One popular set of small LED Lights that have been popping up lately is from a company called GVM (Great Video Maker). Starting at just $149 dollars with tons of excellent reviews (seen here), the GVM LED lights look like a great bit of kit for those who may just be starting out.
While I find the build quality, overall output, and Color Rendering excellent at this price point, there are a few 'quirks' one should know about the GVM 520 and GVM 672 LED Light panels. I've mentioned a few of them through my video review, but the stand out 'quirk' for me would be the lack of a battery meter advising you about how much time you have left. I feel this is one of the most important features any battery operated light should have (even if it's just an approximation). The last thing you want to worry about is having a light suddenly power off in the middle of an interview.
Second, it's nice that they offer built in wireless to control other GVM lights, it is limiting. Every light will have the exact same brightness and color temp setting. I see these lights being used on location as a small 3 piece kit, in which a majority of the time each light will have different brightness settings. If they were to introduce a handheld remote, then I feel the wireless controls would be much more appealing.
For 520 and 672 LEDs in a small panel, these will work best for talking head shots or maybe when working with products. They are probably not best suited for lighting large spaces. Overall I think the light offers excellent color reproduction for it's price. The phrase 'Bang for the buck' comes to mind when working with these lights.
You can find the GVM LED panels available via Amazon (click here).
GVM 520 672 LED Video Lights
312 Dimmable (or Color Changing) LED Video Light, Batteries + Charger included
