The Profoto A1 was supposed to be a revolution in speedlights (though the company refers to it as the "world's smallest studio light"), though it carried with it the typical Profoto price tag. The Godox V1 is a very similar light with a much more affordable price. How well does it work in practice? This great video review discusses just that.
Coming to you from Dustin Abbott, this excellent video review takes a look at the Godox V1. The V1 is quite the intriguing flash, as it has many of the same features as its Profoto counterpart (including the same output of 76 Ws), but it comes in at a price well below the Profoto A1 and even below the flagship flashes of companies such as Canon and the like. Furthermore, if you're already deeply invested in the Godox system, it works well with other lights in the catalog. This, combined with its high level of portability and other features, make it an intriguing option for anyone from wedding photographers to on-location portraitists and more. I know I'm certainly thinking of picking one up for my Sony system. Check out the video above for the full rundown on it.
For your information the B4 is totally water, dust proof, it's completely sealed... ;)
for $10k or more(before it was discontinued) it should not only be waterproof but should have wings.
i use plastic bags on my godox ad 200 if it rains and saved $9600.
Well... in a plastic bag without air circulalion, if you pop at the rate I can with the B4... you will surely see some smoke ;) You are very attached to price, but not reliability, power, versality, ease of use... for a pro, it means a lot of stress less and more money, with more good shots in less time. But yes, Godox ad Profoto clients are not the same, on one side people who want the cheapest solution and ready to spare a bit more time, or have to deal with some problem sometimes... and if I was today young and amateur I would love that too... and in the other end... you have pro, who have +1000$ paid client every day and can afford the best equipment as long as it is reliable, easy to use...
I have use more than 20 brands of flashes and review all the flashs equipments for mags here in Europe... and I have no problem with Godox, but something is very confusing : why all Godox users want all other brand users to be wrong... there is not ONE need... if your need is "cheap" OK... mine not, mine is "reliable."
My B4 has 6 years, has shot several 100 000 shots all around the globe... even in the jungle, on beaches in the sand, took the plane many times, boats and so on... and is like new... it's price is a very very old memory.
Hi Niky,
I am not against Profoto as you claim: "why all Godox users want all other brand users to be wrong"
If you read my post earlier you will see I have significant amount of Profoto gear. I use both brands and guess what, MY CLIENTS PAY ME FOR RESULTS, not the brand name on my flash.
The fairy tale Profoto is pitching from their dozens of "influensters" and endless youtube videos is one that Godox has dispelled: that the magical light that Profoto gear supposedly emanates without flaw is worth every penny. And that the bad nasty unpredicatable light from Godox will ruin your pictures.
"Well... in a plastic bag without air circulalion, if you pop at the rate I can with the B4... you will surely see some smoke ;) "
perhaps you should practice on your timing.
I definitely would say that godox is not competing with profoto per say. many people may like the profoto unit, but budget allowing would probably not be able to afford or pass on trying to save for it all together. Unfortunately I think where reaching a point where super high prices are not as justifiable as they use to be. If you add in everything it takes to produce and promote a profoto product I'm fairly sure there is a pretty nice profit margin that they make off of their products, and nestled into that cost is an exclusivity markup much like all major Brands.
Purchased 2 godox v860II for fuji as no profoto exists yet for the system...
Seriously, 1 missfire on hotshoe out of 5 on full battery... during events. Cant even imagine the outcome off camera.
I needed an option for on camera needs... its worthless and the worst investment made in a long time.
So the godox profoto lookalike is the same.
Add to that the non option of firmware updates on mac for most flashes... well personally i know why i always went profoto, at least for me.
Hopefully others have good experiences with godox, and if so happy for them.
I am using the v860ii on my a9s and based on the performance I want to get the V1. The lithium battery is amazing and I will never go back to AA batteries. The TTL is very accurate on a9 + V860ii. Did you update firmware on flash?
Am on a mac, unfortunately can t upgrade V860II if i am not mistaken. So no clue if it works or not... but for the moment, its really the pits, for me at least.
For the amount you save buying godox over profoto you can probably buy six PCs. Stop blaming godox when the solution is so simple. I cannot update Sony a9 firmware on my mac either but I was able to access one of five trillion PCs on earth to update to 5.0 when I was travelling in south east asia recently.
I don't think we know each other... therefore however much i appreciate you loving godox, i would kindly ask you to just let me have my view on godox.
Every missfire is a lost op on a wedding or a commercial shoot, and having to have a pc to update a firmware is nowadays not acceptable, not for the cost, but because it is in my opinion a given.
As i said, happy that some like godox, and that it works for them, its great to know.
As my own personal experience the product is poor, it doesnt work for me, and i know why i go profoto.
Have a good evening thst being said and should you want to complain about my point of view. .. feel free to do so, if it makes you feel good.
Sorry olivier, you are basing your bad opinion on godox on possibly an older firmware. if you'd bother to get a pc and update your firmware you might have a reason to stop complaining. It took me 5 minutes to update and might allow you to properly use the equipment you paid for.
my profoto air remote would not work with sony a9 when i updated firmware to v5.0. the issue was fixed with a9 firmware 5.01. should I blabber on that "the product is poor" because i can't be bothered to find a pc to update to v5.01?
"and having to have a pc to update a firmware is nowadays not acceptable, not for the cost, but because it is in my opinion a given."
sorry, sometimes the world doesn't work the way you want it. sony firmware update doesn't work with my mac. should i just keep complaining about it and not update my firmware from v1 until sony releases a working mac updater possibly in a couple of years?
i shoot both godox and profoto. if your "personal experience" is limited to complaining about a flash with an old firmware then your "point of view" is just that and nothing more.
Your attitude is why I want to cover up the Profoto logo on all my strobes and modifiers.
the great news is that i have the latest firmware on my flashes since the time i purchased them. therefore I stand my ground on the quality... But... again, as I said, i'm happy to know that others have different experiences and that some like them.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
Soon Godox will own Profoto.
That should piss all the Profoto guys off...
Should this be the case, it will mean that it was meant to be :)