Using Godox with the A7iii/A7Riii

[theoverratedphotog]

Thanks for this wonderful guide, which I'm saving as I get into flash photography more. I've had the tt350s for about a year and use it occasionally, but would now like to grow into more off-flash, but light weight photography. I'm considering the Godox V1 as a complement, and to keep things light for travel/on-the-go usage, I would appreciate input on how effective the tt350s as an on-camera trigger and low light-source would be with the V1 as an off camera option on a stand or handheld. I realize a trigger would probably be useful, so perhaps I'd add that as well, but for a two light, minimalist outdoor, on-the-go option, would these two alone work? I have just a mini hotshoe soft box for the tt350s now. Any other light diffusers for fitting in a single bag you'd recommend? Thanks again.

The TT350 works well as a trigger, the main issue is the usability side. Triggers like the XPro are very easy to change settings on so that's the main difference I see. When you change settings constantly, the usability becomes a big issue, particularly if you have multiple lights.

From a diffuser perspective, godox do a nice 40cm square softbox that comes with a speedlight bracket. It's small enough for use with the TT350 indoors, but outdoors it will underpowered. If you can afford it, I'd recommend an AD200. Not much bigger than the V1 and far more powerful and that means you can use it outdoors with the sun.

 

[vett93]

Do you have flash under exposure problems with aperture wider than F4? I have a few Godox flashes (AD600, AD200, V860IIS) and both Pro and non-Pro triggers. I still have flash under exposure problems when I use an aperture wider than F4.

 

[theoverratedphotog]

Do you have flash under exposure problems with aperture wider than F4? I have a few Godox flashes (AD600, AD200, V860IIS) and both Pro and non-Pro triggers. I still have flash under exposure problems when I use an aperture wider than F4.

Did you try the recommended settings including switching off wireless flash?

 

[vett93]

Do you have flash under exposure problems with aperture wider than F4? I have a few Godox flashes (AD600, AD200, V860IIS) and both Pro and non-Pro triggers. I still have flash under exposure problems when I use an aperture wider than F4.

Did you try the recommended settings including switching off wireless flash?

Yes, that's how I have been using these flashes. To my knowledge, I am the first one who reported the under exposure problem in DPR. I used a A7RII then. The same problem carried over to A7RIII.

Do you have flash under exposure problems?

 

[theoverratedphotog]

Do you have flash under exposure problems with aperture wider than F4? I have a few Godox flashes (AD600, AD200, V860IIS) and both Pro and non-Pro triggers. I still have flash under exposure problems when I use an aperture wider than F4.

Did you try the recommended settings including switching off wireless flash?

Yes, that's how I have been using these flashes. To my knowledge, I am the first one who reported the under exposure problem in DPR. I used a A7RII then. The same problem carried over to A7RIII.

Do you have flash under exposure problems?

I just did some tests and oddly enough not. What is stranger is when I researched the subject, it says the problems exist with the A7riii but not the A7iii and my two cameras expose the same. When I expose up to +1 and +2 I get blown highlights on portions of the image. The test subject (a wooden box) wasn't the greatest option and I'm busy with work so I'll try run some better testing tonight with my kids to see if the outcomes are better.









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[vett93]

Do you have flash under exposure problems with aperture wider than F4? I have a few Godox flashes (AD600, AD200, V860IIS) and both Pro and non-Pro triggers. I still have flash under exposure problems when I use an aperture wider than F4.

Did you try the recommended settings including switching off wireless flash?

Yes, that's how I have been using these flashes. To my knowledge, I am the first one who reported the under exposure problem in DPR. I used a A7RII then. The same problem carried over to A7RIII.

Do you have flash under exposure problems?

I just did some tests and oddly enough not. What is stranger is when I researched the subject, it says the problems exist with the A7riii but not the A7iii and my two cameras expose the same. When I expose up to +1 and +2 I get blown highlights on portions of the image. The test subject (a wooden box) wasn't the greatest option and I'm busy with work so I'll try run some better testing tonight with my kids to see if the outcomes are better.

Sorry that your answer is too cryptic to me. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask again: do you have flash under exposure problems?

I put Godox V860IIS on my A7RIII. Both have the latest FWs. The problem is very obvious. Even their on-camera flashes do not work reliably.

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[theoverratedphotog]

Do you have flash under exposure problems with aperture wider than F4? I have a few Godox flashes (AD600, AD200, V860IIS) and both Pro and non-Pro triggers. I still have flash under exposure problems when I use an aperture wider than F4.

Did you try the recommended settings including switching off wireless flash?

Yes, that's how I have been using these flashes. To my knowledge, I am the first one who reported the under exposure problem in DPR. I used a A7RII then. The same problem carried over to A7RIII.

Do you have flash under exposure problems?

I just did some tests and oddly enough not. What is stranger is when I researched the subject, it says the problems exist with the A7riii but not the A7iii and my two cameras expose the same. When I expose up to +1 and +2 I get blown highlights on portions of the image. The test subject (a wooden box) wasn't the greatest option and I'm busy with work so I'll try run some better testing tonight with my kids to see if the outcomes are better.

Sorry that your answer is too cryptic to me. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask again: do you have flash under exposure problems?

I put Godox V860IIS on my A7RIII. Both have the latest FWs. The problem is very obvious. Even their on-camera flashes do not work reliably.

That's what I am saying, not that I am aware of. I don't remember ever having to dial up TTL by 1 or 2 stops, maybe third or half a stop up or down on occasion depending on the specifics of what I was trying to do, but pretty sure I would remember 1 or 2 stops up. And I don't shoot any differently when switching between my A7iii and A7riii, they just tend to have different lenses on them to save me having to change up lenses in a shoot.



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[Fwiler1]

I didn't see any issues using ad200 with Sony 85mm 1.8 on A7III. Consistent going up to f/8. I'm shooting into a 48" softbox. Not sure if that makes any difference.

 

[theoverratedphotog]

I didn't see any issues using ad200 with Sony 85mm 1.8 on A7III. Consistent going up to f/8. I'm shooting into a 48" softbox. Not sure if that makes any difference.

I guess the question is whether the issue is with fill flash or non-fill flash. 50% of my flash would be fill flash outdoor portrait kind of stuff, 40% would be studio which is manual and the 10% would be product photography where I'm shooting manual

 

[vett93]

I didn't see any issues using ad200 with Sony 85mm 1.8 on A7III. Consistent going up to f/8. I'm shooting into a 48" softbox. Not sure if that makes any difference.

The TTL under exposure problem occurs with wider aperture like F/2, F/1.4, etc. Aperture at F/4 or narrower (e.g., F/5.6, F/8, etc.) work fine with TTL.

 

[vett93]

I didn't see any issues using ad200 with Sony 85mm 1.8 on A7III. Consistent going up to f/8. I'm shooting into a 48" softbox. Not sure if that makes any difference.

I guess the question is whether the issue is with fill flash or non-fill flash. 50% of my flash would be fill flash outdoor portrait kind of stuff, 40% would be studio which is manual and the 10% would be product photography where I'm shooting manual

What is an example of non-fill flash in your definition?

 

[theoverratedphotog]

Lighting just the subject in a portrait shot (with minimal consideration for background) vs lighting an entire room with bounce flash.

I'll give you an example:

With Nikon, your metering impacted your flash. If you set it to spot, it would meter for fill flash, if you set it to matrix it would meter flash for the entire scene which gave you a little more control over things. With fill, it's always going to expose lower. With Sony, we don't have that luxury. I guess my next question is do the Sony's native flashes expose the same?

 

[mhariush]

I can't get Manual mode on the Godox to work with my a7RIII, I updated to the latest firmware. Did any settings change? I am sure I was able to use that before.

Using the Flashpoint R2Pro (Xpro 2) trigger.

And no other triggers or speedlites work with the camera.

 

[KE_DP]

I can't get Manual mode on the Godox to work with my a7RIII, I updated to the latest firmware. Did any settings change? I am sure I was able to use that before.

Using the Flashpoint R2Pro (Xpro 2) trigger.

And no other triggers or speedlites work with the camera.

This should really be in a thread of it's own -

(Starting your own new topic in the top level, versus inside the middle of someone else's unrelated discussion.)

That said - it should work fine. You didn't say what light. All the firmware versions work just fine however so your issue might be either the transmitter - or the receiving end.

Can you pop the light from the trigger's test button? Is your A7R3 flash mode set to fill? do you have a single hot shoe flash to test on the camera?

You'll need to provide more details and preferably in a new topic in this forum - or the Lighting Forum.

 

[theoverratedphotog]

I have the latest firmware and it still shoots in manual A7iii or A7riii.

My guess is:

1. Speedlight/Strobe and trigger set to different channels or groups

2. Trigger not seated properly.

3. One of the 3 not working

 

[Phil Shaw]

Great overview. Thanks for your time in putting this together. Much appreciated.

 

[theoverratedphotog]

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback

 

[mhariush]

My conclusion is that the hot shoe is damaged.

I have tried:

speedlites, don't work at all.

manual radio trigger (neewer and platinum brand)

Godox and flashpoint triggers.

Changed all the settings, restored to factory. Nothing works, just TTL. It seems like the hot shoe isnt sending out signal through the "regular" contact point that the speedlite and regular radio triggers use. It only works with the Sony godox/flashpoint trigger with TTL

 

[KE_DP]

My conclusion is that the hot shoe is damaged.

I have tried:

speedlites, don't work at all.

manual radio trigger (neewer and platinum brand)

Godox and flashpoint triggers.

Changed all the settings, restored to factory. Nothing works, just TTL. It seems like the hot shoe isnt sending out signal through the "regular" contact point that the speedlite and regular radio triggers use. It only works with the Sony godox/flashpoint trigger with TTL

One last thing - Just make sure your are using the correct configuration triggers or hot shoe flashes. Manufacturers have a different pin configuration - one brand to the next. Sony has two different configurations - depending on the generation of camera.

If you're saying you've tried a Sony hot shoe flash made for multi interface shoe (newest generation) and it doesn't work - then yes it's likely hardware. OTOTH if you're trying a Nikon/ or Canon flash or remote on Sony it's possibly not going to work at all.

 

[damage98]

I didn't catch this the first time it was posted, and only quickly scanned through this time but there seems to be absolutely no mention of the well known Sony TTL "bug" of underexposure when using apertures larger than f4. Some retailers ended up having to put disclaimers on their websites warning people about it.**

A simple web search will reveal tons of threads and posts and documentation about it. AFAIK Godox never fixed it - so the recommendation for Sony users who like to shoot wider than f4 is forget buying the TTL versions entirely and go manual. (Save money too.)

**Adorama States -
Take Note - Users of the Sony should note that R2 TTL function is still in the stages of development. Please watch for Flashpoint R2 firmware update

That's been there ~4 years now. They are not fixing it.

I just took advantage of the sale on the Adorama 600 and 200 kit / package, and I shoot A7RIV / A7R4. I am new to studio lighting and my setup is a lot like that recommended by the OP, I have the X1T-s trigger. I think I am seeing this behaviour even now. If I shoot TTL from my trigger, and whether manual, A, or S mode on my camera, no exp comp, when I shoot my Batis 85 at 1.8-3.5 the pictures are underexposed. If I shoot F4, the shots brighten up dramatically.

I'm happy to do more testing if anyone wants, just recommend a method, maybe I am missing something, but the only thing I am changing is the Aperture, and the difference is as I said, dramatic. Easily overcome with exp comp in camera or trigger but it's something I noticed straight away.