INKEE GC60 – New Compact 60W Spotlights Announced

Lighting News

by Jakub HanJune 29^th, 2023

INKEE GC60 is a new, compact “flashlight-like” 60W spotlight that comes in two versions – daylight or bi-color (2700K-6500K). It offers a retractable Bowens mount, up to 100W USB-C charging and discharging, a universal control ring, light effects, and more.

I don’t like lugging around tons of equipment and that is why I especially like compact lights that can provide a “punch” even with a smaller footprint. Thanks to constant improvements in LED technology, there have been a few interesting lamps lately – namely, the new Aputure MC Pro, ZHIYUN MOLUS G60 and MOLUS X100, and the Kelvin Play LED Pocket lights.

The new GC60 spotlights from INKEE caught my interest as they promise a combination of a small footprint and high output. INKEE is a Chinese company based in Shenzhen that seems to produce all kinds of camera accessories – mostly gimbals. The GC60 (where GC stands for GOLD CROW) seems to be the first light from the company. Let’s take a look at the details.

INKEE GC60 – daylight and bi-color versions

INKEE GOLD CROW, or GC60 for short, will come in two versions:

• GC60d5 with daylight 5600K LED emitter. This version can reach up to 2765lux (256.9fc). The company further claims that when the battery is charged to more than 50%, the lamp can be “overclocked” by 150% to reach an equivalent of 90W (3698lux output).
• GC60x5 with bi-color 2700K-6500K LED emitter. This light can reach a maximum output of 2537lux (235.7fc).

According to the company, the lamps have a high CRI of 95+ and a high TLCI index of 96+. At the back, GC60 features a universal control ring that can be used to change brightness, light effects, or color temperature (with GC60x5). The light’s full metal body is weatherproof, so it can be used outdoors during rain. INKEE says, however, that the USB-C port is not weather-sealed, so please keep this in mind.

All about the size

In my opinion, one of the most interesting features of the GC60 lamp is its compact size. The design actually resembles a larger pocket torch/flashlight. The fixture is 233mm long and has a diameter of 60mm (with the included compact lampshade, the length grows to 286mm and the diameter to 86mm). The weight of each fixture is 1 kg.

On the other hand, a disadvantage of the compact size might be cooling, as a smaller light body means the heatsink has to be smaller. INKEE claims GC60 has NTC intelligent active cooling with a low-noise negative pressure fan, a graphene radiator, and an NTC temperature sensor. Combined, these components should ensure the lamp head remains at a normal working temperature. How loud the fan really is remains to be tested in real-world scenarios.

Accessory mount surprise

Because of the minimal footprint, the light features a proprietary front accessory mount. There is a very small dish included in the package. What is interesting, however, is that the light has specially designed buckles that can fold out and turn the accessory mount into a Bowens mount standard, meaning it’s compatible with many third-party light modifiers. This is good news in case the accessories for the INKEE proprietary mount have limited availability.

Battery and fast charging

The GC60 lights feature a built-in 142Wh (38400mAh) battery which, according to the manufacturer, can provide around two hours of operation under the full power of 60W. The fixtures can be charged via USB-C connector and INKEE claims they support fast charging at up to 100W. With the maximum charging power, it takes two hours to fully charge them.

On top of fast charging, INKEE claims the lamps also support up to 100W discharging. They can, therefore, provide fast charging for other devices too.

The light also seems to have some kind of adjustable handle with multiple mounting threads that can also be mounted on a standard baby pin of a light stand. INKEE claims multiple lights can be stacked together with magic arms (this is a bit of a strange solution in my opinion) to create more output.

Price and availability

The INKEE GC60 lamps are going to be available shortly according to the manufacturer. As we have been told, however, the distribution in some parts of the world (such as Europe) might be slow or not possible due to the device having a built-in battery with a capacity of over 100Wh which comes with certain logistics limitations.

When it comes to price, both the GC60d5 and the bi-color GC60x5 lamps will be available at the same price of $369 (around €389). You can now, however, pre-order these lights on B&H at a discounted price of $294. The links are below the article.

Additionally, INKEE will launch a smaller version of the lamp, the GC30. We have been told this will be available globally without restrictions as the battery does not exceed 100Wh. This smaller lamp will sell for $219 (€229).

Do you like compact LED lights as well? What do you think about the INKEE GC60 fixtures? Let us know your thoughts below.