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The writer of this article cannot be held responsible for for any form of damages that may result from the use of the information in this article. By reading this article, the user is effectively in agreement that the writer is completely exempt from any liability. If you do not agree, then do not read this article!

Video Timeline

*** INTRODUCTION – 00:04

*** WHY I CHOSE THIS LIGHT – 01:00

• How to identify Manufacture Date of Godox lights(SL-60W, SL-150W, SL-200W) – 2:07

• Version 2 Improvements List – 02:41

• COB Lights Comparison Chart – 02:59

*** WHAT’S IN THE BOX – 03:09

• No Bag! – 03:22

*** FIRST IMPRESSIONS – 03:29

• Box – 3:30

• Wireless Remote – 04:06

• Reflector – 04:16

• Lamp Cover – 04:23

• Power Cable – 04:29

• Documentations – 04:38

*** COB LIGHT – 04:44

• Design – 04:45

• COB Led – 05:21

• User Interface – 05:26

• Umbrella Clamp – 05:49

• Bowens Mount – 06:06

• Bowens Mount rattling noise – 06:23

• Yoke – 06:30

• Fans – 06:59

• Light Output with Silent Mode Comparison Chart – 07:40

• Suggestions for Silent mode – 07:53

• Fan Noise comparison – 09:00

• Wireless Remote – 10:01

• Remote and Light syncing – 10:55

• Remote Distance and Transmission – 11:27

• Reflector – 11:38

• Reflectors Comparison Chart – 11:44

*** EFFECTS – 12:02

• Effects Presets Examples – 12:08

• Effects clicking noise – 13:36

• Power Cable – 13:40

*** FLICKERING – 13:52

• Flickering Test – 13:54

*** LIGHT OUTPUT – 14:15

• Mixing with other Lights Test – 14:32

• Competing with the Sun Test – 15:37

• Battery Options – 16:03

• Apps – 16:18

*** PROS AND CONS – 16:31

*** SHOULD YOU BUY THE SL-150WII OR SL-200WII LIGHT? – 16:44

*** CONCLUSION – 17:06

 

Introduction

The Godox SL-200W II Light is the latest version of the SL series of lights from Godox. At the time of this review, this latest version comes in two models which is the SL-200W II and the SL-150W II. The SL-200W II is a 200 watt, 5600K 96 CRI COB light, weighting in at 3.33kgs, with a maximum brightness of 74,000 Lux at 1 meter. The SL150W II has similar specs except it weighs less at 2.95 kgs with a maximum brightness of 58,000 Lux at 1 meter.

 

They both have various changes in design, features, functionality and light output to the original units, and they are also priced higher.

 

In this review, I will only be covering areas that is important to me and with some research, you should be able to find other reviews or specifications online, that will cover other areas that I have omitted.

 

The reasons why I decided to purchase this light were the following;

• I needed a secondary light that had a greater light output than the Yongnuo YN600, Godox SL-60W or Aputure 120D II lights, so that I can have the flexibility to light a greater area for a group interview setup or scene lighting.
• I needed a light that I could use outdoors, to be powerful enough to compete with the sun as a key or fill light, or mimic the sun for specific scenes.
• I needed a light that had enough power, which would allow me to rely less on increasing my ISO to get sufficient exposure, at the aperture and shutter speed that I wanted.
• I needed a light that could mix well with other day lights such as the Yongnuo YN600 led panel or Aputure 120D II COB light.
• I needed a light that was quiet enough to place close to the subject without hearing the fan noise on the recordings,
• and I needed a light that was affordable and within my budget.

 

Based on my budget and requirements, I narrowed it down to the original Godox SL-150W and SL-200W lights, but I was hesitant due to the negative feedback these lights received for their noisy fans. Godox informed me, that the fans have been updated since January this year 2020, but were unable to confirm how much of an improvement the fan noise was, but reviews I have found online, claim that the updated fans are quieter than the original..

 

I was searching online for better prices on the Godox SL-200W when I came across the latest version of the Godox SL-200W II light which was priced between the original Godox SL-200W and the Godox VL-200 light. The SL-200W II light has improvements and additional features and functions over the original, and has also taken some of the features and functions of the VL-200 light.

 

These improvements, features and functions include the special patterned reflector, yoke side tension knob, new internal effects, lower noise fans, bowens mount locking system, the ability for the yoke to be mounted vertically or horizontally and the new 2.4G wireless X system remote.

 

There were no reviews online about the SL-200W II light at the time, but I decided to purchase it anyways, based on the comparison I made between the original, other models and this latest version.

 

What’s in the box.

The Godox SL-200W II COB light comes with the COB light, lamp cover, reflector, remote, long power cable, instruction manual and warranty card.

 

It lacks a carry bag, which is fine if you plan to store this in the original box or you want to add this to a large lighting bag or case that you already have.

 

First Impressions

Original Box

The original box has not been designed well to protect the unit, as the styrofoam padding does not surround the unit from all perimeters of the box. Godox have tried to minimise the space taken, by overlapping the reflector over the COB light.

Refer to video.

 

I would handle this with care, if you plan to use the original box as your carry case to transport this unit, as it does not protect the unit well.

 

If you need to buy a bag to store this unit in, then I would reconsider purchasing this light, as a suitable bag can cost over $100 and may not have been designed to fit this unit properly. You may be better off with other lights that already have a bag provided such as the Godox VL series of lights.

 

Remote

The remote looks like an update version of the original remote and uses 2 AAA batteries. This remote uses the GODOX 2.4G wireless X system.

 

Reflector

The inside of the reflector uses special reflective patterns to produce a higher light output. This is evident in the results I obtained when comparing the light output to a light that is using a standard type of reflector.

 

Lamp Cover

The lamp cover is shallow and not as deep as the Aputure 120D Mark II lamp cover.

 

Power Cable

The power cable is approximately 5 meters long and uses the standard 3 prong IEC C13 power cable found on most computer systems.

 

Documentations

The unit comes with the instruction manual and warranty card.

 

COB Light

Design

The design of the unit, I would describe as simple, utilitarian, or industrial looking. The All in One nature of this light is one of the main reasons I chose this light. It is quick and easy to set up compared to other lights that require you to connect multiple pieces together to get it running, such as the Aputure 120D Mark II light. It is made of metal and plastic and the construction feels sturdy, but not as compact and solid as the Aputure 120D Mark II light head.

 

The SL-200W II feels light for its size. It has vented slits that provide airflow to the unit and has two internal fans with bearings, located at the top and bottom of the unit to help circulate the air.

 

COB Led

These units use a circular COB led protected by glass.

 

User Interface

The user interface is located at the rear of the light, and contains a backlit LCD screen, several function buttons and two knobs that are well laid out, intuitive and user friendly.

The knobs are smooth and easy to turn and the buttons are a good size, has a prominent click sound and a spongy or springy feel to it.

Refer to video.

 

The silence button illuminates when the fan is on and it is rather bright.

 

Umbrella Clamp

There is an umbrella clamp beneath the unit which makes this useful for those who want to mount an umbrella onto this light or place the light inside an open softbox or a softbox with a honeycomb grid without diffuser. I would advise not to mount this inside a fully enclosed softbox, as heat will build up with this unit.

 

Bowens Mount

The bowens mounting mechanism on this unit is excellent, with a large sliding button instead of a sliding pin to lock the bowens mount in place. This makes removing your light modifiers much easier. It uses a shallow bowens mounting system, which allows for a variety of different bowens depth light modifiers.

 

The Godox reflector when mounted on the light though, is not tight fitting and can rattle when moved.

Refer to video.

 

Yoke

The yoke can be mounted in two different positions allowing for vertical and horizontal mounting of the light.

Refer to video.

 

The side tension knob secures the light quiet firmly into position when tightened sufficiently and uses a rubber washer between a Rosetta type locking system, but there is some slack if you do not tighten the side tension knob enough.

Refer to video.

 

My concern over this side tension knob system is the durability of the rubber washer as the Rosetta teeth looks sharp. The rubber washer may eventually deteriorate over time especially with constant heavy use or heavy tightening.

Refer to video.

 

Godox should have supplied a spare rubber washer with this unit.

 

Fans

There are two fans using bearings located at the top and bottom of this unit. The fans always remain on unless you put it into Silent mode.

 

The two SL-200W II yellow propellers measure approximately 78mm, which is slightly bigger than the approximately 73mm single yellow propeller of the Aputure 120D Mark II fan.

 

In Silent mode, the light will be limited to 50 watts which is approximately 28% on the SL-200W II power setting in normal mode as indicated by our tests, and the fan will remain off and will not automatically come on if the light gets too hot. Godox has informed us that the light will not get too hot running in Silent mode at this wattage.

 

In this comparison chart, we can see approximately, how many stops you lose when going into Silent mode as compared to normal mode.

Refer to video.

 

The reduction in light output in Silent mode, will limit its use to more close up work, especially if you are diffusing this light.

 

Suggestions for Silent mode

It would have been more useful if Godox removed the wattage limit and included a temperature readout on the unit and added an automatic fan, so that users would be able to monitor if the unit is getting too hot, and therefore manually turn the fan on and also have the safety of an automatic fan that will turn on if the unit begins to overheat.

 

This will give users better control on how to manage the fan noise when recording a scene where noise could be an issue. For example, users will be able to estimate how much time they may have to record a scene quietly, before they need to turn the fan on because the light is getting too hot. If they have made a misjudgement on how hot the light is running, then the automatic fan would take over.

 

I presume the SL-150W II light will be quieter than the SL-200W II as it only uses a single fan.

 

The use of two fans makes this light as loud as a fan on a laptop or computer. It is audible when hearing the fan in person and is noticeable if you listen carefully in the recordings. Based on fan noise examples I have heard online regarding the original SL-200W, I believe Godox have been successful in reducing the fan noise, and the levels are comparable to the Aputure 120D Mark II light which uses a single fan.

 

Fan Tone Comparison

Here is a comparison of the tone and relative level of the fan noise between the SL-200W II and Aputure 120D Mark II light. Both lights are set to 100% light output and both audio levels have been increased but remain relative to how loud they are to each other at the-same mic position.

Refer to video.

 

If you are familiar with the Aputure 120D Mark II fan noise, then this should give you an idea of how loud the SL-200W II light is. If not, then please check the description for details on our other video which tests the loudness of the Aputure 120D Mark II fan in a simulated scenario.

 

If you find the Aputure 120D Mark II fan noise acceptable when in use, then I do not think you will be offended with the fan noise of the SL-200W II light.

 

Remote

The remote is small, has the main function buttons, a backlit LCD screen with power remaining icon, group and channel settings, light output in percentage and color temperature in kelvins.

 

The color temperature value can be changed but it has no effect on the light, but there are still some uses for it, such as a reminder of what color temperature the light is, or to indicate what color temperature all the lights in a scene are set to.

 

You can change the light output from 0 to 100 % in single increments using the remote, but there is a short delay before the settings are changed on the light. You can scroll quickly through the values, but it is not realtime changes, which means you cannot make a gradual increase or decrease in light output. You have to stop scrolling through the values first before the changes take effect on the light.

Refer to video.

 

The power on/off button only turns off the light, but the unit and fan remain on. This is good for when you need to change light modifiers whilst allowing the unit to cool down. It also helps increase the lifespan of the power on/off switch of the light.

 

The remote and the light, only syncs in one direction. The light syncs to the settings set by the remote, meaning if you change settings on the light, it does not update the changes to the remote, but if you change the settings on the remote, the light will follow the changes set by the remote.

 

The remote should have included the ability to control the Effects and Silent mode of this unit, as this would have allowed for full control of the light when it is mounted at hard to reach places such as on a 3 meter light stand, inside a softbox or in front of a wall where the rear of the unit cannot be reached. This is important as there may be times where you do not want to move the light out of position.

 

Remote Distance and Transmission

I have tested the remote 10 meters away from the light and it worked fine. It also worked when the remote and light were left in opposite enclosed rooms separated by a room in between.

 

Reflector

The Godox bowens reflector uses a special reflective pattern designed to produce a higher light output. This is evident in the tests I have done. When comparing it in use against the typical smooth silver Reflector found in the Aputure 120D II Light, there is a noticeable difference in the intensity of light when measured from the middle of the light projected.

Refer to video.

 

The Godox reflector does make the light beam more focused compared to the Aputure standard reflector, which has a greater spread.

 

Effects

There are eight lighting effect presets available with the SL-200W II light;

1. Flash 1,
2. Flash 2,
3. Flash 3,
4. Storm 1,
5. Storm 2,
6. Storm 3,
7. TV,
8. Broken bulb.

Refer to video.

 

Godox has informed us that the effects 1, 2, 4 and 5 are the same patterns, while effects 3, 6, 7 and 8 are random.

 

The Effects are not adjustable but with some clever use of light blocking or colored gels, you can add inconsistencies in the effect and make it more authentic or natural.

 

There is a clicking sound that emits from the light whenever the light switches on and off during an effect which can be heard when you are near the light.

Refer to video.

 

Power Cable

The power cable quality is in line with good quality computer power cables, and the 5 meter length is adequate without being overwhelming to carry. An extension lead can be used for those times when greater length is needed.

 

Flickering

In my tests, I noticed no flickering when recording in 25p, 50p and Variable Frame Rate(VFR) mode on the Panasonic GH5 mirrorless camera. The shutter speeds in my tests include 1/50, 1/100, 1/200, 1/320, 1/500 and 1/1000, and the SL-200WII light output set at 5%, 50% and 100% light output.

Refer to video.

 

Light Output

The SL-200WII light produces a much brighter light output than the Aputure 120D Mark II light.

 

The color quality of this light at a CRI rating of 96, is adequate for my use, but my main concern when I decided to purchase this light was how it would mix with other lights.

 

Here are some tests performed on mixing various lights together. These include the Godox SL-200W II, Aputure 120D Mark II, Yongnuo YN600, 5500K Fluorescent Globes and the Sun. For the COB lights, I have used the Bowens mount reflectors, and for the Flourescent Globes, I used a bare 60 x 90cms softbox with no diffusers or grid. This is to help focus these lights on the subject. The Yongnuo YN600 led panel was used bare, with no filters attached. I have also adjusted the exposure to skin tones using false color in these tests.

Refer to video.

 

Based on the results, I found that there are some differences between the lights when mixed together to light a subject. Some more distinct than others. The differences are likely due to the light’s different CRI qualities and color cast it produces.

 

I find that mixing the SL-200W II and Aputure 120D Mark II light acceptable, with the 5500K Fluorescent Globes producing the most distinct difference between the lights with its green color cast. If this is an issue, you could use color correction filters or use a reflector to bounce a fill light back to the subject, in order to keep the colors consistent on your subject.

 

Competing with the Sun

It was not a very bright sunny day when these tests were performed, but the SL-200W II light with the Godox reflector did OK lighting with the sun. Depending on what light modifier is used and how bright and sunny the day is, the SL-200W II could be used as a key light. As for the Aputure 120D Mark II light, it struggled to have sufficient power to light the subject with the sun at approximately 1 meter distance.

Refer to video.

 

Battery Options

The SL-200W II light does not have a battery option. This is an advantage if it’s a feature you will not likely use especially with the price of V-mount batteries in the market. If you need portability with this light, you could consider using a portable pure sine wave power station.

 

Apps

The SL-200W II light cannot be used with an APP, unlike the Godox VL series lights. This would have been a good feature to include, as sometimes you may want to reduce the number of remotes you carry with you, or if you forgot to bring the remote.

 

Pros and Cons

Here is a summary of the Pros and Cons of this unit.

 

Pros

• All in One design that is quick and easy to setup.
• Good design and construction for the price.
• Moderately Priced.
• Bright Light Output.
• Umbrella holder.
• Secure Yolk system.
• User friendly and simple to use.
• Inbuilt Effects.
• Special pattern design reflector.
• Easy to use Bowens mounting system that uses a large slide button.
• Yolk can be clamped horizontally and vertically for better positioning of the light.
• Good color quality and mixes with other lights satisfactorily.
• Silent mode stops the fan in use but limits the light output.
• Remote included.
• Light for its size.
• Fan noise is quieter than the original SL-200W and can compete with other manufacturers who are known to have acceptable low fan noise.

 

Cons

• Lacks a carry bag.
• Silent mode reduces the light output to 50 watts which is approximately 28% of the light’s power setting when in Normal mode.
• Remote is limited in functionality. It does not control the Effects or Silent mode.
• Remote does not fully sync with the light.
• The rubber washer on the Yoke Side Tension Knob may deteriorate over heavy use, or over time.
• Effect presets are fixed and not adjustable.
• Lacks temperature readout.
• Fan does not have an automatic feature and is always on unless placed in Silent mode.
• Lacks the use of an APP.

 

Should you buy the SL-150W II instead of the SL-200W II light?

If the light output of the SL-150W II is sufficient for your use and you do not need a higher output light, then I would consider the SL-150W II over the SL-200W II, since it is cheaper, uses a single fan which may make the unit quieter, and has similar functions and features as the SL-200W II model.

 

Conclusion

There are more and more COB lights hitting the market, and with all these options available, it can become overwhelming when trying to decide which light to choose from.

 

When I decided to choose this light, I considered what my budget was and what are the important features and functions I must have in a light before I decide to buy it. The Godox SL-200W II light has managed to meet most of my requirements and even though there are still some features or functions that they could improve on, or I wish they had included.

 

Based on my budget and what other competitors were offering, I believe this light is the most suitable choice for my use, at this time.