What are the best external flashes for the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV?

Question

I've been shooting with my 5D Mark IV for years now and honestly it's my workhorse for just about everything but I've mostly stuck to natural light or very basic studio setups. Well I just got talked into shooting a wedding for my sister-in-law next month in a pretty dim reception hall and I'm realizing my old gear isn't gonna cut it. I dug out my old 430EX II and it's basically acting like a paperweight at this point. The recycle times are atrocious even with fresh Eneloops and it's started doing this weird thing where it misfires or just wont sync properly at higher shutter speeds even when I think I have HSS enabled.

So I started looking at upgrades and I'm honestly a bit overwhelmed by the options now. My first thought was obviously the Canon 600EX II-RT since it's the native choice but man that price is steep for tech that's been out for a while. Then I see everyone raving about the Godox V1 with the round head and the lithium-ion batteries. My logic was that the lithium battery would save me from carrying 20 packs of AAs but I've heard some horror stories about third-party flashes losing connection with the 5D body or the hot shoe pins not lining up perfectly.

I have about $450 to play with and I need something that won't overheat if I'm dragging the shutter on the dance floor for an hour. Is the interface on the Godox stuff easy to navigate mid-shoot? I'm used to the old Canon menu system so I'm a bit worried about a learning curve when I'm under pressure. Also should I be looking at Profoto or is that just overkill for a 5D Mark IV setup these days? I'm trying to find that sweet spot between it just working every time I press the button and not spending a mortgage payment on a light...

helen.coleman · Accepted Answer

> I have about $450 to play with and I need something that won't overheat The Godox V860III-C Li-ion Flash for Canon is a solid technical choice. It uses a 2600mAh battery that delivers 1.5s recycle times at full power. Specs-wise, it handles the 5D IV protocol perfectly for HSS. The thermal protection is way better than your old 430EX, usually handling 50+ full bursts before hitting a limit. Its a lot of value for under 200 bucks.

Sophie Banksia · Answer

Just saw this. I once had a flash basically melt its battery door during a long reception, so I'm always cautious about thermal duty cycles. Quick question tho, do you need a touch screen? If you're worried about menus, the Westcott FJ80 II Universal Speedlight has a much better UI than the older Godox units and handles the 5D IV's HSS without any weird pin alignment issues.

ChipChampion · Answer

I've been shooting with the 5D line since the Mark II days and honestly the 5D IV is still one of the best bodies out there for flash sync. I've tried basically every speedlite under the sun over the years... and yeah, that 430EX is ancient tech now. If you want reliability without the Canon tax, you really gotta look at the Godox V1-C Round Head Flash for Canon. I've put this thing through absolute hell at weddings. The Li-ion battery is a total game changer tho. I can get through a whole 8-hour day on maybe one and a half batteries, whereas I used to carry a heavy brick of AAs in my bag. The recycle time is about 1.5 seconds at full power which just destroys your old gear. People worry about third-party compatibility but in my experience, the Godox X-system is rock solid on the 5D IV. I havent had a pin alignment issue in years. If the round head feels like a gimmick, check out the Godox V860III-C TTL Li-Ion Flash for Canon. It's basically the same guts as the V1 but with a traditional fresnel head and a built-in modeling light. It fits your $450 budget easily—actually you could buy two of them for that price and have a backup. The interface is actually more intuitive than the old Canon menus once you get the hang of the dial. Dont bother with Profoto for this setup... its way overkill. Stick with the V1 or V860III and maybe grab the Godox AK-R1 Accessory Kit for V1 for the magnetic modifiers.