Godox AD100 Pro Review

Godox AD100 Pro Review

The Godox AD100 Pro has yet to be released and is available on pre-order only (expected release date in UK is the 1st March 2021).

The Godox AD100 Pro front side view held in the palm of the hand is the smallest addition to the Godox AD Pro series of flash units.
The Godox AD100 Pro is small and compact yet delivers 100Ws of power with E-TTL & HSS, designed to be used off camera.

Highlights

  • Small & compact can-shaped design weighing just 524g including the battery – great for location work
  • 100Ws Powerful flash with a round head – approx 30% more powerful than the top of the range Canon 600EX-RT II speedlite.
  • E-TTL / Manual/ Multi / HSS
  • 1.5 seconds recycle time (full power)
  • 360 full power flashes from rechargable Li-ion battery
  • Compatible with Godox X-series triggers
  • Accepts quick-fitting magnetic round head light modifiers such as the optional AK-R1 accessory kit (same magnetic mount as the Godox V1 and round flash head for the Godox AD200/200Pro)
  • Works with various Bowen-mount modifiers using the S2 bracket (optional)
  • Fan-cooled to reduce overheating
  • Stable colour temperature mode reduces colour variations to within +/- 100K across the entire power range which is a useful feature for product/commercial photographers.
  • Auto-Sensing Radio Slave Modes for Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fuji, Pentax, Panasonic, and Olympus
Godox AD100Pro comes with a bracket that allows it to fixed on top of a standard light stand.
The Godox AD100 Pro is primarily an off-camera flash. The included bracket allows it to be easily fixed to a lighting stand.

Introduction

First impressions of the Godox AD100 Pro are that it looks like a soft drinks can (soda can). It’s small, compact with a cylindrical body and a round flash head. The flash body looks like a scaled-down version of the AD300 Pro but it comes with a round Fresnel flash head similar to the Godox V1. Unlike the Godox V1, which is only slightly cheaper, the AD100 Pro has clearly been designed as an off-camera flash. The monolight-style design doesn’t include a camera hotshoe footing and has been designed to fix directly to a light-stand using a bracket (AD-E2 included). It can only be used in Slave Mode, there is no Master capability as would be expected for an off-camera flash.

Guide Price

£249 / US$299 (guide price, updated 05 March 2021)

Lencarta (UK) / WEX (UK) / Amazon (UK) / B&H Photo (US) / Adorama (US) / Amazon (US)

* note that Adorama have rebranded this flash as the Flashpoint eVOLV 100 Pro TTL

Rear view of the AD100 Pro showing control panel and lithium-ion battery compartment

Compatibility

The Godox AD100 Pro is compatible with the Canon E-TTL II flash system and can therefore be used with most Canon EOS cameras. Radio wireless communication is made using the Godox X radio system that can work at a range of up to 100m. The AD100 Pro can only act as a slave flash. Compatible with Godox X-series of radio triggers such as the XPro-C (highly recommended and quick to use), the X1T-C controller (works fine but the controls are smaller and more fiddly to use) or X2T-C controller (new improved version with larger display and dedicated group buttons).

Auto-Sensing Radio Slave Modes for Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fuji, Pentax, Panasonic, and Olympus

Side view of the AD100 Pro

Godox AD100 Pro Specification

Power

100Ws output at full power. Godox have not released Guide Number data for this model. A typical speed light has a maximum output of 60-75Ws so the AD100 Pro is approximately 30-40% more powerful. The Godox AD100 Pro is half as powerful as the Godox AD200 / 200 Pro (1 stop less) and a third of the power of the Godox AD300 Pro.

Zoom Head

Zoom head: Yes
Focal length coverage: 28-105mm (to be confirmed)
Auto zoom for sensor size: Yes
Flash bounce card: No, but there is a clip-on magnetic bounce card available as an optional extra (part of the Godox AK-R1 accessory kit)

Flash Head Tilt & Swivel

The AD100 Pro doesn’t follow the typical speedlite design and the flash head and body are fixed together in one solid unit. However it is supplied with a light stand adapter (AD-E2) which allows the flash to be angled and positioned however you want. 

Rear view showing the controls, LCD display and lithium-ion battery compartment

Manual Exposure

Manual / output settings: Yes – 1/1- 1/256
Manual steps: 1/3 or 1/10 stop intervals

ETTL Exposure

Canon E-TTL II with flash exposure compensation (FEC), flash exposure lock (FE lock) and flash exposure bracketing (FEB) 

Wireless Communication

Radio Wireless (RF) 2.4GHz (master & slave)
The Godox AD100 Pro adopts the Godox radio wireless X system
Maximum range approximately: approx 100m
No. of groups: 5 groups (A, B, C, D & E)
No. of channels: 32 channels with 99 IDs
Master/Slave: Slave only unit. Cannot act as a Master.

Godox Xpro radio trigger can be used to fire the AD100 Pro
Compatible radio triggers include the Godox XPro (shown above), X1T & X2T triggers.

Optical Wireless: No

Auto-Focus (AF) Assist 

No infra-red assist beam but there is a LED modelling lamp which helps focus over short distances in low light.

Other Features

High speed sync (HSS): Yes (up to 1/8000 sec)
Second-curtain flash sync: Yes
Modelling lamp: Yes 1.8W LED continuous light with 10 step adjustable output, colour temperature 3300K. Not powerful enough to be useful for video work.
Multi (stroboscopic) flash: Yes
Custom functions:
Flash settings from camera menus (with compatible cameras only): No
External flash exposure sensor (S1, S2): Yes
PC terminal: Yes 3.5mm sync port
USB socket for firmware updates: Yes Type C USB port
Flash Duration:
Colour Temperature: 5600K +/- 200K
Stable Colour Temperature Mode: Yes, reduces variation in colour temperature to +/- 100K over the entire power range
Overheating protection: Yes, Automatic fan cooled stability

AD100Pro battery compartment
The AD100Pro accepts a WB100 lithium-ion battery capable of 360 full power flashes. Approximate time to recycle at full power is 1.5 seconds.

Batteries & Recycling Time

Battery: Lithium battery 7.2V/2600mAh (removable) – same battery as the Godox V1
Recycling time: Approx. 0.01 to 1.5 sec
Number of flashes (approx): 360 full power flashes
Optional external power supply: No

Build Quality

Dust and water resistance: No
Mounting foot material:
Size: 120x76x76mm
Weight: 524g (including battery)

What’s in the box

  • AD100Pro
  • Battery
  • Charger
  • AD-E2 bracket
  • USB cable
  • Carry case

Compatible accessories: 

The Godox AK-R1 round-head flash modifier set has been designed to work with the Godox round head flash and is compatible with the Godox AD100 Pro and the Godox V1 speedlite.

The AD100Pro can accommodate Godox AK-R1 magnetic light modifiers
Godox AK-R1 magnetic light modifier kit for round head flash such as the AD100Pro and the V1 speedlite
Godox AK-R1 light modifier kit for round-head flash quickly clips on to the flash head using a magnetic ring.
The Godox S2 bracket now accepts round-head flash units such as the AD100Pro allowing it to be used with a large variety of Bowens-mount lighting modifiers

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Godox AD200 Pro Review

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Godox V1 Review

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This page was last checked and updated on 05 March 2021