Proper lighting is extremely important for shooting video.
And today I've got an overview of the GVM PR150-D LED video light.
This is a 150 watt spotlight and it's actually the first light of this kind I own.
I'm excited to test this out because previously I've only used LED panels.
The PR150-D is actually pretty compact and light weight.
And under this diffuser is where you'll find the bi-color LED diodes.
It comes with everything you see here including a light stand, power supply, instruction manual,
lantern style softbox and a carrying bag for the softbox frame.
Taking a closer look, the housing of the PR150-D is made entirely of plastic so be careful
not to bang it around or drop it.
And the included stand has a wide base to keep it from tipping over.
But I've always found that adding a sandbag or other weighted object over a leg offers
extra balance.
The PR150D attaches to the stand just like any other light and secured by a plastic knob.
On the back are the main controls including a 2-inch status screen.
The knobs mainly change brightness and color temperature and there's a button for changing
modes.
There is a fan to cool the light and I've found it to be very quiet while running.
It's not silent but it's quiet enough that microphones won't pick up the noise.
On the tilt axle, there are small teeth that help it stay in place without slipping.
But let's get this fully set up for use.
I like how the power cord has a screw-on terminal to keep it from being accidentally pulled
out.
The bulkiest part of the light is the lantern frame.
It's about 32 inches long in it's relaxed state.
And here I'll show you how to set up the frame without the cover so you can see what to do.
Place the small end on the ground and press the top down.
On the inside there's a catch that will go over a hook on the bottom to hold it in place.
And now let's do it again with the softbox cover.
Place the frame directly in the center of the cover and pull the fabric up.
At this point, push down on the top of the frame until the wire catches the hook at the
bottom.
Because this is a Bowen's mount light, accessories like this are easy to attach.
And a short twist locks it in place.
This lantern diffuser is about 24 inches in diameter and can provide nicely diffused light
almost all the way around.
Basic controls for the 150D is pretty simple.
Just use the dials to adjust brightness and color temperature.
And speaking of color temperature, it has a range from a warm 2700K to 7500K which is
a really clean white light.
It also has a CRI of 97 which is known as the color rendering index.
This is great because a CRI rating between 95 to 100 creates the most natural looking
light.
And that's important to get the best looking shots no matter what the subject matter you're
shooting.
One thing I do want to mention is that this light can be controlled by a smartphone.
And you'll first need to download the GVM LED app for iPhone or Android.
To sync the light press the Mode button on the back until App mode is highlighted.
Then launch the GVM app and follow any instructions that come up.
Mine automatically detected the 150D.
And now I can control the brightness and color temperature from the app interface.
There are other functions if there are more lights plugged in but I only have the single
light for now.
With the app, I can see how it would be useful for a single person to control multiple GVM
lights in a room.
To use the manual controls again, just press the Mode button until it says Rotate on the
screen.
But let's get this into a typical lighting set up to see how it looks.
The lantern diffuser it comes with is great but at some point I'll also be looking at
other light modifiers I can use thanks to Bowens barrel mount.
In this room the PR150-D as the main source of light on me.
This looks pretty good and I placed this keylight just slightly behind the camera.
But ideally I'd want to have a small backlight coming from just off the left side of the
screen.
And because I'm filming this on my own it's nice to be able to control the light with
my phone.
But the cool thing is that I'm also using GVM LEDs for my accent lights and I can also
control them in the app as well.
If you're curious, the 2 lights I have in the background are GVM 1000D panel lights.
And I'll list all the lights shown in this video down in the description so it's easy
for you to find.
Here are some final notes I want to share with you.
It would've been nice if GVM included a carry bag for the actual light.
With the way it is, there's nothing to protect it during storage and transport.
However, the lantern diffuser does come with a bag.
And whenever I pull this out to use, I think the cord from the connector to the power brick
is too short.
When the 150D is raised up on the stand, the brick hangs from the wire.
Which always worries me because of the extra pressure on the cord.
And on a similar topic, there's no option to run this light on battery power.
So it works on 100% on plug in power.
Finally, the light actually runs pretty cool.
Even after I've had the 150D on for 30 minutes or more, it doesn't feel hot to the touch.
If this video was helpful please give me a thumbs up and hit the subscribe button to
stay up to date on all my weekly videos.