Godox AD100 Pro First Impressions
- Very compact, about the size of a 12 ounce soda can or a basic kit lens. With the battery it’s about the same weight as a soft drink can, too.
- Wireless TTL control. It can’t be stressed enough how versatile this feature makes the AD100 Pro. It matches up with almost all the brands in popular use now and can be leveraged into other new brands.
- 100 W/S is pretty impressive for such a small strobe. It fits in well with multi-light configurations and can be used as a single flash, too.
- Long life rechargeable lithium battery powers up to 360 full discharges. The battery is quick and easy to change, so you can keep a couple on hand all charged up.
- Attaches to magnetic Godox light modifiers or to Bowens mount accessories with an optional bracket.
- Godox AD100 Pro price is firmly in the Pro column since it is about the same price as a medium aperture auxiliary zoom lens or a fast prime lens like a Nifty Fifty. It is actually a little less than many of the camera manufacturer's pro style dedicated flash units.
- 100 W/S isn’t bad for a tiny flash but it does limit using the Godox AD100 Pro as a single strobe for situations needing a powerful strobe.
- The strobe requires a trigger, cord, or a master strobe in order to be fully integrated into the camera’s TTL automation.
- Color balance is optimized for 5600K daylight but there is a bit of inconsistency from unit to unit, at least in early tests. Godox will most likely get that under better control but it isn’t very noticeable for many applications, though it may be evident in multi-light set ups.
- This tiny strobe can get a little hot very quickly when under heavy use but the built in cooling fan helps dissipate a lot of that heat.
- It’s modeling light is a welcome feature but it’s a little underpowered compared to competitor strobes modeling lights which allow for dual use as a video light.
Professional flash units are amazingly easy to use with the newest cameras. Strobes from the camera makers and other manufacturers sync seamlessly with camera automation, can be controlled wirelessly, and can be combined for multi-light configurations. The Godox AD100 Pro is a prime example of how fantastic current flash units can be.
Godox AD100 Pro Specs
Godox AD100 Pro is the newest small strobe from Godox in the AD line up, part of their Witstro Strobes collection of portable on or off camera flash units. The main claims to fame of this flash are its 100 W/S rating, TTL capability, and wireless control.
From the Godox website, here are the rest of its official specs:
I like to look at the raw specs and turn them into features, what the Godox AD100 Pro specs mean for me.
Godox AD100 Pro Features
100 W/S power rating means it has enough power to be a single light for some uses but most photographers will probably mix it with another strobe or two for versatility in lighting configurations.
Wireless TTL control is an amazing feature that many professional photographers rely on for accurate flash exposures even when using multiple lights in an advanced lighting configuration.
Wireless control in general is a boon for using multiple strobes, the Godox AD 100 Pro being able to mix power ratios and TTL control from the camera itself means photographers can quickly adjust for different lighting without having to resort to a lot of complex computations or reviewing multiple test shots for correct exposure.
The Godox AD100 Pro is compatible with the Godox X1, X2, and XPro wireless triggers which allows full integration with Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, and Pentax digital cameras, both mirrorless and DSLR.
It is quite small, too, about the size of a 12 oz beverage can (choose your favorite tasty beverage to picture here). The weight of the flash unit almost doubles when you add in the V1 style rechargeable lithium battery. This battery is good for about 360 full power flashes.
The Godox AD100 Pro has various light modifiers that can be attached, the magnetic AK-R1 accessories kit and the S2 bracket that allows use of Bowens mount modifiers such as a softbox, various umbrellas, snoots, grids, and barn doors.
These accessories add size and weight but give a whole lot of versatility to this tiny strobe. The AD-E2 bracket lets you mount the Godox AD100 Pro to a light stand or another style bracket for all sorts of extra versatility.
Godox AD100 Pro Uses
So, what can you use a small, wirelessly controlled, TTL capable, battery powered strobe to do anyways? The real question is what can’t it do?
Well, while 100 W/S isn’t bad power output for such a small, lightweight strobe, it does limit using it as a single flash. Plus, it has no shoe mount for direct attachment to a camera, you need a cord, a wireless trigger, or a master strobe unit to control it.
Its best use is as a part of a multi-light configuration, but it should also be very usable as an off camera single flash unit for wedding photography, other events, or location portraiture such as an environmental portrait session. There are a variety of brackets it can be used with and it has dual mounting slots to adapt to your specific set up.
Pros and Cons
The Godox AD100 Pro is an interesting new strobe, and it has a lot of possibilities open for photographers needing a small, TTL strobe.
Pros:
Cons:
Final Thoughts
Godox has a winner with this small and extremely versatile strobe. Its price is very budget friendly and the wide range of accessories opens up many possible uses in the field and in the studio. Wireless TTL control for multiple camera brands adds to the appeal of the Godox AD100 Pro for professional or other serious photographers.
As for me, I’ll use this handy little light as a spotlight in my home office positioned above my head for my YouTube videos. So far, it has performed like a champ in this application which only speaks to its versatility!
