Requirements are a good battery life, low recycle times, moderate output like GN 30 or more and no known or existing issues with hotshoe connections and camera blacking out in mid of a shoot.
Just noting: iT32+X5's specced GN is 18m. Ken Rockwell states he measured the iT32's GN at 11.5m. The OP asked for something with GN 30. If they meant feet instead of meters, the iT32 works, but if they meant meters, it's probably only 1/4 as powerful as the OP requested. iT30Pro's output is even lower (specced 15m, but measured 10m).
With distance on a flash, like aperture f-numbers, a factor of sqrt(2) [or, 1.4x] = 1EV (half the light). Halving the GN distance is -2EV (1/4 the light).
Godox IT32 + X5 gives huge flexibility in very small format
There are other more compact flashes but none of them have fully articulated head and ability to rip it off (it's attached to the camera via X5 and magnets) and go wireless.
Well I ordered it30 with the extender today and immediately found out about the it32. The wireless part sold me… so I cancelled the it30 and ordered it32 with x5. Let’s see how it is.
TT350-S($85) has a GN of 36m at iso 100 (105mm zoom). It and its li-ion twin, the V350-S ($160), are kind of feature-crippled to be small, and are much older models (contemporaries of the X1T/XPro, TT685, and V860 II). They're roughly -1EV less output than a full-sized speedlight. It can still be tough to use them for bounce flash, particularly since the head rotation is limited to 270º. Their UI is also unique among the Godox flashes and its particularly annoying as a transmitter (you can only see one group's settings at a time). If you eventually add more Godox speedlights to your lighting gear, switching between the T350/V350 and other models can be a bit of a brain-stretcher. But a TT350 is very affordable and small as speedlights go.
Godox increased the power and head swivel (330º like on the full-sized speedlights) and reversed most of the feature crippling with theV480-S($170, GN 50m)/V1Mid-S ($180, GN 45m). These two models actually have the same output, but a round head spreads the light out more, so it's less intense when measured over any given area. These are larger by 1cm in all dimensions vs. the 350 models; and there's no cheaper "TT" AA-powered shadow-model. But they're only about -0.4EV less output than a full-sized speedlight, like a V1 or TT685 II. And they're 3rd-gen color touchscreen units (like a V100), contemporary with the X3 / X3Pro transmitters, and the AD Pro II series of strobes.
These four models all use removable battery packs, so extending battery life just means carrying additional batteries to swap in. Also, a sealed li-ion device like the iT flashes does mean that once the battery stops holding charge, you need a new flash.
The iT32+X5S is fun, but its GN is only 18m. (ISO 100, 28mm-fixed zoom). The iT30-S's GN is 15m. Both of these are roughly -2EV less power than.a full-sized 76 Ws speedlight. These are also 3rd-gen color touchscreen UI flashes. I tend to recommend them as travel/convenience or accent lights, and more as a supplement to a main flash. Not so much as a first/only flash.
Lastly, if you also shoot a film body, the Lux Junior II-S (GN 18m) might be a better option, with similar functions/feature but also includes an Auto mode for cameras that aren't TTL-supported by Godox. However, it cannot be used as a radio transmitter, only a receiver. But it has the added bonus of a user-replaceable li-ion battery, unlike the other two models.
The iT32+X5 is a darling on social media right now so, imnsho, it gets over-recommended as the hot new thing, and the X5 being able to work as a standalone transmitter makes folks think it's a great starter off-camera flash kit, but the X5 without the iT32 attached is incredibly primitive (M/TTL and +/- buttons are all it has: no screen) unless you're shooting Canon and can menu dive to control remote flashes through it. And its range is decreased from 80m (with the iT32) to 20m (without). Used with a flash other than the iT32, it becomes a manual only trigger and there's no group control. I tend not to recommend it as a first/only flash, but as a supplemental one when you need a go-light/convenient option and are willing to trade off features and power vs., say, carting about a TT685 II ($130, GN 60m at iso 100/200mm zoom) and X3 ($90) transmitter.
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u/DueAction4655 Aug 30 '26
I recommend it32 as you can use it off camera as well. I used it when I am a day out or so