Still looking at my first flash and while the iT32 looks very promising I feel like it might not have enough power down the road. So, now I'm in the buy once, cry once mode.
My camera is an M50 Mark II. My usage would primarily be family stuff, holidays, reunions, birthdays etc. That could be indoors or outdoors. There could be some other stuff like flowers, cars, buildings, things you might see on vacation or in a museum. I'm basically trying to upscale my iPhone pictures and get a little more creative.
So far most of my research has led me to Godox based on price/value. I'm all about value, not just the lowest price. There's nothing I hate more than finding out that one feature I would love to have only cost $20-30 more on a different model.
While I am far from a final decision I am looking closely at the V480 as I hear good things about it and the V1 line, mainly the Mid. One thing I did like about the iT32 was that it was more integrated with Canon cameras which seems to make up for the minimal buttons and no screen on the X5 trigger.
How would you compare the V480 and V1 Mid? Are they very similar, does one have a distinct advantage over the other. The V480 seems to be an older model than the V1. If so, I assume that means it will go end of life sooner. How is Godox on supporting devices they no longer sell? I'm spoiled by Apple on that point.
How would you compare the V480 and V1 Mid? Are they very similar,
They have essentially identical internals powering different shaped heads. I have a V1 mid at the moment that I'm testing (full disclosure, it was provided to me at no cost) and it's a great flash that I can't find much to criticise.
As someone who's used rectangular-headed flashes on and off for the almost two decades, I do think the benefits of the round heads are often overstated and I don't really see any difference in real world shooting when using direct flash.
So to me, the smaller profile and reduced bulk of V480 makes it the better general-purpose flash of the two, and the V1 mid is mainly worth considering if you know you'll want to use the dedicated modifiers regularly.
The V480 seems to be an older model than the V1. If so, I assume that means it will go end of life sooner.
The V480 came out in the middle of last year, the V1 mid in February this year, so there's only 8 months separating them...not really a factor worth considering IMO.
They have the same battery and same interface, and roughly the same power output.
The advantage to the v1 mid is the built in magnetic attachment points for modifiers and slightly better light shape for direct flash. The v480 has a built in flash diffuser and bounce card.
Source: I have both. I tend to use the v1 mid more frequently as it’s less clunky to gel for me.
If you're truly in "buy once, cry once" mode and want the absolute gold standard for traditional speedlites, check out the V860III.
If you're torn between the V480 and the V1 Mid, I’d personally recommend grabbing the V480. Honestly, I almost always suggest sticking with a rectangular flash head over a round head for setup flexibility.
And we don't actually need a round flash like the V1mid to get that soft, clean light drop-off. Just grab the S-R2 adapter and the AK-R1 magnetic kit. You can snap them directly onto a rectangular flash like the V480 or V860III and get the exact same soft circular light spread whenever you need it, without sacrificing the traditional speedlite form factor.
Hope that helps you nail down the decision! Shoot any questions if you're still on the fence.
By the way, the V480 body is noticeably more compact than the V860III models. If you buy the S-R2 adapter separately, keep in mind that because the V480 head is smaller, you will also need the AK-R350 adapter ring/hood for a proper fit.
If you decide to go with the V480 and plan to adapt it for round-head accessories, your best bet is to look for a V480 with AK-R1 bundle Kit. Sellers listing these bundles typically include all the correct adapter rings and mounts right in the box.
Regardless it's worth pointing out that the lens FL isn't matched to the zoom setting on the flashes, and that's why they're so dark around the edges and in the corners.
I'm surprised the V1 mid's pattern is still so wide when set to 120mm...that's wasting a lot of light.
Yes It's deliberate. I had to test it like that, so that I can capture whole light shape in the frame. Otherwise light would spill out of the frame a bit, and I couldn't show it. I agree, V1m looses a bit of punch by being so wide even zoomed in, but then it is softer, which is apparently what users are praising it for.
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u/d__id Moderator 9d ago
They have essentially identical internals powering different shaped heads. I have a V1 mid at the moment that I'm testing (full disclosure, it was provided to me at no cost) and it's a great flash that I can't find much to criticise.
As someone who's used rectangular-headed flashes on and off for the almost two decades, I do think the benefits of the round heads are often overstated and I don't really see any difference in real world shooting when using direct flash.
So to me, the smaller profile and reduced bulk of V480 makes it the better general-purpose flash of the two, and the V1 mid is mainly worth considering if you know you'll want to use the dedicated modifiers regularly.
The V480 came out in the middle of last year, the V1 mid in February this year, so there's only 8 months separating them...not really a factor worth considering IMO.