How I use the Godox AD200
For me, portability is key. With the fresnel head attached, the AD200 is the same size as a regular speedlight. This means it can fit in my camera bag. On my large roller case it fits upright but on smaller bags you have to store them horizontally. I usually put one on top of the other so I can carry two.
At weddings, the Godox AD200’s are my main flashes for pretty much everything. Outdoors for groups. Portraits. Indoors, I use them to light speeches, first dances and occasionally if the situation demands, wedding ceremonies.
The reason I use the AD200’s indoors rather than speedlights is simply because of the power. And by that I don’t mean I shoot at full power. No no! That’d be retina scorching after a while.
The reason is because more powerful, I can use a lower power setting to emit the same amount of light and minimise the flash recycle time. For example if using speedlights I had to use 1/4 power to light a scene. With the AD200, I could shoot at say 1/32 and have almost unlimited flashes whereas on the speedlight I’d have to wait for the battery to recycle. This means if something unexpected happens. I don’t need to worry about the flash recycle time and I can concentrate on capturing the moment.
Of course having an integrated Li-On battery means I can get far more flash pop’s than speedlights using AA’s. It’s a shame the battery is square shaped. It makes inserting the battery in a dark environment (eg. evening disco) a bit more challenging. A simple curve on one side of the battery would have really helped here.
The WB29 battery is charged using a supplied mains charger. Battery life is excellent and I’ve yet to run out of power during a wedding. That said, I have turned up a couple of times to weddings with only one bar left after forgetting to charge them up!
As a rule I tend not to use High Speed Sync much. But on rare occasions I do. And at those times. Having 200Ws of power really helps since the drop off in power when in HSS mode for any flash is pretty extreme!
For portraits, my favourite combination is to modify the fresnel flash head with the Maggrid and magsphere. I do realise this will not give me the kind of soft light a large softbox would. But as I have said before, weddings are often a compromise between speed and portability.
It’s just much easier to carry the Godox AD200 with the Maggrid and Magsphere around than a giant softbox on a pole. I often work alone so I often borrow a willing bridesmaid or groomsman to hold the flash. Handing them an AD200 to hold is far less daunting for them than giving them a giant softbox on a pole.
Godox AD200 Review | Drawbacks
Godox AD200 | Nikon D750 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G | 1/160th, f/7.1, ISO 160
Aside from the HSS overheating issue, the dim modeling light and the faulty swivel attachment, this light is basically perfect.
That said, there are a couple things you should know before purchasing.
This is probably a foregone conclusion at this point, but the Godox AD200 is an off-camera flash only. It doesn’t have a hot shoe, so it can’t be attached to your camera. This is a non-issue for me personally, but I’d be remiss to not mention it.
Since it doesn’t sport a shoe mount and it’s a bit heavier than a speedlight, the Godox AD200 isn’t highly compatible with handy tools such as Manfrotto clamps, Tether Tools, etc. It’s primarily a light stand strobe.
In situations where I need to put a light up in some small nook or cranny, I find myself switching to a speedlight. My current go-to is the Godox 860ii, which uses the same radio trigger as the AD200, so it’s a quick swap.
Finally, the Godox AD200 isn’t the ideal candidate for high-ISO images in which you need to capture scant ambient light (e.g. nighttime photos, star photos, etc.)
Since it’s more powerful than a speedlight, it tends to be too bright when shooting at high ISOs, even when powered down to 1/128th. You can always pop on a neutral density filter or two, but once again, switching to a speedlight is the best course of action.
Long story short, the Godox AD200 isn’t the perfect tool for every shooting situation. But that’s okay. No one piece of equipment is meant to be.
Godox AD200 Vs Godox AD200 Pro
In 2019, Godox announced a ‘pro’ version of the AD200. Leaving many wedding photographers in a dilemma. Do we stick with the original AD200? Or do we go for the pro?
I’ve had quite a few messages from people asking what the differences are between them and if the additional cost is worth it.
To be honest, there’s not a huge amount of difference. The design is almost identical. The rear LCD is now recessed which should give slightly better protection. I’m still not convinced the unit would survive a big drop though.
Flash power can now be controlled by 1/10 increments and minimum power is now 1/256 rather than 1/128 on the original Godox AD200.
The main addition is colour stability mode which keeps the colour temperature within 100 Kelvin. This is not really an issue wedding photographers will care about but if you are a studio/commercial photographer then this could be a feature you want to pay for.
The on/off switch at the side has been changed. The original AD200 switch was not easy to find if you don’t know what you are looking for. I’ve had assistants who have never used the AD200 be unable to find it. The Pro switch feels a bit better and more obvious. It’s a small improvement but hardly groundbreaking.
For me the most exciting change was really the flash holder/umbrella mount. That says a lot really! Godox have added a couple of small holes in the chassis which the flash holder now fits into when tightened up. The flash will no longer accidentally come loose and rotate around like with the non-pro version. This is a big improvement and had this been on the original AD200, I would have never have bought the Magshoe’s!
At time of writing, the original Godox AD200 is £267 from Amazon UK and the Godox AD200 Pro is £329. So the question is if it is worth paying an extra £62 for the pro version?
The answer for me is ‘no’. Not for wedding photography anyway. The changes are too small to justify the extra money. And the power adjustments for 0.1 instead of 0.3 is actually very annoying for weddings since it slows me down.
If you want to read a direct comparison of the two flashes then Lencarta have a good blog post on if you should buy an AD200 or an AD200 Pro?
Where can I buy the Godox AD200?
Godox do not sell their products directly to the public. They are ALWAYS sold via resellers. Even on Amazon, you will see they are sold by third party resellers. Never directly from Godox. And if you visit their official website, there’s no way to buy any.
In the US one of the resellers is Adorama who have rebadged their products as Flashpoint. There may be others but I only know of Adorama in the US. If you are a US reseller, feel free to let me know and I will mention you here.
In the UK, the official resellers are Essential Photo and Lencarta. Essential Photo rebadge their units too under the name «Pixapro» whilst Lencarta do not rebadge and use the Godox brand name.
The hardware in all cases are identical. Other than the sticker on the unit, there is ZERO difference between the Adorama Flashpoint eVolv 200, the Pixapro Pika 200 and the Godox AD200.
I have a small confession to make here. And this will sound a bit silly as I know in reality it makes no difference. But personally I have always stuck to buying Godox badged units. Simply because I worry that in a few years time, it will be harder to sell a Pixapro Pika200 than a Godox AD200. I know! I know! It makes no difference. I know they are the same! I’ve said it! But photographers are a funny lot. It’s like I know a teeny scratch on a lens makes no difference. I have loads on my equipment. But I don’t want to buy a lens with a scratch on it for the same reason…..harder to resell. I hope that makes sense?
Interface
The rear LCD screen is on the bottom of the flash. It’s small but functional and the buttons are logically placed. The buttons and dial feel nice and responsive.
You can change groups by pressing the GR/CH button and change to a different channel by holding down the same button for two seconds then using the dial to choose which channel you would like.
The mode button allows you to flip between TTL & manual mode but I suspect most users will be controlling this from a master controller rather than the back of the unit. On the bottom right there is the modeling light on/off and long press to switch HSS on/off. You can also remotely turn the modeling light on using a compatible controller like the X1T or XPro. Unfortunately you can’t do this using a speedlight in master mode.
To get into the custom menu, long press the C.Fn button which is also the test fire button. One of the first things I recommend you do if like me you will be using this for weddings is switch off the beep. This is F01 and it should be set to OFF.
If you would like to manually set the power then use the dial. If in TTL mode then you will need to press the centre button first before using the dial to adjust flash exposure compensation.
Overall the LCD is perfectly usable. My only minor quibble is I’d like to have seen the rear LCD to be a little brighter. It can be hard to see in bright sunlight but it’s not a big deal.
To be honest the rear of the unit doesn’t really matter much. Because most of the time you will be using a remote trigger to fire the flash. The interface you have on your master device is far more important as that will directly affect how quickly you can change settings and minimise mistakes.
So in practice, I only use the rear LCD to check if the unit is turned on, power levels and it is on the correct channel. Oh and pressing the test button occasionally.
Final verdict: Buy the Godox AD200 Pro
A lot of photographers have been asking about the differences between the Godox AD200 and the Godox AD200 Pro. It’s worth noting that even though both are great products, they each offer different benefits.
If you are looking to upgrade your current photography equipment, the Godox AD200 may be just what you need. It will allow you to get better results with less effort!
On the other hand, if you have the extra cash, the Godox AD200 Pro is a great option for those who need high powered lighting and more power per flash.
We hope this blog post has helped you better understand the differences between these two strobes and given you a starting point to make your informed purchase decision when purchasing new lights for your business or hobby.
Godox AD200 Review | Build Quality & Ergonomics
Magmod modifiers fitted to Godox V880ii & Godox AD200
These lights are solid like a brick. I’ve dropped them/had them tip over on light stands multiple times and they always come away unscathed. That said, I certainly don’t recommend dropping strobe lights, but if you do, the Godox AD200 has your back.
As I mentioned before, the battery and battery charger are an absolute joy to use. No more fumbling with AA’s in the middle of a chaotic reception venue.
That, combined with the built-in radio receiver, makes it a one-step setup in a compact package. Perfect for on-the-go photography.My only gripe is the swivel attachment (more on this in the next section).
Godox is known for stellar build quality at affordable prices – the Godox DP400 III is a more recent example of a solidly built strobe.
Godox AD200 Overall Review: Are there any drawbacks?
Not an on-camera flash
There are some things you need to be aware of though before deciding to purchase one. Since it’s an off camera flash and it doesn’t have a hotshoe, it cannot be attached to your camera.
No shoe mount
It also does not have a shoe mount, and also a bit heavier than a speedlight, it’s not compatible with some handy tools. It’s basically a strobe needing a light stand.
The Godox AD200 is also not ideal for capturing high-ISO images where there is next to no ambient lighting around. You might want to have that in mind when considering.
Basically, this flash is not perfect for every shooting situation, but it is the perfect fit for shooting fast-paced outdoor events in daylight.
Flash Power output
The fresnel head is fixed at 35mm and cannot be zoomed. The official GN number is 52 whilst the bare bulb head using the standard AD-S2 reflector is rated at 60 at 28mm. For those thinking ‘wow, a normal speedlight has a similar GN number’, just bear in mind that the ratings on speedlights are usually taken at 200mm zoom and in my experience at least are let’s say ‘optimistic’
Using my Sekonic light meter I have tested the Godox AD200 against its bigger brother the AD360 as well as the trusty Godox v860ii. For the bare bulb test I have used the same 5″ standard reflector. For the Fresnel head I did not use any modifier. Testing was done from a distance of 3m.
| Godox V860ii @ 35mm | f/8 | |
| Godox V860ii @ 200mm | f/11 | |
| Godox AD200 — Fresnel Head | f/16 | |
| Godox AD200 — Bare Bulb Headwith Standard Reflector & diffuser | f/13 | |
| Godox AD200 — Bare Bulb Headwith Standard Reflector, no diffuser | f/16 | |
| Godox AD360ii with Standard Reflector & diffuser | f/14 | |
| Godox AD360ii with Standard Reflector, no diffuser | f/18 |
So no real surprises. The AD200 is less powerful than the AD360 but more than the normal speedlight. However, It may surprise some that there is only a 1/3 stop difference between the AD200 and the AD360. Whilst in percentage terms that seems a lot (ie. 33%), the AD200 of course is much more portable with the integrated battery.
With the zoom head of the V860ii set to 35mm we’re getting two stops more light and with the zoom set to 200mm on the speedlight, we’re still getting a whole stop more light. Of course the spread pattern will be different and not a good ‘trick’ if you are planning to use the speedlight with a light modifier like a softbox.
Godox AD200 Review | High Speed Sync
HSS example: Godox AD200 | Nikon D610 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G | 1/1600th, f/2.8, ISO 100
When lighting portraits in midday sun, High Speed Sync (HSS) is key. If you want that nice f/2.8 look, the only way to cut down on an abundance of ambient light is to reduce your shutter speed. I frequently find myself shooting at 1/800th or faster in these situations.
While the Godox AD200 is perfectly capable of handling HSS, it tends to overheat if you’re shooting rapidly in HSS.
Plus, it seems like the time it takes to overheat is directly proportional to the speed of the camera’s shutter. It’s possible that this is just an illusion, but I’ve found that the AD200 will overheat sooner when shooting at, say, 1/1000th, than it will at 1/500th, for example.
This will be a big issue for some, or a minor issue for others. I tend to fall into the latter category. If I find I’m pushing it too hard, I simply back off on the shutter a bit and dial in a smaller aperture. I live in Colorado, so it’s nice to have those mountains in focus anyway.
Godox AD200 Review | Wireless Function
The interface of the Godox AD200 is well designed and simple to operate.
Godox’s 2.4GHz built-in radios have been a godsend for me. I struggled for years with misfires from other radio trigger brands (not naming any names here, but the primary culprit starts with a P and rhymes with SocketWizard).
…and I really like to push these things to their limits distance-wise, so if they’re consistent for me, they should be consistent for just about anybody.
But the best part is that the receiver is built right into the light, so there’s no need for any peripheral pieces of equipment to set up. This saves a ton of time over the course of a long wedding season.
Can Godox AD200 overpower the sun?
I get asked this question a lot. And the answer is “It depends”. Any light source can overpower the sun. It just depends on how far the subject is from the light source and the time of day.
What people generally mean is. Can the Godox AD200 overpower the sun on a REALLY sunny day at a certain distance? Again, it all depends on how far you are away and how bright the sun is. At high noon on a summer’s day? You could struggle, even if you’re a 3-4 meters away. Sunset with the golden sunlight then you should be fine. But you would have problems if you wanted to light them up from across the lake.
Whilst I do have lots of wedding photographs on my portfolio where I have used off camera flash (OCF). On a typical wedding day, I actually don’t use OCF a lot. Even for the bride & groom portraits, the vast majority will be done with natural light. Generally only for the ‘wow’ shots and sunset ‘dramatic sky’ photos which I am known for are lit with flash.
The photo above was taken just before sunset with a single Godox AD200 using the Magmod & Maggrid/Magsphere from camera left. And single AD200 behind the bride & groom with fresnel head, no modifier.
Taking wedding photos in the middle of a sunny day is something I avoid if at all possible. The sun is just not very flattering to your subjects. Plus trying to overpower the sun means using a lot of power.
If I have to and have no other choice. Then I do use the AD200 as a fill flash for group photos. In which case I put one of them into my Magbox and it is usually enough power. Occasionally I use two to give my 400Ws but I loathe to do it. Since it means I am totally out of options and taking photos in those sorts of conditions aren’t ideal.
I don’t use high speed sync. If I wanted to keep the aperture shallow then I would have to go into HSS mode. In which case I don’t think one AD200 would be enough to overpower the sun due to the power loss inherent with HSS.
If you do find yourself often in these situations at a wedding then you may want to consider a more powerful flash. Godox have released a range of strobes with more power. From the AD300 right the way to the upcoming retina burning AD1200! More powerful flashes will give you the option to use larger light modifiers to help you project softer light for better results.
Below is a photo that was taken around 4pm. As you can see, the sun is slightly lower but still out in force. The AD200 (hidden behind the bush on the left) was more than enough to light up the couple.
Introduction
It’s hard to think that my original Godox AD200 review is already three years old. So I thought it was about time update my review and let you know how my experience has been. Have my feelings changed over time? Has the AD200 stood up to the demands of professional use?
I remember vividly when it was announced. I remember thinking “This looks like the perfect flash for wedding photography” In my first review I concluded that it was the best flash you never knew you needed. Since then a lot has changed. There are now quite a number of accessories available for the AD200 and Godox have built an entire ecosystem of flashes and add-ons you can buy.
As always, the aim of this review isn’t going to be full of stats and shooting test objects. I will be focussing on what I’ve found to be important (and what’s not) from using it as a busy wedding photographer in Derby & Nottingham over the past few years.
Hopefully with the scene set, read on for my thoughts on the Godox AD200. Is it still the flash for me in 2020?
Is the Godox AD200 right for you?
Let’s first start with figuring out if the Godox AD200 is right for you. This depends on how you are going to be using this flash.
Do you need it on top of your camera or do you need something like a speedlight? Are you going to be using this in the studio? Other models of flash would probably be a better choice.
A speedlight gives the option of versatility, however it is not powerful enough to overpower light coming from the sun when we photographers need to shoot in the middle of the day.
On the other hand, studio lights have more power, but they are bulky and they hold you back from moving freely and quickly when shooting in confined spaces.
So if you are looking for a hybrid that has the convenience of a speedlight and but with the power of a studio flash, the Godox AD200 would be a great choice!
Navigational Buttons
It also has some additional navigation buttons allowing for quicker workflows, and a revised on/off switch.
Color Consistency Mode
The most notable enhancement is the Dedicated Stable Color Temperature Mode Mode (Color Consistency Mode), which improves color consistency to within +/- 100K throughout the entire power range.
Steps of Adjustments
When it comes to power range, the AD200 Pro is 1/1 to 1/256, allowing for 9 steps of adjustment, whereas the AD200 is 1/1 to 1/128, with only 8 steps of adjustment.
With the AD200 Pro, you can now change the power in 1/10 stop increments as compared to only ⅓ stop increments on the AD200. This would come very handy for product photographers or macro photographers who need really small amounts of power to get the levels just right.
Recycling Times
The AD 200 Pro is 15% better when it comes to recycling times, with a full-power recycle time of 1.8 seconds, allowing for faster shooting. This would prove useful when it comes to shooting big events.
USB C for firmware updates
Also included is a USB Type-C port for updating the flash’s firmware, which is quite an advantage considering most devices these days already use Type-C, so there’s uniformity with your cable cords.
Godox AD200 Review | Accessories
The speedlight flash head of the Godox AdD200 can be replaced for the bare bulb head.
I like to subtitle this section “What’s in the box? Come on, what’s in the BOX?!”
(For those who aren’t huge movie nerds like myself, check out the third act of David Fincher’s Seven.)
In any case, what’s in the box will vary depending on which seller you purchase it from. I bought mine from CheetahStand, which includes:
- Carrying case
- Lithium-ion battery
- Battery charger
- Umbrella swivel
- Bare bulb head
- Fresnel head
- Modifiers (barn doors, grid & gels)
Read more about Jesse’s camera gear in his Shotkit feature.
I can’t comment on the mods because, well, I’ve never used them. I bought into MagMod a couple years ago and at this point, I see no reason to try anything else.
Furthermore, I can’t comment on the bulb head because it doesn’t work with MagMod. Hm, there seems to be a theme here.
The good news is that the Fresnel head does, in fact, work with MagMod. It’s a bit of a tight fit, but once you get the MagGrip on there, you’ve opened up whole new world of light-shaping possibilities.
This would be a good time to mention that the included umbrella swivel (i.e. the thing that connects your light to your stand) kind of sucks.
Godox AD200 with S-Type bracket
The 3/8-inch thread comes loose at the slightest provocation so that the Godox AD200 will spin freely on the end of your stand. There ought to be some sort of rubber gasket to allow you to crank it down more securely, but unfortunately, this is not the case.
I strongly recommend purchasing a Godox S-type bracket, (shown in the image above), which needs to be modified slightly in order to fit the AD200, but is well worth it in the long run.
Godox AD200 Design Review: What’s the hype all about?
Reasons why I love the Godox AD200 family
The Godox AD200 has a small, portable, and compact design that is slightly largely than a standard speedlight, but with 200 watt seconds, gives three times more powerful flashes that would be a perfect addition to your kit
The light it gives will of course not completely overpower the sun, but it will give you more leeway than a speedlight. This is important since most people buying the Godox AD200 are those people doing outdoor photography, such as for weddings and other events. So if that’s your purpose for looking at this comparison, then this just might be for you!
It also has a built in radio receiver and lithium-ion battery pack, giving the photographer convenience and ease-of use
I love being able to use it with the Magring and the magshoe. I often use two AD200s in the MagRing
Godox AD200 Interface Review: The convenience of a wireless function
This hybrid pocket flash has a 2.4GHz built-in radio, and while other radio trigger brands have the problem of misfires, most review of the Godox AD200 say that they rarely experience any misfires form the system! It means you can push the limits of this system distance-wise, and the performance will still be consistent.
Take note: The receiver is built right into the light, so you don’t need to purchase and set-up any extra pieces of equipment, which saves you a lot of time!
Godox AD200 Battery Life Review: How far can a single charge take you?
Since the Godox AD200 has a single rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. It can handle multiple events even when you forget to charge in between! This is a big difference from when it all used to be AA batteries, which would run out of juice pretty quickly. It also charges in only a couple of hours when placed in its battery charger, unlike rechargeable AAs that takes most of the night to charge, only to quickly drain.
What’s nice about the Godox AD200 is that it also has a battery indicator in the back screen, so you can keep a look out for when it’s time to charge the battery. This warning is a big convenience since it saves you the hassle of being immersed in the shoot and suddenly your flash stops firing. What a bummer!
Godox AD200 Recycle Speed Review: How fast are the recycle times?
When shooting at 1/16th power or less, it is very fast! This comes pretty handy when shooting portraits a lot of motion, where you can set your camera to continuous-high mode.
It comes as a big advantage when shooting parties where there’s a lot of dancing involved. If you were using other speedlights, you would be getting lots of black frames when the light don’t recycling fast enough. This is not a problem on the Godox AD200 in which you can set the power lower and shoot in burst all throughout the party without worrying about recycle times.
Godox AD200 Shutter Speed Review: High Speed Sync
If you need to cut down the abundance of ambient light when shooting midday, then high speed sync flash is your best bet. You can do this by reducing your shutter speed.
Godox AD200 is capable of handling HSS, a lot of reviews say that it tends to overheat when you are shooting rapidly in HSS. The smaller your shutter speed is, the faster the pocket flash tends to overheat. This problem can be easily remedied, however, by backing off the shutter speed for a while and using a smaller aperture.
Godox AD200 Review | Recycle Speed
Godox AD200 | Nikon D750 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G | 1/200th, f/3.5, ISO 400
It’s super fast, especially when shooting at 1/16th power or less. I frequently shoot portraits with a lot of motion and random stuff flying through the air, so I like to set my camera to continuous-high mode.
Every time, without fail, my camera buffer fills up before the Godox AD200’s quit firing.
Here’s a quick video clip to illustrate what I’m talking about – the resulting image is shown above.
This fast recycle time also comes in handy while shooting the dance party. Back when I used speedlights for this portion of the wedding day, I had would have to set them to around 1/4th power, so I’d come away with a ton of black frames due to the lights not recycling quickly enough.
But now that I use the Godox AD200’s, I can lower the power and shoot in bursts all night long and (almost) never have to worry about recycle times.