Great video, the only thing you never mentioned in your video is the TT685 has the ability to have a external battery plugged in to it. Makes the recharge faster. You did have the external battery pack mentioned on the spec sheet.
Thank you! Yes, you are right. That is definitely a plus. But the problem is, that increases the price of the setup and then you're actually at the V860III. That's why I thought it's not particularly one of the main features to look out for.
Impeccable timing! I was just shopping for my first speedlight. Thankful that RU-vid suggested your video! I'm interested between the V860III and the V1, because I prefer ion battery with faster recycling time. However, I'm still not sure which one would be better for me... I'm interested if you want to make a video that explain advantages and disadvantages the V1 😄
Thank you! It seems my subscribers are not really ready for a speedlight comparison yet 😁. So I might do that a little later. However, the only real difference is the round head. The advantage is the light spread and that you can easier mount some small accessories. The disadvantage is, that even for adding a bounce card, you need a separate tool rather than having it built in. And obviously the reach, because the V860III has the same head as the TT685II.
Thank you, Christina! That’s why I always try to include them. Everyone is a different type of learner. Combining many methods will improve understanding.
Thanks for the excellent video and the comparison page. I ordered the TT350s and the X2T-s for my Sony a7c to improve my photography, macro in particular.
Thank you! Great choice. I’d highly recommend to buy/build a macro flash diffuser. It lifts macro shots by a few levels while probably being the cheapest tool in your kit 😉
The comparison chart is so gold. It's odd companies would not do it themselves but then again companies don't won't people knowing or thinking to much. LOL sell sell sell. I like your style of teaching and I plan on spending a lot of time on your channel. I'm just getting down and dirty with flash. I am video pro but not resolute to master photography as well. :)
That's a nice comparison, thanks! The stated GNs are just a bad joke, not useful at all. It would be great if all manufacturers would state a GN at 28 or 35mm zoom-setting. And I would love to hear a word about the uniformity of the light (not power, more evenness of the illumination at various zoom-settings).
As someone who would mostly use flashes for events - I would NEVER EVER EVER want the settings to change just by turning the dial. That would be the biggest nightmare ever.
Thank you for your feedback, Miguel. But wouldn’t it be great to have the option? By now I use even more different speedlights and triggers. Some would change just turning the dials, others would not. I absolutely prefer the first, just like I prefer a dedicated dial for exposure compensation or a separate one for aperture, shutter speed and ISO. But I also appreciate that you don’t. A simple setting in the menu would allow both of us to work with our preferred method. 😉
Hey Wolf, do you think you’ll look into the new V1 Pro? Like you I went into a single manufacturer so that I can use all my lights under one controller. Great video!
Thank you, Patrick, much appreciated! I thought about it, but I really need to put all my efforts on those other videos that I‘m working on 😬. The big difference is probably that front flash, but on the other hand I wonder if it’s too close to the camera and maybe a bounce card is more effective.
@@wolfamri I think you have the right idea about the mini flash attachment. I thought it was kinda gimmicky but was wondering if it had any real significance in real world applications. Thanks again!
mistake in the comparison table tt350 has 2 AA batteries not 4. I own both tt685 and tt350 on Sony i mostly prefer the tt350 because it is smaller and lighter. Also guide number of 30 with the iso capability of the A7 iv is plenty enough. it is true the interface is a bit less user friendly but still manageable. the main thing i struggled with godox flash is to have the trigger paired with the X2T. I had to look it up. the other thing is there is a way to get square flash like tt685 with same modifier than round like V1 using the sr1 adapter. it's the only brand i have seen making so much compatibility. Also if you change camera brand you can still use their flash with the remote trigger. the tt350 can have an ID on the channel but i think it is more limited. also the number of channels is more limited. The TT350 can do 3 groups but i think the full flashes like TT685 can do 5 groups and not 4. That said most flash system stop at 3 groups.
Thanks for the hint on the typo, Rogan. I immediately changed that. Regarding the ID. That was the info I found on the web. Can you tell me more about that? How many ID options does it have? I totally agree, I have become a fan of Godox. Which one do you have, the TT685II or the TT685 - the new one really has a better menu system from my research. Not that it is needed, but it's a big plus for people who don't use it that often.
i have the tt685II my decision was on the fast locking. there are also few functions more like tranfering the last TTL setting to manual setting to get consistent shots. The TT350 i have bought it for macro originally because it is smaller i can get the light better diffused with the 85mm of laowa, which also small. The fact that it uses only 2 batteries i love it because if i go out with a box of 4 i can either use the trigger or recharge.
the difference between the tt350 and tt685-2 is that the screen is smaller so it doesn't write full words in the menues, and there are more buttons on the tt685 so one is dedicated to go in the menu for instance where you need to press long on the tt350 but everything is labeled. So you can't get really lost. You also have less features and options like the bip sound so less things to tweak in the menus.
I love small flashes. The power output really isn't all that different in real world use. But the recycle times can be quite different - particularly when using only two batteries. I really love the menu structure of the TT685II. I have had so many speedlights in the past for different cameras and remembering which custom function does what is a bit painful. Thanks for your feedback and insights. I love to hear real world feedback from people that I can forward when people ask me what they should get.
@@wolfamri another thing to remember the automatic mode is not always a through the lens metering at least on Sony it can use the autofocus distance to adjust without pre flash. So if you do it like that and you bounce the flash it will be off.(too dark)
Thank you for this great comparison review ! I'm going to buy the TT685 because I'm not much of a heavy duty flash user so I don't mind at all the recycle time and I love the ability to pop a 4-pack of AA batteries whenever I need. And by the way : recycle time is not so much about the battery's voltage and more about its ability to maintain that voltage at high current draw. And alkaline batteries have a serious handicap on this issue due to their huge internal resistance : did you test with alkaline or NiMH AA batteries ? With a good NiMH brand the recycle time should get much better !
Thanks Wolf for the comparisons of the Godox Flash systems. Much needed for novice buyers. Getting off this subject what is the instrumental music you added in between your flash comparisons? At 9.48, 11.06, and 12.52 minutes. I have heard snippets of this elsewhere but wish to know what is the name of it. Thanks again and please keep your informative videos coming.
Hey Horst, great to hear from you! Thanks for your feedback. I didn’t mention the external battery because the price would be rather high and probably cost more than getting the V860III.
Hello, thank you so much for that video, I’ve learnt a lot. Do you think godox 685 would be ok to try some home mini-studio photography? I have a softbox 95 cm and I mainly would like to try portraits.
Hey there! Yes, for a mini studio they'll definitely be OK, just be aware that they need some time to recycle and shoot at ISO200 to avoid overheating. But it of course depends on how many images you'll shoot in which time frame 😉.
Is the result (of the photo) the same? (V1s vs 685ii) I have a Sony alpha 7 iii and want to buy a all purpose flash. (Macro, portrait etc) Stillt haven’t seen a picture comparing real world images of both. Do by example people look the same if you use a softbox like in 6:45 with both flashes? Can’t decide
In a softbox it doesn't matter which one of the two. And for most other things it doesn't matter much either - except for when you need a more even spread - which you hardly do. The really big difference is the battery between these two. If you ever need to shoot a series of consecutive flashes, that will easily pay off. Have a look at the V860III - that's the best of both worlds IMO. Check out my godox speedlight comparison page if you haven't yet: godox-comparison.com/
I have news for you: make a google search for speedlight and you'll get 7.490.000 search results. That's pretty much for something that doesn't exist 😉. Plus: it makes sense to differentiate the two. Why yell at someone who uses a term that is so well known and wide spread among photographers?
I’m very impressed by your content. The greatest differentiation point is the way you present it. I’ve been watching content about speed lights for the last two days and none of what you presented is new for me, but the way you presented it made it way easier to understand and remember.
Very useful Wolf. I’m new to photography and currently only own a premium compact, but intend to buy the 5th iteration of the Fujifilm XT series. I was looking into buying 1 or 2 speedlights when I buy the camera. As usual you are technically clear, without being too technical, while keeping the right pace and tone. I look forward to your future lighting lessons.
Long time no see!!! ... I have stopped photography myself, buy the fire is still burning... Reignited by this video... Will start as soon as I shift to the new city for work!
I just found your channel . OMG 😱 your channel really awesome and easy to understand. I wish I found this channel sooner , bcoz this channel already in YT for 3 years and I just found now , but better late than never , thank you for your clear info , really appreciate ;)
@@wolfamri thank you for your quick reply , and I subscribed your channel too . Sorry my English teribble bcoz English is my second language . Living in Japan now but my nationality is Malaysian . Thank you 😊
Hi. Thank you very much for the very useful video. I have seen many videos on Flashes. But your video made it all so simple. I have one question, would Godox V1 and TT685 II work with my Nikon Z II?
I have the V860II S for Sony, If I turn HSS off on the Godox flash, the camera will not go above 1/250th, sync speed of the camera. Built in safety device to stop you getting the black banding. Great explanation, as ever !
Thank you, Norman. Yes it does, but sometimes I'd rather live with the black bar. Lately I was a bit confused because my Godox MF-12 does not support HSS. I didn't expect that and suddenly got the bar. So the transmitter tells the camera it's in HSS, but that doesn't mean the flashes are capable of doing that - lesson learned 🤣
Thank you 🙏🙏. In fact I do 😂. I have a created a t-shirt shop with different designs that I wear in different videos. This is the one I wear in this video photographyshirts.myspreadshop.com/homo+photographicus%2C+cartoon+man+with+camera+head?idea=5ed9e5751cbf3a215723eb7e
I watch a lot of these videos. Frankly, these are the best most informative by far. They’re so good I bet a lot of people would be willing to pay to download them if they were for sale. The difference between how valuable the information here is and pretty much every other creator is almost night and day in nearly every case.
I would very much be interested in seeing one tried out for wildlife photography, I have been suggested the Godox TT685C Thinklite TTL Flash for Canon Cameras and a MagMod MagBeam Wildlife Kit but do not know how it would work with the wild turkey and deer I want to photograph in the fields and woods.
Thanks, Steven. I was thinking about doing some test shots in this regards, but it was a bit of the wrong time of the year. But I'll see what I can get. I'll post it in the facebook group when I get one ;).
Thank you for a very clear and pleasant presentation! 👍 What would you recommend for a hobbyist like me, who is going to enter into the off camera outdoor photography but doesn’t have any equipment for this yet but attaches great importance that the photos taken with a flash look very naturally (i.e. the use of the flash is not really noticeable)?
Thanks, Vladislav 🙏. That depends a lot on your budget. In general you want a nice diffused light. So the flash only won’t help you much. You’d want to add an umbrella or soft box to it.
@@wolfamri , yes, I know… But the question is should I invest rather into an ad200(pro) or a common on-camera flash would be OK (again, the natural look is absolutely important for me!)… And then, even if I’m pretty demanding regarding image quality, I don’t think I would use this equipment very often, only during family events (for that reason I’m not really considering to buy the ad400) and the question here is if a simple flash would be enough then which one: with a dedicated battery or with a AA battery set?
Vladislav, that's a tough question. When talking about family events: the bigger the group will get, the further away the flash has to be from the subjects to not be in the frame. And the further away it will be, the more light you will lose. Also: if you shoot outdoors and want to use HSS, you'll lose even more light to that function. That might be important when you shoot in bright sunlight. If you get into the shade, or later in the day or even evening, you need much less power because you don't have to compete with the sunlight. You see, there are many variables in this game. If you can afford it and if you want to enjoy it, then I'd go with a bigger one. Smaller ones always mean making compromises, which is not always enjoyable if you understand what I mean. I do plan a video series comparing the output of the flash for different scenarios, where I want to make some measurements to tell everyone exactly what it takes and what you can do with different lights. But that will take quite a bit more time. The closest I have seen in this regard on youtube was a test done by Rob Hall regarding "overpowering the sun" perhaps that video helps understand a bit: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Qlla-uZeKFc.html
Hi. Thank you. I’m afraid I don’t KNOW, but as far as I do know, they are all the same, just have different mounts. But I could be wrong. But with the speedlights also triggering Godox’ bigger flash heads that party also work with TTL, I really don’t see a reason why not 😉.
@@wolfamri Thanks man! I'm think about having an additional camera system so I was trying to look for gear that is compatible with both Nikon and Fuji.
@@wolfamri I think my plan is to get one flash for Nikon for now and then get a trigger for fuji later. Might get a nikon trigger if I'm feeling frisky.
When does a photographer not feel frisky 😂. You may even try the Nikon flash on Fuji. My Olympus trigger works on Sony, but not vice versa. I think they all work on each other except for Sony because of the mid contact. You’ll lose TTL and HSS though.
will the af assist beam for the tt685ii c work on the 2000d/t7 (i have the one where canon added the centrepin) i see all of the fleshes in the comparison have af assit beams but i cant find anyone on RU-vid using it for the tt685ii
What a great video and comparison chart, thank you! I've been using the TT685II for events but I have my eyes on the V1 for the battery mostly and the light spread, this video was very helpful.
Hi I recently got Nikon 6ii and add the Godox 860iii-n. It took a good while to figure out why 860iii was not firing (silent mode which I like was enabled on the camera). I got some of the flash functions on the camera to work but Flash Controls is still gray out. The flash is to get rid of the shadows but indoor and outdoor. Is HHS and the rest of the control plug and play or requires setup?
Hi! I’m afraid I’m not familiar with Nikon, but it should be plug and play. But you usually have to control third party tools on the flash, not on the cam.
I’Thanks for your comment, but I’m not sure I understand. Yes, every manufacturer has its proprietary TTL protocol and hot shoe, so you need to get the speedlight dedicated to your camera brand to make TTL and other features like HSS work.
would like to know what flash would be best for macro for the mirrorless camera was looking at the v1 but still havent made up my mind and to go with the 90mm laowa lens
Stuart, it depends a bit on your budget. Another option is the MF12, which I lately use a lot (much more expensive though if you go with more than one unit). What is a must have in my opinion is a diffusor, like the pope shield, cygnustech, etc. Have you seen my video of the pope shield? Other than that, I'd probably go with the V860III or the V350 (the small one that many macro photographers use to keep the bulk down).
Oh, absolutely not. Why do you think that? It is not as high end as some OMG speedlights or flashes that cost 4x as much or more. But I consider it high value for money. For me it’s mostly the result that counts and I’m very happy with that.
i just want a flash especially a cheap one at that lol to start taking pictures at night and hope my pictures come out better without the shadow. i just want the flash to work when i press the shutter button and i take the picture. so of course i want the flash to be automatic so all i have to do is point and shoot so this is the only flash i need right
Yes and no. The auto modes of all flashes (TTL) need some requirements to be met. One being that your subject is filling at least 1/3 of the frame, otherwise it will also measure the background that will not get a lot of light from the flash and therefore over expose your subject. Cameras are getting better at this, but it’s not a thing that always works. Plus: using flash, the camera will often under expose the background if you don’t adjust your settings or e.g. use night portrait mode in some cameras. I hope that helps 😉.
Not always. TTL totally has its use, so to aperture and shutter priority, particularly when light changes often and quickly. I just got the impression that you were hoping that a flash with TTL would always give you perfect results and I wanted to avid disappointment 😉.