Inexpensive flash for my S5iiX: Godox iT30 Pro

[PJD]

Wanting to experiment with flash photography "again" (I haven't used an add-on flash in about 50 years), I recently purchased a Godox iT30 Pro "O". This is 99% for non-professional use. I also purchased the Godox TR "O" tiltable riser. The pix of my cam & the flash are (ugly) iPhone snapshots. One of my favorite features of the flash is its internal battery which is rechargeable via USB-C.

Of course, after I received it, I made the mistake of doing a bit of additional research , and in hindsight I might be happier with its slightly more expensive sibling, the Godox iT32 "O". But I'll keep the iT30 Pro. I'll learn a lot by playing around with it.

The test photo of the bookshelves was shot as a 24MP RAW, with a 8"x10" white card held in front of the flash at about 45 degrees, so the light bounced off a wall about 8-ft to the camera's right. In post I only did a tiny white balance adjustment (using the white remote control in the scene as the WB target). Not shown is the next exposure I snapped, when I turned the flash OFF; as a result the frame was completely black. IOW, the flash did all the heavy lifting.

• Apple iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro back triple camera 6.765mm f/1.78
• ƒ/1.78
• 6mm
• 1/30s
• ISO 640

• Apple iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro back triple camera 6.765mm f/1.78
• ƒ/1.78
• 6mm
• 1/40s
• ISO 500

• Panasonic DC-S5M2X
• LUMIX S 50/F1.8
• ƒ/4
• 50mm
• 1/250s
• ISO 400

 

[PJD]

As above, I used the white bounce card in front of the flash so the light bounced off of the wall about 4-ft to the right. And again, at these same camera settings, when I turned OFF the flash the capture was black.

Obviously I could've shot this without using the flash ... at higher ISO, longer exposure, larger aperture, etc. But here I'm just figuring out how to use the flash. It's been a while. Note: The bookshelf and the cat photos were snapped with the flash unit in TTL mode, and the camera in manual exposure mode, with auto-focus (animal eye). Fun.

• Panasonic DC-S5M2X
• LUMIX S 50/F1.8
• ƒ/4
• 50mm
• 1/100s
• ISO 400

 

[Ericopp]

I have the it30 pro for Fuji. I think it’s a great little unit! Especially with that tilting riser, since I’m personally not a fan of the direct flash look. I love that it doubles as a wireless controller for other Godox units, it’s an added bonus if you do off camera flash.