What is the best external flash for a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV?

Question

I've been using my 5D IV for a few years now and it's honestly my workhorse for almost everything but i've hit a bit of a wall with my lighting setup. I have this old third-party speedlite that i've dragged through the mud for years but the recycle time is just getting embarrassing at this point and it started misfiring during a family shoot last weekend. I have a wedding coming up in October in Seattle where the lighting is gonna be super moody and dark and I really need something that won't let me down when things get fast paced.

I know the 600EX II-RT is the standard choice but I was looking at some of the newer Godox stuff like the V1 because the round head looks interesting for softer falloff but then i worry about the reliability compared to Canon's own glass and electronics. I mostly do indoor portraits and some events so having reliable E-TTL is a huge deal for me because i don't always have time to mess with manual settings when people are moving around.

Here is what I'm looking for specifically:

fast recycle times since i hate waiting between shots

solid radio triggering for when i want to go off-camera

something that wont overheat after 20 minutes of heavy use

My budget is hovering around the 500 dollar mark but i could stretch it if something is really worth the investment for the long haul. Is it still worth getting the native Canon flagship or have the third party options finally caught up enough to trust them for professional work on a 5D4?

Stewie Rosella · Accepted Answer

Quick reply while I have a sec... honestly I've had a pretty rough time trying to move away from native gear lately. I really wanted to love the Godox ecosystem because the price is so tempting but unfortunately I had some major issues with the Godox V1-C Round Head Flash for Canon at a wedding last winter. The E-TTL just felt totally inconsistent compared to what my 5D IV expects. It kept overexposing by like a full stop every few frames which is a total nightmare when youre shooting fast in a dark venue. Before I give a final recommendation tho, are you mainly doing bounce flash off the ceiling or are you looking to use specific modifiers like a MagMod? It makes a big difference for the recycle time and how much power you really need to push during an event. If you really want to stay under that 500 dollar mark and get the best bang for your buck:

Look at the Godox V860III-C Li-Ion Speedlite for Canon instead of the V1. Its basically the same tech inside but with a traditional head and much cheaper.

You could actually buy two of those for less than 400 bucks and have a full backup ready to go in your bag just in case one misfires.

Getting the Godox XProII-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger will give you way better radio control for off-camera work than the older systems. I've heard okay things about the Westcott FJ80 II 80Ws Universal Speedlight too, but I'm still feeling a bit burned by third-party reliability issues... its a tough call when you need it to just work every single time.

forestvillager · Answer

Unfortunately, third-party E-TTL was not as good as expected during my events. Stick to the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT for peace of mind.

Consistent exposures

Solid weather sealing It wont let you down.