The Best Speedlight/On-Camera Flash For Sony, Nikon, Canon

[@FStoppers]

Update: I made some errors in this video and correct them here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWW2mIB5ed9robs

[@rafserrano2164]

Also pops before overheating was not tested which I reckon is so much more important than the other stats

[@SooksVI]

Quick note on the Godox flashes. Although the flashes themselves don't have a distance setting (Godox should fix that), their triggers have a distance setting for close proximity work. By default it's set to 1-100m, but there's a close option of 0-30m. I used to have the same issue working at close distances and this setting fixes it.

[@SPECTRA890]

Great spot. I always interact with the trigger so I've never noticed it with the flash itself.

[@taylorhickman84]

I thought that's what the "zoom" setting was for?

[@SooksVI]

@@taylorhickman84 lol, no that's a completely different thing. Zooming in a flash moves the flash tube further back in the housing to narrow the beam pattern and give a further throw. You'll hear some motor noise when you do this.

[@johnyoung1606]

THANKYOU!!!!! FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE THIS COMMENT !!!!!!!!!!!! I have a suggestion about Nikon cameras that gets this response from nikon users.....

[@elho001]

And the close setting indded works very close - I sometimes with the camera on tripod simply rest one AD-100 right on top of my X2T trigger to bounce it off the ceiling and it still fires that close.

[@rafserrano2164]

Thanks for this review, I ended up buying a Neewer Z2 because of this but something extremely important was overlooked here - pops before overheating. The Z2 can only achieve 22 pops with 1/4 power at 2 pops per second before overheating and the Godox can achieve 116 pops before overheating. This is on a 18 °C weather indoors. I found this limitation during a wedding so quickly switched back to my Godox

[@fredmorton9283]

This is the best speed light review I have seen in years. Thanks for all the time and effort in putting this together

[@ACHorton]

One of the best reviews of anything I have ever seen on the internet. Well done @Fstoppers! Love your work. Keep crushing it.

[@emanuelbief7088]

man!!! You read my brain because I was thinking of buying one. These videos are very helpful for photographers.

[@renestaempfli1071]

Thanks for your speedlight tests. I have made my own in depth tests using the SONY A9III in non HSS mode using 3 SONY HVL-F60RM2, Godox V1, and Broncolor Satos 3200 with two heads. The goal was to test the limits of speedlights against the most powerful flash in single shot and very high frame rate situations. The SONY and Godox were triggered via wireless using another flash as a commander, whereas the Broncolor was triggered via a sync cable. The SONY and Godox were tested in manual and TTL mode, whereas the Broncolor was only tested in manual mode. In single frame mode, they all work up to 1/80000, f/1.8 and ISO 250 without any problem at a distance of about 3m. At 1/256, the Godox was slightly darker than the SONY at 1/16000 and up. The Godox was a bit more complex to adjust the proper timing at high shutter speed. There is no need to adjust the timing on the SONY. Using the in camera menu makes it very easy the adjust multiple SONY flashes in multiple groups and multiple power levels. I never use the on flash display. Using the TTL mode, the WB and exposure was perfect with the SONY. It needs some tuning with the Godox V1. I don't really know, why it didn't work with you on the A7IV. In manual mode, the WB on the SONY and Broncolor is also fine, but needed some tuning on the Godox. Where things are interesting, is shooting at very high frame rate and high shutter speed up to 1/80000. The Broncolor can shoot up to 80fps with no power degradation. The Godox and SONY manage up to about 30fps @ 1/256 power for sufficient light at about 3m distance from the object. The SONY is clearly brighter than the Godox. Up at 1/1 power you can still get about 15fps @ 1/80000 on the SONY. Using a reflector such as the Godox RFT-19, you can gain about 1 stop of light. Using a GS, it doesn't matter, if only a slice of the total flash burst is recorded with a shutter speed that is faster than the t0.1. It's the brightness that counts. The tests prove, that it is now possible to shoot at very high frame rates and shutter speeds at a fraction of the cost using cameras with GS . The same is also true, if you try to overpower the sun in many outdoor shootings. It does work best, using SONY flash, but you can use Godox or other speedlights if you are prepared to adjust the the timing parameters that match the shutter speeds.

[@shang-hsienyang1284]

Very informative, thanks

[@Oztubee]

I am new to flash. So can I use this Sony flash to overpower the sun? Can I use this Sony flash off camera with soft umbrella or soft box? It might do ok indoors but will it be usable for off camera flash for outdoors portraits?

[@351linzdoctor]

@@Oztubee Yes I do!

[@Oztubee]

@ thank you I’ll try it

[@RJC-ps6wc]

Canon you tell if the Godox flash will provide GOOD TTL exposure with the A9III global shutter? And can you change flash modes (TTL and Manual) from the camera menu?

[@totomoyap8648]

Been use 3 unit Godox V1c + Xpro C from year 2019-2021. Low price , but not durable, unstable manual output , yellowish flash temperature and worst ETTL flash perfomance. 3 unit 600EXRT + STE3 just serve me well without single issue from year 2012 until current day. On this March, i bought an EL5 and this speedlite just great along with natural flash temperature !!! Steady, stable , easy control.

[@xodius80]

does it work on a r6 ttl EL5?

[@nategrimes19]

had a similar experience. i have a few v1 flashes and while i love the system, they’re incredibly inconsistent and have had 3 of them go out on me over the last 2 years

[@p0ggles]

I use Westcott lighting and flashes. I love them! Great video!

[@jasonwhinnery4134]

This is one of the best in-depth videos out there. Great job!

[@gbdr_ps_fan8656]

Appreciate all the effort that went to that test. Thanks. Very informative.

[@bigbrownmab189]

Also with the westcott you can buy an adapter and use other brands flashes with your westcott flash, so you do not need to switch full systems. Some of the other brands is all-in or nothing. Im sure the next generation of profoto will be much be much better as they are a bit older, and the technology has advanced so fast.

[@FStoppers]

Ah good point, I forgot Westcott had that crazy remote.

[@351linzdoctor]

@@FStoppers If you use the Godox X1T transmitter and X1 Receivers you can mix and match brands. I use my Sony Flash with my Nikon Z9 this way Godox X1TN and X1S and works perfect!

[@rvboyett]

This was a really great comparison. I really appreciate the detail you went into. I only wish you had used the Godox V1 Pro as well.

[@galaxiedance3135]

I like my SB-900. It's still amazing after all these years.

[@RyanAlcantara]

Same. And I use the optical sensor constantly.

[@caleidoo]

Same here, two SB-910's brought over from D750's, now to Z6II & Z6III. But for some reason, the hotshoe looses connection when turning the flash head, almost like the hotshoe of the SB-910 is too thin for the Z's hotshoe holder. Or is worn out. Went with a great price on a used SB-5000 (which is smaller, suprisingly) and it sits more solid. First tried a Godox V860II & III, but for some reason they always underexpose heavily when bouncing with fast glass wide open. It's irritating Godox never fixed this. I do have a couple of Godox heavy studio flashes (600 & 800watt) plus a set of excellent AD-200's - which can also be combined to give me about 400w. Excellent flashes and great system. Never needed anything else.

[@batsonelectronics]

I still use a SB-600, when I am not doing studio work.

[@ericlarson6180]

I have 2 SB 800s and 2 SB 700s and they are great. Also I’m able to control them through wireless with a Godox XPro and X1 N triggers on each flash

[@johnbecker1996]

I use an SB-910 on camera for event photography, and it works flawlessly.

[@JeremiahTrue]

My initial investment in Flashpoint/Godox almost a decade is really bearing fruit. I started with the AD360 to use off and on-camera at weddings and have added the AD200, 2x AD400s and now a V1 which has been very handy and useful for several shoots. The V1 has become the hair light for some portrait sessions as well as a fill or highlight with modifiers when shooting products in a small studio. Primary uses are real estate and product photography but also on-location portraits lately.

[@f.kieranfinney457]

I ordered 3 before I got one that worked. Still crap quality.

[@99muddy99]

Thanks for your significant effort in producing this comparison. I’ve just purchased the V2, and your video has left me without post-purchase dissonance-a relief. It was a toss-up between the V2 and the Sony, but in the end, AA batteries seemed so 20th century. I’m glad to find that they weren’t the only compromises. Again, well done, mate!

[@FotosyVideoelParaiso]

the V-1 is now available in a new version the V-1 Pro its priced at 329.00 and for sony brand comes with a metal hot shoe and not plastic and the battery it comes with is usb-c charging.. it has better heat sinking I think to about 60 with out it cutting out I think the V-1 is good to about 30 also Adorama sells it as Flashpoint and everyone else sells it as Godox but its the same Flash and they are all cross compatible if you buy the Fashpoint version from Adorama they have better warrenty system setup and if something goes wrong you can deal directly with Adaroma if you buy the godox version from BnH or Amazon and somthing goes wrong you have to deal with godox ( I think ) I have used these for years ( V-1 ) with our Sony and Nikons and and they work great really great, the only problem the hot shoe which connects the cameras breaks BUT you can buy the replacement piece for i think 20.00 and its very very easy to fix

[@kenn6592]

Do you have the exposure issue with the Godex?

[@CapricornGirl9]

I shoot Godox flashes. I was shooting a wedding a few years back and was on the same channel as another Tog at a different wedding at the same venue. They were on the other side of the building setting off my flashes. I changed my channel midway through because it was throwing me off. Great review.

[@johnbecker1996]

Fantastic review. I use Godox (sometimes under Adorama's "Flashpoint" branding) exclusively when I'm doing multiple off-camera flash work. The fact that you can use one trigger for everything from speedlights to their biggest studio lights makes Godox a full fleshed out system.

[@marlonking5924]

I don’t care what any test says😂 but I respect . My Profoto A1’s have been unmatched in my experience once I switched to Canon. The colors were a little weird when I shot Nikon. I get taps on my shoulders at events all the time asking “wow, what flash is that?”. When I show them pictures that were taken in very little ambient lighting.

[@graxxor]

“I get taps on my shoulders at weddings” I’ll take stuff that probably only ever happened once for $500, Bob. Are you trying to claim that the wedding guests were able to tell the difference between a GODOX and a Prophoto?

[@HectorRiveraPhotography]

@@graxxor for real 😂😂😂

[@thomasweber6075]

I want to thank you for mentioning the close proximity issues with Godox. It helped me as I was trying to learn the ins and outs of a Godox speedlite and trigger setup I recently bought.

[@graxxor]

Are you using 1-100m mode on your godox trigger? That will occasionally misfire if closer than 1m. Just set your trigger range to 0-30m. As the label says it works down to 0m distance.

[@urosjovanovic3142]

Godox equipment is very hard to beat when it comes to what you get for the money. I've been using their strobes and LEDs for some time now and I'm VERY happy with their performance.

[@industryrule-4080]

The Profoto has the diffuser dome to make the fall off smoother. For some of us photographers, we like the harder light quality of the Profoto flash.

[@edwinsanchez5752]

Hey Lee! Great video. The Godox have a distance setting in the menu where you can change it to shoot very close from the trigger or far from the trigger.

[@FStoppers]

What's the name of this setting? I don't see it.

[@Alfredolunafoto1]

@@FStoppers In the Godox trigger, in DIST option menu. You can choose from 0-30mt to 1-100mt (meters).

[@FStoppers]

Ah, we weren't using the trigger but using an on camera flash as the master. The flashes don't have this mode, only the trigger itself. -P

[@Alfredolunafoto1]

​@@FStoppers Yes I noticed you weren't using a trigger and that's why you didn't have that option. Cheers!

[@rbob4931]

Nice and detailed review. In most cases. Focus assist light from a flash unit can only be achieved when the camera is on “single servo” AF mode. Keep up the good work!

[@johnspijkers7368]

Just bought a V1 for my Fuji camera. I paid 209 euro for it. I also have a A10 for my Nikon. For the price of 1 A10 I can buy 5 V1's. My A10's head is quite lose; the Godox is much more firm. Good is getting better and better...

[@MrGiorgos1993]

Before 3 days I was thinking to buy a new flash from Canon EL-1. This video came from nowhere to give me some good information's.

[@cirmothe9]

Thanks for the thorough review of the different flashes. Learned a lot.

[@FStoppers]

Read the full review of all of these flashes here: fstoppers.com/reviews/best-speedlighton-camera-flash-sony-nikon-canon-673225

[@nmelcam1]

About the Westcott, all strobes do the same, when you get to 0.1 (1/256 or 1/128) it stops and the same when you get to 9.0 (1/1) they all stop, but when you go to the modelling lamps they cycle on and off or if they have different power settings they cycle through the different powers an when you reach wither end it keeps cycling About the Sony flash, all on camera flashes (except the manual only ones) can be controlled via the cameras menu. Even the cheap Yongnuo's can be controlled by the camera menu, at least with Canon (old models too, I had a T5i and it controlled the flashes via camera menu) Guess Lee is a newbie LO just kidding, love you guys, Lee and Patrick and sometimes Pye when he visits and challenges Lee hahaha

[@davidmaitaf1213]

What a perfectly explained is this hole video !!! Amazing work

[@georgestiros4392]

wow wow thank you Just bought a Lumix S5 ii and was looking to buy the Westcott flash. I will buy it now as I like the simplicity and bright LED panel.

[@BrunoPozo4Real]

Thank you for this comparison video! I am such a noob when it comes to flash photography and so this breakdown was super handy. Cheers!🎉

[@351linzdoctor]

I use the Sony Flash with Godox X1 receiver and Godox Flashes works just like a Godox flash! And I prefer the Sony Flash when shooting on camera flash because the flash can turn into the correct position for shooting verticals without any kind of Bracket or Bounce Diffuser! The sound of the click stops does not bother me!

[@leunam3434]

I’m a Sony flash user and agree that the Sony flash is as powerful when used with the external battery pack. They don’t last due to flash bulb failure. I’m constantly buying used Sony speed lights to replace burnout lights.

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

Thank you. Really been looking for this type of comparison. Currently, on my mirrorless systems I’ve used Godox V1 on Sony and Canon and even had them for a Nikon Z9 and another model for Fuji. For Canon I’m still using Canon flashes bought for my DSLR versions. Have considered switching to Wescott on the advice of several Pros I’ve been talking with in various forums because they have had better reliability they claim. I will need more than just Speedlites though since for Godox also own V1 and AD400, AD360 bare bulb, and AD200 bare bulb/fresnel head so the other larger members of the family are equally important. Take care.

[@log0log]

Godox needs about 20 cm between flashes to work remotely, but it works flawlessly with Xpro remote

[@miisukiisu8053]

If you put a sheet of aluminium foil between flash and transmitter, it works much closer.

[@graxxor]

Did you try 0-30m mode or are you working with 1-100m mode?

[@blagovestzaimov3455]

just select short distance fire from the menu. By default is 1-100m, but you can select 0-10m if you shoot product and macro photography.

[@InsightImagingPhoto]

Assist beams is the most puzzling thing about flashes and mirrorless cameras. As a night club shooter, I was so excited to test out my Nikon z9 in a club, it’s crap. I now bring my older d750 when shooting in the club.

[@FStoppers]

I'd like to know more about this. I've still not bought a Nikon mirrorless but relied on DSLRs exclusively when I shot weddings and events. Does the SB910 not work with the Z9? It's crazy Nikon hasn't released any new speedlights in 15+ years now. Mirrorless is so much better at AF that I would have thought they would be great in low light too. -P

[@InsightImagingPhoto]

The SB910 works, just no assist beams. Focus in low light is good on the Z9 however I am shooting Raves in some serious dark rooms. Those assist beams help so much when walking the dance floor, only using the assist beams on my subjects to get a focus. I’ve considered adding a low light LED panel to my camera just to cast some assist focus light. Keep up the great videos.

[@HeathJ.Ledger]

This video was awesome! Thanks for your time brother!

[@darrelljohnson7052]

I personally fell in love with the Nissin MG8000, and the Nissin Di 866 Mark II. They both can interact with each other TTL, and they're pretty powerful! Additionally, a lot of graduation photography companies --- use them due to their durability!

[@KeithHeard]

Love this in-depth review of many options, with lots of information and direct comparisons. Thank you!

[@MrMeldarionx]

I love my Canon EX600-RT's .. in fact I have 3 of them and the Canon wireless trigger for them.

[@KDBroadCastings]

Yeah I recommend buying the actual brand of your cameras flash……tbh why am I even watching this video

[@IvorRackham]

I'm now using a lot of Neewer gear. They have really upped their game. It's worth noting that there is a near-range wireless mode in the flash trigger's menus, and this may not have been turned on if it was struggling to shoot close to the camera.

[@graxxor]

Since Neewar have cloned a lot of godox tech, one thing they also managed was to faithfully copy radio module of the godox, including the 0-30m mode.

[@IvorRackham]

@@graxxor All manufacturers take features from their competitors. You could equally say that Canon's pre-capture mode copied OM System/Olympus with their pro-capture, or Nikon copied Canon when they made a digital SLR. There's also a great deal of technology sharing between manufacturers. When people claim that features are copied, they are often licensed. Whatever, it's good for consumers to have a wide choice, isn't it?

[@orlixx]

Thanks for this comparison! I’ve sold Sony’s remote control after I saw the difficulty of their menu !

[@JeremyThouin]

Incredible video mate

[@digme]

The close range test is a special case. I prefer to use a trigger unit when shooting multi-flash, and Godox triggers (X2, XPro, X3) have a short distance setting with reduced transmitter power that will pass your close range test.

[@NicolasReusens]

thanx! was going crazy looking for the setting in my X1C...now that I know..gotta get the X3

[@markboonzaier4346]

This was such a great video!! At this stage i only use my V1 on camera and have been ecstatic with its quality

[@Leo_Perf]

Well done and thanks for taking the time to read all the manuals 😁. I’ve been using Godox for a while now and I was pleasantly surprised by the performance, especially given the lower price compared to other brands.

[@motoclik4474]

Gracias por el enorme trabajo! nada mejor que una prueba en paralelo y con mediciones precisas. Un test que derriba algunos mitos... 👏👏👏👏

[@photoangelov]

Thank you for all the testing. There's a Godox V1 Pro and it will be interesting to put it in such a comparison. The menu should be pretty much the same as the V1, so no manual reading required.

[@ivondavid]

thank you Mr. Fstoppers for doing the comparison test that i could never do or understand in the way that you did.

[@photo2000]

You can buy 4 Godox flashes for thd price of 1 Profoto, for little difference in quality of device and light output. It is why they have dominated the sales market for last 8 years. Godox were also the first to link an ecosystem from speedlight to Studio pack system. I loved my old Nikon SB-800, they were great. But the Godox TT685 has done just as great a job, at a quarter of the price. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@dbsouza1]

This was an amazing comparison - Great job!

[@pjcornelius]

Nice job. Given that you are a Profoto user I was pleased to see no discernible bias. I use Godox myself and have been quite happy, especially given the prices. As others have pointed out, one of the major drawbacks you pointed out with Godox, the close radio triggering failure, is not an issue with the Godox remote trigger (which has a setting for close work), and I would argue that if you are that close to an off-camera light you would be using the remote. The other major issue with Godox, the TTL, is odd. I have not noticed it myself on my Nikon cameras.

[@FStoppers]

It's funny, people always say we are biased esp after we released "the Truth" video comparing the B10 to other studio strobes, but in that video we really came to that conclusion unbiased as well. This speedlight video turned out differently though. -P

[@inhaler97]

One thing, I believe that the profoto A10 does have a Freeze mode tho. It may be called High Speed Sync

[@FStoppers]

Those are different things. High Speed Sync is the opposite of freeze. It uses a longer flash duration so you can shoot at faster shutter speeds. The flash essentially turns into a short lived constant light. Freeze is the opposite. It tries to dump the flash as fast as possible so the peak of flash occurs in a very very quick moment of time. The result is sharper flash images but usually worse color balance (the flash appears more blue). -P

[@danh2716]

In regards to TTL, I have found the godox V1 pro to be pretty accurate for straight on, shoe mount flash. But requires +2 for bounce. So when I'm just looking for some overall cheap and dirty fill bounced off the ceiling (kids birthday cake shots type shooting) I just bump the TTL up by two and it is pretty reliable from there.

[@Bigwillz]

I love these test. Thank you for doing this so we will be better informed buyers.

[@TheKommode]

I have the V1s square brother Godox V860IIIS. I notice that TTL, even on-camera on my A7IV is about 0.7 stops below. Of course, there is an adjustment to the TTL that can be easily adjusted on-flash to achieve the optimal result. I usually add 0.3 stops, to make sure I do not blow out the highlights. The same works when using TTL via trigger.

[@fredmuellerphotographer4532]

That’s my experience too with Godox TTL for Nikon. Tends to underexpose. If I really want consistent TTL behavior for an event ( one on camera flash ) I’ll use one of my old SB700s on my Z8. Flawless. But shooting Realestate where I need a system and flash settings are manual, Godox is it and hard to beat for value.

[@saigonjauk6950]

Very honest and helpful review. Now I know what to expect.

[@vinceriggio72]

One missed category... Reliability. Excellent video.

[@rafaelgarciarico110]

Enhorabuena por la comparativa, siempre tengo Canon con flashes de su zapata, pero he incluido Fuji al equipo y creo que el Westcott por poder usarse en distintas monturas me ahorraría tener mas marcas y poder usar solo una montura de flash por se polivalente su zapata

[@baconcrusader8382]

That was a lot of really good info, and hard work I'm sure. Thank you so much for making this video!

[@jetblakink]

Very timely. I just ordered the Newer Z2 yesterday. Initially wanted the Godox V1, but price is a huge factor. Was gonna go for the Z1, but love that huge interface of the Z2.

[@StudioGalvan]

Thanks for going through all of this effort! 👍🏼 (I sure wouldn't have.)😅

[@kaiwerner6]

Thanks very much for this great comparison

[@marclabro]

this is the most useful tuto i have seen about flash comparison ! I have lot of comments to do. for my a74 and a7r5 i am using godox V1S with plastic shoe (two flashes broken just in portrait mode), V1S with metal shoe (still alibve), V1S pro with sub-flash, transmitter xpro, xpro2 and x3. and some ad200pro, ad100pro, ad300pro and ad400pro. All my V1S, ad200pro have magmod magsphere2, magbounce2, maggrid2, ...So, I am fan, except with all V1S in ttl on-camera flash. I become crazy missing most of my shoots. I do trials at home on products, portraits, vegetables,... and they are burnt, underexposed,... with camera in M mode F/2.8...F8, 1/125s, iso 100...800. worse with sub flash at fix level like 1/4 or 1/2. Finally i set it to 1/32 ! Reading so many times that sony flash really communicate with camera, i decided to buy a HVL-F60RM2. Compared to you, i plugged on a7rv, ttl by default, did same 20 trials with direct flash, flash to the ceiling with white card raised,... all perfect. I have the feeling that it really uses the setups of camera for focus mode, light metering,... I am not sure and would be interested by a new tuto about that. the orientation of the flash in portrait mode is amazing. I found the interface prehistoric but easy for on-camera : ttl or manual, tune expo compensation, zoom,... my complains : they removed the led modeling light for low light situations, HVL is not compatible with magmod V2 stronger magnet. in fact HVL has an internal magnet to detect the tupperare diffuser and as soon as you approach a magsphere2, you hear the zoom moving :-( Really, I would like to improve my skills in ttl on-camera with V1S pro (as you see tutos on godox global youtube channel with subflash...) but how ? manual mode is perfect. About HVL, I have shooted a wedding with a small rogue flashbender V3 to replace the small HVL white card and it is pretty good, better than a magsphere illuminating in all directions !

[@FStoppers]

Wow you are saying Sony has handicapped their flash so you can't use 3rd party light modifiers?!? Why would they do that? Surely it's just an engineering overlook that causes the zoom to do that. What a shame. -P

[@marclabro]

I don't say it was intended. I just say that sony implemented a magnet inside hvl head to detect their plastic diffuser and automatically switch the zoom. Genius, even i prefer to do that myself, but magnet on magmod magdphere 2 is so string as well as maggrid2 that it makes magmod insertion a little hard ( rotates) and changes zoom when approached. Magmod v1 magnet being less strong is easier to put in place but you still hear the zoom motor of hvl changing.

[@artmaltman]

Superb comparison. Thank you!!! Ps: Godox triggers have a range setting. Perhaps the flash does as well. Pps: Godox is called Flashpoint at Adorama. They were the original importer.

[@gordw6402]

@25:11 fyi the Neewer will Flash when the transmitter is near or actually touching the flash. You just have to go into settings of the transmitter (xproii) and set distance to 0 to 30 m. As opposed to 1 to 100 m.

[@johndonaldson5126]

Great video created with great effort. Thank you. This is perfect for the phase I'm going through today. I've been using three Godox TT685 speedlights as my only source of extra light. I was continuously disappointed by my resulting image quality which was always too dim. I, of course, tried many adjustments but finally concluded I just need one main higher-powered light, and perhaps just one 80ws. I use two Sony cameras so I'll need two FJ-X3s triggers.. I've lost shots because the flash recharge time was too long. All of my low-key portraits came out too dark. I have a shoot coming up that is similar to a sports team where they have asked for a picture per athlete. I don't know how many athletes there will be but there are well over 150. If I have to use full power strobes I don't think my speedlights will do the trick. So for me, after much study including this video, I've decided to go with the Westcott fj400. The color screen, and the simple screen layout, is a major draw for me. It also has High Speed Sync, which I do sometimes use, and TTL which I use a lot. If Godox had a color touch screen with a more user friendly menu I would have stuck with Godox. Sadly this will be an expensive upgrade close to $1,000.

[@sethobates]

Really appreciate the work and testing gone into this. Your perseverance is admirable ;)

[@p.burley4533]

Power, WB, and simplicity are my go-to’s, and I’m so glad that Godox essentially won for what matters most. However, I listed simplicity last on purpose!

[@caleidoo]

Many people buy a round head thinking it makes their flash photos better. While in reality, it only adds an advantage if you shoot it straight at your subject without any modifier on it, him or her standing against a wall, showing the nice fall off. Or when you want to use magnetic modifiers. Otherwise, there is no advantage. It even has the disadvantage, besides some lower power compared the same flashes with square head (V1 is the same as a V860III) , it also has a limited zoom range compared to normal square flash heads. I do magic with bounce flash, I need that tele end of the zoom on my flash. If you know your light and your gear, you can make people look lit up by a side placed softbox. That being said, it's amazing not a single brand has come up with a recplacement for the AF asist light on flashes. It has been the only reliable way to focus in near pitch dark for decades. I get the newer AF sensors are not working with infrared. But surely they are alternatives? Even just a beam of thin green lines or a grid, might just help. I never understood that makers of mirrorless cameras just decided one monday morning: "No, you won't be alble to do that anymore. That ship has sailed.". I shoot hundreds of events in low to very low light with my SB-910 & D750. The thin red grid of lines was very unobtrusive and on a dancefloor, nobody noticed it. I could nail people dancing and having fun, without them being aware of me. And of course, use soft bounce light to make the scene brighter, without killing he ambiance. Of course, it only engages in AF-S mode, so you'd be tapping that AF-ON button like crazy to keep the camera focussed untill you hit the shutter. But it worked. Now with mirrorless, suddenly you need to "trust the AI autofocus", but in reality you need to overshoot a lot, because 30-40% won't be in focus properly. Or won't be able to focus at all. I know people changed their style to cope with this and shoot at F8, drag the shutter, do zone focus and just blast away straight on. I don't want to be that kind of photographer. It also reminds me of how we took photos 10-15 years aog. And today it results in people posing. And I paid for my F1.2 and F1.8 lenses, I'm not going to shoot at F8 unless I want to.

[@jdtvp]

Thanks for this video. Very interesting results. There are two test that I always miss in this kind of reviews though. In this video comparing different flashes would make it impossible to sum up, but can be an idea for future videos. First is the consistency of output power. When you set a power value, how consistent is the image. I have some problem, for instance, when taking stop motion of blooming flowers. The final video always shows some flickering, since the flash delivers unconsistent light (obviously I wait enough for the recicling time). The other test is how precise is the output when selecting low power lightning. In some of my flashes (none of those in the video), when you reach values lower than 1/64, even when you have the option of selecting thirds of stop, the response is poor or none in terms of acuracy. This is bad for my macro photo stacking attemps.

[@BogdanNYou]

this is one amazing review! all reviews should be like this! Great effort!

[@Original_Old_Farmer]

I was kinda hoping you would give more information on the "feeze" setting. This is an impressive video. Now to the flash units. If any of these cost more than $25 to make, I would be surprised. Research and development on something like this should be pro-rated over five years, not a week. I hate to say it, but in my opinion they are all junk. If one of these were given to me for free, I wouldn't even give it away. Instead, I would bury it in the backyard so I wouldn't be contributing to giving away junk. Have you noticed that companies are no longer protecting their branding? It used to be that buying a brand would mean quality. I cannot see how anyone working at these companies can be proud of what they turn out. A long time ago, I stopped buying Sony, whether it was pro gear or consumer gear. They have given me enough bad attitude that I specifically sold anything with a sony brand. Again great video. I'm surprised you didn't try firing these flashes from the International Space Station. Be safe.

[@FStoppers]

What more do you want to know about freeze? They push more of the flash out in a shorter time but sacrifice the warmer temperature of the flash which is often added to the flash pulse towards the end of the exposure. This is why your flash appears more blue. -P

[@original_old_farmer-z5m]

@@FStoppers Maybe you missed, it but you had mis-spelled Freeze on the slide. That's something I do all the time. Just a bit of humor. I was really impressed with the level you went into and also the expense. Again, thank you for a great video. Be safe.

[@MojoPapiFPV]

As someone who works with Profoto and Broncolor gear regularly, I personally own Flashpoint/Godox heads. Better color, exposed bulb, better remote, all at a fraction of the price.

[@MojoPapiFPV]

Profoto is the LaCie of lights. They've made a name for themselves and so everyone just assumes it's the better choice. But if you know, you know. The single advantage profoto has is that you can fly into any city and be able to rent a replacement, and that has a great deal of value when you're a traveling pro that relies heavily on rental houses so you're not schlepping a bunch of gear everywhere.

[@danwongphoto]

@@MojoPapiFPV Agreed, I'm in the same situation. Usually rent Profoto for bigger commercial jobs but I own Godox mono lights and Elinchrom packs for smaller quicker jobs. Never had an issue with the Godox light quality or how the operate. The robustness of a B1X is hard to beat but I don't notice the difference in light quality. Also - THE REMOTE. I can see the power settings on my Godox or Skyport remotes. Profoto I have to keep checking where I'm at on the light itself

[@michaelgaraphoto]

V1 has been superseeded by the V1 Pro, and next time, you might want to include the V860III from Godox as well. Essentially the V1 in a traditional form factor.

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

Interesting review. The next time I buy a flash, I’ve got a lot more info to make the decision.

[@GabrielGuzman18]

Thanks to the algorithm for this one! I was just thinking of getting a flash

[@lukasf5256]

Wow! That must have been soooo much work! I think godox and neewer are the same company under different names ... my z1 is exactly the same as the v1 only the node that holds the battery in place is different.

[@rockfan2787]

ive ditched the nikon system a couple years ago and went with Godox and I love it. I have 2 V860ii, 1 v860iii, V1 Pro, and AD200Pro and they just work great. I will agree with the sentiment of the TTL...Godox needs to work on it but otherwise they are a great unit for the price. Having the modelling lamp on the V1 is super handy for dark venues. I find it's brighter than the AD200 pro and its adjustable where the AD200pro modelling lamp is not. The main issue that I have with Godox however is that it has a lot of misfiring which is really frustrating. I don't know how the AD300 or 400 are but the stock of lights that I have, they tend to misfire more than I'd like

[@merashad]

I use Canon's 470EX-AI and it does a very good job of exposure and color. It also has a bounce flash feature that is very good. It pairs well with my Godox speedlights. Even though, this flash has been around for about 8 years, I must say it's a great investment.

[@Max-mh5yo]

Good choice. Just bought the Godox V1pro and i think its a not the worst flash for the money.

[@TecnoguiaCol]

You missed including a Yongnuo flash, is another "affordable" option that many enthusiasts choose, but nice selection overall, I didn't know the Westcott

[@Jwitherow1964]

your amazing to take your time with all this. Good work sir

[@GIRAFLASH2]

👍Very good test , Haw I use the flash over camera, is remote control is very near of the flash, I modified the antena position and work prefect 😄

[@colddish]

Wescott is either a rebadged Jinbei HD2 series (HD2 Pro and a newer version Max) or a variation of Jinbei flash. There are some differences in the interface and the Wescott uses screw-in type accessories while Jinbei uses magnet. The trigger though looks exactly the same as Jinbei’s TR-Q7II. I use Jinbei HD2 Max on my Canon R6 and I find it very useable. It can even group flash with 600EX-RT using the TR-Q7II trigger, a feature that Godox nor Neewer lack.

[@Razor2048]

Profoto may be using a low transmit power for increased battery life and functioning very close to the flash. If you want more range then you need a good antenna, as well as good receiver sensitivity. The only issue is that if the signal clips, then the data will be corrupted, thus the flash will not fire. Godox experiences this issue more more than others, because they use a higher transmit power (check out the FCC ID on their products), though while not well documented, they often offer a short range mode on their flash triggers which significantly drops the transmit power to a point where they can be touching without issue, though the range drops to around 30-40ft line of sight (they started adding it with the X1T trigger).

[@MyRipoff]

im not sure if this has been answered but, in order for the AF assist to work on the flash, you need to change the setting on your camera to single shot focus and not continuous autofocus

[@carolinagorodetsky8200]

Thank you! Amazing review! 👍

[@michaelscoots]

For ETTL on the Godox - you need to look at ETTL compensation on your camera body. Make sure that is zero’d out (if not it will overwrite the setting on the flash) and it should work perfectly! So long as you’ve made sure it is mounted and secure in the hot shoe. Hope this is useful.

[@Shenxiaoyong]

I suspect also, especially the Sony one behavior the same, also under exposure

[@HR-wd6cw]

For OEM Nikon I've used the SB700 and SB910 both great flashes, but now have settled on the Godox, partially because they are cheaper (so if one breaks it's not a huge loss just a minor headache), but more so that their system is pretty much a more complete system than some of the others that may require different triggers for different lights (or you can't use an older triger to trigger newer lights, and vice-versa) but for Godox this generally is not a concern for the most part as even the old triggers will trigger the newer lights (although it may just be in manual mode only, but since I only shoot manual mode for flash this works out fine for me). I can upgrade my lights without having to buy new triggers necessarily, and vice-versa. Plus then there's the overall value. For one Nikon SB5000 for example, I can buy two hotshoe flashes, and two triggers and still have money left over for a small softbox or something. So I can build a basic 2 or 3 light kit for the same cost as a single SB5000 Nikon flash. The NIkon flash might be more durable but at $110 for the godox flashes it's hard to beat, since mine do endure some abuse on location.

[@gewglesux]

Loves the A10... it's expensive but it works.I do wish it had a color screen.

[@madtical777]

Profoto reminds me of AG1 ( Athletic Greens ) low quality, insane high price. we should expect Profoto's price to go down on their current models since being exposed. thanks for the testing. i have a Godox v1 and I plan to use it more since this review. the pro photography industry always puts Godox down, and now Godox is secretly moving past Profoto. and affordably!

[@EpicForLief]

Profoto is low quality?! 😂

[@dhanib]

Great video, thank you for all the work put into this video. Sony with a bad interface, who would´ve thought....

[@markpugh1498]

Great video! Night club / event photographer here. On the A7iii & A7RV. AF assist beam in the V1 will only come on in single shot AF or Auto AF. It will not work in continuous AF.

[@FStoppers]

I'm playing with the AF light right now and it seems to work really well. I've read some commenters saying that Mirrorless cameras don't play well with AF illumining grids but this one seems to lock quickly. Any thoughts on that? -P

[@indyboondocks4208]

good video, besides being very informational. It was also entertaining.

[@sritchie.7215]

I have the Sony flash the TTL works way better than the Godox and the build quality is also way better. I had the Godox V1 and the 380II the V1 literally fell apart inside and I only used it maybe 10 times. The 380II I sold along with the wireless trigger and to my surprise as I'm showing the wireless trigger to the guy I'm selling to I noticed the mount was also broken, Cheap asF! The Sony TTL works great the menu is easy for any average person (I figured it out without a manual), IMO build quality is great.

[@stoyanvassev9691]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I wonder does it make the same pop noise as the AD100Pro does when flashing? (That noise kind of annoyes me)

[@auroramaharani]

thank you. you’re very clever and i’ll buy godox v1.

[@annettehurd9391]

Wow! Great video!