Off Camera TTL Flash for €165

[christer]

I just got my Goddox TT685S and the XIT-S "command unit" and here are my first impressions. I am an amateur, and I my initial experience with TTL was with the Olympus OM 1 and 2 in the old film days. I then used Leica Ms for a good many years, mainly without flash - for obvious reasons. When I got my first A7, I got  an Yongnuo YN-560 with the commander and used that combo for off camera flash. TTL was not possible. There are a lot of reports of technical failures with the YN-560 if you search the internet. I had two flashes go bad just after the end of the warranty period.

 

I live in France and bought my Goddox from a company shipping from the UK, so there were no problems with long transport delays or import duties. (Yes, Brexit is a very bad idea indeed.) The list price was 118 pounds for the set, but they accepted offers and I got mine for 108 punds. Companies that ship from China offer lower prices, longer delivery times and the uncertainty what the customs people will charge.

 

Opening the box was a bit of a shock, it resembles the Yongnuo very much, so I can only hope the inside is of higher quality. On/off is now on sliders, on Yongnuo it was on buttons. I hope the rest has also improved.

 

I set the controller to TTL, matched the controller and the flash, and turned the A7 flash mode to "slow" (do not ask me why) and used the manual exposure mode. With the flash a meter away from the camera + controller I made shots in my study at f/2.8 and 11, the shutter speed being unimportant. The two exposures were more or less identical, perhaps a quarter of an f-stop different, but no more. I then shot with the flash bounced off the ceiling, also at f/2.8 and 11, and the exposures were again perfect.

 

As I said, I am an amateur and can't answer technical questions. All I know is that off camera TTL works fine.

[Marc Contaxtonikon]

 

I just got my Goddox TT685S and the XIT-S "command unit" and here are my first impressions. I am an amateur, and I my initial experience with TTL was with the Olympus OM 1 and 2 in the old film days. I then used Leica Ms for a good many years, mainly without flash - for obvious reasons. When I got my first A7, I got  an Yongnuo YN-560 with the commander and used that combo for off camera flash. TTL was not possible. There are a lot of reports of technical failures with the YN-560 if you search the internet. I had two flashes go bad just after the end of the warranty period.

 

I live in France and bought my Goddox from a company shipping from the UK, so there were no problems with long transport delays or import duties. (Yes, Brexit is a very bad idea indeed.) The list price was 118 pounds for the set, but they accepted offers and I got mine for 108 punds. Companies that ship from China offer lower prices, longer delivery times and the uncertainty what the customs people will charge.

 

Opening the box was a bit of a shock, it resembles the Yongnuo very much, so I can only hope the inside is of higher quality. On/off is now on sliders, on Yongnuo it was on buttons. I hope the rest has also improved.

 

I set the controller to TTL, matched the controller and the flash, and turned the A7 flash mode to "slow" (do not ask me why) and used the manual exposure mode. With the flash a meter away from the camera + controller I made shots in my study at f/2.8 and 11, the shutter speed being unimportant. The two exposures were more or less identical, perhaps a quarter of an f-stop different, but no more. I then shot with the flash bounced off the ceiling, also at f/2.8 and 11, and the exposures were again perfect.

 

As I said, I am an amateur and can't answer technical questions. All I know is that off camera TTL works fine.

 

 

Coincidentally, I have just received the same combo 2 days ago as well. From what I gathered, quality is at least comparable to Yongnuo (which is fine for me) and the TTL functionality appears to be working (with some inconsistencies that I have to better understand yet).

 

A negative compared to Yongnuo's 560III with 560-TX is that you can't remote control the flashguns Zoom.

 

I've used the flash for an indoor shooting yesterday and so far am happy.

 

This weekend, I think I will have the chance of trying the HSS during an outdoor shoot - that'll be the decision point for swapping my existing Yongnuo set-up altogether to Godox

[Marc Contaxtonikon]

This illustrates the Godox combi a little. I used it as a fill flash to lighten the shadows from available light. The flash was on the left side and pointed at both models. Setting was -1,75 in TTL mode

 

 

[christer]

 

A negative compared to Yongnuo's 560III with 560-TX is that you can't remote control the flashguns Zoom.

 

 

 

The Flash Trigger Manual says one can. So does the Technical Data Sheet.

 

On the other hand the Manual also says that there is a Flash Exposure Compensation of +/- three stops, while in fact there is only a negative compensation. 

[Marc Contaxtonikon]

The Flash Trigger Manual says one can. So does the Technical Data Sheet.

 

On the other hand the Manual also says that there is a Flash Exposure Compensation of +/- three stops, while in fact there is only a negative compensation. 

 

So I guess I'm gonna have to go back to the manual...