Westcott FJ200 vs Godox AD200 Pro

[@RickFerris70]

This makes me feel even better about my purchase of the Flashpoint 200’s. I love the portability and power of these in the small(ish) size. They serve me very well!

[@mimstyle]

3x Ad200 original with extension with all magmod accessories, the perfect combination 👌

[@charliegreen1989]

Great stuff Rob, think I’m going to stick with my Godox system.

[@LMActionsports]

Great comparison I started out with the ad200 when I start using off-camera flash and then the next year I picked up another one and the adapter head where you can put both of them on there and get 400watts. And these lights have never failed me never missed fired they have taken some spills from heavy wind and still keep working. Five years now and I’m still using the original batteries. Even though I have bought a whole slew of godox strobe lights from the 300 Pro to the ad600’s, to the ad1200 pro. I couldn’t be more happier with their performance. Plus the 200 has so many options with the ball or the Fresno head. You can put so many different adapters on it to produce so many different styles of lighting. You can’t go wrong with godox. I got nothing against wescott I just think their prices are a little steep. And aren’t their lights re-named/ rebranded by another company that originally made them.

[@SDA0271]

Rock solid review! I'm on the Westcott platform and love it, but will give the Godox camp credit due. Just the fact that we have all this amazing technology available at incredibly affordable prices. The amount of lighting you can take with you on location is amazing. Great unbiased review, love it!

[@rickjbradbury]

The Godox system is far more mature and provides a much wider range of options on battery powered units and mains. For me it's the better of the two systems.

[@HectorRiveraPhotography]

i left godox never turn back quality of light is like profoto game changer and there more reliable way better built

[@lacayoj]

I have 3 Godox AD200 pro and I freaking love them. Would buy another without a doubt.

[@ihashup]

Lets hope that FJWestcott releases the other Jinbei lights like the 600W and the 1200W lights. Great unbiased comparison!

[@gaidohugo5337]

great comparison ... One (big if you shoot canon) plus for the FJ200 is that it has the canon RT protocol, same as the FJ400 and the 500 Ws model that Adorama still sells under the orbit brand ... The problem that the 500 Ws flash used to have (at least in my experience) was that the link was never really strong. But for a canon user that doesn't want to give up OEM flashes on camera, the jinbei/wescott is becaming an interesting ecosystem

[@robhallphoto]

Yeah, when I reviewed the Orlit HD610 I mentioned it’s a straight up better buy than ad600 if you own Canon speedlites. But years later, the amount of people interested in OCF systems that want to stick with Canon speedlites is extremely slim.

[@Ridgerider13]

Good review. One thing you did not mention (maybe when you review the trigger) is that the Wescott system works on all major camera brands. Since I shoot both Nikon, Sony and Panasonic, the ability to have just one trigger (transmitter) that can be used on any of my cameras was a game changer.

[@robhallphoto]

Yup, I didn't want to repeat it through all reviews so I'll cover it in the XJ2M video. Curious, as an owner - I'm finding the XJ2M to have poor battery life. Like, from fully charged to empty in one (full day) shoot. I contrast this with shooting for months on end with a pair of AA's in my Flashpoint trigger. What is your experience with the battery life on your XJ2M trigger?

[@Ridgerider13]

@@robhallphoto As a hobbiest, I don't normally shoot with flash all day. I've only had the FJ-X2m for a few weeks. I've probably used it for a total of 6-8 hours (maybe 70-80 shots) and the battery indicator has only gone down one bar. The battery in my FJ80 has actually gone down quicker.

[@robhallphoto]

@@Ridgerider13 In general I'm just finding these have way more phantom / operational drain than Godox alternatives. Not a huge issue but it's just something that's hard for me to quantify because they sit in between uses as I still use Godox for work.

[@Daguigoz]

You can do so with Godoy as well as long as your forfeit TTL

[@KBTIMAGES]

@@robhallphoto I’ve experienced the same battery drain issue. And I never leave batteries in devices when not used. I also use Godox and Elincrom equipment and only the jinbei triggers need to have constant battery changes in the middle of shoots.

[@Jwitherow1964]

We’re have you been glad your back I enjoy your input thanks

[@leesunlung]

You mentioned Godox is better value because it is cheaper. What if they both are same price? You still go with the Godox?

[@ranjankmsphotography]

Never😅 Godox is a pure Chinese item 😂 Westcott has a polished reasearch and engineering done over a Chinese brand, Jinbei. So Westcott is more dependable in quality and durability along with far better service and support.

[@krisconnor]

I shoot mostly on location, the FJ200 modeling lights come in handy and have been powerful enough that I can turn off the ambient lights in a conference room.

[@richmaher6010]

all things being fairly equal, I love the large display on the Westcott, enough to make me switch. Where is the best place to sell my mint AD600 PRO, AD400 Pro, Zoom LI and 3 remotes?

[@coolbuddydude1]

Why would you need a large display? Everything can be controlled & seen by the remote.

[@phphoto]

Always so thorough - Thank you for doing this Rob 👍🏼

[@skyace888]

Thanks for this comparison. I am looking at getting a 3 light setup of likely one of these systems. I think the Godox is the slight better one overall but I just wonder about the long-term quality mostly and also the support with Godox. Westcott has always been good when I've had questions and I've rented FJ400s before (but it's not practical for me to buy such large lights for my work). There are pros and cons of both systems for sure but I think the flexibility and smaller size of the Godox might just win.

[@ranjankmsphotography]

Godox quality and durability is unreliable 😢 Its products have huge sample to sample variations. I have several Godox flashes and none of them proved anything that may lead me to say that its great in quality. The LCD panel gets black patches after a year or two, a very confusing menu system and TTL Accuracy is horrible in Godox😢 Westcott products are costly but I think they are very well built and durable. Their menu system is undoubtedly fabulous. Here TTL Accuracy wasn't measured or spoken about in this comparison video. I expected that.

[@Richie5480]

Yeah I carry 2 AD200 in my backpack with 2 cameras and lens. Oh yeah I have the round heads and all the barn doors & all the other stuff.

[@budditube]

even Westcott is not available in my country at all, as a Pentaxian i would always be interested in compatibility... i know Godox has the trigger i need to use HSS, TTL, but what about Westcott?

[@bramelenbaas3938]

Nice explanation as allways Robert. The (original) Jinbei HD200 is now at a reduced pricelevel of 199€ in Europe. That seems ok vs Godox AD200pro. However would never change to Jinbei while enjoying so much the Godox ecosystem and the different heads of the 200! Pls mention Westcott is just rebranding a Jinbei product (as you did ones before), Godox would not do that. Thanks again for educating us Robert!

[@robhallphoto]

I stated my piece on the Westcott rebrand situation, and am leaving that out of these reviews. The thing is, Westcott’s exclusivity has muddied the visibility of the Jinbei name here in the US, as it looks like nobody can carry it under its manufacturer name. I also don’t think it’s true that Godox would never do the same, they seem quite alright with allowing rebrands. The immense popularity of Godox and lack of exclusivity have pulled back the curtain to the point that most people understand the model, but still daily people buy into rebrands not knowing Godox exists.

[@bramelenbaas3938]

@@robhallphoto Thanks, I realize the situation in the US is different than here in Europe re rebranding. Here Godox products are sold only as Godox and Jinbei too as far as I know.

[@paulkane7636]

There are no shortage of Godox rebrands.....don't kid yourself !

[@robhallphoto]

@@bramelenbaas3938 Pixapro rebrands in UK. Quadralite in Denmark That's just off the top of my head, they are rebranded all over the world, sometimes the only thing that stops multiple rebrands in one country is the first company pursuing an exclusivity to rebrand, forcing the others retailers to carry under Godox name.

[@bramelenbaas3938]

@@robhallphoto Thanks, clearly still learning from you everytime Robert!

[@billmastorakis2137]

Another great video Rob.

[@gnegron22]

Glad to see this! Thank you for doing this.

[@jimmyhill9591]

Even the cyber Monday price of the Westcott is more than people in other countries normally pay for an original Jinbei branded unit. They come with a 12 month warranty vs Flashpoints 24 month. It takes up twice the room and has none of the modularity. If I was really worried about a slightly faster recycle time, I'd just go with the Xplor 300 and get more power to boot.

[@robhallphoto]

That is annoying. I mean Westcott has never been cheap, but at $200 it would be a way more compelling alternative, especially for those looking to get into a 3+ light setup. I wonder why there’s such a big price gap when there isn’t on the other products.

[@krisconnor]

I have had to call Westcott's customer service and a real person answered on the other end and worked with to get through the issue. Also, were able to do a custom package as one of them had things I didn't need.

[@steve7015]

Great comparison. Thanks! Really nice backdrop. Did you make it yourself? Clearly you've got good taste in backdrops.....Can you do a video on backdrops? Cheers!

[@artmaltman]

Love these comparisons of FJ vs Godox. Question: is the FJ series a rebranding of a particular Asian manufacturer? Thank you.

[@robhallphoto]

They are rebrands of Jinbei products (HD-2, HD200 Pro, HD400 Pro)

[@jamesgolando8862]

If you had to pick one light primarily For outdoor portraits would it the the AD200 or the AD 300?

[@robhallphoto]

300 Pro. The Godox mount modifiers just make everything so much more compact than bowens modifiers. And both have the option of connecting to Bowens mods via S2 bracket so the experience is the same there. So unless you have a need for the fresnel head (which I never do as my A light), I think the 300 pro is better.

[@jamesgolando8862]

@@robhallphoto thanks my other thought was to purchase 2 AD 200 and the bracket to mount them but it may get heavy and bulky

[@tonygatos1]

I always enjoy your videos!

[@KamilROfficial]

Great video my dude! Keep crushing it 😜👊

[@tempest63132]

Solid video, rob! That beards got you looking like Kratos from the latest God Of War game! 💪

[@robhallphoto]

So do these “I just had a baby” bags under my eyes😂

[@tempest63132]

@@robhallphoto congratulations 🎉🎊🍾

[@Vsual1]

I've got a solid Flashpoint/Godox eco system but that background I could use.

[@robhallphoto]

www.clotstudio.com I just bought 4 more recently! 50% off today which is the lowest discount I’ve seen (and it’s actually 50% off the typical price, though they frequently run 30-40% off promotions too).

[@steverealtyandfinance8171]

how does the color accuracy and reliabilty of these lights compare to Profoto lights? Are Profoto lights worth the cost?

[@robhallphoto]

I’ve got multiple Godox vs Profoto comparisons on this channel. V1 vs A1. AD600 vs B1. AD600 Pro vs B1X vs Siros 800. B10 vs 400 pro.

[@eduardobarrerag.8004]

Hi, hello how about the fj200 is it compatible with a godox trigger? or is it only compatible with the westcott trigger

[@robhallphoto]

Westcott / Jinbei only.

[@MartinV.]

Great Video!

[@ponyonyo3805]

Comparison of round head.EC200 has many slits on side. lots of light spills from there.

[@markintosh13]

Hi Rob - Would love for Godox to release an adapter or bracket for the AD200 and AD360ii to use Godox-mount accessories. Not sure if that would be a Quantum Type mount (think AD-S7 reflector socket) to Godox-mount adapter or an S2 bracket. But to be able to use an ad-s65 softbox directly would be AWESOME!

[@robhallphoto]

Hey Mark, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. The native barebulb mount on the AD200 / AD360 can’t support much, which is why the largest modifier for it is a tiny, lightweight, softbox. It wouldn’t be able to support a 33” softbox.

[@markintosh13]

@@robhallphoto Adorama sells a Glow Streaklight Evolv adapter for Parapop /Hexapop and there’s a discontinued SMDV adapter for their 70cm soft boxes

[@robhallphoto]

@@markintosh13 Those are still super lightweight as they have only 8 fiberglass rods, with no metal umbrella mechanism on the inside. The AD-S85 is 16 metal rods and metal umbrella mechanism. Godox is never shy about increasing compatibility, if it doesn't exist I assume there's a reason!

[@AiramDatoon]

Petition for a Christmas glitter beard for the next Rob Hall video. Like this comment if you think Rob should do it!

[@gwvaio]

Alright guys I’m having a problem with my ad200. At the beginning of a shoot it pops off fine but after a while it will take 5-6 for the flash to charge between shots. What is the problem and how do I fix it?

[@robhallphoto]

Either it's disfunctional, or you're hitting the thermal protection, which is outlined by a specific number of flashes at every power level in the manual.

[@jellevanthuyne1984]

But is the godox trustworthy?

[@steverealtyandfinance8171]

I was told by a very experienced photographer that the wescott fj series lights are consistent from shot to shot while the godox are not.

[@Zetaphotography]

Too many inconsistent images, issues wigh batteries, misfires. Switched from Godox AD200 to StellaPro Reflex S lights

[@mattstolzman]

In Germany, Jinbei HD200 costs only 200 Euro

[@marvinphotog8602]

The only thing I like about the fj200 is the a.c. adapter...wish ad200 gets this...

[@robhallphoto]

Yeah I feel like that would be easy for them to accomplish too.

[@frits1463]

Why? The AD200 Pro does 500 full power flashes on one charge. You can shoot a whole day without charging.

[@back40canoe]

You failed to mention the compatibility of the fj200 with Canon RT. For me this is a big differentiation

[@robhallphoto]

Understandable, but at this point that’s an extremely minority take as most people are looking at 3rd party flash systems because native speedlights are limited, and a terrible value.

[@iransirijillo]

One thing the Wescott has me interested in is their menu/software, the godox is a mess and often frustrates me to the point i want to throw the trigger against the wall

[@robhallphoto]

really? the only function I ever use within the menu is scan for best channel or to change the channel. Both of which are obvious. Beyond that I never use it, though I still find it quite clear.

[@janinadavidthompson4949]

The thought of redoing my pelican case to switch from godox to jinbei makes me shudder. Let alone another case in the car.. Oh wait they wouldn't fit... problem solved. Just joking it never was a problem cause godox all the way.

[@ArtKingjr]

What made me mad about the AD200 is the bare bulb doesn't work as a model light as well. Here you have an actual bulb that doesn't light up as one lol.

[@pahountisg]

no flash tube does that

[@daillengineer]

but the round head for the ad200 does have a modeling light if that is something that is needed. versatility.

[@paigecfrancis]

In other words, the ad200 is your uncle bob. In Canada speak 😆

[@Philipe0849]

I hate the shape of the Godox AD200.. I will never use those types of lights..Westcott FJ200 all the way for me..

[@coolbuddydude1]

What is wrong with its shape ?

[@coolbuddydude1]

Godox > Jinbei