Godox’s New Electric Suction Base

Godox’s latest lighting accessory is not actually a light at all. The new ES01 Electric Suction Base is a small, battery-powered mounting system that lets you attach flashes and compact LED lights to surfaces where a normal light stand would be difficult or simply get in the way.

Godox has been releasing quite a few compact flashes lately, including the retro-looking iM30Pro in June and the universal iT32 iFlash last autumn. The new ES01 works with those and several other Godox lights, essentially turning a wall, window, desk, or other smooth surface into a temporary mounting point.

The ES01 can support up 590 grams and uses a small electric motor to create and maintain suction. Press the button once and the motor activates the vacuum system. When you are done, another button releases the suction so the mount can be removed.

The built-in battery is rechargeable through USB-C. Godox has also included a low-battery warning system, a red indicator light comes on and the unit starts buzzing when the battery is getting low, which is (of course) important when you have a flash hanging from a wall or window.

The single ES01 works with a fairly long list of Godox flashes, including the TT350, V350, iT32, iT30Pro, iT22, iT20, iM22, iM20, iM30 Pro, and iM30. It also supports the LED6R and LED6Bi compact LED lights, as well as other hot-shoe flashes that remain within the mount’s weight limit.

It is pretty small as well. Godox describes it as being roughly the size of a tennis ball. It measures 68 × 68 × 42mm and weighs 69 grams.

For heavier lighting setups, Godox also introduced the ES01 K3. This combines three ES01 suction bases with a triangular mounting bracket, increasing the maximum supported weight to two kilograms.

That extra capacity means the K3 can handle considerably larger lights. Godox lists compatibility with the AD100Pro, AD100Pro II, AD200Pro, AD200Pro II, AD300Pro, and AD300Pro II flashes, along with the P260C Pro, FH50Bi, FH50R, and LED308II LED lights. Other lights using a baby pin or 1/4-20 mounting point can also be attached as long as they, again, stay below the weight limit.

The Godox ES01 Electric Suction Base is priced at $29, while the heavier-duty three-cup ES01 K3 kit costs $79.