

We tested the Godox ML60II Bi Kit 1 which ships with a AK-B01 NP-F Battery Accessory Kit. This is a plastic battery mount that attaches to a handle. You can pop two NP-F batteries into the battery holder and use the handle to maneuver the light on location. The Kit 2 version of the Godox ML60II Bi has similar accessories to Kit 1 - but it has a V-mount battery handle (AK-B02). Both versions off the Godox ML60II Bi kit have a mains adaptor and a reflector to focus and boost the light’s output, as well as an attractive and practical padded carry case. 

Most LEDs provide animated special effects such as Lightning to enhance your video productions,  and the Godox ML60II Bi has 11 effects. Bi-colour LEDs such as the Godox ML60II Bi tend to have fewer animated effects than RGB lights, as all they can do is mix colors between 2800K - 6500K. RGB LEDs boast additional color-based effects, such as the red and blue flashes of a police car. For a round-up of our recommended LED lighting, check out our guide to the best video lights. 

Godox ML60II Bi: Performance

Video (above): See the Godox ML6II Bi light in action

I tested the Godox ML60II Bi in a TV studio - and you can see the results of the test in thus section’s supporting video (above). I started the test by attaching the battery holder and handle so that IU could operate the light handheld without cables. It was powerful and portable enough to illuminate a wide range of locations, especially when the supplied reflector was clipped onto the front. 

I filmed my test of the Godox ML60II Bi using two iPhones that were running the new Final Cut Camera app. They broadcast their live footage into iOS Final Cut Pro on an 11-inch iPad Pro so I could see both cameras’ output on the iPad’s screen as I recorded my test. iOS Final Cut Pro automatically combined the two video sources as a multicam clip so I could tap to cut between a wide shot and a close-up with ease when editing the test video. This new way of working sped up the video editing process!

I then removed the battery handle and popped the Godox ML60II Bi onto a light stand. I then attached the supplied AC power cord to the mains. This enabled me to operate the light hands-free as a video presenter who was illuminated by the Godox ML60II Bi. Thanks to the free Godox Light app I was able to control all of the light’s properties from my seated position, so I could adjust color temperature, intensity and cycle thought the 11 animated light presets. The app makes it very easy to be a solo operator when the light is on a stand, so it should prove attractive to bloggers who need a bit more illumination than they can get with a typical (weak) light wand LED.  

Godox ML60II Bi: Verdict

Thanks to its 70W output the Godox ML60II Bi might be too powerful if you simply need to add some key or fill light to a model on a photo shoot, but its intensity can be dialled down and the ability to control colour temperature enables you to complement other light sources. Thanks to its handheld battery mount you can light anything anywhere, but it’s also powerful enough to be used as a mains powered studio light on a stand. This makes it a versatile LED that should appeal to a range of photographers and film makers (especially if they need animated lighting effects to enhance their dramas). However do bear in mind that the effects are limited to changing colour temperature from warm to cold. For more colourful animated lighting effects you’ll need an RGB LED, not a Bi-colour one such as the Godox ML60II Bi.

Alternatives

Zhiyun Molus B500 COB Video Light
If you tend to be a studio-based rather than a location shooter and you need more power than the 70Ws from the Godox ML60II Bi, then consider the Zhiyun Molus B500. This 500W light can emit an eye-blinding 76400 lux when you attach the supplied reflector to it! As a mains powered LED the Zhiyun Molus B500 isn’t portable like the Godox ML60II Bi, but at that intensity it belongs in a large studio.

Nanlite Forza 60C
The Nanlite Forza 60C is similar to the Godox ML60II Bi in that it can be powered by a battery handle or via a mains connection, so it also suits both studio and location work. However unlike the Godox ML60II Bi the Forza 60C can produce a wider range of creative colours which enables it to supply additional animated effects such as the red and blue flashes from a police car’s lights.