I’ve wrote multiple reviews for this light - I want to keep this to two general points because most of you know or can easily find out the rest through other more informative means. For me, I knew I loved li-ion speed lights; I just got into them a few years ago and was blown away. They seem pretty standard now so I’m not sure that’s impressive but I’ve been looking at getting another so my interest was piqued and combined with the modeling light - that’s something I’ve been wanting to try but that became more standard after my last purchase. I’d also been looking at the round-headed ones but that becomes a whole thing. I don’t light faces with speed lights 99.9% of the time so catchlights are irrelevant for my needs and then they require whole new sets of modifiers which for many people will turn into changing all of your speed lights out or doubling what you carry and purchase and maintain moving forward. So, for me, I was actually happy to be able to keep my traditional head shape.The modeling light is everything you want it to be. Plain and pretty simple. It can go quite dim or quite bright; where it goes is where you, generally, light. In my home system for some things, like products, I don’t mind adjusting a light several times while shooting with a remote trigger tethered in. With a client however, if I “just” need a hair light or an edge light or whatever anytime you say or do anything that doesn’t work the clients perception of you drops a little. Now, I like a speedlight because of its maneuverability and dynamic power levels but primarily in my small studio they’re also a safety factor. I’m just saying it’s important, fantastic gear.Now, speedlights come in a lot of varieties but really there’s only 2 or 3 levels. There’s dumb ones, slightly less dumb ones and then there’s amazing ones that do everything you ever dreamt of and that’s what this is imo.Now, what TRULY impressed me - and again - this is just MY experience… I don’t run a GODOX system. I run Flashpoint, which is the GODOX equipment branded for their primary USA distributor. So, I got this assuming that there would be significant communication issues but that I’d at minimum be able to fire in s1 mode in manual and honestly, that’s the majority of how I use them for my full time gig, not that I wanted to use this for that but I’m at least very comfortable and confident with that type of functionality. HOWEVER, my R2 PRO-C (older) transmitter actually communicates with this QUITE well. I can’t do *everything*, but I can do TTL and remotely control flash power and group response AND control the modeling light both on/off and brightness. PUT A SIGN ON ME I AM SOLD. 

I’ll just say I really do love GODOX equipment. Don’t fall for imitations that look like they’re the same but maybe part of a kit or some branding other than godox/flashpoint because they are nowhere near the same quality or consistency.I do NOT RECOMMEND mixing strobe families - but whichever you’re shooting many / most things can be found in each. So you do want this one specifically to be in a GODOX family of gear - but if you run Flashpoint and see a great deal on this one I wouldn’t assume that it will be as much issue as one might imagine.I haven’t tested things like will this one or my other one control the other when either is “lead” or whatever - but my flashpoint one would flawlessly control both my old 480? And 580ex canon speed lights which probably both cost at least double of this unit and I always go for my GODOX/FLASHPOINT brands before ever considering one of my canons anymore.This is an awesome light. It does everything and more than I expected. They last for ages and for a long time there’s generally new replacement batteries available if the included one wears out which by the way I love this battery design. I thought maybe it was a gimmick but it’s fantastic to not have a flimsy little door in the way at all. Who knew? GODOX knew. Good on em.Sorry to be a hype-man here but … this light is excellent. I mean, I have a professional studio full of their gear and am about to make some general upgrades in my lighting to start losing all power cords and I’m going to choose them again to invest into. I’ve had excellent experiences with them as a brand or as the base-equipment maker since 2018 as far as complete studio lighting, modifiers and grip equipment.100% recommend. Wish I had some extra stars for ones this good.Oh, everything that comes with it is expected and great. All you need to get started but you should for sure get a grid and some gels if this is your first speedlight. Probably some sort of reflector or diffuser but that's a complex subject with varied results and depends on needs.

So I've been using Witstro/Godox/Flashpoint heads for a while now, and this one? Confuses me. Deeply.As an AD200 user, especially.So here's the thing. I bought my AD200 units for 200 each. They have detachable/replaceable heads, modularity for additional parts, faster cycling time, and potentially longer shoot times.This one is about 150% more expensive for..... what exactly? You lose the modularity, you lose the potential for roundheads or bare bulbs, your cycle time drops significantly, and I'm just here left to wonder exactly why this is priced the way it is.I don't Hate this, but comparing it to other X system units makes for some unfortunate revelations. The battery passthrough is an interesting choice(even if the release is a bit sticky), the fine control all the way down to 1/128 is nice, but I'm just wondering precisely where this is supposed to fit on a gradient of components in terms of value and cost.

This is a good upgrade from the V860II. I like the extra TTL/M switch on the side, which the V1 has also. The 850/860 from Godox have pretty much been in the arsenal for almost a decade now and I don't even consider 1st party flashes anymore since the Godox ones do 99% of the job for a lot more reasonable price. ETTL works on these just fine, but still has it's practical issues with things like reflective surfaces, etc, so going to manual in this system is quick and easy. The dial wheel on the 860III is EXACTLY the same setup on the V1 and the V1pro and is responsive but a little looser than I like. I rather it had a little more stiffness and clunkiness as it was easy to overshoot settings.It comes with a Vb26 battery, but it's also possible to use the vb30, which have been great for me as it's USB-C rechargeable and saves bringing an extra battery charger in the bag.The flash is classic Godox and quick, responsive, and easy to use. Shooting as low as 1/256 was fun for some creative shooting, and it seems not to overheat as fast as the old 850's/860s though more testing is required as I was using this mostly in a controlled climate environment while heavily testing it.The speedlite simply just works with the XC triggers without issues, and changing settings remotely was super simple. The results from the Godox was consistent and expected.This v860 comes barebones. There's no diffusion head, any other accessories. Just a bag, charger, battery, and cold shoe stand.As mentioned, I'm a fan of these flashes and while the v860III didn't exactly wow me with something revolutionary and new, it also seems to have the same pedigree as the flashes before it and those flashes have been wonderful. My friend has a v850 that has over 400k pops on it that's 10 years old that's finally going the way of the ghost, and both him and I simply just were amazed by it. The Godox in a professional environment has delivered the best bang for the buck, and you can get 3 to 4 of these flashes for the same price as 1 flagship flash (Aka the Canon EL-1). While I can't suggest owners of the V860II get this as an upgrade, I can say without a doubt that you should consider either this or the V1 (if you prefer the round head) if you are looking for your first high powered flash.For those who can find it useful, I also uploaded a comparison of how a rectangular vs round head flash looks, both at 1/256 power and both zoomed to 105mm.