Godox V1-C C/N/S Round Head Speedlight Cameras Flash

Presenting a robust 76Ws output and a unique design, the Godox V1 Flash stands out as a cutting-edge lighting solution, showcasing features that epitomize the current industry standards.

Designed for compatibility with Canon E-TTL / E-TTL II, this versatile on-camera flash features a circular head, delivering soft, even light with a gentle falloff, enhancing the overall flattering output.

Godox V1 Specifications

Godox V1 | Advantages

Enhanced Power: Offering an impressive 76 w/s of power, the Godox V1 surpasses traditional speedlights which typically provide around 50 w/s.

This substantial power advantage is especially beneficial for event photographers who require long-lasting battery life for their on-camera flash during extended shoots.

Wide Rotation Angle: With a rotation angle of 120 degrees, the Godox V1 provides exceptional versatility.

This seemingly small feature deserves recognition as it simplifies the process of transitioning between front and back bouncing of the on-camera flash, allowing for effortless adjustments on the fly.

Modeling Light: The inclusion of a modeling light proves invaluable in scenarios where space is limited and setting up a flash on a stand is impractical.

This feature offers a small but continuous source of light, facilitating tasks such as lighting rings or highlighting specific areas within the frame.

However, it’s worth noting that this feature also presents some drawbacks, as discussed later.

Lithium-Ion Batteries: Bid farewell to the hassle of constantly replacing AA batteries, as the Godox V1 comes equipped with lithium-ion batteries.

This switch represents a significant advancement for on-camera flashes, particularly for photographers covering multi-day events.

With improved battery life and faster recycle times, photographers can focus on capturing moments without the inconvenience of frequent recharging.

Godox V1 | Drawbacks

Build Quality: The wheel and buttons on my flash felt somewhat flimsy, which could be an isolated issue with my unit.

However, it proved slightly inconvenient when adjusting power settings on-camera using the wheel.

Modeling Light: While an improvement from the AD200 modeling light, it still falls short in terms of color accuracy and output.

Although suitable for illuminating small spots or objects, its performance may not meet expectations.

Modifiers: Despite the inclusion of magnetic modifiers for the round head, the color accuracy of the CTO gels is questionable, appearing overly green.

Additionally, the effectiveness of the “dome” modifier is minimal. As an alternative, attaching a MagGrip and using MagMod modifiers proved more effective for me.

Cost: From a financial standpoint, the Godox V1 may not be the most economical choice for photographers seeking a basic on/off-camera flash, such as event photographers.

Godox offers cheaper pocket flashes that fulfill similar functions. Interestingly, the price difference between the V1 and the AD200 is less than $100, yet the latter cannot be used on-camera.

Moreover, the Godox V860IIC is priced approximately $100 less, which raises questions about the V1’s pricing strategy.

Nevertheless, it remains competitively priced compared to similar models with comparable watt-seconds output.

Features:

The Godox V1 Flash is packed with essential features that cater to the needs of photographers. It comes equipped with the Godox wireless system, functioning both as a commander and a slave.

High-Speed Sync (HSS) is supported across all brands Godox collaborates with. Additionally, it includes a modeling light and an AF assist beam, with power adjustable from 1/1 to 1/256 in 1/10 stop increments.

The Round Head:

A notable feature of the Godox V1 Flash is its round fresnel head, similar to the Profoto A1. While not a complete solution to all speedlight challenges, it offers several advantages over traditional rectangular heads.

Firstly, the round beam produced by the head provides more even coverage within round modifiers, such as shoot-thru umbrellas, compared to the square beam of conventional speedlights.

This results in better light distribution and coverage across the modifier. Moreover, the uniformity of light falloff at the edges of the beam creates a softer transition into non-lit areas of the image.

Additionally, when used with grids, the round beam allows for creating spotlight-style lighting similar to studio strobes with reflectors and grids.

However, there are a couple of downsides to the roundhead design.

Firstly, it doesn’t offer as much zoom capability as traditional speedlights, which may affect on-camera usage for photographers needing wider or more concentrated coverage.

Secondly, the shape of the head limits compatibility with certain speedlight-specific modifiers, such as some softboxes and MagMod kits.

Magnetic Modifiers:

The Godox V1 Flash features magnets on the front of the head, enabling easy attachment and detachment of modifiers.

While the Godox AK-R1 kit covers basic modifier requirements for still photographers, there is potential for further expansion.

Suggestions include modifiers similar to the MagMod System, such as small softboxes, and a comprehensive set of gels that can be easily inserted between magnetic rubber rings.

Display:

The V1 is equipped with a dot matrix LCD display, with a default bright blue color for easy readability even in bright daylight.

When in slave mode, the screen turns orange, providing a clear indication of the flash mode. Context-sensitive buttons display their current function on the screen, ensuring ease of operation and clarity for users.

Buttons and Dials:

The Godox V1 Flash introduces several improvements in its button and dial layout compared to previous models.

Notably, the jog dial is now easier to turn and operates as a 4-way selector, providing quick access to essential functions such as zoom, flash power, mode, and modeling light.

Changing power settings is streamlined, requiring activation through the left selector before adjusting power either in 1/3 or 1/10 stop increments, or in full stops using the selector buttons.

The modeling lamp output can also be adjusted using the jog dial, offering 10 different power settings. Additionally, a dedicated menu button enhances accessibility for users who frequently navigate menus.

However, despite these improvements, some issues persist. The buttons and dials still feel somewhat cheap, with noticeable play in the jog dial and occasional rotation of labels.

While there is progress, particularly with the jog dial, further refinement is needed to address these concerns.

Output:

Despite its unique round head design, the Godox V1 Flash maintains impressive power output comparable to its predecessors.

Tests reveal minimal differences in output between the V1 and the V860II, both bare and inside modifiers.

The slight variance in output does not significantly impact performance, with the V1 delivering consistent results across various shooting scenarios.

Recycle Time:

The V1 boasts a faster recycle time compared to the V860II, making it well-suited for rapid shooting situations such as weddings or events.

However, the overheat protection in high-speed sync remains a limitation, restricting consecutive shots to twenty frames regardless of ambient temperature conditions.

Addressing this limitation and allowing the flash to fire before fully recycling would enhance the user experience, particularly in demanding shooting environments.

Battery:

Equipped with a lithium-ion battery offering 480 advertised full-power pops, the Godox V1 Flash ensures reliable performance during extended shooting sessions.

While the slightly reduced battery capacity compared to the V860II may not pose a significant drawback for most users, the inclusion of a USB-C charger would offer greater convenience and compatibility with other devices.

TTL:

The V1 improves upon the TTL performance of its predecessor, delivering consistent exposure results across multiple shots.

Unlike the V860II, which exhibited variations in flash exposure between shots, the V1 maintains accuracy and reliability, ensuring consistent performance in TTL mode.

Summary:

The Godox V1 Flash takes inspiration from the Profoto A1, particularly with its round head design.

While the lighting pattern and falloff are improved compared to traditional speedlights, the benefits are most apparent when using bare flash directly on subjects.

For photographers who frequently utilize this technique, the V1 may be a suitable choice. However, for wedding photographers like myself who rely less on bare flash, the round head may not offer significant advantages.

Despite hopes for improvements in the hotshoe design, the V1 retains similar weaknesses to its predecessor, the Godox V860II.

While the plastic foot has been extended for enhanced durability, the neck remains a weak point, requiring occasional replacement and posing challenges for sourcing parts.

Ultimately, the Godox V1 may be recommended for photographers who need both on-camera and off-camera flash control, particularly due to its improved user interface compared to the V860II.

However, for those prioritizing factors such as compatibility with Magmod, extended battery life, or cost savings, the V860II remains a viable alternative.

I hope this review of the Godox V1 has been informative and assists you in your decision-making process.

If you have any further questions about this speedlight, please feel free to reach out via email. Thank you for your attention.