Westcott FJ400 vs Godox AD400 Pro Flash Comparison (Xplor 400 Pro)
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- Flash comparison between the Westcott FJ400 and Godox AD400 Pro (Flashpoint Xplor 400 Pro) strobes. I will be following up with flash comparisons between the Westcott FJ200 vs. Godox AD200 Pro, and Westcott FJ80 vs. Godox V1. Both the FJ400 and AD400 Pro are exceptional battery-powered strobes for location portrait photographers. Both have a very similar feature set including Bowens mount, TTL, HSS, stroboscopic, and masking functions. Both have wireless control in all modes via a compatible trigger (Westcott FJX2M and Godox XPro / X2-T). Check out the video to see how the specs of these two lights compare to one another along so you can determine which one is best for you.
Data Spreadsheet : bit.ly/RH400Data
Westcott FJ400 : adorama.rfvk.net/d45JW
Godox AD400 Pro : adorama.rfvk.net/Gy0a6
Godox ADS-85 : adorama.rfvk.net/V59jk
Godox AD400 Pro Extension Head : adorama.rfvk.net/e4gBrQ
0:00 Intro Westcott FJ400 and Godox AD400 Pro Comparison
1:05 Similar features of FJ400 and Godox AD400 Pro
1:38 Westcott FJ400 vs. Godox AD400 Pro Size Comparison
1:53 Godox AD400 Pro vs. Westcott FJ400 Bowens Mount
2:09 Advantage of Godox mount on AD400 Pro
2:52 AD400 Pro vs FJ400 Display Comparison
3:53 Flash Spec Comparison and Data
4:15 AD400 Pro vs FJ400 full power comparison
4:33 Output stability
4:56 AD400 Pro vs FJ400 Color stability
5:31 AD400 Pro vs FJ400 Flash duration comparison
6:26 AD400 Pro vs FJ400 Recycle Speed and Termal Protection
8:11 AD400 Pro vs FJ400 Battery Capacity
8:53 Westcott FJ400 Knob Comparison
9:36 FJ400 vs AD400 Pro Umbrella Holder
10:27 FJ400 vs AD400 Pro Bulb Design
10:56 FJ400 Charger doubles as AC adapter
11:35 Godox AD400 Pro Extension Head
12:31 LED "Modeling Lamps"
12:50 Godox AD400 Pro vs Westcott FJ400 Value Comparison
My entire kit of gear : kit.co/robhallphoto
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I just have one question. Did I stay unbiased?
Yes, you did. Well done.
Happy to hear that, thanks@@dowaynerichardsjr !
Yes, like IMO you were on your Profoto vs. Godox video.
I think so!
@@WestCoastVivi I think if I had to start it all over again I'd look REALLY hard at these Westcott lights. I've bought some their gear over the years, solid stuff
Thanks for getting back to creating great videos. The flashpoint strobes I currently have were all purchased based on your past videos and have not failed me now for over a year. Looking forward to more of your comparisons.
Great video!, I'm in the Westcott camp and love it, was a Godox user prior but switched. Just learned something new about the umbrella holder not to clamp it down unless the shoot requires it.
Very nice work! As for the images, they both look great! The 85 has a very nice drop off from the subject. I love using the 35mm because it brings in a bit more of the surrounding. Keep up the great work! Hope you visit Florida!
Great comparison! That was super informative - thank you!
I am deep into the Flashpoint/Godox ecosystem (speedlights to AC studio strobes) but this was great to see an unbiased head-to-head comparison. I look forward to the upcoming 200 and 80 versions as well.
I’m a little deep into the system too 🤣. Glad to hear you found the video fair!
Rob, you are very thorough and very good. Thanks
Thanks for the video. I have had the Ortlit RT610s for a while and love that they can work with my Canon speedlights. With a previous employer I was able to talk them into getting the Westcott FJ400 and love it with the FJX2M as it was so easy to see what was going on and control the light. I later bought the FJ80 and the FJX2M for myself and was able to control my Canon RT flashes, Westcott FJ80 and the Orlit RT610 with the FJX2M - although sometimes things need rebooting. I would love to sell the Orlits and just get the Westcott system... my wife has suggested the Godox 200s for weddings, but now Westcott is in that size and power too. Honestly we almost never use the big lights at weddings because of the time it takes to setup and sometimes things aren't as smooth as they should be possible because of the different manufacturers (they always seem to work better at the house with no clients waiting).
Interesting point about the smaller modifiers available from Godox.
Excellent video, very informative.
I my self use Paul C Buff (Einstein) but I enjoy watching videos about other Flashes / Strobes to further my knowledge on the latest Gear / Tech.
Thanks for the video -- I've been thinking about upgrading from speed lights, and this will help me make the choice!
Glad to hear it helped!
Great video, very clear and unbiased. I just bought a Godox AD400 and before I could use it the umbrella holder snapped off (it's made of plastic) while I was mounting the umbrella shaft. Searched the internet and discovered this was not the first time this has happened. I'm reluctant to return it for another Godox, so I'm looking for alternatives. Westcott seems to be a great choice.
Fantastic as usual ...thank you
Excellent video!
It’s 2 years post video but what I like about the Godox is the extension head, which makes mounting so much less heart stopping on a light stand, and lets me more easily adjust power by letting the main unit as a battery pack.
Now I really want that Jinbei system, I have Godox (Quadralite branded in Poland) speedlights and I'm thinking about getting strobes from Jinbei and their multicamera trigger and flash.
First I have to say happy birthday Rob. Secondly, I now own 5 FJ400’s,1 fj200 and a fj80. The 400’s are great but I have experienced some battery issues that my local store fixed after 2 months. The 200 has been great for travel and I tend to use the fj80 as a hair light and spotlight. All of them can be plugged in while using which was the difference maker for me
Thank you! Glad to hear you got your issues resolved and are enjoying the ability to plug them in!
great review
While someone of us might complain that Westcott are a little late to the party, now that we've invested in Godox, I think its great that they are providing REAL comparable competition to Godox and that can only mean more options for photographers moving forward! You've done a good job of comparing the specs in an unbiased way. Thanks!
Which one do you recommend?
Godox is not an investment that you can’t get out of. If you said Broncolor or something of higher Calibre then I’d understand.
Nice to see you posting stuff again, Rob. If you have access to Westcott kit it would be interesting to see a review of the Westcott Optical Spot/Jinbei DP-06 It looks to have nice optics. The Westcott price is a hefty £500, I've seen the Jinbei offered for €170 in Europe.
I’ll see if I can scoop that up on BABA. I’m not sure how long I’ll have the Westcott kit for.
Great video
Great comparasion!!!! I think that an aditional advantage that the Westcott has, compared to the Godox, is its trigger. The Westcott trigger does not depend on the camera brand, it is 100% compatible with all camera brands (just for Sony's cameras needs a small adapter due to its special hot shoe) and retain all its functions, so if you work with several brands of cameras, or at some point you change of camera brand, you will not need to change the trigger. It is not intrinsic to strobes, but an advantage of the system.
But that internal battery though.
I like that a Canon transmitter can control the westcott. So I can control my canon speedlites and the westcott at the same time or in different situations where I want the speedlites or I want the strobe
hey really great comparison as usual! However you never mentioned that the Westcott trigger (except for sony) runs across all the camera systems but the Godox is prority. I really wish Godox would update that. westcott also works together with Canon Flashes. Wish Godox would do that too.
Unbiased and straight to the point.
EXCELLENT review Rob- very informative. I've looked at both units; still on the fence. Why? I currently have a Norman 400B kit...and with fresh cells, multiple heads/mods, cables, splitters, etc.- seems to do the trick. What I like about my kit is that I don't have a 6# light can on the end of a boom...because w/ the cabling, the battery pack (the heaviest component) is always at ground level/used as a stand counterweight. It's a DUMB system, which fits me perfectly!
I use the extension head when I use the Godox AD600. It allows you to have very little weight at the end of a boom at the cost of about 1/2 stop of power. I would like the Norman system for the same reason.
Maybe an R2 Pro II vs. FJ-X2m comparison, too? [+bluetooth/app usage] Pretty please?
THANK YOU!
Do you have any suggestions or advice on how one can revive/recharge dead AD400 (WB400P) battery due to prolonged lack of use? I found some tutorials online but could not follow entire instruction to make the battery functional. TIA.
Does the Bowens S-Type mount softbox fits into the godox ad400pro mount or with the godox bowens adapter?
One question, if you know the answer... the AD400 and other godox flashes can recycle and keep up with 12fps for shooting athletes at something like 1/16 or 1/4 power. (Surprisingly at a better power setting than a Profoto B10) Does the westcott have this ability?
the one thing I don't think you mention is that the Westcott's trigger/transmitter is semi-universal... (for Sony, an adapter is needed at an additional cost), And has a rechargeable battery (I think). Although, the Westcott's trigger cost more in the first place... it DOES have a nicer looking screen. THAT being said, I'm too invested into Godox and have been happy with it
You resisted the urge to mention the Westcott's Jinbei roots. Great self control. Rob.
ua-cam.com/video/jLXpQi03Ksw/v-deo.html
Gotta keep my word!
@@robhallphoto Yes, I re-watched that video less than a week ago. One other "plus" for the Westcott/Jinbei: The FJ-X2m universal trigger. One size (almost) fits all. Attractive for those of us with more than one camera system.
@@dpfreedman That's a nice perk for a subset of users but I think that trigger has some serious negatives too. Internal (and low capacity) battery. Adapter for Sony. Short dial throw so rapid adjustments are restricted.
Which one does High speed sync better? I've heard of some weird banding issues with the Westcott. I use the Fuji GFX system so I need a HSS strobe for outdoors.
I use the 300 pro for my high school senior portraits….I do love it but wondering if it’s worth also getting the 400 pro for those brighter days?? Thoughts on 300 vs 400? Worth having both??
Definitely don't think it's worth having both, as the 300 Pro is extremely close to the 400 Pro in terms of power (about 1/3 stop). But, I have a full video on that discussion here : ua-cam.com/video/E_9pcMf4Fx0/v-deo.html
Just wondering if you have an opinion Rob on which company will be the best choice for support in regards to repairs? I've been shooting volume schools and weddings for 25 years and Thank God I have a local guy that fixes all my old photogenics over the years. Lights get dropped, they fail, etc., so who and how fast a repair is important to me. thoughts?
Jinbei and Orlit had 600 & 800ws lights. I wonder if Westcott is going to update some of those and bring them back to the market to battle the Godox ecosystem.
I guess you can force the Westcott to show fractions, too. The Jinbei HD-2 pro aka Westcott FJ80 can do this, so I guess, the 400 should have this option, too.
EDIT: Sorry, I was wrong. Only the compatible Rollei Android Bluetooth app can show fractions on the mobile, but the flash does not. Sorry.
There are 3 compatible apps, everyone is slightly different: one from Westcott, one from Rollei and one from Jinbei.
Does it come with the Camera trigger ?
Could you do a follow up or long term review about these two systems ?
@@FerdinandTerreros not really applicable as I have no long term use of the Westcott system.
Great video once again. the 40% more power thing surprised me. For me, going into an ecosystem is important. If you are a beginner, and you want to start somewhere and be able to grow and add onto your kit as your are able to afford more things, having a 100ws, 200ws, 300ws, 400ws, 600ws, 1200ws, 2400ws along with a bunch of speedlight options gives you much more versatility. Shooting outside, I prefer the 300 or the 600 depending on the time of day. I like the form factor of the 300. I like that it's light weight and doesn't make my stand top heavy. I like that the batteries are small. But most of all, I like being able to have that choice.
I guess, Rob said 0.4 f-stop more power, not 40 %. Huge difference.
@@mmknipser he said 40% and the screen said .4 stops at 4:15. If a stop of power is a doubling if the power, what's the difference? If something is a full stop brighter, it's twice as bright.
I have both lights and Godox wins when traveling. The size and weight difference is very noticeable, especially if you are traveling with 3 or 4 heads. Also, in real world use of both, I always have to change the battery on the Westcott before the Godox units, when shooting comparable situations and power output. The color shifting is annoying in the Westcott, it makes for more post work and I get a lot of black frames with my Westcotts, from misfires or not being recycled to optimum output. I'm not biased, but I have used both to know what I will get out of each unit. Great comparison vid Rob!
Sounds like the Godox are the way better choice then.
Your experience is similar to mine. My dad uses the Westcott, and I use the Godox. The Westcott seems fancy at first glance, but I found it cumbersome to use. Weight being very important for outdoor shoots, the Westcott is just too heavy, whereas the Godox is small and portable, especially when you take into account the carrying case and the modifiers to go along with it. The plastics used on the Westcott seem cheap when compared to the Godox which is a concern if you’re constantly using your lights. The odd number system to measure power on the Westcott is also quite confusing if you’ve never encountered it before, whereas with the fractions of power you can easily navigate the Godox.
All in all, I had the original 600AD that lasted me 6 years of constant use. After drops, falls, and other accidents, it died when it fell into a pond a few months back. I bought the 400 Pro as my replacement, and have not regretted it. I’m certain that it’ll last me for many more years, and though sometimes I feel like I need the extra power of the 600AD, the weight savings of the smaller light make it a much better tool out in the field.
@@AbdonPhirathon Truth, I have the AD600 and the AD400 and I find myself using the AD600 more out side if I am shooting in the sun, ie...swimwear, because I don't have ot use as much power and I can make almost the whole day on one battery. Whereas, if I'm shooing headshots, its always the AD400 and 300s for the kickers. But if I am shooting with big modifiers in the studio, then I for sure use the AD600!
@@AbdonPhirathon Truth, I have the AD600 and the AD400 and I find myself using the AD600 more out side if I am shooting in the sun, ie...swimwear, because I don't have ot use as much power and I can make almost the whole day on one battery. Whereas, if I'm shooing headshots, its always the AD400 and 300s for the kickers. But if I am shooting with big modifiers in the studio, then I for sure use the AD600!
one other thing that godox has in it's favour is the size, a more compact light overall so if you end up traveling or moving from one location to another it is easier to carry around, no need to lug huge pelican cases to carry the light gear.
Is the Westcoat compatible with the Godox trigger?
Interesting that the Westcott is .4 stops more powerful. That would be useful for sure. Kinda deep into Godox, and like the extension head (on AD600 in my case) for stability outdoors. Based on your review, I would strongly consider Westcott if starting over.
Does the extra stops on the westcott matter if you have a camera that does well with high ISO?
@@royaltykidstvIt certainly helps if you can get cleaner images at higher ISO's . It gives you more leeway to either use lower power on the strobe (giving you a faster refresh rate) or you can more effectively use high speed sync, giving you more flexibility to control ambient light. And yes, it will make up for lack of strobe power.
I just got le by the wescott 3 strobe kit and was wandering if a white balance card can fix the color shift issues ?
Shooting kelvin, custom white balance card, editing raw files, are all global adjustments one can make to adjust any white balance or tint issue, and properly display colors. The problem with color shift issues in flash is that it means there is a color balance between the light sources in an image (either multiple flashes, or flash and ambient). When that happens no global adjustment can fix the color issue because the color doesn't match between light sources.
Robert, will the Flex Gels sold for the FJ400 work with the Godox AD400Pro? Thank you. JP
where is the video of the FJ200 and AD200?
Do you have any info comparing the battery maintenance required? 1 thing that I am worried about with going with proprietary battery powered flashes is the additional maintenance I will need to stay on top of, in the event I don't use them often.
I don’t - but Wes Perry has a lot of great battery discussion regarding Godox on his channel, and Westcott would surely respond to an inquiry for best practices regarding battery maintenance.
Long term storage is definitely something to watch out for. It's like owning a Tesla many years ago and the battery would brick itself if you went on a long holiday and left the car at the airport. Godox needs to remedy this with some extra communication between their battery and charger. If the battery has gone down too far and it's bms put it into a hibernation mode, the charger should be smart enough to detect that and "wake" it back up with proper voltages. The current method of removing battery cover and finding the proper pins to short is not very professional and probably not that safe overall.
@@aussie2uGA "The current method of removing battery cover and finding the proper pins to short ..." This shorting method that you mention, is this what is recommended by Godox? Where can I find info about this method you mention?
I have been bitten bug the "bad battery bug" before and learned an expensive lesson. I own a Segway, and the batteries last about 5 years. To replace the batteries its about $1000. So now I am always leery about the total lifetime cost of battery operated equipment.
Hello Sir, I've a question.
Can we Pair Godox ad 400 pro with V1 using a Xpro trigger?
yeah.
Sorry this is over a year later, but how would compare the Westcott FJ400 to the Flashpoint (Godox) XPLOR 600PRO from Adorama. If you could have only one, which would it be and why?
If I could have only one I’d get the Xplor 600 Pro manual, due to its current aggressive sale. Being the brightest, and fastest at recycling it’s the most capable lighting tool and their size difference is negligible. And if it wasn’t on sale I’d probably still get the 600 Pro for the same capability reasons.
@@robhallphotoQuestion for ya. For the past year, I have been having numerous issues with their Westcott strobes and not due to photographer error nor mother nature. First it was an LCD screen that went very dark and then froze after they. Westcott repaired it. Then it was a FJ400 strobe the stopped firing in the middle of a shoot. Then last week, I was unable to slide the battery down on the back of FJ400 strobe head thus making the strobe a paperweight. While I don't know if Westcott has more then a 1 year warranty on their strobes, it seems like every 6-8 months, I have an issue. I am seriously thinking about going with Flashpoint strobes and their warranty as their warranty is much much longer.
I believe one thing you didn’t mention was that the Westcott transmitter is universal. The transmitter works on canon or Nikon. To work on Sony there is an adapter.
I’ll be talking about the trigger separately.
I think the Westcott would be tempting if it weren’t for the adapters needed on Sony.
They now offer Sony-only versions which do not need the adapter but only work with Sony cameras.
Which light do you think will perform better?
The FJ400 strongly resembles the rebranded Adorama Orlit 400 (discontinued) that I own made by Jinbei.
@@andrewade7017 That's because the FJ400 is a rebranded Jinbei HD400 Pro (successor to Jinbei HD400, aka Orlit 400).
@@robhallphoto Thanks Robert for confirming! I also own the Godox AD400 Pro as well and a number of other Godox monolights and Speedlights. You can't beat the Godox ecosystem of lights although, the FJ400 is a solid light.
If you already own smaller godox, is there some trigger that could work with both system together? I really need a fast one for action which you say wescott is better, thanks
It is true the FJ400 is a bit superior to the AD400 Pro for action freezing; though neither is bad. Technically you could put a Godox X1R receiver on the Westcott (although you wouldn't have remote control over power or access to TTL / HSS), or use a Godox X1T transmitter on the camera and put the FJX2M trigger atop of that to use these two systems together, however...
If you REALLY need better action freezing performance I wouldn't even be looking at these two lights. AD600 Pro would be better than both, and an AD1200 pro would be significantly better than both.
@@robhallphoto thanks ! Then would using optical be the same then ? Or is it not reliable as radio ? i also still want it to be portable to take pictures of say a running dog, but i also need it to have control on lowering light output for a newborn
But is the godox reliable. I had it misfire often during a wedding and I’m thinking about switching systems
I have a video all about misfires. Unfortunately anything on 2.4Ghz is subject to communication issues due to other wireless devices occupying the airwaves. This is common at weddings where venues and DJ's use lots of wireless devices. However there are simple fixes that ensure stability / reliability. So yes, Godox is reliable, provided you understand what you're dealing with.
Hey Rob, the FJ400 has an internal fan for heat control. You didn't mention that in this video.
Both have internal fans. That's for cooling the LED heatsink though, it's irrelevant to flash.
@@robhallphoto Damn, that is not good. Okay, thanks for the info. I just purchased the FJ400s. I hope I don't run into the same problem I did with my old Nikon SB900s. They stopped right in the middle of a shoot.
@@JohnGervasi Completely different class of light. You're talking about an SB900 that takes 5 seconds to recycle a 50ws vs. an FJ400 that can recycle 50ws (roughly 1/8 power) in about .2 seconds.
Also the SB900 was a flawed released with overheating issues hence the existence of the SB910.
Does the Westport strobe for in an EZ Glow octobox 36
Huh?
@@robhallphoto spell check, I meant will the wescott 400 strobe fit an EZ Glow Octobox 36
I’m impressed by westcot
How does Wescott perform in LowLight / night scenes ? Compared to godox ?
What functions of a flash are of concern in low light scenes?
@@robhallphoto This might not give a soft light in low lights and overkills ? Is that true ?
@@maheshgvelly I guess it could be too powerful for really low light but, it's quite easy to manipulate settings and modify flash to get around that. You can use ND gels, feather more, use a longer shutter speed to increase F/stop or drop ISO.
@@robhallphoto That Helps
If westcott /jimbei can deliver fast it could be pretty interesting. Godox is going super slow with the mount, Westcott is going to fly in terms of light modifiers.
If we’re talking about the switch mount, kind of irrelevant IMO as bowens is more rich in variety and available at all sorts of price levels. Westcott has nothing to compare to the more portable Godox mount.
do you recommend the FJ400 over the Godox AD600?
Here is my two cents. I have used both Westcott and Godox aka Flashpoint. I switched from Westcott to Flashpoint (Godox) and haven't looked back. My reason was that I had 2 different FJ400s turn into lemons and just stopped working during a shoot 2 different times. One was under warranty but the other was not and I had to pay $375 for the body of a new FJ400. I actually love the Godox Ad600 over the FJ400. My one complaint of Westcott is that if anything breaks, that you have to send it back to Westcott vs there are lot of companies out there that will repair Godox / Flashpoint.
I am way too invested in Godox/Flashpoint. Westcott looks good. But, not at the point where I'd want to trade... Westcott may be a bit too late to the party.
Ever hear of Broncolor??? Made in Germany and they START at 1200watt/sec output and go up to 24,000watt/sec on their battery powered generators. I'm still using 45+ year-old AC powered Photogenic's I put 60,000 watt/sec into 3 soft boxes to photograph semi tractors and garbage trucks and whatever else Crane Carrier Corp. builds they want photographed. For an 8x10 Toyo View G shooting Fujichrome 50 daylight at f45 or f64 (what the art director wants) that's 4 or 8 pops in the studio (warehouse) with a 305mm lens. I'm just glad I don't shoot ASA 8 or 10 Kodachrome under hot lights now!!! 20 Kw of Kegies warm things up FAST!!! When I shot motor oil TV commercials on 35mm movie film we used movie lights...cook talent in 3 minutes flat!
The unfortunate requirement with these lighting options is you cannot mix and match lighting typically? Godox triggers only work with Godox brands and specific camera makes. I would assume you can use some mixed brands together with slave options but somewhat limited. If you put money in Godox, you will need to stick with Godox. Wescott would be similar.
While this is true, it's also not surprising? Why, in the pursuit of the best interface/system, would a manufacturer open the door to system compatibility for lights they don't benefit from. Then every time Canon tries to brick 3rd party flashes, the manufacturer would have to update their trigger for their lights and a dozen other brands? It's simply a poor use of resources since there's little ROI.
I guess I just find this criticism akin to, "It's unfortunate that I can't use Canon RF lenses on my Sony camera".
Would be worth a try. Godox' X1T and X2T triggers have a hot shoe you can mount the Westcott trigger (or any other) on to.
Well, unless you're a Canon shooter with a bunch of RT gear. The Westcott/Jinbei system is compatible with Canon RT. And then there's the FusionTLC Raven...
@@robhallphoto it’s all that proprietary tech that camera companies hold tight. I’m not sure how Sigma develops lenses for Canon and Sony. I believe Canon releases some basic information but they have to reverse engineer their detail lens designs.
@@shanec4441 Right, but it's not much different for flash manufacturers. It's not like Jinbei emails Godox with a link to the open source code of their system.
It's easy to know what happens when a company has to shoulder the costs of reverse engineering everything for broad compatibility, the price goes way up. Just look at the Raven trigger.
I believe we all know the FJ400 is just a Jinbei HD400. so there is a bigger light which is hd610 and an even bigger one HD1200
Jinbei HD400 Pro*
The Godox looks better😉! Of you are design addicted and profoto is not in your budget. But Westscott/Jinbei made with the FJ200 a very good looking flash, too. I own the Godox 400er, two 300er and the V1. They work together great. It is possible to charge the 400er while shooting. One of the remote Triggers is bluetooth capable and ist able (with Godox App) to Sync with an IPhone!!! (Like profoto!).
The small Godox Mount reflector does nothing. The Output is the same like without reflector! You Need to buy a Bowens Standard reflector or/and the godox long reflector (it doubles the light!). Same with the 300er. Good for protection and tiny design😉. I use them usually with umrellas always without reflectors, so it’s ok.
It’s “possible” to charge the 400 pro while using, but it’s explicitly stated not to in the manual because it makes the battery unstable. So I only recommend people do it if they are comfortable with their house catching on fire while they are away.
As for same output with reflector on/off, that’s not true. While the reflectors my be more design-oriented than optimized for light concentration, the barebulb with no reflector still sends light in a way wider pattern and therefore less output.
I have an issue that I haven’t seen anyone talk about, which makes me wonder what I’m missing. When I use the Flashpoint ad600/200, or v1, my Sony cameras are noticeably less responsive, whereas with Paul C Buff lights, I don’t have this issue. Has anyone else noticed something like that?
@@jonphoto5078 I rarely use TTL, only for event coverage with changing light, and probably only when bouncing an on camera flash. The lag I’m talking about isn’t that large. For example, I photograph dancers. With pre-focusing I can nail the apex of a leap with Paul Buff lights, but it’s difficult to impossible with Flashpoint.
This isn’t head to head, they may both say 400 in name but the westcott is a direct copy of the Godox 600 pro that would be the direct comparison for it.
No.
The Westcott is not a direct copy of the Godox. Jinbei (manufacturer of Westcott lights) makes a more direct competitor to the AD600 Pro, it's called the HD610 Pro. Westcott just never relabeled it. The HD400 Pro (Westcott FJ400) and AD400 Pro are as head-to-head as it gets between these two brands.
The biggest difference for me comes down to the battery implementation. With Godox, it cannot be plugged in while using. Imagine that indoor event where you estimated firing 350 shots and suddenly additional poses are needed and now you need 450-500. With the Westcott, just plug it in and it will replenish energy as you're using it. With Godox, it can become a game of upping your ISO so you can decrease the strobe power to eek out those extra shots. Otherwise you need to buy another set of expensive batteries, different types for each model strobe too, or dummy plastic power adapters. If you buy a spare set of batteries, they don't always maintain themselves well when in storage for long periods. Godox needs to work on their flashes having charge & shoot capability.
If you’re firing at full power nonstop with a 400 pro at an indoor event, you might start by questioning your settings. That’s a very cherry-picked, unlikely scenario to highlight a difference. One that most pros would just grab their second battery.
That being said, yes, the adapter charging during operation is an advantage.
@@robhallphoto The number was just an example, it's usually 1/2 power on key light though to enable F9 for better extraction and composting of the subject. But again, you may have a few AD600's, Ad400 in a stripbox, an AD300 for fill, etc. and all require different "spare" batteries.
Jinbei HD-400*
Jinbei HD-400 Pro***
@@robhallphoto At least when I buy Profoto, I know what I'm getting, these more budget oriented brands seem to just reproduce the same product with different labels...
I also have a CITI1200 Pro which I got for fairly cheap and it's a great flash, oh wait, or is it a AD1200 Pro? Lol.
The Westcott have a t0.1 max of 1/7000 and the Godox have a to.1 max of 1/12000.
For some people, this could be a deal breaker against the Westcott.
Don’t know where you got that info but it’s incorrect. Tested FDAs were covered in this video.
The Westcott is not superior if the color shift wildy. Not very useful without consistancy.
Depends what you shoot. Outdoors, in color stable mode, nobody would notice. A softbox will change the Kelvin more than the power settings.
In a studio, trying to freeze action, balancing multiple strobes at different power levels, yes the color issues would be painful.
@@robhallphoto You are right about modifiers shifting color and being outdoors not as much of an issue. It still an issue outdoors if you are doing client work. I am not suggesting that either of these should be used for commercial client work but even for consistency of work, outdoors or indoors, color shift are hard to deal with. I would rather have consistent color than more power or pops.
Speaking of this, is there a video that shows what the color difference would realistically look like between multiple flashes and power levels? I photograph on white seamless, key light, two background lights, usually a hair light or strip box, all at various powers. I struggle with "yellow" areas where pure white should be.
@@earthrokk01 I mean it's less of an issue outdoors because photographers don't tend to use the entire power range when shooting outdoors. These two strobes do not vary in color from image to image, unless the power level is changed. And if you're only using say, 1/16- 1/1, then you are experiencing much less of the possible color shift.
Godex has a problem it misfires no matter what u do to correct it …. Westcott does not and also has multiple band
Godox’s misfires are almost always user error or being unaware of feature. I see misfires maybe once every 10,000 photos.
Godox
seems like for 95% of the time, these will do exactly the same thing.
we all know that you hate Westcott because they do not support you.....there is no way you will stay unbiased...you always forget to mention support...real support from real people speaking good old American English!!!!!
Your mouth is out of sync with your speech