GODOX Is REFUSED By Pro Commercial Photographers - Here is why

In this video, we'll discuss the reasons why professional photographers refuse to use Godox equipment. Not all of the reasons are what you think!
If you're thinking of investing in Godox gear, then you might want to reconsider. In this video, we'll discuss some of the reasons why professional photographers have chosen not to use Godox equipment. From unreliable gear to bad customer service, there are a lot of reasons why professional photographers have chosen not to use Godox gear.
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[@TinHouseStudioUK]

If you want to learn about the commercial world of photography, head here www.tinhouse-studio.com/product/the-business-of-photography-v2-0/

[@RomanMcClaine]

Correct me if I'm hearing this wrong, but if the rental houses carried Godox and the lighting assistants were familiar with them then you wouldn't necessarily choose Profoto over Godox?

[@kennypringle4580]

I shoot weddings, corporate events, portraits, family sessions, real estate and am very happily content with my (3) GODOX V1, (3) ad200Pro, ad400pro, ad600pro lighting gear. My transmitters are GODOX X2T and XPro. I’ve never had any issues with any of this gear and have no reason to spend 3 times more money for any of the big names with their big price tags.

[@LambertFick]

The X2T failed me horribly, strait out of the box. The issue was reported, and discussed with Godox SA, poor response and action, so I just opted for a refund. As a rule, if I encounter these poor response issues, I dump the brand immediately. One needs reliability, I dropped Sony ZA, Canon ZA, Nikon ZA, Sigma. Recent developments in the industry with their "advancements" has not impressed me and neither do I entertain it. Renting is the way forward within a business environment, regardless if it's photography or construction. If I have a problem with something that is on rent it gets immediate attention and support, if there is a problem.

[@kennypringle4580]

@@LambertFick sorry to hear that. I’ve never had issues with GODOX gear.

[@ladyethyme]

Agreed

[@betterburnout]

What would you recommend for shooting corporate portraits ?

[@fabienb]

The X2T has a well documented bug (still unresolved) that freezes Fuji cameras when shooting tethered. Meaning that in the middle of the shot your only way to move on is by removing the battery from the camera, put it back and switch back on. And it's way too frequent to be viable in front of a client. In other cases I have no problems with Godox, but blimey this is a HUGE unprofessional letdown

[@alex.Lukehart]

There’s nothing wrong with Godox/Flashpoint/Westcott/etc. Don’t get the wrong opinion guys. Pro commercial photographers DO use brands like Godox and they get great results doing so. This is his opinion for the work experience he has in his niche and circles of photography and the scale of production he often shoots. Good product insight though. It’s always nice to see other people’s uses and opinions of the same kit.

[@jacques424242]

"Commercial" photography is a tiny subset of "professional" photography. The points made in the video apply to the former, but not necessarily the latter. Confusing the two serves nobody well. As a 20-year event professional, I have been delighted by the affordability, reliability and performance of my various Godox products for many years now. As for support, I buy the Flashpoint-branded products from Adorama, which include a proper U.S. warranty, and they've given me great help in answering questions and ironing out firmware updates.

[@rdkirk3834]

That's always been true. Historically (at least for the last 50 years that I've been involved, and the 10 years before that which I'm aware of), retail photographers have generally _not_ used the same lighting equipment as commercial professionals. As we got into electronic flash, retail photographers were more often using brands like Photogenic that commercial photographers hadn't even heard of.

[@russellwright9961]

The very reason why I use Flashpoint products!

[@ChristianSantiagophoto]

I absolutely use my godox lights on professional jobs. I’ve taken them all over the world on multiple 6 figure contracts. They’ve been dropped more times than I count and still keep going. Granted I don’t rent my gear. I travel with it. They’re also not that hard to learn lol. My assistants know them just fine.

[@perin99]

I'm a lifelong amateur with no desire to be anything else and I love my three little Godox AD200s. My studio (aka garage) is far too small for anything more powerful. I imagine that they wouldn't last long on a busy pro shoot as one fall would probably kill them. Horses for courses I suppose. Your content is great btw. I much prefer to hear about lights and modifiers rather than cameras and lenses and your direct style works with my aspy brain.

[@AndrewBassonZA]

it's awesome seeing how things differ between countries, here in South Africa, we mainly use Godox lights, good value for money, where the other brands are so expensive due to import tax and things like that making them items that you would never be able to afford

[@LukeGarcia-kw6zk]

Here in Brazil you can't even find Broncolor or Profoto to buy, only for rent. And even if someone decided to sell it here, they'd hardly have a market, it's extremelly expensive for the brazillian reality, except maybe BIG budget shoots.

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Interesting.

[@andyr8812]

Some 10 years ago, I could see comments from some photographers laughing at Sony, saying that Sony would never get to the same level in making professional cameras as Canon and Nikon. How wrong they were.... I feel that Godox is going through the same criticism from snobby pro photographers as Sony did.

[@RomanMcClaine]

There are still people laughing at Sony -- but mainly because their cameras still don't feel like cameras but more like miniaturized consumer electronics devices that identify as cameras. 🙂 I hear the A9m3 finally feels like a "real camera" in the same sense that Nikon and Canon bodies have for 40 years though.

[@adamgasson]

"From unreliable gear to bad customer service," Personally my Godox gear has proven to be more reliable than my previous Profoto gear (you also say in the video that your AD1200 has been great and used on week long shoots with no issues). Also the customer service from Essential Photo has been great when I've needed it. Profoto has much better modifiers, not to mention the mount system is far better than the S Mount, but you pay a premium for that.

[@VizionZine]

I love my Godox 1200 and use it all the time for my portraits but totally get what you're saying. Makes sense.

[@Buttercup697]

I’m coming from a newspaper staff position where the studio had neither Profoto or Broncolor lights … the lights had been there attached to ceilings, and what not for a long while and worked quite fine… what would you recommend as a starter Profoto kit… 2 lights… “affordable”… 😉

[@chasingmanhattan]

I own a fair bit of godox kit and I’m quite happy with it. But I only use it on smaller budget jobs so that’s a fair point. I had a nightmare scenario with studio-owned / rented profoto gear and now I never show up to a studio without a small backup kit of godox just in case because it’s cheap enough to own and fairly easy to pack a ton of lights into a couple of smallish bags.

[@gregorylagrange]

Does the rental landscape allow any use for Elinchrom lights?

[@LMProductions99]

Here's I'm thinking you're going to talk about owning Godox products, but you didn't. The main takeaway from this video is that you don't like using Godox for pro shoots because rental stores don't usually have them. Which is true. Profoto is what I see mainly being rented. But, outside of renting equipment, Godox has been phenomenal during my shoots for less than what Profoto would cost. Plus I own all my gear. I don't really like to rent gear because rentals can be a hit or miss. Sometimes you can rent equipment that don't work like they should. Or there's something wrong with the gear you've rented that the rental tester missed when testing it out before renting it out. So rentals are not always the best choice in my experience. And I'm located in New York City, so we have everything in this city. And there's no shortage of renting Godox equipment here. And there are other places you can rent equipment like 3rd party rental sites like Sharegrid. So there are alternatives to renting Godox equipment if you want to rent Godox equipment. Plus like I said, I own all my equipment, and travel with what I need to travel with. I rather have my equipment that I know very well, equipment that have their settings set up just they way I like them to be set up, so I don't have to go into the settings right after renting something. But, that's just me.

[@andrefelixstudio2833]

I never have an issue in what equipment I need to use as I own most of my KIt. I only need to rent special equipment ! Been doing photography since the age of nine!

[@zucchina24]

As a hobbyist I use only Broncolor but exclusively second hand stuff. I like how durable and intuitive the stuff is and even second hand Broncolor becomes affordable if you have patience for a good deal… Have you ever thought to rent your own gear to yourself for improving the income?

[@mikecollins5261]

Very true. I remember back in the day(before 1990's) it was Norman, Speedotron or even Dynalite (mostly fashion shooters).

[@ThisDudeTrippin]

Question: I'm starting up my photography business and building up my lighting and trying to get the most affordable but quality lighting gear. I've been considering the Goddox v1-C as my on-camera flash/controller as well as getting a StellaPro reflex. As someone who does some professional work, would you say those lights would be quality enough for someone of my level even if I'm trying to produce professional work?

[@SystemParanoia]

1:05 - 1:15

[@ThisDudeTrippin]

@@SystemParanoia yes, thank you for the assistance. I'm asking the question because my specific question wasn't answered clearly in the video

[@omnirhythm]

Actually it answers your question perfectly. All it takes is being objective towards your own skill level and you'll easily deduce what you should be getting. If you don't have everything else in the same high end as Profoto and Broncolor, meaning a high-end monitor, camera and lens, as well as skills and charging fee for each job you take, then there's absolutely no reason to spend money on those. Get some Godox lights, a few different sized softboxes, some good Manfrotto softbox tripods (the 1004 BAC Master is a great choice) and other holders for flags and scrims so you have flexibility in which projects you can take on. Unless you have tons of money to burn, in which case go all out :) @@ThisDudeTrippin

[@cloud-bytes]

I’d not hesitate if I was using them for weddings, portraits or similar. I have 2 x v1’s and one x-pro Ii trigger. Work very well with great power and longevity of battery. However if I was doing the kind of work mr tin hat does ( spoiler, I couldn’t ) I’d certainly look at following his advice. He knows things.

[@MarkKidsley1989]

Been super impressed with these when using them with you!

[@MichaelnMaximo]

Commercial work is what I want to get into. (Any tips on how to do that?) I just live in such a mediocre area (midwest U.S.) that getting my work seen by anyone isn't easy. So I own a set of 4 neewer strobes for studio work. Learned how to use profoto strobes in school though, so that's a plus!

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Best buy hardest advice is once you get good, move to New York

[@phoenixr6811]

Thanks for the perspective 😊

[@lindseymoss]

Such great insight! I really don’t understand why so many people in the comments are defending their use of Godox. Did they even watch the video? 😂 I’m nowhere near your level yet and I pack all my own gear so Godox and Neewer are great for me for now but, like you said, the commercial industry is quite different! I’ll need to adapt as I grow. Always appreciate your honesty, Scott! You’re the least snobby commercial photographer I’ve ever seen on KZbin and I always find great value in your content.

[@dymone4894]

The reason they are defending their use of Godox is not because of the video content but because of the video title. It doesn't say "Why Pro Photographers Do Not Use Godox for Commercial Work", it says "Why Pro Photographers REFUSE GODOX" as though to say that it is an inferior product that no professional photographer would ever use, even if their lives depended on it. Context is everything. Obviously if he is planning to buy a bunch of Godox lights he is not refusing to use them, he just does not have them available for use when he is relying on rented gear.

[@fgallego711]

Very lovely food profile =)

[@The_Idea_of_Dream_Vision]

I have watched the video and yes I will defend godox. Not everyone watching these vids is in America. There are no rentals of those prophoto or Bron color in my country but godox is everywhere.

[@lindseymoss]

@@fgallego711 wow, you checked out my portfolio? Thank you so much! 😊

[@blakeronan]

Scott.... I aspiring and finding your videos like having a brother, who is honest and enthusuastic about sharing with younger sibling to get it right.. basically .. appreciate you .. its like phillip bloom in his early days 2007ish.. knowlege just raising us all up.. I appreciate it - very much

[@bitShft]

Wow. This was eye opening. I didn't realize . . .

[@davidschumannphotography6680]

I just have one question and it is more in relation to the 5DS not in a insulting way more in the getting to understand portion because I continue to use DSLR also but wat is it about this camera that you love so much? I also have not found a why move in to miroless world as of not now.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

To be honest I’m not even that keen on it. Just the most cost effective and user friendly camera out there.

[@davidschumannphotography6680]

a honest opinion is always apreciated more thanks! I still use a 5D Mark IV but have still wanted to get that 5DS more fore the nostalgia than anything else it is a tank of a Cam.@@TinHouseStudioUK

[@TechnoBabble]

For most commercial photography subjects and situations mirrorless offers no benefit over an SLR. The 5DS and 5DS R are the highest resolving Canon cameras you can buy.

[@kawabunga660]

You mentioned that if the shoot is happening in your studio that it's generally not a high budget shoot. Where are you doing higher budget shoots and why not in your studio?

[@blubravery]

On location. His studio is built to work. Sometimes for e commerce you may have to use an all white studio, or need a whole lot of space. It's males more financial sense to have a smaller studio to do your personal projects than the overhead of a warehouse type studio.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

All high budget shoots happen in London so we travel down and rent a suitable studio space and kit. Main reason is that all of the talent are in London and its a bit rude me getting everyone to travel to me, rather than just me travelling to them. But when jobs are smaller we might use non London folk and my studio is cheaper by the day to use than a london one. We can also skip kit rentals etc and use my own kit and charge out a smaller fee etc.

[@kawabunga660]

@@TinHouseStudioUK Makes sense, thank you for elaborating! Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[@MrSpiff9]

Scott, you hit the nail on the head. I am pretty sure there are many of us that operate in this fashion, especially with the airlines jacking up rates and the possibility of breakage, it's just much easier to work with a rental house out of town. And yes, I still love my godox/Flashpoint pro lights here in town. Cheers!

[@foulweatherworks7831]

Wow, I just found your channel yesterday and, no huge offense to other youtube photographer people, but it's rare to see anyone showing this much of their process, talking about their work in the way you do, and to actually know what they are doing and working in a proper studio with proper gear in real time and the results are top quality. It's inspiring to share as much as you have and I thank you for your openness, we commercial photogs are often so cagey with our setups and secret sauce. At this point my main profoto gear almost lives in the cases (I do a lot of travel but on location for commercial and editorial work, not in studio much, so I have a lot of b1s and stands/modifiers that work well outside. In my home studio I use a lot of godox and I have godox speedlights that I use on some of my personal cameras. It's funny as I have been using the godox speedlights for a few years now and I still have no idea how to navigate the menus, so I shoot on my actaul jobs with profoto A1s for speedight. The only tricky cross pollination I am doing now is I have a godox battery powered ring I bring out occasionally, and I fire the ring via hard wire and then trigger my profoto system via transceiver and its worked well so far but was sure finicky at first. Looking forward to diving into more of your videos!

[@achrafissami3130]

Hi my fiend I’m a photo assistant from Spain, I can tell you that 80% of the photographers I work with don't know Godox and neither the clients and producers…

[@JahOhKay]

Would you please mention how such large-scale gear is rented? I understand that you can rent gear from a rental house, but there are some nitty-gritty things that I am thinking of. If you rent $20,000 worth of lighting gear (which looking at Broncolor retail prices would take no time at all), how much of a deposit are you expected to put down? I have a spot where I rent lenses, and they put the replacement cost of the lens on my credit card as a hold. So, if I want to rent a Sony 400 mm lens, they hold $1500 on my card. Do rental houses generally put big holds on your card, or do they have a different means, such as a deposit? Also, how does rental gear typically get delivered to you? How far in advance do you typically make a reservation? What do you do if crucial gear isn’t available to rent? How is the gear delivered? Are you picking it up and getting it out in your vehicle directly from the rental house, or does it get shipped in?

[@josephberkeley]

Totally get it. Curious if owning Profoto strobes and some basic Profoto modifiers is cost efficient. I bought three Profoto D1 strobes and five Profit light modifiers. Worth the purchase price. They are work horses.

[@Chris-ey7zy]

I have 2 Ad100 2 v1, 3 AD200 , 2 Ad400 , 2 AD300, 1 AD600 and all the accessories. Use them all the time. No problems

[@videoyoplait]

My ad400pro has been just awesome. I do however use broncolor for my modifiers as I find the godox one (except the newer reflectors) are poorly built and a pain in the ass to set up and take down. Also light isn’t as nice.

[@GiulioSciorio]

You’re exactly right. It’s all about what’s available to rent and what the crew is familiar with. Same goes with cameras and anything else.

[@jerryphoto1]

The main reason why companies do not rent godox lights is simply because they're easier to purchase and own then pro photo and other higher priced lighting

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Also is easy, culturally, legally, and time zones to deal with a European Company. Also renting a 900$ flash makes more sense than renting a 200$ flash. Renting a 10000$ gear makes more sense than renting a 1200$ set.

[@claudianreyn4529]

Yeah, like I have 20k to invest in a set of lights because I can rent with 200/day some more, while I could get instead a whole set of godox lights with 5k and buy extra lights instead of renting. I recognize the quality and durability of the Profoto, but that is valid when you have really high budget projects and you earn enough in a year to make the change! And if I have a very well paid project, what stops me to actually buy more godox lights and save me from long term renting costs? You are talking about renting like it is for free. It depends what you are renting in fact.

[@deanevangelista6359]

For a few years, I used Phottix remotes and triggers. I had a number of issues. I switched to the less expensive Flashpoint, (Godox sold through Adorama) and haven't had any issues.

[@97nelsn]

I’d love to upgrade to Profoto but for the time being I like to use my Godox….I mean “Flashpoint” flash I got for free when I purchased the A7III from Adorama 3 years ago. Still does the job for me though I do like the lighting that comes out of Profoto and Westcott lights & flashes. EDIT: I spoke too soon, the mount of my Godox/Flashpoint flash just broke and now I need to buy a replacement one but B&H/Adorama are closed on Saturdays. Karma got me.

[@dangilmore9724]

It's largely a matter of efficiency and cost effectiveness. I love Godox "at home" or in out of doors work, but, if I have to travel, I'll rent as much as I can from the nearest rental house if possible. And that's mainly because I refuse to buy anything that I will probably use once or twice. It doesn't make sound economic sense to buy certain equipment.

[@bulgariastan]

I’m an amateur who only uses a godox strobe (ad400) perhaps once every month or two over the last two years and the stand handle broke (the screw to secure it on the baby pin somehow cross threaded itself?) and now I have to replace the whole part. Also the thing sags when you put a decent size modifier on it. So my personal godox units at least have been a bit flimsy.

[@TheShelbinator3000]

As a commercial photographer, I do the same thing -- Profoto rentals for all *produced* commercial/advertising jobs where I get to hire lighting techs and the most experienced 1st and 2nd assistants. However, if the "commercial" shoot is small enough that a producer isn't required, I have enough Godox equipment (including some backups) and grip to get the job done, including pocketing the lighting and grip fees (yay). The pressure is low enough that the 1st assistant doesn't need to be as quick as on Profoto lights, but the 1200s are extremely straightforward anyhow. Only drawback to Godox is the build quality (mainly the contact points on the batter chargers, which are extremely easy to snap) and of course that the resale value is terrible!

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Yes that’s exactly how I do it too. Win win 🎉

[@cloud-bytes]

Fascinating insight. There are similar economies in IT. There’s a reason you’ll not see an Apple managed desktop for example and it isn’t because they don’t work or can’t do the job well enough. It’s all costs per unit, managed costs per month and familiarity.

[@godsinbox]

he's not wrong, even Robert Hall (a godox savant) admits that godox user interface can be different for the exact same model. you cannot have your trained professional staff familiar when the user interface behaves different from batch to batch (this was X1T) and nathan cool, noted that the colour temperature changed from frame to frame, due to the godox reverse engineering nature of their 'product development' GODOX dont have an answer for any of the 'quirks and features'. having quirks and features rules them out for professional use. I am not professional, and sometimes they dumbfound me by JUST NOT WORKING.

[@jakavozlic718]

I was looking to get into profesional portret photography and a godox set wuld be less than one profoto flash and since I own 2 speedlights and a remote from them I dont think renting such equipment is for me.

[@Presleympofu]

Probably a regional thing. In my city Godox would be the go to for the reasons you mentioned. A lot of places have godox gear, so its easier to find accessories plus its easier to repair/replace if it breaks. Know another photographer who was shooting with Profoto B1's and when the battery died on one of the lights it took him a month to get a replacement. Probably why few rental houses also stock Profoto and Elinchrom gear, as much as they are reliable once they break its hard to get them fixed/replaced right away. The only reason I would go with profoto is the modelling lamp, its so bright that it makes easier to shape light without firing off dozens of test shots. Wish godox had brighter lamps but they are decent for the most part.

[@driftlessgeardemos]

Yeah bowens and speedotron were the mid tier go to brands when calumet in the states was around but that’s all shifted with their closure and godox showing up. All the major studios I’ve worked in/for have a mix of lighting systems. No source is too scrappy.

[@samcooper5539]

In my local market, not many photographers have profoto, no one has broncolor. Pretty much everyone shoots godox. Most assistants here know how to work godox lights. Which is great because budgets here are too low for profoto unless youre one of the 5 photographers in the area getting booked by the few worldwide names we have here.

[@djtommykeys]

Thanks for the video. In my world it's similar to the audio standard Sennheiser MKH 416. Perhaps not the best but that's not the point. The work can be matched in any industry studio.

[@KenCreates]

Why are people getting so defensive about Godox…? I don’t think you said a single bad thing about their gear. It’s just industry trends and standards. Perfectly reasonable explanation.

[@oasean]

However much some photographers use Godox on their own jobs, this video explains how that differs from normal practice within the commercial industry.

[@godsakes]

Must be quite a shock to the system when the low-med tier pro has to transition from godox to broncolor. I remember trying to figure how to work my friend's elinchroms and though I accept they're perfectly good lights not being fluent with them and their quirks just drove me insane that day.

[@Andrea-Zerg]

as a automotive photographer, i own 7 of AD1200pro. most current jobs usually now just give you a budget and doesnt allow you rent much. i would say NOT all assistants are familiar with bron & PF. my asisstants needs to be able to do grip and handle ARRI HMI, tungsten. skypanels, nanlite, aputure, titans and the list goes on. the rental rates in china for AD1200pro is USD$40 per day. having tested AD1200pro with a sekonic color meter, color consistency more consistent than Pro 4b.all my 7 sets are 5550-5650k regardless of power settings 2.0 to 10.0. matching the color consistency of bron. the freeze speed may not match a SCORO, but it has got better shutter sync trigger than bron. able to sync up to 1/500 with phaseone before radio latency becomes a problem for the X1/X2/Xpro triggers. in terms of continous shooting, 8-10FPS is the limit. it's almost match a pro10! THERE IS NO WAY a pro4B can match up to it. NOT to mention. AD1200pro as got a power option to use AC as a continous power source. AD1200pro isnt meant to be a rental product. it's meant to be owned. it's cheap enough to be owned.

[@MarkusMischek]

The only difference I noticed between Godox and Profoto is some better colour consistency on Profoto and of course the menu/UI on the compact flashes. But beside of this the Godox lights are just fine. Never had any issues. And if your assistants don´t know how to use Godox lights then you should should book other assistants! Godox lights are pretty much self explanatory. When I was using Profoto on a job the first time I learned how to use them in 5 minutes and Godox is even easier to use considering the remote trigger.

[@andydelphoto]

I'm a pro photog in the sub 3k price bracket he mentioned that uses a lot of godox/flashpoints for my work but I occasionally assist bigger jobs and this KZbin video speaks the absolute truth. I love my Godox/Flashpoint stuff and it works great for everything I do, but I know that I will rarely if ever see it on big sets for the exact reasons he discusses.

[@JoATTech]

Interesting perspective.

[@MojoPapiFPV]

I agree and see the same thing. However, it is pretty ridiculous considering that if you know how to operate a Profoto pack, it should take you all about 5 seconds to figure out how to work a Broncolor or Godox pack. The biggest challenge is modifiers, so I always keep a few extra speed rings around so I can adapt anything if I need to.

[@jean-claudemuller122]

I don't think so, each system is different, high end Broncolor packs have 3 different individual outputs with full control on power and separated color temperature fine tuning. A lot of professional work is done in rental studios that have their flash system + technical assistants that can drive these systems with closed eye, when there would be a technical issue they also have spare gear for replacement within a few minutes.

[@driftlessgeardemos]

100%. I’ve used all the major brands and they take all of five minutes to sort most controls with a few Easter eggs you’ll rarely need.

[@alexmuccilli]

I'd argue that with the increase use of LED lighting for video, most rental houses do in fact carry bowens mount modifiers as all LED lights use it. As far as the trigger is concerned, nothing plugging a pocket wizard into the pack won't take care of.

[@ClintonSinclair]

in the commercial portrait situation im in, clients usually come to me, or I do load up a van and go to location for a client who isn't an agency, so I own my stuff, and for the money Godox is everything I need and then some. also out here in the middle of nowhere rent houses aren't really a thing, if they do exists its not reliably available. However, if I showed up to a set and one of the grips didn't have any experience on godox or didn't have the base knowledge to figure it out, that's really a them problem, not godox, Id expect an industry pro to have at least a baseline knowledge of even obscure brands and mastery of the major brands.

[@philipp_thielen]

What's the reason behind you renting all gear on a job? Do you let the client pay full rent costs?

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

The industry is very London and NewYork centric, all the talent and creatives are there so we travel to London. Considering I would make a few hundred extra on an already large payday, its not worth the hassle of transporting my kit when we can just rent it. The rental fee is billed, but also if we did use our studio kit we line item that as a rental fee too, we just make a small amount less but have a lot less hassle.

[@Jorda5s]

@@TinHouseStudioUK so you charge rental fees for something you already own sounds like a nice up charge. If you added up all your rental fees I’m sure it’s more than it would cost to travel with the same gear. Seems like an excuse to up charge every client. Do you not charge rental if you’re already in the location with the gear you need? do you charge rental twice for something you only rented once, or do you pass the savings to the customer? I wonder how many rental fees you charge for gear that don’t even get used during the shoot?

[@unclecurry]

I use godox for commercial works. I have attachments for both Profoto&Broncolor, so to use their modifiers. I like the radio controls on Godox system, they are simple and easy to use.

[@jacobh5817]

The underlying question is why do rental companies offer only Broncolor and Profoto? Part of it is the market-driven demand factor, but partly it is also TCO (total cost of ownership) driven by mechanical durability, availability of spare parts and possibilies to repair. Rental gear gets a lot of abuse. In our studio we use Profoto and whenever something breaks, it gets repaired and in the meanwhile we get a loaner. That kind of support is part of the purchase price.

[@WilliamDeShazer]

Similar to your gear video I did have a question. True that you would have to eat the cost upfront on the purchases, but why not buy the lights and the medium format camera then simply charge a rental fee? Then you'd have another revenue stream. That's what I do for big jobs and the gear has paid for itself. True, you do have to lug it around, but you end up making money in the end.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Great question. I looked into this but it doesn’t make financial sense as I don’t shoot the volume to rent it to myself for enough money per year, then the income to tax ratio doesn’t make sense compared to using a rental house. Gear paying for itself and making a higher profit yield are two very different things

[@jhoang861]

i only seen two photographers using broncolor in my lifetime. and i’ve been a photographer for many many years in tx and ny. the first time i’ve seen it being used was for an Addidas ad shoot here in texas. after working all morning setting up, when the broncolor power pack came out to be plug up to test, the 4 assistants and i stood over it all confused as to how to use it because it had too many buttons 😂 we had to get the photographer to come show us lol! we’re only used to profoto gears or older gears from the past. but i heard they’re the best with consistent lighting and color control

[@quite1enough]

yep as a hobbyist photographer I was able to find Godox tt350f flash for $65 new

[@sidestreetvideoproduction7278]

I love your videos. So much great information. I knew about Broncolor in the 80's, but never purchased any. I did commercial photography years ago and moved to Portraits and Weddings. I quit doing weddings. After watching Scott's videos I decided to get back into commercial, product photography. I purchased a used Broncolor Opus A4 flash kit. I'm looking at getting a used Scoro pack and 3200J flash head. Don't know if that will happen. I love the way the Broncolor packs work. I couldn't afford Broncolor new, but used I can afford. I want to try using reflectors again. As per Scott's suggestion - I'm working on a portfolio of images I want to make and then create a web portfolio and print portfolio and take show it to potential clients. I can't wait to play with the Broncolor light kit and see what I can create. I like purchasing good equipment that will last me a lifetime and work well with less problems. For my portrait work I still use some Photogenic flash units from the 1960's.

[@pablozanardi]

I have mixed reviews. I've got an amazing AD200 that I use a lot, never fails. But I went through 4 on-camera flash from Godox 'til i found one that worked. It's been working great for 2 years, but the other 3 failed in months. Next ones will probably be a different brand.

[@lukebeyond4u]

Only reason is that it isn't consistent white balance but that can be fix in post

[@conorharrigan9311]

Been using Godox/Flashpoint for about 8 years. But, with that said, I am looking to upgrade in the next year or two, and I will be going to profoto.

[@iggytse]

I’m fairly certain Godox is like a de facto standard for event photography. But for commercial studio work then it could be the rental studio doesn’t use Godox and have legacy profoto gear and modifiers.

[@QRaterAU]

Why does it make no financial sense to own the kit? I understand that you simply bill the client for the cost but why can't you add the exact same line in the inbox but for your own gear? To my mind that actually increases profit?

[@chrishollingsworth7110]

Glad I watched the whole video. I was defending my Godox's etc. and then realized your point. Almost like a trick...hahah

[@curtishustace]

Every studio I have ever walked into here in the USA had Broncolor for the most part, some Profoto some a combination of the two. Everyone knows how it works and how to fix it if there's a problem. In my home studio, I use Flashpoint (Godox branded for Adorama.) But as you said, they stay put and I don't take them with me for jobs outside of my studio. Broncolor is also good for splash photography with a short flash burst, Profoto is second in that category.

[@kian8382]

This is such a first world problem kinda like Nolan wouldn't need to own a 70mm IMAX recorder, but even as a hobbyist I'll probably never buy a Godox again (have had many in the past as well as Metz, Nissin, Panasonic and Sony), I don't have very good experience with the current one because of the quality control, and being a hobbyist means I want to photograph for fun, surely the saved couple of hundred dollars aren't worth the inconsistent experience.

[@mike_s_media]

Definitely was not the answer I was expecting as I figured Godox would be a dime a dozen! Great info, great video as always!

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Glad to help!

[@justintheowlman]

I’ve never thought about renting equipment for a photoshoot. 😅 I need to get some bigger jobs!

[@bobgamble8204]

There's a fair few props who use Godox quite happily, not sure where this assumption comes from? Just because you wouldn't use them? Very odd

[@nikonlinevids]

I completely disagree. I am a professional Headshot Photographer, generate six figures USD in business income and do thousands of headshots every year from individuals to large corporations. I use my Godox gear at every job and it performs flawlessly every time! I bring backups to every piece of gear I bring (cameras, lenses, lights) except stands and backgrounds and never have to use my backup lights. what I do is rotate them from job to job so they can actually get used, otherwise they'll sit the case new for a long time. Also never once has any company I do jobs for has asked me what brand of gear I use. It really means nothing to them. What they care about is the end result of the job and how quick the turnaround time is. As for renting gear, yes, profoto and broncolor make more industrial heavy duty product as they'll be handled by people that do not own them

[@jamespitman3357]

ive only ever had clients who either like the pic or dont - nothing else ever - over 15yrs

[@gbwalther3198]

Yeah? How about a client saying, "Oh, by the way...Did you use solar lighting?" "I'm only into natural lighting, don't ever use the ProFoto or Godox!" lol 😎😎

[@bigpoewing]

Still rock'n a 5D S?

[@alessiovidal]

I work with Godox often, and I'm happy with that. But it's true, when I work for a client and they ask, I always rent Profoto.

[@timmaltby7798]

I'm glad it had nothing to do with quality because I need a good starter set and I want to keep my budget under $600 USD. Was able to get backdrop with stands on temu for less than $50.

[@TechnicalGamingChannel]

I'm a pro photographer that's used ProFoto and Godox interchangeably and I genuinely wish Godox and other light companies would just copy Profoto's interface designs. I am so tired of the over complicated, feature-laden nonsense companies like Godox pack in their lights and triggers. I need them to be on or off and have power adjustment. That's IT. I don't need multi mode flash sync extra whateverthehell features. For the 5 people that have ever successfully used those features, I'm glad they exist. But I would literally pay extra to never have to deal with them. I think a large part of the reliability issues lights outside of the "pro" gear sphere have stem from all the extra stuff. For me, if I'm shooting an event, I'm bringing my Godox kit. But if I'm shooting in a studio and the client has the budget, I'm renting Profoto gear simply so I don't have to explain to anyone how to make the lights brighter.

[@_drewforsyth]

Also the godox menu systems are a pain in the arse when you’re trying to move quickly on set!

[@catbread2585]

I use Godox, started with V1 and after one season I was having major misfiring problems, at the point I couldn’t trust it to use on events, then I sent it back and got full refund on Amazon, so I bought the portable one with the receiver, works fine, but I do feel like it’s not consistent, it works for what you pay, but I’m definitely going to try the profoto

[@randomstuffman01]

Interesting. Thanks. toronto canada

[@ramunasvalancius5455]

100% agree, photography is no different from any other trade, if you are a builder, you’re not gonna use tools from Lidl. 😂😂😂 I am hobbyist photographer, I did tried cheap Chinese stuff to begin with and they never worked, especially in the moment when I need them to work😂😂 I learned over the years that less is more, get one but good thing and you achieve way more with it.

[@carutherswillaby7592]

He's completely correct. Long John Silver stands do have a picture of a pirate on them.

[@derrick072]

Light is the eye of the beholder and your creativity defines your artistic craft not the gear.

[@clarkpeters8273]

When I started in commercial photography forty years ago I built a light kit based on Speedotron and was very happy. When I bought a Sinar P2 the rep made me a deal on a Broncolor system that I couldn't refuse. The colors I captured with the Broncolor system were noticeably better than the Speedos. It wasn't until I actually started using better (and more expensive) lights that I saw the limitations of the lesser system. There is usually a reason why one brand costs less than another.

[@jeremiblurton_yt]

We've used Godox and Profoto both for years. Zero issues with the Profoto but have encountered many issues with Godox. Flashes not firing consistently, color shifts as the light heats or higher power levels, longer than expected recycles, mounts giving out/breaking..

[@jonjanson8021]

I asked a rental company I use why they didn't do Godox. The reply was that Godox aren't robust enough to stand up to rental, multiple, non-owner users. People don't take care of rented stuff as well as they take care of their own stuff, which is probably true. I own Godox along with Bronnie, I take care of the Godox and they are fine, although I worry a bit when assistants start chucking them around, but Hey Ho they're cheap!

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Yeah they would break very fast as rentals

[@gr-os4gd]

So true; there's a reason for the expression, "Beat it like a rented mule."

[@punkskaphil]

This has been a really interesting, and helpful, video. I shoot products from a tiny studio inside a creative agency's office, and for the past few years I've been using 3x Bowens monolights. They've been great for most of what I do but recently we've also been doing more casting/fitting shoots with live models, plus a few out-of-house bigger studio product shoots, and often the Bowens heads are coming up short. So, I've recently been looking at upgrade options for our own in-house kit and the Godox AD1200s seem to be ideal. I've been considering Profoto and Bowens, but I suspect the finance dept at work will push back because of the cost (we'd only be able to afford monolights anyway, and I'm preferring the idea of the separate heads with the AD1200s). Additionally, I've used Profoto kit on three shoots to date but there have been serious reliability problems on two of those occasions. Perhaps I've just been unlucky, but it is still a bit off-putting.

[@driftlessgeardemos]

I’ve definitely used godox gear on major photo campaigns. I can afford to have backups of back ups of backups of backups and the light quality and modifiers are great.

[@NazirAzhari]

Loaning is another way I doing it. With 3 of my photographer friends using Godox system, we loan the lights to each other when required.

[@ekphotography]

My clients do not give a crap what lights I am using as long as the images are good. But I imagine in Snob cities there might be pixel peeper clients or even worse the agency.

[@kneepayne]

For those that are defending their Godox gear (and I admit to having lots of Godox gear) and are defensively commenting simply because of the title (which might not be the best choice in titles). He is making a point from a logistical POV when it comes to rental gear. For a really big paying gig, you are probably going to rent a vast majority (if not all) of your gear. This is similar to the whole "Netflix Approved Camera" fanclub that goes around social media bashing anyone with a GH6. They do not get that when you are contracted for a gig that for numerous reasons you are most likely not going to show up with your personal gear that you keep in the closet. This is when you RENT that good ol' Netflix Approved Camera™ To summarize; it's about the logistics. He actually says good things about his Godox gear that are inline with my experience.

[@tmsmqwx]

I'm not offended by anything you say. I love my Godox. I think it's great that they're trying to mimic Profoto - it's great for us lower-budget photogs. That being said, you have a much more large-scale business model than most, and you rent everything. You even have the luxury of showing up at a shoot without a camera - good for you. Not sure if I would trust Godox on a six-figure shoot either, even if it were available from rental houses. Of course, I don't have many six-figure shoots, so there's that.

[@user-yl4py6fn3i]

Great fun video, Bravo Scott 😎 The "light-signatures" emitted from the smaller style of flash-tube designs in "pack-heads" and "monolights" always yield very much harsher, always lacking signifcantly in the mid-tone contrast range, when compared to that of the elongated, exposed, u-shape flash tube design that is used in the the Briese Para.2 system! Any time you find yourself in here Scarborough Scott, You & Team, always most welcome to pass by and do a studio shoot with our in-house Briese focus.2 115 S-H parabolic flash lighting system The light-signature is truly otherWorldly!! Best wishes, Richard Alan Mulford 😎

[@laurenoe]

@3:51 Shout out to Pentax! Yep. absolutely love my Pentax gear (645z/K1) but there is no way others will be familiar with them. So sad I had to stop using Pentax professionally. Still have all my Pentax gear, but its not used much next to my Sony workflow for photography and video.

[@barryobrien1890]

Rental cost of the hardware is dwarfed by the salaries and space. If you rent kit you only want one brand that will be acceptable to most clients as space and salaries is where the money is. Having to get more space to hire out something that you charge a few pounds per day less makes no sense

[@dinein1970]

In the U.S. it is best to buy the Flashpoint branded from Adorama. Adorama does deal with returns and problems well. I was just in Vegas for a workshop and the only kit I could rent was... GODOX. I do have some Flashpoint/Godox and it's pretty easy to use. It also takes Bowens mount, just like the whole line. the 400/300 are "Mini-Bowens"? But all flashes do talk to their R2 remotes. Godox/ Flashpoint is popular because of it's cost and it performs pretty well. I've now done a few location jobs using the Flashpoint and it did the job really well. The batteries seem to run a good long time and the equipment was overall very consistent. And these were location gigs with some challenges and it went better than using my "go to" kit, which is White Lightning. What I also like about the Flashpoint/ GODOX is the extension heads for the 400 and 600. They stole it from RiME LIGHT Korea, but it works great. Pretty much using the main body of the Monolight as the power source as well as ballast for your stand and then a much lighter weight head on top of the stand.

[@mrrcassidy]

Has anyone on the defensive re Godox actually watched the video?