The handheld, focusable Gun Light GL-1 from Lowel is now available in the USA, priced at $699.95. Toted as “the next revolution in portable lighting”, the GL-1 Hot Light looks a bit like a cordless drill but is in fact a battery-powered LED light source “destined to become the wedding and event shooter’s best friend”.
Despite the “GL-1 hot light” moniker, the GL-1 uses cool-running light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and not tungsten bulbs, though the output is a similar colour temperature at 3000 Kelvin. The light is put through a focusable fresnel lens, which has a 5:1 focus range so the user can adjust the beam from a tight spotlight to a wide flood. The claimed colour rendering index (CRI) is 90 and from a single charge the battery is rated to last for one hour. You can also run it from the mains.
To see some example images lit with the Lowel GL-1, visit the Pro Gallery showcase or the GL1TV YouTube channel.
The Lowel GL-1 Power LED can be bought directly from GL1hotlight.com for $699.95 plus shipping. For some reason the company is not openly publicising information for international customers, who instead have to fill in a form with their details and wait to be contacted by a supplier. Update: You can now also order the GL-1 from Adorama and B&H Photo.
The reaction from Lighting Rumours readers was decidedly mixed when the GL-1 was announced late last year. What do you think about this product?