The Godox V100 is here, and it's making waves with a noticeable leap in build quality and usability. For anyone regularly relying on flash photography, finding the right gear that balances power, consistency, and reliability is crucial, and the V100 could be just what you need.
Coming to you from Wes Perry, this informative video explores significant upgrades in Godox's V100 flash. One of the standout improvements Perry points out is the new, robust touchscreen. Unlike earlier models, the V100 replaces flimsy plastic screens with what appears to be glass, providing better resistance to scratches and general wear—although its exact durability remains uncertain over long-term use. The interface itself is dramatically updated; the touchscreen is responsive, offers impressive visibility from extreme angles, and even features intuitive gesture controls like swipe menus. While the button-based operation of older models had its fans, Perry explains why this touchscreen evolution makes practical sense, improving ease of use significantly.
Another noteworthy upgrade is the internal design. Perry reveals during a teardown that the V100 incorporates multiple inductor coils, enhancing high-speed sync performance by smoothing out flash pulses and offering better reliability. While he doesn't claim the V100 reinvents flash technology, the incremental improvements here are substantial enough to matter. If you're using high-speed sync frequently, these internal tweaks mean more consistent lighting and less hassle when shooting in challenging conditions. Perry also appreciates that the flash includes a larger battery, USB-C charging, and improved handling with a sturdier adjustment wheel. However, he wishes Godox had integrated weather-sealing—a notable omission for professionals who regularly shoot outdoors.
Key Specs
- Power Range: 1/1 to 1/256
- Recycle Time: Approximately 1.7 seconds
- Flash Duration: 1/300 to 1/20,000 second
- Bounce Head: 0 to +330°
- Swivel Head: 120°
- Exposure Control: Canon E-TTL / E-TTL II
- Wireless Groups: 5; Channels: 32
- Internal Power: Rechargeable battery (included)
- External Power Pack Compatible: Yes
- Dimensions: 2.99 x 8.11 x 2.81 inches
- Weight: 1.4 lb
When discussing usability, Perry thoroughly addresses practical aspects photographers often overlook. For example, he checks forehead activation (an issue on previous models) and finds the touchscreen successfully ignores accidental contact, demonstrating thoughtful engineering from Godox. Perry also mentions that while the flash feels heftier at 619 grams compared to its predecessors, the extra weight distributes well, enhancing overall handling.
In evaluating the light quality, the V100 performs admirably, particularly excelling in shot-to-shot consistency compared to other flashes he's tested. Perry highlights its strengths in high-speed sync modes but notes there's still room for improvement, especially regarding matching the color temperature of the modeling light to the main flash. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Perry.
The key specs don’t include the guide number.
Because manufacturers (and myself) consider guide number to be a bit obsolete. It only matters much when you’re shooting direct flash, especially over 100mm of zoom.
Round head flashes don’t zoom as far as most square ones (105mm vs 200mm), so they have a disadvantage in guide number measurements, which is a contest to see which flash is the hottest spotlight, and not actually a measurement of total power.
The guide number of the V100 would be approx 122’.
If bouncing or diffusing the flash, though, the guide number is largely irrelevant.