Have lived pay check to pay check for many parts of my life. Made plenty of poor financial decisions. Definitely appreciate the honest opinion in your vids
As a current modern commercial photographer working for adidas, Mc Donalds, Nike, etc. I can confirm that the gear doesn't matter. Your technique and talent matters. Also, clientes don't know shit about brand names hahaha as long as it's big they think they are getting their money worth. I have never received a comment about "hey, you are using Godox equipement, let's do profoto for the next one" NEVER. Amazing video, you have 25 years of experience in hollywood, I'm working at the top of the industry right now and still doesn't matter.
As a professional photographer who has worked with LinkedIn, Chevron, Nissan, and Stanford Healthcare, I must disagree with you. Is it possible to get a very short flash duration using Godox? The flash duration they advertise often falls short due to trigger latency issues.
@@alexk574 Yeah this guy @mairoarde is full of bologna. He can "confirm" gear doesn't matter? I'd like to see how, I know people who have been using Profoto for 15 years. The products are made so well, and they just work great without any issues whatsoever. I myself use almost all Profoto when it comes to lighting and softboxes etc. Over thousands of dollars. Am I complaining about the price?? No 🤣 because with Profoto's amazing products I make my money right back and then multiply it. I'm curious to know if you asked a professional rally driver if his vehicle matters, or an athlete if their equipment matters, or Navy SEAL if his gear matters? Also, the clients for brands like adidas, McDonalds, Nike etc. would not be present at a photoshoot. Their marketing/media team would be and anyone who has done photography for those companies (which I'm sure they have) would absolutely call you out on using cheap a** Godox products from Amazon 😂😂😂 You ALMOST pulled off that bull crap story.
@@flyeaglesflyyy did you try continuous flash with a stacked cmos camera (like sony a1 or canon r3 or nikon z9)? Profoto works terrible with those high end cameras because they works terrible at high fps. I mean those cameras take 20 or 30 frames per second and profoto does not catch up well and miss fire a lot. Very disappointed by profoto. Godox works perfect with my a1 (at 30 fps) and never miss any fire. Profoto does not catch up well even at 10 fps.
@@shichaosun3298 Why would I get a Sony or a Nikon? Lmao. I have an R5, can you detail which Profoto model "misfires" ?? Lol and wtf subject are you shooting at 20 fps with a strobe light? If you're using it to freeze action because you can't pull the trigger at the right moment and you rely on recycle times, get an EL-1 SPEEDlite. You probably never even used Profoto, have you?
Thank you for your frankness, it shows that you speak with sincerity. I still have my Godox 600bm, not the pro version. Thank you for giving your opinion as a great pro the truth in your explanations
This is one of the reasons I love your videos. You're not trying to sell anything. I was all about the brand. Known and expensive brands meant quality for me. I used Photix for some years. Great light but expensive as hell. A few months ago, and based on one of your videos, I got my first GODOX AD200 and loved it. I loved it so much that I got a V1 for my camera. It was a third of the cost of a Canon Flash. Now I'm saving for a 600 Thank you
Most clients do not even know the brands Godox or Profoto. They merely see a big flash. Big flash = professional. Same with the cameras. People do know the brand names, but generally not the models. As long as it is a big DSLR or mirrorless camera, you are good to go! 😉
For us clients or models rarely even mention or care abt the equipment. I may hear that’s a big lens and camera but that’s about it. I just smile and say “we are going to create great images today”. Leverage what you have.
@@WilsonSilverthorne I wonder if they would even notice if you're using a micro 3/4 (or even 1 inch) sensor versus full-frame. I mean, obviously they wouldn't want you using a pocket camera, but what if...
I had a conversation today with another photographer who's dipping his toe into portraits and boudoir. He was asking me how I was able to get such great shadows and what I was using, where I was shooting...all that. I told him I just had some black fabric in the middle of my living room and I was using a standard Alienbees B400 ($250 strobe) and sometimes a soft box. That was it...and he was very surprised. I told him that you need to practice with what you have available to you and get as proficient with it as you can. More expensive gear, although they do sometimes have luxury features, don't take better photos on their own merit. I told him that it was always fun to work with a new model because I never knew how they were going to feel about seeing the "simple setup" in the middle of my tiny apartment living room. But when they saw the images we captured, their whole perspective changed and they got into the shoot a lot more because they were seeing the results vs the equipment load. Bottom line is, if your budget only allows more inexpensive gear, then learn to use that gear to its full potential and then later on, if you choose too, you can get something nicer. But more often than not, you can still create amazing art with simple gear. You'll just have to use your imagination and learn to have fun with what you're doing. I would say that sometimes it definitely shows where you spent your money (lenses for sure make a difference). But if you can do a side by side comparison like you did here, and not really see a huge substantial difference between the two, then why not go the cheaper route? Hell...you can buy 3 or 4 strobes for the price of the one "premium" one and then you open yourself up to all kind of possibilities. Thanks again for always just being yourself! Take care!
Technique trumps gear any day. I’m taking studio quality photos in my garage with an 11 year old dslr, 15 year old lenses and $100-$400 lights. My entire setup cost less than 1 pro photo flash. Lol
THANK YOU ! as a newbie to flash and teaching myself, i appreciate your honesty and PROFESSIONAL opinion! It gets overwhelming reading and watching reviews.
I agree with you. I started the transition to Godox/Flashpoint 2 1/2 years ago, and liked the result so much that I had completely switched both my field kit and my studio over to Godox/Flashpoint in less than 6 months. I had several brands of lights before and was forever having misfires and other problems. In 2 1/2 years I haven't had a single flash failure due to an equipment problem. Operator problem, yes, but not because of the Godox/Flashpoint equipment. I started with the X2Tc transmitter, because of the pass thru hot shoe on top. It let me continue using my old flash transmitter and lights while I tested the Godox communication and the two Godox lights that I had bought. The success with them convinced me that switching was the right thing to do, so within 6 months I had replaced all of my lights. I have never looked back. It took a few months, but I sold and gave away all of my old lights. Goodbye Alien Bees and everything else.
My favorite channel and human being I ever found on Internet, so fun and so real and creative and talented. Thank you for your videos, I am truly blessed to find you here. Thank you for the work you do on here for us.
I have been a pro photographer for over 40 years and can attest to the quality of GODOX and specifically the AD600 B TTL version. Used it for several magazine shoots the likes of VOGUE, Harper's BAZAAR, ELLE, etc...
I love seeing people on youtube being brutally honest! Thanks for the review. I saw your review on the new Godox flash trigger (Nano, X3, or something like that) and bought one based on that video. it is small, it has a touch screen, and you can use decimals instead of fractions to dial in the power!! I love that part! Thanks for posting!
I borrowed my friend’s godox light for my look book shoot a year ago because they didn’t have a good budget for the eq. I used my 2400 & 600 profoto acute pack for my main light and two godox lights just for a background. After 1 hour of shooting the godox heated up and started to get super slow. Finally it won’t flash until it cools down. I had to have a 30min break time to fix it and bothered myself to shoot slower and less. it was 6 hour shoot with almost 1500 images taken. Godox has great price, fine quality but that’s why I never use this for my commercial. It’s not built for the industrial use.
I appreciate your through and candid review. I've bough MANY Godox products based on your review and I can honestly say I truly love their lights and glad I invested in them! Thanks :)
I shot dynalites for a good deal of my career. Before that I had normans and Balcar. I'm happy that you say people hire you for your talent. I worked as a commercial photographer and really hate that so many UA-camrs keep saying its just who you know and the big boys aren't any better. I've worked around a lot of big boys and they are amazing.
I use Godox all the time. Ad600 pro for Outdoor and Studio and the QT series 600/1200 for studio. I used most of the big brands and they where not better than the Godox stuff. Only brand i would buy would be Broncolor, that stuff is simply amazing. But at least and at the end the ENDRESULT is what counts and i have no issues with Godox to get fast and great results!! Even the wireless system is as easy as you can imagine.
I wish I could have grown up knowing you. We're about the same age but your outlook, practicality and humor makes you so rich. I do not mean money either. Just looked up the modifier on B&H ... Profoto OCF Magnum Reflector $225 holy crap. Godox RFT-19 Reflector (7") $19 ... I can hear my youngest daughter when she was 8 ... USE YOUR BRAIN IN YOUR HEAD!! LOL Always love your work Markus.
Great video. As a profoto user for over a decade I’ve had great experience with their lights. Yes I have a fleet of them. I haven’t bought new lights yet as everything seems to last including modifiers. I was assisting on a job for my friend using Godox one of the batteries just died randomly onset. So stressful. And the light output changes in 1/3 increments not as straightforward as profoto’s 0.1 IMO. And the I couldn’t manually change the output because it would make it out of sync so I had to yell out the change I wanted to make for her to adjust on the remote on camera. It’s my first time using Godox in 15years so it took a bit of time to get used to. Profoto is definitely overpriced though just like canon. The moonlight price has about doubled from 10years ago. 😂
Man!!!!! If you don't know how to get your point across, then nobody does! Well done my friend. I am just beginning to learn about lighting, and I find it so interesting so thank you very much for sharing, your both entertaining and informational, I have so much to learn and I for sure will reflect on the various info you share. For much needed help, I'll be watching for sure, thank again Bobby.
The other day removed the diffusion from my beauty dishes and now I'm hooked. Thank you for showing the little details that lead to amazing differences.
I'm so glad you did this video! I'm not invested in lighting equipment yet, but I want to tinker with it. You've confirmed what I have suspected all along that Profoto is very well made and has an easier UI, but is outrageously expensive! The Snap-on tools of the lighting world! What I didn't know was if the quality of light was better (?). Looking at your comparison, the Godox has a warmer, more natural looking color while the Profoto's colors are cooler and less natural looking. Yes you can tweak it in post and make it any color you want but why add to your work flow? I've seen professional photographers switch over to Profoto when they finally got the money only to wonder, "Am I missing something?" I think the same mentality that says, "If your camera isn't black, then it's not PRO" or "If you don't shoot Canon or Nikon, then you're not a PRO" also says, "Profoto = PRO, Godox = amateur."
I can get what you say absolutely. But the one question is left behind the curtains. Sometimes some people get inspirited with experience (high quality) gear. It doesn’t necessary makes them good at things they do, but it triggers to do something. You are one who doesn’t need that and that is great. Thanks for your work, like your videos a lot
I appreciate your review! I own both the Profoto and the AD600. To be honest, I bought the Profoto mainly for its "reputation". It's a cool piece of gear, but I haven't noticed a significant difference between the two. On the other hand, my AD600 has been through the wringer-I've even dropped it in a river-and it just keeps going strong. I've used and abused it, and it's still reliable. One thing that really bothers me about the Profoto is the case for the trigger. Its poor case design scratched up the edges of the trigger, which is frustrating, especially since I take good care of this equipment that never leaves the studio. Based on my experience with both systems, I won’t be spending $4K on a setup again when I can get similar, if not better, performance from a $1K system, now I have not used the Pro II, but I'm sure that it will blow the Profoto out of the water for price and value.
Great video! As for having to have "professional" gear to get hired, it's been my experience that it's not the person with the most expensive gear that gets hired. If the people doing the hiring have any experience at all, it's usually the person who can get the job done who gets hired. Learn your craft and get so good at it that you can't be ignored. Do that and the work will follow.
Great Video!! Been using godox for about 5-6 years. only had a V1 go out on me because of the hotshoe. changed it out for $20 and its still kicking 50-60 weddings later. I have 3 ad200's, 1 ad300, and 2 V1's
Hello Mr. Markus... If you remove the 'price-point' factor of both units I would probably still lean towards the Godox. Unless there's been some color grading happening.. the Godox 'shots' (to me) has better color saturation with the Profoto leaning towards blueish. As always, your truthful and honest insight's of the photo/video genre is greatly appreciated. Cheers!
I agree with color too, prefer the AD600. Think the Profoto might be just a slightly cooler light, but for my working Kelvin temp, AD600 and AD200 are a much better fit.
I use Godox myself in the UK and the kit has been solid. AD200, AD200 Pro, AD300 Pro, AD600 Pro, AD1200Pro. But I will say that a fair few go Profoto due to them being avalible in rental houses. If Godox could get in to those it would be huge.
@MarkusPix I totally agree with your mindset. I have also seen so-called pros do stupid, amateurish work with very high-end gear, whereas some with cheaper equipment have done marvels!
I bought the ad600bm on a black Friday just over 3 years ago for $350 from adorama. Because it's now over 5 years it's been out some say it's an old design but the only down I see is the 6 lb weight. I feel this strobe will be with me for at least 10 years.
I have the Godox AD 600 for 5 years now and usually put it on a lightstand with a big umbrella. It happened 4 times, that the wind hit the Godox very hard and it fell to the ground, but the Godox AD 600 is still working fine till today. Only one time I had to replace the bulb, because it got broken (and a new umbrella). For my needs the power of the Godox V860II, or the AD 200 is usually enough.
I once used an AD200 Pro in a Broncolor Para 133, worked great! Brand names are overrated, best to look at the pieces and put together something that does exactly what you want that is unique to your situation.
Oh Markus Markus!😳 you rattled the cage with this video and I’m so glad you did!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I’ve been a Godox user and absolutely love the products, I have the Xplor600 and it fell once while on location and it’s still working! I also have a couple of AD200s and they are my workhorses. Love your videos and your vast knowledge, you’re proof that it’s not the gear but rather how well you can use it that will make or break you
Gotta love the rant, it starts with logic and experience, then the frustration kicks in for random people's incorrect arguments based the personal experience, and in the end you should see the reason why he is absolutely correct and just trying to give the voice of wisdom in internet echo chamber....
I truly appreciate this video ....my 4 light Profoto D1 Air kit was stolen out of my production truck over a year ago and I was looking at the Profoto B10's as a replacement, but couple days ago just decided to pick up the Godox Ad400 Pro just to give it a test run and was amazing surprised at how color accurate it is. I'm literally gonna put an entire gammet of a Godox kit together for the price of two Profoto B10's and run with it. Also thanks for the info on the non pro Godox vs the Pro....I guess the pro has high speed sycn is the only difference. New subscriber by the way
Thanks for this honest view. I discovered the same thing myself. I own Godox units and have used Profoto when I rented studio space. They did not bring any quality difference to my photos. Keep the money in your pocket.
I used Profoto lights for about 10 years as a photo assistant on commercial shoots until Godox came along. I had owned a bunch of Alienbees for most of that time as my personal gear, but the lack of built in batteries was always such a hassle. Bought a handful of AD200s when they were brand new and they're still going strong today as my primary lights. Customer support and build quality aside, the one advantage Profoto still maintains is that dead simple interface. Godox and other brands need to simplify their lights. It's exhausting having to scroll through multiple screens just so I can disable all the complicated features 90% of us will never use. You're really paying that premium for the brand and support and that's it now that there's so much competition in the space.
@@MileyonDisney Yeah, I'm another one that switched from Paul C Buff to Godox. Though I liked the Buff Lights themselves, it was a problem that they had multiple lines of lights that all all worked a bit differently and weren't consistent with each other. White Lightning, Alien Bees, Einsteins, DigiBees. Individually they are all really good but don't form a cohesive system. The remote system (cyber commander) is also overly complex and slow to adjust. With my Godox's I love how (relatively) cheap the remotes are and how quick and easy they are to use and how similar each flash unit is to the others. I also love how they have so many different sizes of strobes in different shapes and power outputs that all work on the system remote system. It lets you start with something as cheap and simple as a hotshoe flash which is still usable within the system if you add a more powerful light and can even act as the remote. Then if you buy one of the dedicated remotes you can also use that hotshoe off camera. Everything builds up very nicely into a bigger and better system as you can afford more lights.
I love Godox and other import brands because useful accessories are in reach and won't break the bank - especially now that battery technology has improved!
I love this. If someone who isn't shopping based on his budget like I am says the budget friendly option is just as good if not better. I took note, thank you sir for your unbiased opinion.
Interesting review. I will admit I am a Profoto shooter and enjoy the benefits of the equipment that you accurately mentioned. The cost is a factor but it is more about weight and durability for my need. I am impressed by the degree to which you use your equipment outdoors which is a use case much more harsh than my own. I think your arguments would be stronger without the mention of cost difference being my only minor suggestion. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts
Hi Marcus I 100% agree. Godox makes more practical sense on just about every level. If you look behind Profoto advocates you usually see some kind of vested interest (sponsored by, dealer of, don't want to admit they overpaid etc). I once owned two Profoto heads and was pleased I was able to sell them at a premium to buy Godox. I still lost money owning Profoto, buying new, even though I sold at a good price. Like you I just need to please myself. So I did, woke up and saved the cap ex. That said I'm still a sucker for quality engineering and kit so can't help myself splurging on quality glass. So I'm not always the best to ask for advice on what to buy.
Great video.... will be great to compare in details all newest and best products from godox, profoto and broncolor. There is no such comparisons and you are the only person you can make it probably. It could be huge too see if godox is as good or even better in some areas...or no. Think about it Markus- it can be bomb :).... comparing lights and diffussions products like parabolic etc....
I choose gear that inspires me to use it. I like working with aesthetically pleasing tools. I like aesthetically pleasing things in general. For example, I don't eat food that is not presented pleasingly.
Your comments are absolutely correct. I am not at all sure, or the PROFOTO product line is not even produced in China? In any case, it's all extremely overpriced and very reminiscent of the pricing policies of some car brands. Therefore: Thumbs up! I find just such videos from you so good. Because although you could afford such expensive equipment, you show the less experienced photographers and videographers that you do not really need that and you can achieve at least equally good results with inexpensive hardware and the right know-how!
Oh my gosh Markus......I have been a professional photographer for nearly 51 years, and I have never used a "Profoto" product !! I have no one to answer to, and my clients never gave a rats about what hardware I used, they just wanted great photos (and since I got paid, I must have more than met their expectations). I do like your facial expressions at the beginning of this video.🤣
I have used Bowens, Elinchrom, Courtney, Godox, and many others over 25+ years.... The Godox units (AD600's) are the only ones that have done the distance going through desert heat, rain and dropping one at least six times and still works! Don't waste your money on anything else or you just become another member of the snob set :)
Airlines smashed my pro-fotos. I was happy the rental places had Pro-foto in the city I flew into, because then I didn’t need to learn new equipment to do the job. That’s been the only advantage of Pro-foto over Paul Buff (or Godox) that I’ve experienced.
Used to own the B10, the modeling lamp was tungsten. That was a nightmare for a mirrorless camera with a display monitoring a 5600K white balance setting. Everything was oompa loompa!
I've seen a lot of your DIY lights in your past videos. It could be interesting if you paired up with a mfr to come up with a product that would meet your quality, usability, and value standards. I am sure that would be a long project, but it could be an interesting journey.
No one mentions the mount system of Profoto... used it in the studio the other day, and dont like it at all! much prefer bowens system... line up 3 notches, slide in and click. locked on. Profoto, you have to slide the head into a rubber grip sleave, which it tight... its cumbersome..... just my opinion 🤷♂
Wieder mal gut gemacht! Du hast mir auch die Frage beantwortet bezüglich Telekonverter -DANKE!!! So sehr mich auch die Range bis 60mm gereizt hätte, brauche ich öfter die Range nach oben als nach unten. Wenn ich mehr Weitwinkel brauche und keines dabei habe mache ich versetzte Bilder und füge sie dann mit Photoshop oder Lightroom zusammen. Geht nicht immer aber sehr oft und auf jeden Fall öfter als man sich eventuell mit einem Crop nach Oben helfen kann. Zusammen mit meinem 2fach Converter und in speziellen Fällen dann noch mal 1.5 APS-C Modus auf meiner 7R5 komme ich auf beeindruckende 1200-1800mm, da geht nichts drüber, auch wenn ich mir manchmal noch mehr wünschen würde. Die Bilder werden dann noch mit Topas nachbearbeitet und die sind Top und auch rauschfrei! LG Paul
Have two ad600 strobes paired with an ad200pro and v1 speed light and love the setup. The main pro the 600LPro has over ad600 is the pro has TTL where as the non pro is a manual lens.
I agree with you 100%......I would love to go with the godox but their support (non existing) made me turn to westcott!!! profoto makes great products but for the price I'd rather get 4 of the godox/westcott and use them for the next 20 years. As usual great work and above all you make sense ! thank you!
The “I would rather take my money and ..” cracked me up 😂 is shoot elimchrom both indoor and with old quadra rangers outside but will sell the quadra for a Godox ad400. So tired of the cables and big battery pack and huge box I have to carry around on weddings
I definitely enjoyed the rant. It was sobering to hear it all from someone who actually field tested it and have real opinions about the performance to price instead of spouting about all the features. Thanks! Anyhow, I’m gonna go with the Westcott FJ400 backpack kit for my classroom use. Not having to buy multiple remotes for different camera brands was what sold me on the ecosystem and workflow. My students can bring in just about any brand of camera and learn how to use OCF in the classroom studio and anywhere on campus. 😁👍
You can say the same thing about Leica users (or any brand of camera), but it's their choice (I'm not a Leica user). I own Profoto gear and I enjoy using it. Use what you like, I also shoot with Hasselblad, I can definitely use any other brand and get similar results but I like using my film backs right along my digital back, and that's ok too. Have fun and use what makes you happy.
The best under rated channel in the photography world
i bet 60% of people will leave after seeing this intro :D
Agree bro!!
Fact
@@tomaszbejnarowicz 35% more will leave seeing it in 60fps
Have lived pay check to pay check for many parts of my life. Made plenty of poor financial decisions. Definitely appreciate the honest opinion in your vids
As a current modern commercial photographer working for adidas, Mc Donalds, Nike, etc. I can confirm that the gear doesn't matter. Your technique and talent matters. Also, clientes don't know shit about brand names hahaha as long as it's big they think they are getting their money worth. I have never received a comment about "hey, you are using Godox equipement, let's do profoto for the next one" NEVER. Amazing video, you have 25 years of experience in hollywood, I'm working at the top of the industry right now and still doesn't matter.
As a professional photographer who has worked with LinkedIn, Chevron, Nissan, and Stanford Healthcare, I must disagree with you. Is it possible to get a very short flash duration using Godox? The flash duration they advertise often falls short due to trigger latency issues.
@@alexk574 Yeah this guy @mairoarde is full of bologna. He can "confirm" gear doesn't matter? I'd like to see how, I know people who have been using Profoto for 15 years. The products are made so well, and they just work great without any issues whatsoever. I myself use almost all Profoto when it comes to lighting and softboxes etc. Over thousands of dollars. Am I complaining about the price?? No 🤣 because with Profoto's amazing products I make my money right back and then multiply it. I'm curious to know if you asked a professional rally driver if his vehicle matters, or an athlete if their equipment matters, or Navy SEAL if his gear matters?
Also, the clients for brands like adidas, McDonalds, Nike etc. would not be present at a photoshoot. Their marketing/media team would be and anyone who has done photography for those companies (which I'm sure they have) would absolutely call you out on using cheap a** Godox products from Amazon 😂😂😂 You ALMOST pulled off that bull crap story.
@@flyeaglesflyyy😂 Got em!
@@flyeaglesflyyy did you try continuous flash with a stacked cmos camera (like sony a1 or canon r3 or nikon z9)? Profoto works terrible with those high end cameras because they works terrible at high fps. I mean those cameras take 20 or 30 frames per second and profoto does not catch up well and miss fire a lot. Very disappointed by profoto. Godox works perfect with my a1 (at 30 fps) and never miss any fire. Profoto does not catch up well even at 10 fps.
@@shichaosun3298 Why would I get a Sony or a Nikon? Lmao. I have an R5, can you detail which Profoto model "misfires" ?? Lol and wtf subject are you shooting at 20 fps with a strobe light? If you're using it to freeze action because you can't pull the trigger at the right moment and you rely on recycle times, get an EL-1 SPEEDlite. You probably never even used Profoto, have you?
I’m very satisfied with my GODOX lighting system. I use the V1, ad200Pro, ad400pro, ad600pro and the QS600. No regrets with any of these.
Thank you for your frankness, it shows that you speak with sincerity. I still have my Godox 600bm, not the pro version. Thank you for giving your opinion as a great pro the truth in your explanations
Bm is all I have and use
This is one of the reasons I love your videos. You're not trying to sell anything.
I was all about the brand. Known and expensive brands meant quality for me. I used Photix for some years. Great light but expensive as hell. A few months ago, and based on one of your videos, I got my first GODOX AD200 and loved it. I loved it so much that I got a V1 for my camera. It was a third of the cost of a Canon Flash.
Now I'm saving for a 600
Thank you
Most clients do not even know the brands Godox or Profoto. They merely see a big flash. Big flash = professional. Same with the cameras. People do know the brand names, but generally not the models. As long as it is a big DSLR or mirrorless camera, you are good to go! 😉
The more macho the more impressive!
For us clients or models rarely even mention or care abt the equipment. I may hear that’s a big lens and camera but that’s about it. I just smile and say “we are going to create great images today”. Leverage what you have.
@@WilsonSilverthorne I wonder if they would even notice if you're using a micro 3/4 (or even 1 inch) sensor versus full-frame. I mean, obviously they wouldn't want you using a pocket camera, but what if...
I can’t count the number of times I’ve rewatched so many of your videos. Thanks Markus.
I had a conversation today with another photographer who's dipping his toe into portraits and boudoir. He was asking me how I was able to get such great shadows and what I was using, where I was shooting...all that. I told him I just had some black fabric in the middle of my living room and I was using a standard Alienbees B400 ($250 strobe) and sometimes a soft box. That was it...and he was very surprised. I told him that you need to practice with what you have available to you and get as proficient with it as you can. More expensive gear, although they do sometimes have luxury features, don't take better photos on their own merit. I told him that it was always fun to work with a new model because I never knew how they were going to feel about seeing the "simple setup" in the middle of my tiny apartment living room. But when they saw the images we captured, their whole perspective changed and they got into the shoot a lot more because they were seeing the results vs the equipment load. Bottom line is, if your budget only allows more inexpensive gear, then learn to use that gear to its full potential and then later on, if you choose too, you can get something nicer. But more often than not, you can still create amazing art with simple gear. You'll just have to use your imagination and learn to have fun with what you're doing. I would say that sometimes it definitely shows where you spent your money (lenses for sure make a difference). But if you can do a side by side comparison like you did here, and not really see a huge substantial difference between the two, then why not go the cheaper route? Hell...you can buy 3 or 4 strobes for the price of the one "premium" one and then you open yourself up to all kind of possibilities. Thanks again for always just being yourself! Take care!
Technique trumps gear any day. I’m taking studio quality photos in my garage with an 11 year old dslr, 15 year old lenses and $100-$400 lights. My entire setup cost less than 1 pro photo flash. Lol
So true. I’ve had them fall in the ocean. Cleaned it placed it in rice and week later it’s as if nothing ever happened. Works great. Thanks for this.
THANK YOU ! as a newbie to flash and teaching myself, i appreciate your honesty and PROFESSIONAL opinion! It gets overwhelming reading and watching reviews.
I agree with you. I started the transition to Godox/Flashpoint 2 1/2 years ago, and liked the result so much that I had completely switched both my field kit and my studio over to Godox/Flashpoint in less than 6 months. I had several brands of lights before and was forever having misfires and other problems. In 2 1/2 years I haven't had a single flash failure due to an equipment problem. Operator problem, yes, but not because of the Godox/Flashpoint equipment. I started with the X2Tc transmitter, because of the pass thru hot shoe on top. It let me continue using my old flash transmitter and lights while I tested the Godox communication and the two Godox lights that I had bought. The success with them convinced me that switching was the right thing to do, so within 6 months I had replaced all of my lights. I have never looked back. It took a few months, but I sold and gave away all of my old lights. Goodbye Alien Bees and everything else.
My favorite channel and human being I ever found on Internet, so fun and so real and creative and talented. Thank you for your videos, I am truly blessed to find you here. Thank you for the work you do on here for us.
I have been a pro photographer for over 40 years and can attest to the quality of GODOX and specifically the AD600 B TTL version. Used it for several magazine shoots the likes of VOGUE, Harper's BAZAAR, ELLE, etc...
I love seeing people on youtube being brutally honest! Thanks for the review.
I saw your review on the new Godox flash trigger (Nano, X3, or something like that) and bought one based on that video. it is small, it has a touch screen, and you can use decimals instead of fractions to dial in the power!! I love that part!
Thanks for posting!
Super great video. Was really a pleasure to listen to you. Thanks a lot for sharing. All the best from Frankfurt am Main/Germany. Daniel
I borrowed my friend’s godox light for my look book shoot a year ago because they didn’t have a good budget for the eq. I used my 2400 & 600 profoto acute pack for my main light and two godox lights just for a background. After 1 hour of shooting the godox heated up and started to get super slow. Finally it won’t flash until it cools down. I had to have a 30min break time to fix it and bothered myself to shoot slower and less. it was 6 hour shoot with almost 1500 images taken. Godox has great price, fine quality but that’s why I never use this for my commercial. It’s not built for the industrial use.
I appreciate your through and candid review. I've bough MANY Godox products based on your review and I can honestly say I truly love their lights and glad I invested in them! Thanks :)
What a great video! Especially coming from a guy who could have anything, like he said: “I don’t get free stuff from anyone and I don’t need it”
LOVE THIS DUDE. How have I not found this channel sooner. Great vid!
Glad you enjoy it!
I own and use six Godox AD600 that work very well. I set them up in banquet halls a 1/8 power and shoot all day without any battery change.
I love my AD600 pro and my 2 AD200's combined with the XPro trigger.
I shot dynalites for a good deal of my career. Before that I had normans and Balcar. I'm happy that you say people hire you for your talent. I worked as a commercial photographer and really hate that so many UA-camrs keep saying its just who you know and the big boys aren't any better. I've worked around a lot of big boys and they are amazing.
I use Godox all the time. Ad600 pro for Outdoor and Studio and the QT series 600/1200 for studio. I used most of the big brands and they where not better than the Godox stuff. Only brand i would buy would be Broncolor, that stuff is simply amazing. But at least and at the end the ENDRESULT is what counts and i have no issues with Godox to get fast and great results!! Even the wireless system is as easy as you can imagine.
I wish I could have grown up knowing you. We're about the same age but your outlook, practicality and humor makes you so rich. I do not mean money either. Just looked up the modifier on B&H ... Profoto OCF Magnum Reflector $225 holy crap. Godox RFT-19 Reflector (7") $19 ... I can hear my youngest daughter when she was 8 ... USE YOUR BRAIN IN YOUR HEAD!! LOL Always love your work Markus.
Great video. As a profoto user for over a decade I’ve had great experience with their lights. Yes I have a fleet of them. I haven’t bought new lights yet as everything seems to last including modifiers. I was assisting on a job for my friend using Godox one of the batteries just died randomly onset. So stressful. And the light output changes in 1/3 increments not as straightforward as profoto’s 0.1 IMO. And the I couldn’t manually change the output because it would make it out of sync so I had to yell out the change I wanted to make for her to adjust on the remote on camera. It’s my first time using Godox in 15years so it took a bit of time to get used to. Profoto is definitely overpriced though just like canon. The moonlight price has about doubled from 10years ago. 😂
Man!!!!! If you don't know how to get your point across, then nobody does! Well done my friend. I am just beginning to learn about lighting, and I find it so interesting so thank you very much for sharing, your both entertaining and informational, I have so much to learn and I for sure will reflect on the various info you share. For much needed help, I'll be watching for sure, thank again Bobby.
The other day removed the diffusion from my beauty dishes and now I'm hooked. Thank you for showing the little details that lead to amazing differences.
I'm so glad you did this video! I'm not invested in lighting equipment yet, but I want to tinker with it. You've confirmed what I have suspected all along that Profoto is very well made and has an easier UI, but is outrageously expensive! The Snap-on tools of the lighting world! What I didn't know was if the quality of light was better (?). Looking at your comparison, the Godox has a warmer, more natural looking color while the Profoto's colors are cooler and less natural looking. Yes you can tweak it in post and make it any color you want but why add to your work flow?
I've seen professional photographers switch over to Profoto when they finally got the money only to wonder, "Am I missing something?" I think the same mentality that says, "If your camera isn't black, then it's not PRO" or "If you don't shoot Canon or Nikon, then you're not a PRO" also says, "Profoto = PRO, Godox = amateur."
One of the best channels for photography online.
Appreciate that
I can get what you say absolutely. But the one question is left behind the curtains. Sometimes some people get inspirited with experience (high quality) gear. It doesn’t necessary makes them good at things they do, but it triggers to do something. You are one who doesn’t need that and that is great. Thanks for your work, like your videos a lot
I appreciate your review! I own both the Profoto and the AD600. To be honest, I bought the Profoto mainly for its "reputation". It's a cool piece of gear, but I haven't noticed a significant difference between the two. On the other hand, my AD600 has been through the wringer-I've even dropped it in a river-and it just keeps going strong. I've used and abused it, and it's still reliable.
One thing that really bothers me about the Profoto is the case for the trigger. Its poor case design scratched up the edges of the trigger, which is frustrating, especially since I take good care of this equipment that never leaves the studio. Based on my experience with both systems, I won’t be spending $4K on a setup again when I can get similar, if not better, performance from a $1K system, now I have not used the Pro II, but I'm sure that it will blow the Profoto out of the water for price and value.
Great video! As for having to have "professional" gear to get hired, it's been my experience that it's not the person with the most expensive gear that gets hired. If the people doing the hiring have any experience at all, it's usually the person who can get the job done who gets hired. Learn your craft and get so good at it that you can't be ignored. Do that and the work will follow.
I have been using the AD600 for almost 7 years. I am surprised that the bulb is still working after so many years.
I love your honesty and help with showing what is important. Thank you.
Great Video!! Been using godox for about 5-6 years. only had a V1 go out on me because of the hotshoe. changed it out for $20 and its still kicking 50-60 weddings later. I have 3 ad200's, 1 ad300, and 2 V1's
Can’t wait to hear your opinion on the 600se. I just picked up 3 for $400 each. Too good of a deal to pass up!
Hello Mr. Markus... If you remove the 'price-point' factor of both units I would probably still lean towards the Godox. Unless there's been some color grading happening.. the Godox 'shots' (to me) has better color saturation with the Profoto leaning towards blueish. As always, your truthful and honest insight's of the photo/video genre is greatly appreciated. Cheers!
If you need color consistency I will suggest the AD600 pro
Forever boy! Your honesty and down to earth! LOVE IT!
I feel the same about Westscotts Flex LED panels. Thanks Marcus.
I agree with color too, prefer the AD600. Think the Profoto might be just a slightly cooler light, but for my working Kelvin temp, AD600 and AD200 are a much better fit.
I noticed that as well. Much bluer tones. The 600 was much better
Thanks Markus, I will buy a Godox AD600 because of your very honest opinion on these two flashes. thanks
I use Godox myself in the UK and the kit has been solid. AD200, AD200 Pro, AD300 Pro, AD600 Pro, AD1200Pro.
But I will say that a fair few go Profoto due to them being avalible in rental houses. If Godox could get in to those it would be huge.
My wife and I were both in stitches at the end🤣🤣🤣 I would also rather take the money and… 😂😂😂
Markus thanks 4 the rant, more importantly, I appreciate your honest experience & recommendation. Have a fabulous trip.
@MarkusPix I totally agree with your mindset. I have also seen so-called pros do stupid, amateurish work with very high-end gear, whereas some with cheaper equipment have done marvels!
The end result is what matters, 100% agree, my Ad600 has served me well since 2017 and this year I picked up 2 ad200's
I agree… Creativity first👍🏼, materials… After 😊😁😉👌🏼✨
Thanks for opinion
I bought the ad600bm on a black Friday just over 3 years ago for $350 from adorama. Because it's now over 5 years it's been out some say it's an old design but the only down I see is the 6 lb weight. I feel this strobe will be with me for at least 10 years.
I've had mine for at least ten years and still take them with me around the world. Most of the weight is the battery which can be carried separately
I love how brutally honest you are....if I could I would subscribe again and again!!! Such an amazing person!!!
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Lol.... the dancer cut is the first belly laugh in the several years I've watch you... thank you.. very funny
I have the Godox AD 600 for 5 years now and usually put it on a lightstand with a big umbrella. It happened 4 times, that the wind hit the Godox very hard and it fell to the ground, but the Godox AD 600 is still working fine till today. Only one time I had to replace the bulb, because it got broken (and a new umbrella). For my needs the power of the Godox V860II, or the AD 200 is usually enough.
I once used an AD200 Pro in a Broncolor Para 133, worked great! Brand names are overrated, best to look at the pieces and put together something that does exactly what you want that is unique to your situation.
Oh Markus Markus!😳 you rattled the cage with this video and I’m so glad you did!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I’ve been a Godox user and absolutely love the products, I have the Xplor600 and it fell once while on location and it’s still working! I also have a couple of AD200s and they are my workhorses. Love your videos and your vast knowledge, you’re proof that it’s not the gear but rather how well you can use it that will make or break you
Yikes! I hope you are feeling better Markus! Oh, yes, I agree with you. Cheers.
Gotta love the rant, it starts with logic and experience, then the frustration kicks in for random people's incorrect arguments based the personal experience, and in the end you should see the reason why he is absolutely correct and just trying to give the voice of wisdom in internet echo chamber....
I truly appreciate this video ....my 4 light Profoto D1 Air kit was stolen out of my production truck over a year ago and I was looking at the Profoto B10's as a replacement, but couple days ago just decided to pick up the Godox Ad400 Pro just to give it a test run and was amazing surprised at how color accurate it is. I'm literally gonna put an entire gammet of a Godox kit together for the price of two Profoto B10's and run with it. Also thanks for the info on the non pro Godox vs the Pro....I guess the pro has high speed sycn is the only difference. New subscriber by the way
The non pro godox 600 has high speed sync, it doesn't have ttl or color accuracy mode
Thanks for this honest view. I discovered the same thing myself. I own Godox units and have used Profoto when I rented studio space. They did not bring any quality difference to my photos. Keep the money in your pocket.
As a profoto owner, I totally agree with you Markus.
I used Profoto lights for about 10 years as a photo assistant on commercial shoots until Godox came along. I had owned a bunch of Alienbees for most of that time as my personal gear, but the lack of built in batteries was always such a hassle. Bought a handful of AD200s when they were brand new and they're still going strong today as my primary lights.
Customer support and build quality aside, the one advantage Profoto still maintains is that dead simple interface. Godox and other brands need to simplify their lights. It's exhausting having to scroll through multiple screens just so I can disable all the complicated features 90% of us will never use. You're really paying that premium for the brand and support and that's it now that there's so much competition in the space.
Wow! I haven't heard of Alienbees for a long time. Probably since Godox made it big.
AD200's are so nice and easy to use.
@@MileyonDisney Yeah, I'm another one that switched from Paul C Buff to Godox. Though I liked the Buff Lights themselves, it was a problem that they had multiple lines of lights that all all worked a bit differently and weren't consistent with each other. White Lightning, Alien Bees, Einsteins, DigiBees. Individually they are all really good but don't form a cohesive system. The remote system (cyber commander) is also overly complex and slow to adjust. With my Godox's I love how (relatively) cheap the remotes are and how quick and easy they are to use and how similar each flash unit is to the others. I also love how they have so many different sizes of strobes in different shapes and power outputs that all work on the system remote system. It lets you start with something as cheap and simple as a hotshoe flash which is still usable within the system if you add a more powerful light and can even act as the remote. Then if you buy one of the dedicated remotes you can also use that hotshoe off camera. Everything builds up very nicely into a bigger and better system as you can afford more lights.
I love Godox and other import brands because useful accessories are in reach and won't break the bank - especially now that battery technology has improved!
7:22 Interesting commentary on the position of the actual light source in the monolight.
I love this. If someone who isn't shopping based on his budget like I am says the budget friendly option is just as good if not better. I took note, thank you sir for your unbiased opinion.
Interesting review. I will admit I am a Profoto shooter and enjoy the benefits of the equipment that you accurately mentioned. The cost is a factor but it is more about weight and durability for my need. I am impressed by the degree to which you use your equipment outdoors which is a use case much more harsh than my own. I think your arguments would be stronger without the mention of cost difference being my only minor suggestion. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts
Thanks for being a kind profoto user 😁
thank you for making this. I was on the fence but Godox is just fine.
You re a great man,always independent and telling truth...
Hi Marcus I 100% agree. Godox makes more practical sense on just about every level. If you look behind Profoto advocates you usually see some kind of vested interest (sponsored by, dealer of, don't want to admit they overpaid etc).
I once owned two Profoto heads and was pleased I was able to sell them at a premium to buy Godox. I still lost money owning Profoto, buying new, even though I sold at a good price.
Like you I just need to please myself. So I did, woke up and saved the cap ex. That said I'm still a sucker for quality engineering and kit so can't help myself splurging on quality glass. So I'm not always the best to ask for advice on what to buy.
Your reasoning is so convincing. Thanks for great tips!
Great video.... will be great to compare in details all newest and best products from godox, profoto and broncolor. There is no such comparisons and you are the only person you can make it probably. It could be huge too see if godox is as good or even better in some areas...or no. Think about it Markus- it can be bomb :).... comparing lights and diffussions products like parabolic etc....
Thank you so much Markus for the very helpful and informative comparison video and the precious tips! God bless you and good luck!
You just made me a subscriber. Love your honesty!
I choose gear that inspires me to use it. I like working with aesthetically pleasing tools. I like aesthetically pleasing things in general. For example, I don't eat food that is not presented pleasingly.
Your comments are absolutely correct. I am not at all sure, or the PROFOTO product line is not even produced in China?
In any case, it's all extremely overpriced and very reminiscent of the pricing policies of some car brands.
Therefore: Thumbs up! I find just such videos from you so good. Because although you could afford such expensive equipment, you show the less experienced photographers and videographers that you do not really need that and you can achieve at least equally good results with inexpensive hardware and the right know-how!
Godox user here since Day 1! Dual Ad200 to be exact
I got lucky. When I was brand-spankin' new to photography, I bought that Godox. No regretsmand no envy for the expensive stuff.
Oh my gosh Markus......I have been a professional photographer for nearly 51 years, and I have never used a "Profoto" product !! I have no one to answer to, and my clients never gave a rats about what hardware I used, they just wanted great photos (and since I got paid, I must have more than met their expectations). I do like your facial expressions at the beginning of this video.🤣
Now i know why i am happy to follow your Chanel. Honesty
I have used Bowens, Elinchrom, Courtney, Godox, and many others over 25+ years.... The Godox units (AD600's) are the only ones that have done the distance going through desert heat, rain and dropping one at least six times and still works! Don't waste your money on anything else or you just become another member of the snob set :)
Airlines smashed my pro-fotos. I was happy the rental places had Pro-foto in the city I flew into, because then I didn’t need to learn new equipment to do the job. That’s been the only advantage of Pro-foto over Paul Buff (or Godox) that I’ve experienced.
Used to own the B10, the modeling lamp was tungsten. That was a nightmare for a mirrorless camera with a display monitoring a 5600K white balance setting. Everything was oompa loompa!
I've seen a lot of your DIY lights in your past videos. It could be interesting if you paired up with a mfr to come up with a product that would meet your quality, usability, and value standards. I am sure that would be a long project, but it could be an interesting journey.
No one mentions the mount system of Profoto... used it in the studio the other day, and dont like it at all! much prefer bowens system... line up 3 notches, slide in and click. locked on. Profoto, you have to slide the head into a rubber grip sleave, which it tight... its cumbersome..... just my opinion 🤷♂
They say Profoto has better color consistency.
Wieder mal gut gemacht! Du hast mir auch die Frage beantwortet bezüglich Telekonverter -DANKE!!! So sehr mich auch die Range bis 60mm gereizt hätte, brauche ich öfter die Range nach oben als nach unten. Wenn ich mehr Weitwinkel brauche und keines dabei habe mache ich versetzte Bilder und füge sie dann mit Photoshop oder Lightroom zusammen. Geht nicht immer aber sehr oft und auf jeden Fall öfter als man sich eventuell mit einem Crop nach Oben helfen kann.
Zusammen mit meinem 2fach Converter und in speziellen Fällen dann noch mal 1.5 APS-C Modus auf meiner 7R5 komme ich auf beeindruckende 1200-1800mm, da geht nichts drüber, auch wenn ich mir manchmal noch mehr wünschen würde. Die Bilder werden dann noch mit Topas nachbearbeitet und die sind Top und auch rauschfrei! LG Paul
The AD600 battery is legendary!! Heavy means more pops!... Godox maybe should release a small one, lighter, less pops for travel.
Legendary as far as being expensive and failing to take a charge
Thank you. You are winning in my book. I kind of felt that same exact opinion on godox vs profoto and you verified it for me. ;-)
Have two ad600 strobes paired with an ad200pro and v1 speed light and love the setup. The main pro the 600LPro has over ad600 is the pro has TTL where as the non pro is a manual lens.
Very helpful Markus.
After the lighting video, consider making a drone comparison.
trust you 💯 love your work soooo much Markus
Thanks for your honest reviews. I'm tired of all the fan boy reviews out there that are are not always objective.
I agree with you 100%......I would love to go with the godox but their support (non existing) made me turn to westcott!!! profoto makes great products but for the price I'd rather get 4 of the godox/westcott and use them for the next 20 years. As usual great work and above all you make sense ! thank you!
Awesome Markis, speaking for the command MAN...
I just got my AD600BM. I'm looking forward to trying it out.
I'm all about buy nice or buy twice, but that is not the case with this comparison, even though the price difference would make you think that.
I have used and own Paul C Buff, Profoto, and Godox. I will take Godox all the way!!! Also the modifiers are cheaper!
The “I would rather take my money and ..” cracked me up 😂 is shoot elimchrom both indoor and with old quadra rangers outside but will sell the quadra for a Godox ad400. So tired of the cables and big battery pack and huge box I have to carry around on weddings
I definitely enjoyed the rant. It was sobering to hear it all from someone who actually field tested it and have real opinions about the performance to price instead of spouting about all the features. Thanks!
Anyhow, I’m gonna go with the Westcott FJ400 backpack kit for my classroom use. Not having to buy multiple remotes for different camera brands was what sold me on the ecosystem and workflow. My students can bring in just about any brand of camera and learn how to use OCF in the classroom studio and anywhere on campus. 😁👍
ua-cam.com/video/cZV3QH_KA_g/v-deo.html
You can say the same thing about Leica users (or any brand of camera), but it's their choice (I'm not a Leica user). I own Profoto gear and I enjoy using it. Use what you like, I also shoot with Hasselblad, I can definitely use any other brand and get similar results but I like using my film backs right along my digital back, and that's ok too. Have fun and use what makes you happy.
Thanks, Marcos for your information
Great video as always Markus. Thank you !
Loved the ending 🤣 I’ll keep my wee Manfrotto light then. Been bashed around and still works. ❤️