Flashpoint Zoom TTL R2 flash / strobe personal experience - review?
haring
Registered Users Posts: 281 Major grins
Is there anybody who uses the Flashpoint Zoom TTL R2 for Canon or Nikon cameras?
How is its recycle time? Does the radio work properly?
Hod does it work? Any experience? I would like to use it for wedding photography.
Thanks for you input!
How is its recycle time? Does the radio work properly?
Hod does it work? Any experience? I would like to use it for wedding photography.
Thanks for you input!
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I currently have:
1 - Flashpoint ZOOM Li-ON R2 C-TTL (Canon compact flash) (aka Godox V860IIC)
1 - Flashpoint R2 T-C (Transmitter, Canon) (aka Godox X1-C)
1 - Flashpoint R2 T-S (Transmitter, Sony) (aka Godox X1-S)
Compared to the Canon 580EX (original) with an external HV power supply:
This means that the Canon 5D Mark III can often shoot faster than the flash can keep up. The Canon 580EX+HV-power flash keeps up better with the speed.
However, and this cannot be stressed enough, when you need to change batteries the R2/Godox flashes require 1 - battery to change, vs 12 - AA cells in a Canon flash plus external battery pack. This is a HUGE advantage for the Godox/R2 system. When you are working solo, this is a truly amazing advantage.
Also, the R2/Godox radio wireless transmitter has an AF-Assist patterned light. The Canon ST-E3-RT has no AF-Assist whatsoever. Again, this is a HUGE advantage in low-light shooting for the R2/Godox.
From a compatibility perspective, I have Canon, Nikon and Sony equipment and I was hoping that the Godox Radio Wireless X would allow wireless radio interoperability between the different systems, as is their claim. I have not found that to be true regarding the transmitters and flashes.
Using both the delivered firmware and the latest firmware I am unable to use the Canon-version R2 transmitter to fire the Nikon-version R2 flash. The Sony-version transmitter did fire the Canon-version flash after a firmware update. I feel very much like a beta-tester for the system.
Fortunately, the Canon-version R2 transmitter and Canon-version R2 flash do play very well together and I've had a very good experience so far. Both transmitter range and reliability seem awfully nice, but I have not tested for limits yet.
The Nikon-version R2 flash does work very well for on-camera use, and I will get the Nikon-version transmitter to use for off-camera flash applications.
For now, I cannot find the firmware updates for the R2 systems on the Adorama site, so I went to "http://www.godox.com/EN/Download.html" and used the Godox equivalents' firmware.
* Strong Caution
Be very careful with the batteries for the Godox/R2 flashes. There is very little protection against shorting the terminals and if you drop one of these batteries into a pocket with keys, coins, etc. (anything conductive), there is a high likelihood of shorting which could lead to a fire or even an explosion.
Do keep the batteries separate and in a protective pouch or their original plastic clamshell.
Do not place the batteries in any situation where they might interconnect or short.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Do yo think I need a back up battery? I shoot weddings.
Thanks so much!
Backup equipment is always a good idea.
I have a shoot today, a family portrait of 4 shoot at a local park, and I will have 4 - flashes, lots of spare batteries, 3 - camera bodies, lots of lenses, etc. Of this, 2 - camera/lens/flashes, spare batteries and memory cards, will be on me at all times. The rest will be close-by in 3 bags.
(Disclosure: This shoot is with my daughter and her family.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I need to find a solution to downsize. The bags and the weight are heavy on my and my wife's body. We are wedding photographers and often do engagement sessions on locations, as we.... I need to find a solution to have less gear with me without compromising quality and reliability.
I see!
So the transmitters may not work together properly. I have Canon and Nikon cameras.
Do you think the Nikon version R2 flash unit (as master) will work with the Canon version R2 (as slave + the Canon will work as master and the Nikon version as slave?
Can I mix them up and still maintain radio wireless connection and HSS?
Thanks!
[strike]I just tested and neither flash, R2 Nikon compatible nor R2 Canon compatible, was able to act as Master for the other flash in slave mode. (For these tests I had the Nikon D7200 host the R2 flash as master while using the Canon compatible R2 flash in slave mode. I used a Canon 5D Mark III to host the R2 flash as master while the Nikon compatible R2 flash was in slave mode.)[/strike]
I also re-tested the R2 Transmitter, Canon compatible, to see if I could get it to fire the R2 Nikon compatible flash in slave mode. I could not get the Canon compatible R2 Transmitter to fire the Nikon compatible R2 flash, no matter which channel/group settings I tried.
[strike]I conclude that there is currently "no" compatibility between the Canon compatible R2 equipment and the Nikon compatible R2 equipment. This should also mean that the Godox Canon compatible and Nikon compatible equipment should yield the same negative results.[/strike]
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
It would now appear that the "Radio" wireless function "is" inter-compatible between the Nikon compatible R2 flash in Radio Wireless Master mode and the Canon compatible R2 flash in Radio Wireless Slave mode.
So "Yes" there is cross-platform compatibility if you stay in Radio wireless mode. (I was mistaken about how to get into Radio wirelss mode because there is a difference in the setup between the Nikon compatible R2 flash and the Canon compatible R2 flash.)
The "aha" moment came when I watched this video:
SPEEDLIGHT TUTORIAL - HOW TO USE THE GODOX V860II / Flashpoint Zoom R2 TTL Lithium Ion
My apologies to user "haring" for my misunderstanding the procedure and offering misleading information, and special apologies to Godox/Adorama R2 for disseminating incorrect information.
Will do more testing tomorrow and see if I can make some definitive steps for the proper setup to make the Canon and Nikon compatible flashes work together.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I was able to get the Canon 5D Mark III with R2 flash as Master to properly trigger the R2 Nikon compatible flash in Slave mode and to work properly. (Good exposure control.)
Ultimately, I could also use the Canon R2 Transmitter to trigger the Nikon R2 flash in Slave mode, but Canon E-TTL control was not honored and each flash was full output. (No exposure control.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums