i just wish the godox flashes would be changed to make controlling them easier. It's like they made a checklist of features and just implemented them in any way without caring about ease of use.
I was going to do some digging on this new flash and just thought nah, I'll just wait until that guy Rob makes a video about it. And here we are. Thanks bro
I would have bought this right away, but I need the forward-facing modeling LED light the V860III has. I occasionally use it when I want to bounce flash, but it's too dark to focus without some additional light. It doesn't happen often, but it's a lifesaver when it does. If they ever make an LED attachment in place of that pointless little flash, I would get it for sure.
Missed opportunity to revamp the UI and button interface. Could have matched the new transmitters interface with a few buttons and touch screen. The buttons, especially the jog dial, on the current models suck.
I’m pretty sure they are hesitant to revamp the UI to touch screen on their flagship speedlight considering its popularity - and many people don’t want touch screens. With the trigger, you aren’t missing out on any upgrades if you don’t want the touch screen. The dial definitely should have been changed though.
@@robhallphoto my dial is so bad now that whenever this is new V1 version is available I’ll get it. I have had the V1 that I’m currently using from preorder time when it was first launched. It’s done me well up until last year when the jog dial started to crap out. I do like the fill flash attachment and I’m curious to see what I can do with it. The better over heat handling is welcomed too. USBC charging should be on every single Godox battery. I would buy new batteries for all my other Godox gear if it meant I could have USBC charging built into the battery.
Having a small video light in that secondary position would be game changing. Can't tell you how often I'm bouncing flash during a reception but it's so dark in the venue that I can barely focus. Have a little video light in that position would be amazing!!!
@@MrDivinemethod The V860III is always overlooked. I don't know why. I sometimes use that LED for nightlife, because mirrorless can't focus in the dark. It can go very very bright. But the V860III has many things going for it. It's a little more powerful and can do everything that the V1 can do, except offer the softer light fall off - which you can only see the benefits of if you shoot a subject against a wall anyway and only if you don't use any modifiers. But the V860III has a much wider zoom range and goes all the way to 200mm. And it's cheaper. For some reason, the round head is the next best thing, when in reality it's worse at the features most people use a flash for.
I'm a wedding photographer and like you mentioned, when I used the old V1 during the reception, after I shot 30 or 40 shots, its thermo protection kicked in and the recycling time got soooo loooooong and it became useless. I'm now using V860iii and it's much better than the old V1 but it still happens sometimes. I'm glad to know that Godox has finally upgraded the thermo protection system. It's about time. To me, it's the single most important upgrade. As for the little flash.....I can't comment on that yet till I actually use it. I don't know when but I will get the V1 Pro.
If you're shooting 1/1 there's something wrong with your way of shooting in the first place. Raise the ISO, lower the flash power and you'll almost never hit the thermal barrier. 1/1 on the V1 is something reserved for studio stuff really. If you're on the move run and gunning, 1/1 is just not it
@@Galf506 , No I didn't use its full power. I think it was 1/8 or 1/16. The v860ii has the same overheating problems as the old V1. The v860III does a good job but near the end of the shoot, its recycling time slowly but surely gets slow. So, if Godox really fixed this overheat protection system, this could be a game changer for a photographer like me.
@@hidetoshitakahashi3881 Idk really, I've been using it routinely for birthday parties, weddings, nightlife, etc. and the overheating never really got problematic... 30-40 shots is at 1/1. You're more than doubling that quantity at lower settings. At 1/8 it's 320+ shots : who shoots 320 photos in a row without letting the flash cool? It's not something that happens in these situations, you'd be shooting high speed action stuff
@@Galf506 , I did a wedding reception dance, so I shot every 3 seconds or so. The old V1 was the worst of all when it come to overheating and I have two v860II and both caused overheat problem. Wescott FJ 80 is much better but its battery doesn't last long at all. With Nikon SB 5000 , I didn't have to worry about overheating because it has a cooling fan . But it has a hot shoe problem with my cameras and it cased misfires quite a bit, so I stopped using it. So far, v860III works for me.
Thanks for the insight..for me the V1 Pro has enough "new" updates for me to upgrade from my old V1..only thing was hoping they bumped the wattage up a bit ..haha but thats nit picking...very informative look as always!..
Have they fied the problem with the USB C charging on the V1? The charger that comes with the V1 doesn't support power supplies that do Power Delivery. Using a USB C to USB C cable means the battery charger doesn't work. Is it the same with the USB C port on the battery?
There might be a change an external powerpack like the Pb960 would reduce recycle times. Primary source of heat when re-charging the capacitor should be in the voltage conversion from battery level (~6V on AA, ~12V on Li-Ion) to the ~330V in the flash's capacitor, and with an external powerpack, that conversion is done in the pack and the 330V would be directly fed into the flash's capacitor. With AA speedlights I was able to bring down recycle times to 0.55s using a Pb960 and the Y adapter to connect both ports to one flash. Obviously, firing a speedlight twice a second at full power wouldn't be a very good idea, as I'm sure the head isn't really designed to handle that much heat from the flash tube in such a short time frame, but at least the charging circuitry should not be a part of that equation anymore...
I hope this release doesn’t mean Godox is going to strip the 960 port from future 685 flashes. Didn’t know the Y-adapter worked to speed up the flash even more-that’s insane and I should try it out. As is it, the 685 with a pack is faster than the V1, but in my experience so far it has failed to fire more often than the V1.
It would be awesome if they did some kind of focus assist light with that front flash for very low light situations (because grids only work for dslr). Looks like a nice update with color corrected and that new battery. I was thinking about getting V1 to supplement my V860III. Then again I don't see any benefit from this small flash in front, especially if it can't work with TTL. Thanks for the review!
Idk where this idea that grids only work with dSLR comes from. X-trans sensors (Fuji specifically) can’t see them, but that’s not true of other brands. The grid works as intended on Sony.
@@robhallphoto Well that is what I have read, on sensor AF can't recognize red grid (doesn't make sense to me). Kudos to Sony. Nikon has locked that option for Godox flashes (all flashes whatsoever). I have sent e-mails to Godox and that was their response - Nikon didn't enable those options. They could even enable V860III led flash to lightup instead of that horrible green Nikon light which is blocked by every lens. Canon has af light now in their newest flash line-up and it works wonderful. I had a chance to see it first hand.
The V860III offers a LED which you can dial up and down. Unfortunately, it's not linked to tapping the AF-ON or shutter button, so it's either on or off. But I put my hand on it when I walk around and only remove it when I take the shot. It's possible to take candid photos.
I used Metz 58 flash before going to Godox and that had similar little fill flash in the front (integrated, not a separate add-on like this Godox). And similarly it could only do manual through a separate menu, no TTL. Didn't really use it that much, so I don't think the Godox version would be any more useful for my personal usage. Strange Godox trying to bring back something that didn't really take off when Metz tried it, I guess they wanted to add in something extra.
Nissin too had a Sub Flash much earlier in 2011 in their 'Nissin Di 866 Mark II Pro' flash. I still own and use that flash. It was Made In Japan. Nissin is still giving that option in its latest flashes like 'MG 60'.
Just when I was about to give away my pb960s, I still use some yongnuo speedlights for filling large rooms that are left unattended so if anyone bumps into them is not the end of the world.
great video. I have already broken two V1S with metallic shoe in full extension with magsphere 2 in portrait mode. The body breaks at the junction between the lock ring and the big square block with menu as if the plastic soldering was too thin. The lock system remains attached to a7rv and the flash drops on floor and explode. Any info Godox worked on that ? meanwhile I have purchased HVL-F60RM2
Great review, thanks! I’ve been using 1 of my AD200 flashes on my hotshoe via the battery extension kit. I’ve been unhappy with the original V1 because the interface controls are very “squishy”. I was hoping the new Pro model would fix this problem.
I would really like that switch on the side of the flash to have the option to be a control lock switch instead of ttl/manual. A speedy way to lock and unlock the controls would help eliminate forehead taps on the dpad that happen every time I'm shooting time critical things like coming down the isle shots. The press to hold lock and unlock is too slow for adjustments when time is critical, a lock switch would be a much faster method.
I never dealt with the forehead bumps myself but I assume depending on one’s anatomy and % using the VF, it could be really annoying. What would be nice is to just have a switch, and allow it to be programmed in custom functions. M / TTL Commander / Home Unlock / Lock etc.
@@robhallphoto turning that into a custom button would be a perfect solution. My forehead bumps the buttom of the d-pad into multi-mode only at the worst times, but it does it pretty much every time at those times. Not often during wedding prep photos, or reception photos. Almost always coming down the isle, garter toss, bouquet toss... Only when time is essential. The current lock feature is nice easy for most times, and the commander can still adjust the power while it's locked, which is great. But I do envy those with flashes that have a physical lock switch when I bump my into multi mode and miss a shot.
I considered the V1 when it first came out to replace my event flash set up (rectangular flash head and DEMB bounce card). The magnetic bounce card for the V1 would constantly fall off and was of no meaningful use to me. The dome was very secure, but when I put the flash straight up or in rear wall bounce position, there was so little light to no light directed forward it really made some unappealing (frankly terrible) event photos. I wonder if that second flash is there to address this issue. I think they would have done a lot better just making a better on camera flash bounce card solution for the V1 (one that would actually stay on and have a greater range of articulation). I know there is a larger non magnetic diffuser attachment, but I don't think it was out when I was testing the V1 originally.
People overestimate the round head. The V860III is the V1 with a regular head. You can't beat the power of good rectangular flash head with a good versatile zoom. You can bounce light directional with the flash zoomed at 200mm. A dome just lights up everything and makes it flat. You should not use a dome if you want to bounce. It's the opposite of bouncing, where you pick a wall or object to bounce your light off. A dome sends light everywhere and only a fraction gets onto your subject.
First off, great review! Your breakdown on the latest flash got me nodding along. 👍 Now, let's talk disappointment. The new version seems to be all about fixing HSS, which is cool, but honestly, they could've just tossed that in with a firmware update, right? I was hoping for a power-up in the battery department and a little boost in the recycle time. Instead, we get another accessory upfront, and HSS is the main show. It's like they threw a birthday party and forgot to bring the cake. Come on, guys, let's beef up the essentials before piling on more accessories. Here's to hoping they hear the collective sighs of us photographers looking for more than just HSS upgrades. Is it just me or he miss the most important update which is HSS? Keep those awesome reviews coming!
Im so confused. They updated the color (granted they did fix that on the previous one too) and the thermal protection mode. Those were the two biggest issues on the V1 as they affected all users. As for HSS, I didn’t even say HSS in the video. I’m confused on how that’s the main show but they also forgot it?
On the current one the rotary dial was so flimsy that it changes settings unexpectedly by any contact. Also the unit would jump out of the cold shoe on my flash bracket and fall to the ground way too easily!
I wish they would implement this overheating algorithm on their other flashes (ad200, etc) via firmware… but more likely that they’ll just come out with new models to sell us.
You have great information about the Godox/Flashpoint products. Out of curiosity, I am looking to change cameras from a D850 to a mirrorless. I have noted some cautions about Godox and the Canon R6/R6 Mk II hotshoes. Are there any known issues with the Nikon Z8?
Not sure about those bodies. I know Sony changed their shoe size at some point making it extremely difficult to get Godox gear on and off, but Godox changed their shoe size and now it fits great.
honestly i believe we need the tech to set kelvin flash. sometimes we need a warmer flash n sometimes cooler kelvin. we already have this tech in continuous light where you can set the kelvin temp.
Continuous lighting creates this by using different colored light sources on the chip, and blending between the two. The problem with this with flash is each color would require a flash tube of that color. Coloring the flash tube on it's own would decrease light output (effectively the same as gelling). And then, to make any color in between the extremes (say 3000 bulb and 7000 bulb) would diminish the output further as you would need a ratio between the two lights, therefore not able to tap into 100% draw. And then on top of that, you would have to blend the lights through diffusion to homogenize the two light sources (otherwise you'd just get two different colors projected). This means instead of firing light through a fresnel lens (which focuses the light and increases the brightness), you are losing light to diffusion. So imagine -1.5 stop on the bulb, -1 stop losing the fresnel, -1.5 stop going through diffusion, and then anywhere from -.5 to -1 stop depending on the ratio of the color you're trying to create. Quickly your flash is 4.5 - 5 stops less powerful, effectively turning a 76 w/s speedlight into a 3 w/s speedlight. Continuous lighting can thwart most of these issues through arrangement of hundreds of individually colored LEDs, lessening the need for diffusion. Also a 300w Bicolor LED can still draw 300w at every Kelvin temperature because each color is overspecced and then throttled when mixed. I don't think you could arrange flash tubes densely enough that they wouldn't cast uneven colors. Also, it's worth noting flash photographers make up
@@robhallphoto i believe nothing is impossible in technology. i am sure there is research happening on it to get a bi color flash to the market. when iPhone was first released nobody thought we could do so much from cellphones. from 2 megapixel cameras we have come to 100 megapixel cameras. surely I believe that we can get bi colour flashes in future. LED lights are the future for now but never know. to me a flash can be developed in future that is very small in size and yet can give lots of light. once capacitors can be replaced with some other tech to store the energy i am sure flashes can get much smaller n powerful than LEDs.
What is your expectation? considering Godox li-on speedlights took over the market largely because of how fast they recycled. I know 1.5s 1/1 isn’t the fastest anymore but there’s little that beats it. And if you need faster there’s the obvious move of using a more capable strobe.
@@robhallphoto I’m shooting with an older V1 and I’ve had several other Godox strobes. I’m in their whole system. But, for on camera shooting even at ISO 1000, F5.6, and 1/250, it still takes at least five seconds to recycle. I do some event photography and want a much faster recycle time. What would you suggest? I’m shooting with Z6s and a Z6 ii.
For me the biggest improvement would be centering a modeling led light. It's annoying not being able to rely on it using barndors or snoot. It's just misleading. Otherwise, it's the best speedlight I own.
Great info and good to hear they’ve fixed the tint issue even on the OG V1. But is there a way to identify the V1’s that have the tint corrections old inventory that still have the issue?
Unfortunately not. I would ask the retailer when their last V1 shipment came in. I believe this swap occurred around spring 2023, so as long as it was received after that you should be good.
Thanks and great review. IMO anything pro needs to have locks on switches. I was hoping for built in RGB options for the V1 Pro and a stronger modeling light. Some magnet mounts or bulit in 1/4 mounts on the side would be nice. Agree with the mount requiring to be beefed up. Once you place a magmod modifier on top, the stress on the mount would break
i jumped from godox to profoto for the sole reason of the way the thermal "protection" kicked in, it made me unable to take certain movemepnt or dancing shots on a wedding, even i was using low output like 1/8 it kicked in and ruined a lot of shots, and with profoto ths never happen
and second mayor improvement from godox to profoto was that every godox light had different color output and it was noticeable when using ad200 and ad600 or the ad1200
Hey Rob, an Issue I have found is when using the V1 Pro with my other godox lights ( Ad200 & Ad600) the V1 is much much cooler in white balance. Have you come across this?
@@Gloomwithaview I’ve shared the cool white balance figure from using the speedlights directly in various videos. I don’t really encounter it as an issue in my work as I don’t ever mix it with strobes and if I am using a speedlight it’s bounced (in which case it’s generally really close to daylight once bounced indoors, or I’m gelling it to match warm lighting anyways).
The Godox site mentions « V1Pro supports 2,4G wireless transmission and reception » with an illustration that seems to indicate it can trigger off camera flashes. That would be huge. Could it replace a flash trigger ???
Yes, that is true. But it’s not huge considering all the X-series speedlights have done this since 2015. (TT685, TT600, V860II, V850II, V860III, TT350, V350, V1).
@@robhallphoto do you mean other flashes can be adjusted separately from the on camera flash and be radio triggered (not triggered by the main flash light)?
@christian6004 Yes. It's the master / commander mode. This has been a core function of every speedlight in the X series. Here’s it on the original V1 czcams.com/video/39_qixa7EkA/video.htmlsi=pwMtW3o1kLBaRLnj&t=338 I am simultaneously happy and sad for you. Happy because you learned of a feature that is huge for you, and likely available on what you already have. Sad for whatever you’ve been doing as a workaround 💀
Well, no reason at all to upgrade beyond the color cast... the add-on miniflash is completely useless imho, and they didn't fix the controls either: we need a better print, my V1 has all faded out text, I go by memory, which is fine but could be improved. I wish it got a new screen and better buttons mostly.
The only question I have with extra flash is will it fire together no matter what. Like what happens if you put the little flash high and it’s not keeping up with main round flash
Can it keep up with continuous shooting at 15fps, power at about 1/16, bursts from 3-4 to 8-10 shots, until the battery is exhausted without missing shots? (approx 1 battery an hour). As it turned out my Profoto A1 cannot do it. It misses about 40% of the shots. Lately I had to switch to my old Phottix triggers and Canon EX-RT speedlite. That setup works well, except I had to go to 10fps from 15. It is all on Fuji H2S off camera via a remote trigger.
Hi Robert, does this flash now work in TTL with HSS? The V1 does not on certain cameras such as the EOS R and R7. As soon as you turn on HSS, TTL goes out the Window and more often than not, the flash just fires at full power. Godox confirmed this to me in an email (~8 months ago) and said they were working on it but hadn't found a solution yet.
I unfortunately have no clue since I don’t use Canon bodies. It seems to be Canon that is most aggressively making firmware complications to uphold their own speedlights.
@@robhallphoto Thanks very much for your response, Robert. I think you are spot on and I doubt the new flash works properly as Godox has made no mention of it. Love your channel, keep up the great work. 🙂
Yup! Important to mention this is a user hack and not a “feature”. Doing this can harm your gear, including making your battery unstable to the point where it swells, cracks, catches on fire and emits toxic gas. So not something I recommend relying on / pushing.
I got this new V1pro. In Godox we trust. They don’t do anything half ass. So new version should be great as well as new touch screen trigger should be awesome
Somewhat. Part of it is from being at a lower power (64-6500 is more common across the power range) and part of it is the nature of metering speedlight, as the center tends to be a bit more blue than the total usable light that comes out. If you were using it straight on no modifier, you could expect to be about 6000-6200 on camera. But by the time it’s through any type of diffusion, you’re more around 5400-5700k, if not warmer. Which is why most never notice it.
They could do this, just not in TTL, which just adds more confusion. As a speedlight, it is limited to the outgoing signals of the camera. This is why Sony is M A B C, and Canon is A B C D E.
@@robhallphoto hi, not sure I understand your explanation. Are you saying that in the Sony system, the camera's outgoing signal is limited to 3 groups? Does the camera look at a trigger differently since it can have more groups?
@@alvarob17 No, it's not limited to 3 groups. It's limitations of "requesting" a TTL signal would stop at 3, on the Sony system. It could still send manual signals to however many groups the transmitting system allows. So technically Godox could make the V1 control 16 groups. That just wouldn't align with many peoples use of a speedlight, hence why they just stick with what the native flash systems offer.
I disagree. First, it lacks independent control of output. Second, a bounce card restricts the directions in which you can bounce off of. If you’re bouncing over your shoulder, then a bounce card can’t send the light forward.
It makes Profoto look like a joke by not offering their owners the ability to recharge the Profoto battery via a USB-C cable. Profoto A10 can only have its battery recharged by a wall outlet which is a joke in 2024
i just wish the godox flashes would be changed to make controlling them easier. It's like they made a checklist of features and just implemented them in any way without caring about ease of use.
Check the New x3 trigger
I was going to do some digging on this new flash and just thought nah, I'll just wait until that guy Rob makes a video about it. And here we are. Thanks bro
I would have bought this right away, but I need the forward-facing modeling LED light the V860III has. I occasionally use it when I want to bounce flash, but it's too dark to focus without some additional light. It doesn't happen often, but it's a lifesaver when it does. If they ever make an LED attachment in place of that pointless little flash, I would get it for sure.
Missed opportunity to revamp the UI and button interface. Could have matched the new transmitters interface with a few buttons and touch screen.
The buttons, especially the jog dial, on the current models suck.
Didn't realize they had a new transmitter. I've been away from photography for a year! Off to find what I'm missing.
@@markkempton4579 it’s not out yet but it will be shortly. Godox has a video of it on their channel.
I’m pretty sure they are hesitant to revamp the UI to touch screen on their flagship speedlight considering its popularity - and many people don’t want touch screens. With the trigger, you aren’t missing out on any upgrades if you don’t want the touch screen.
The dial definitely should have been changed though.
It’s not out yet, but recently announced. I have a reel that shows its interface.
@@robhallphoto my dial is so bad now that whenever this is new V1 version is available I’ll get it. I have had the V1 that I’m currently using from preorder time when it was first launched. It’s done me well up until last year when the jog dial started to crap out.
I do like the fill flash attachment and I’m curious to see what I can do with it. The better over heat handling is welcomed too.
USBC charging should be on every single Godox battery. I would buy new batteries for all my other Godox gear if it meant I could have USBC charging built into the battery.
Having a small video light in that secondary position would be game changing. Can't tell you how often I'm bouncing flash during a reception but it's so dark in the venue that I can barely focus. Have a little video light in that position would be amazing!!!
they already do with the v860iii -- which has a tiny video light in that position.
@@MrDivinemethod The V860III is always overlooked. I don't know why. I sometimes use that LED for nightlife, because mirrorless can't focus in the dark. It can go very very bright. But the V860III has many things going for it. It's a little more powerful and can do everything that the V1 can do, except offer the softer light fall off - which you can only see the benefits of if you shoot a subject against a wall anyway and only if you don't use any modifiers. But the V860III has a much wider zoom range and goes all the way to 200mm. And it's cheaper. For some reason, the round head is the next best thing, when in reality it's worse at the features most people use a flash for.
I just made the same comment, that is the whole reason I'm not getting this flash and will have to stick with the v860iii.
I'm a wedding photographer and like you mentioned, when I used the old V1 during the reception, after I shot 30 or 40 shots, its thermo protection kicked in and the recycling time got soooo loooooong and it became useless. I'm now using V860iii and it's much better than the old V1 but it still happens sometimes.
I'm glad to know that Godox has finally upgraded the thermo protection system. It's about time. To me, it's the single most important upgrade.
As for the little flash.....I can't comment on that yet till I actually use it. I don't know when but I will get the V1 Pro.
If you're shooting 1/1 there's something wrong with your way of shooting in the first place. Raise the ISO, lower the flash power and you'll almost never hit the thermal barrier.
1/1 on the V1 is something reserved for studio stuff really. If you're on the move run and gunning, 1/1 is just not it
@@Galf506 , No I didn't use its full power. I think it was 1/8 or 1/16. The v860ii has the same overheating problems as the old V1.
The v860III does a good job but near the end of the shoot, its recycling time slowly but surely gets slow.
So, if Godox really fixed this overheat protection system, this could be a game changer for a photographer like me.
@@hidetoshitakahashi3881 Idk really, I've been using it routinely for birthday parties, weddings, nightlife, etc. and the overheating never really got problematic... 30-40 shots is at 1/1. You're more than doubling that quantity at lower settings. At 1/8 it's 320+ shots : who shoots 320 photos in a row without letting the flash cool? It's not something that happens in these situations, you'd be shooting high speed action stuff
@@Galf506 , I did a wedding reception dance, so I shot every 3 seconds or so. The old V1 was the worst of all when it come to overheating and I have two v860II and both caused overheat problem. Wescott FJ 80 is much better but its battery doesn't last long at all. With Nikon SB 5000 , I didn't have to worry about overheating because it has a cooling fan . But it has a hot shoe problem with my cameras and it cased misfires quite a bit, so I stopped using it.
So far, v860III works for me.
Thanks for the insight..for me the V1 Pro has enough "new" updates for me to upgrade from my old V1..only thing was hoping they bumped the wattage up a bit ..haha but thats nit picking...very informative look as always!..
Have they fied the problem with the USB C charging on the V1? The charger that comes with the V1 doesn't support power supplies that do Power Delivery. Using a USB C to USB C cable means the battery charger doesn't work. Is it the same with the USB C port on the battery?
Just checked, yes it is the same with the USB C port on the battery.
@@robhallphoto Many thanks
There might be a change an external powerpack like the Pb960 would reduce recycle times. Primary source of heat when re-charging the capacitor should be in the voltage conversion from battery level (~6V on AA, ~12V on Li-Ion) to the ~330V in the flash's capacitor, and with an external powerpack, that conversion is done in the pack and the 330V would be directly fed into the flash's capacitor. With AA speedlights I was able to bring down recycle times to 0.55s using a Pb960 and the Y adapter to connect both ports to one flash.
Obviously, firing a speedlight twice a second at full power wouldn't be a very good idea, as I'm sure the head isn't really designed to handle that much heat from the flash tube in such a short time frame, but at least the charging circuitry should not be a part of that equation anymore...
I hope this release doesn’t mean Godox is going to strip the 960 port from future 685 flashes. Didn’t know the Y-adapter worked to speed up the flash even more-that’s insane and I should try it out. As is it, the 685 with a pack is faster than the V1, but in my experience so far it has failed to fire more often than the V1.
So far the best review out there amazing!
It would be awesome if they did some kind of focus assist light with that front flash for very low light situations (because grids only work for dslr). Looks like a nice update with color corrected and that new battery. I was thinking about getting V1 to supplement my V860III. Then again I don't see any benefit from this small flash in front, especially if it can't work with TTL.
Thanks for the review!
Idk where this idea that grids only work with dSLR comes from. X-trans sensors (Fuji specifically) can’t see them, but that’s not true of other brands. The grid works as intended on Sony.
@@robhallphoto Well that is what I have read, on sensor AF can't recognize red grid (doesn't make sense to me). Kudos to Sony. Nikon has locked that option for Godox flashes (all flashes whatsoever). I have sent e-mails to Godox and that was their response - Nikon didn't enable those options. They could even enable V860III led flash to lightup instead of that horrible green Nikon light which is blocked by every lens.
Canon has af light now in their newest flash line-up and it works wonderful. I had a chance to see it first hand.
the grid works fine on my A7RV
@@gamebuster800 Yeah, as said Sony cameras can do it. Nikon on the other hand can''t. Idk why... (I shoot with nikon)
The V860III offers a LED which you can dial up and down. Unfortunately, it's not linked to tapping the AF-ON or shutter button, so it's either on or off. But I put my hand on it when I walk around and only remove it when I take the shot. It's possible to take candid photos.
I used Metz 58 flash before going to Godox and that had similar little fill flash in the front (integrated, not a separate add-on like this Godox). And similarly it could only do manual through a separate menu, no TTL. Didn't really use it that much, so I don't think the Godox version would be any more useful for my personal usage. Strange Godox trying to bring back something that didn't really take off when Metz tried it, I guess they wanted to add in something extra.
Nissin too had a Sub Flash much earlier in 2011 in their 'Nissin Di 866 Mark II Pro' flash. I still own and use that flash. It was Made In Japan. Nissin is still giving that option in its latest flashes like 'MG 60'.
@@ranjankmsphotography Metz 58 AF-2 was launched in August 2010, so I don't know what you mean with "much earlier".
@@eiko4252 I didn't mean to compare with the Metz flash. I meant to say that the Nissin flash was launched much earlier than the Godox one.
good video brother godox is king
Thank you for this video! Loooking forward to the next.
Just when I was about to give away my pb960s, I still use some yongnuo speedlights for filling large rooms that are left unattended so if anyone bumps into them is not the end of the world.
great video. I have already broken two V1S with metallic shoe in full extension with magsphere 2 in portrait mode. The body breaks at the junction between the lock ring and the big square block with menu as if the plastic soldering was too thin. The lock system remains attached to a7rv and the flash drops on floor and explode. Any info Godox worked on that ? meanwhile I have purchased HVL-F60RM2
Thanks Rob. good review.
I just hope Godox give us an update of the AD200Pro - a nice OLED screen like the XANO and better thermal would be instant buy.
Yeah I struggle to see the current screen outside
@@JerryC25I never even look at the screen, I use my trigger to control it. Why walk over to the flash when you can remotely control it?
@@cooloox yeah of course I do the same but if you’re in the sun and you wanna confirm the two are communicating you gotta see the back of the flash 😀
Также AD-100Pro.
That little flash in the front is awesome for parties with low cielings. I wonder how it compares to a bounce card though?
Great review, thanks! I’ve been using 1 of my AD200 flashes on my hotshoe via the battery extension kit. I’ve been unhappy with the original V1 because the interface controls are very “squishy”. I was hoping the new Pro model would fix this problem.
Maaaaaaaaaaan, THAT was a great, straight to the point review! Much appreciated, my friend. I liked and subbed now!
You should have tested with the PB960 battery pack! Never assume anything in testing!
I don’t have one to test anything with. And I didn’t assume anything, I expressed one known and one doubt.
😞@@robhallphoto
I would really like that switch on the side of the flash to have the option to be a control lock switch instead of ttl/manual. A speedy way to lock and unlock the controls would help eliminate forehead taps on the dpad that happen every time I'm shooting time critical things like coming down the isle shots. The press to hold lock and unlock is too slow for adjustments when time is critical, a lock switch would be a much faster method.
I never dealt with the forehead bumps myself but I assume depending on one’s anatomy and % using the VF, it could be really annoying. What would be nice is to just have a switch, and allow it to be programmed in custom functions.
M / TTL
Commander / Home
Unlock / Lock
etc.
@@robhallphoto turning that into a custom button would be a perfect solution. My forehead bumps the buttom of the d-pad into multi-mode only at the worst times, but it does it pretty much every time at those times. Not often during wedding prep photos, or reception photos. Almost always coming down the isle, garter toss, bouquet toss... Only when time is essential. The current lock feature is nice easy for most times, and the commander can still adjust the power while it's locked, which is great. But I do envy those with flashes that have a physical lock switch when I bump my into multi mode and miss a shot.
I considered the V1 when it first came out to replace my event flash set up (rectangular flash head and DEMB bounce card). The magnetic bounce card for the V1 would constantly fall off and was of no meaningful use to me. The dome was very secure, but when I put the flash straight up or in rear wall bounce position, there was so little light to no light directed forward it really made some unappealing (frankly terrible) event photos.
I wonder if that second flash is there to address this issue. I think they would have done a lot better just making a better on camera flash bounce card solution for the V1 (one that would actually stay on and have a greater range of articulation). I know there is a larger non magnetic diffuser attachment, but I don't think it was out when I was testing the V1 originally.
People overestimate the round head. The V860III is the V1 with a regular head. You can't beat the power of good rectangular flash head with a good versatile zoom. You can bounce light directional with the flash zoomed at 200mm. A dome just lights up everything and makes it flat. You should not use a dome if you want to bounce. It's the opposite of bouncing, where you pick a wall or object to bounce your light off. A dome sends light everywhere and only a fraction gets onto your subject.
Is the base still fragile?
First off, great review! Your breakdown on the latest flash got me nodding along. 👍
Now, let's talk disappointment. The new version seems to be all about fixing HSS, which is cool, but honestly, they could've just tossed that in with a firmware update, right? I was hoping for a power-up in the battery department and a little boost in the recycle time. Instead, we get another accessory upfront, and HSS is the main show.
It's like they threw a birthday party and forgot to bring the cake. Come on, guys, let's beef up the essentials before piling on more accessories. Here's to hoping they hear the collective sighs of us photographers looking for more than just HSS upgrades.
Is it just me or he miss the most important update which is HSS?
Keep those awesome reviews coming!
Im so confused. They updated the color (granted they did fix that on the previous one too) and the thermal protection mode. Those were the two biggest issues on the V1 as they affected all users.
As for HSS, I didn’t even say HSS in the video. I’m confused on how that’s the main show but they also forgot it?
Great video
On the current one the rotary dial was so flimsy that it changes settings unexpectedly by any contact. Also the unit would jump out of the cold shoe on my flash bracket and fall to the ground way too easily!
I wish they would implement this overheating algorithm on their other flashes (ad200, etc) via firmware… but more likely that they’ll just come out with new models to sell us.
You have great information about the Godox/Flashpoint products. Out of curiosity, I am looking to change cameras from a D850 to a mirrorless. I have noted some cautions about Godox and the Canon R6/R6 Mk II hotshoes. Are there any known issues with the Nikon Z8?
Thanks for sharing.
My major problem
With the V1 was it never fit tight in the hot shoe on my R5 and R6. I wonder if they fixed that
Not sure about those bodies. I know Sony changed their shoe size at some point making it extremely difficult to get Godox gear on and off, but Godox changed their shoe size and now it fits great.
honestly i believe we need the tech to set kelvin flash. sometimes we need a warmer flash n sometimes cooler kelvin. we already have this tech in continuous light where you can set the kelvin temp.
Continuous lighting creates this by using different colored light sources on the chip, and blending between the two. The problem with this with flash is each color would require a flash tube of that color. Coloring the flash tube on it's own would decrease light output (effectively the same as gelling). And then, to make any color in between the extremes (say 3000 bulb and 7000 bulb) would diminish the output further as you would need a ratio between the two lights, therefore not able to tap into 100% draw.
And then on top of that, you would have to blend the lights through diffusion to homogenize the two light sources (otherwise you'd just get two different colors projected). This means instead of firing light through a fresnel lens (which focuses the light and increases the brightness), you are losing light to diffusion.
So imagine -1.5 stop on the bulb, -1 stop losing the fresnel, -1.5 stop going through diffusion, and then anywhere from -.5 to -1 stop depending on the ratio of the color you're trying to create. Quickly your flash is 4.5 - 5 stops less powerful, effectively turning a 76 w/s speedlight into a 3 w/s speedlight.
Continuous lighting can thwart most of these issues through arrangement of hundreds of individually colored LEDs, lessening the need for diffusion. Also a 300w Bicolor LED can still draw 300w at every Kelvin temperature because each color is overspecced and then throttled when mixed. I don't think you could arrange flash tubes densely enough that they wouldn't cast uneven colors.
Also, it's worth noting flash photographers make up
@@robhallphoto i believe nothing is impossible in technology. i am sure there is research happening on it to get a bi color flash to the market. when iPhone was first released nobody thought we could do so much from cellphones. from 2 megapixel cameras we have come to 100 megapixel cameras. surely I believe that we can get bi colour flashes in future. LED lights are the future for now but never know. to me a flash can be developed in future that is very small in size and yet can give lots of light. once capacitors can be replaced with some other tech to store the energy i am sure flashes can get much smaller n powerful than LEDs.
I was about to ask about the touch trigger, it pays staying until the end of the video 😂
I hope the recycle time is a lot faster than the others. I keep waiting for one that actually has the recycle speed I need.
What is your expectation? considering Godox li-on speedlights took over the market largely because of how fast they recycled. I know 1.5s 1/1 isn’t the fastest anymore but there’s little that beats it. And if you need faster there’s the obvious move of using a more capable strobe.
@@robhallphoto I’m shooting with an older V1 and I’ve had several other Godox strobes. I’m in their whole system. But, for on camera shooting even at ISO 1000, F5.6, and 1/250, it still takes at least five seconds to recycle. I do some event photography and want a much faster recycle time.
What would you suggest? I’m shooting with Z6s and a Z6 ii.
Bummed they did not put the nano x trigger touch screen on the back of the v1 pro.
For me the biggest improvement would be centering a modeling led light. It's annoying not being able to rely on it using barndors or snoot. It's just misleading. Otherwise, it's the best speedlight I own.
I’m surprised to hear of someone actually using the modeling light. It’s so low powered I’ve never really tried it!
Great info and good to hear they’ve fixed the tint issue even on the OG V1. But is there a way to identify the V1’s that have the tint corrections old inventory that still have the issue?
Unfortunately not. I would ask the retailer when their last V1 shipment came in. I believe this swap occurred around spring 2023, so as long as it was received after that you should be good.
Thanks and great review. IMO anything pro needs to have locks on switches. I was hoping for built in RGB options for the V1 Pro and a stronger modeling light. Some magnet mounts or bulit in 1/4 mounts on the side would be nice. Agree with the mount requiring to be beefed up. Once you place a magmod modifier on top, the stress on the mount would break
RGB?
can you use the same battery type across the V1 and V1 pro ?
When shooting with the V1 i always have to lock the buttons because I tend to switch modes with my forehead. Very annoying.
i jumped from godox to profoto for the sole reason of the way the thermal "protection" kicked in, it made me unable to take certain movemepnt or dancing shots on a wedding, even i was using low output like 1/8 it kicked in and ruined a lot of shots, and with profoto ths never happen
and second mayor improvement from godox to profoto was that every godox light had different color output and it was noticeable when using ad200 and ad600 or the ad1200
Is that USB slot inside the battery weatherproof?
can we use vb30 in v1?
Still can't find a reason to shift from my V860ii
Do you know the article number for the cable between V1pro (for Nikon) and the PB960? Tried the Godox NX but that one is for SB flashes...
Please, How to recognise old V1 pro from new V1 pro ?
The V1 Pro says “Pro” after V1. The V1 doesn’t.
what happens when using a battery pack
does this have metal hotshoe for sony brand? instead of plastic like the old V1?
Hey Rob, an Issue I have found is when using the V1 Pro with my other godox lights ( Ad200 & Ad600) the V1 is much much cooler in white balance. Have you come across this?
@@Gloomwithaview I’ve shared the cool white balance figure from using the speedlights directly in various videos. I don’t really encounter it as an issue in my work as I don’t ever mix it with strobes and if I am using a speedlight it’s bounced (in which case it’s generally really close to daylight once bounced indoors, or I’m gelling it to match warm lighting anyways).
wonder if the new battery works with v1
The Godox site mentions « V1Pro supports 2,4G wireless transmission and reception » with an illustration that seems to indicate it can trigger off camera flashes. That would be huge. Could it replace a flash trigger ???
Yes, that is true. But it’s not huge considering all the X-series speedlights have done this since 2015. (TT685, TT600, V860II, V850II, V860III, TT350, V350, V1).
@@robhallphoto do you mean other flashes can be adjusted separately from the on camera flash and be radio triggered (not triggered by the main flash light)?
@christian6004 Yes. It's the master / commander mode. This has been a core function of every speedlight in the X series. Here’s it on the original V1
czcams.com/video/39_qixa7EkA/video.htmlsi=pwMtW3o1kLBaRLnj&t=338
I am simultaneously happy and sad for you. Happy because you learned of a feature that is huge for you, and likely available on what you already have. Sad for whatever you’ve been doing as a workaround 💀
Are there any news about compability with Sony A7 IV body in TTL mode? Any fix to that missing TTL?
Whats the strobe duration at 1/1 power?
Thanks for this! Anyone know if I buy a replacement lens for my original V1 (and AD100 Pros) to correct the green cast?
Well, no reason at all to upgrade beyond the color cast... the add-on miniflash is completely useless imho, and they didn't fix the controls either: we need a better print, my V1 has all faded out text, I go by memory, which is fine but could be improved.
I wish it got a new screen and better buttons mostly.
The only question I have with extra flash is will it fire together no matter what. Like what happens if you put the little flash high and it’s not keeping up with main round flash
Its peak draw is low relative to the main one, and they are powered off the same circuitry.
hi ....
where's Xnano trigger
is it a dollar origami on your desk? :)
I guess you could call it that.
Thank you!
Thanks for this Robert. Did you notice if the control wheel is still loose and flimsy?
Can it keep up with continuous shooting at 15fps, power at about 1/16, bursts from 3-4 to 8-10 shots, until the battery is exhausted without missing shots? (approx 1 battery an hour). As it turned out my Profoto A1 cannot do it. It misses about 40% of the shots. Lately I had to switch to my old Phottix triggers and Canon EX-RT speedlite. That setup works well, except I had to go to 10fps from 15. It is all on Fuji H2S off camera via a remote trigger.
No. At 1/16th power its recycle speed is .095s which would not keep up with 15 fps.
Release date?
Hi Robert, does this flash now work in TTL with HSS? The V1 does not on certain cameras such as the EOS R and R7. As soon as you turn on HSS, TTL goes out the Window and more often than not, the flash just fires at full power. Godox confirmed this to me in an email (~8 months ago) and said they were working on it but hadn't found a solution yet.
I unfortunately have no clue since I don’t use Canon bodies. It seems to be Canon that is most aggressively making firmware complications to uphold their own speedlights.
@@robhallphoto Thanks very much for your response, Robert. I think you are spot on and I doubt the new flash works properly as Godox has made no mention of it. Love your channel, keep up the great work. 🙂
Does the thermal protection get reset if you pull the battery out like on the V1?
Yup! Important to mention this is a user hack and not a “feature”. Doing this can harm your gear, including making your battery unstable to the point where it swells, cracks, catches on fire and emits toxic gas.
So not something I recommend relying on / pushing.
The Canon El-1 Speed light kicks Godox V1 Pro's butt. Give it a try.
It’s 4x the price, it had better.
I got this new V1pro. In Godox we trust. They don’t do anything half ass. So new version should be great as well as new touch screen trigger should be awesome
Kelvin is 6801 ? WTF ?
Funnier thing is that so is the V1 and nobody ever talks about it.
@@robhallphoto Is that seriously correct?? 6800K? I was considering getting a V1 or V1 Pro, but not if thats the correct Kelvin temp on flash 😮
@@robhallphotoThat’s terrible. What is the Kelvin on the v860 II / III?
Somewhat. Part of it is from being at a lower power (64-6500 is more common across the power range) and part of it is the nature of metering speedlight, as the center tends to be a bit more blue than the total usable light that comes out. If you were using it straight on no modifier, you could expect to be about 6000-6200 on camera. But by the time it’s through any type of diffusion, you’re more around 5400-5700k, if not warmer. Which is why most never notice it.
I wish they would have added another group "D". Oh well.. it's still an upgrade
They could do this, just not in TTL, which just adds more confusion. As a speedlight, it is limited to the outgoing signals of the camera. This is why Sony is M A B C, and Canon is A B C D E.
@@robhallphoto hi, not sure I understand your explanation. Are you saying that in the Sony system, the camera's outgoing signal is limited to 3 groups? Does the camera look at a trigger differently since it can have more groups?
@@robhallphoto another thing I just thought about, I believe the Westcott FJ80 for Sony allows for more groups. I think 6.
@@alvarob17 No, it's not limited to 3 groups. It's limitations of "requesting" a TTL signal would stop at 3, on the Sony system. It could still send manual signals to however many groups the transmitting system allows. So technically Godox could make the V1 control 16 groups. That just wouldn't align with many peoples use of a speedlight, hence why they just stick with what the native flash systems offer.
I think bounce card does better than this su-1.
I disagree. First, it lacks independent control of output. Second, a bounce card restricts the directions in which you can bounce off of. If you’re bouncing over your shoulder, then a bounce card can’t send the light forward.
It makes Profoto look like a joke by not offering their owners the ability to recharge the Profoto battery via a USB-C cable. Profoto A10 can only have its battery recharged by a wall outlet which is a joke in 2024
That's two whole jokes
@@s0d4c4n snowflake
Great Video