Are Yongnuo still the kings of the cheaper flashguns?

andy1868

andy1868

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I'm after another flashgun, mostly as a backup but will also come in handy for different lighting scenarios. Is the Yongnuo 685 the one to go for? I have an SB800 and SB700 already triggered by 622n when off camera. This is fine for my use, but the Nikon prices for new are high especially when I can get features at a lower price; factor in that it'll mostly be a backup just in case I didn't necessarily want to be shelling out hundreds of pounds.

Are there any other suggestions of things I should be looking at?
 
Simple answer is sell the lot and get into Godox!
 
Not a bad idea! Perhaps for the future though, right now I’m just looking at adding an extra one :)
 
I have a £40 Neewer NW985 which does ttl and high speed sync. Really can't complain for the money. Better than my Nissin.
 
andy1868 said:
Not a bad idea! Perhaps for the future though, right now I’m just looking at adding an extra one :)
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And after that another one and another one and then some studio strobes. ..... . .. :)
Even though I have no plans going beyond AD360 and 200 in power I wouldn't consider any brand that does not offer more than just speedlights and given Godox and Yongnou are similarly priced here in dk I'm not paying for the future changes. Further more I can use my tt685's for Sony with the trigger I'll buy for the fuji. That last part may be possible with Yongnou too, I don't know.
 
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That's a good shout actually, I was looking at the potential of AD200 or AD360 in the future, so going for a TT685 now might be a good idea, there's only £10 difference in price and seems to be very similar feature wise!
 
Might have been said slightly tongue in cheek, but seriously is the best option for most people without going to say a Profoto setup.

TT685's have full radio control with TTL and HSS off camera, then you can add an AD200, then you can double those up, then you have a full studio strobe with no wires that can split into 2 lights up to 3 times more powerful than most speedlites.

All of that off of one trigger, all compatible with all camera brands (off camera) by just buying the appropriate trigger. You won't be worrying if your 3rd party trigger will work with your genuine flash etc etc etc.

It was a lot easier for me starting from a clean plate with no legacy kit to support but at this kind of size / price ratio it really is becoming a no brainer for an awful lot of people!
 
One of my mates has the Newer MT600 (for canon) and prefers it to the 550EX canon flash, uses it a LOT and it's still good a year or so down the line.
 
I'll be honest, when you first mentioned Godox I didn't even realise that Godox made anything other than the AD models which was why I was originally just thinking just stick with a speedlite. However, I now realise they have the TT models which as you say is becoming a no brainer!

I bought the SB700 and 800 years ago before any of these were available and kind of just plodded on with them as they were working for me the way I wanted, with the exception of having enough power in bright sunlight. That led me on a quest to see what I could find in the way of achieving that but again that was before the AD models were released I think, and at that time I was looking more at portable strobes which was unwieldy and impractical to drag out for a couple of shots at weddings.
 
After some more reading, the only thing in the Yongnuo 685's favour is the fact that you can fire it in the CLS system using the onboard flash, which the Godox 685 can't. I know this system isn't without it's faults but I have used this in the past, and it is nice to have this to fall back on in the event the triggers start messing about :thinking:
 
andy1868 said:
After some more reading, the only thing in the Yongnuo 685's favour is the fact that you can fire it in the CLS system using the onboard flash, which the Godox 685 can't. I know this system isn't without it's faults but I have used this in the past, and it is nice to have this to fall back on in the event the triggers start messing about :thinking:
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GODOX TT685N FEATURES


  • GN 60 (m ISO 100)
  • Powered by 4 x AA batteries
  • HSS to 1/8000th
  • Flash Mode – iTTL /M / Multi
  • 1st Curtain Sync / 2nd Curtain Sync
  • FEC / FEB – 1/3rd Increments (±3 stops)
  • Manual Flash – 1/128 – 1/1 output control (1/3rd increments)
  • Flash Zoom 20 – 200mm
  • Radio Master & Slave Modes for Godox 2.4GHz X Radio System
  • Godox – Canon / Nikon / Sony / M4/3 / Fuji – TTL Radio Slave Modes
  • 3 Remote Groups A / B / C
  • 32 Channels
  • Range to 100 m
  • Compatible with Godox XTR-16s / FTR-16s Receiver
  • Optic Master & Slave Modes for Nikon Optic Wireless System
  • 3 Remote Groups A / B / C
  • 4 Channels
  • Range – Line of Sight
  • S1 and S2 Optic Slave Modes
  • Recycle Time: 0.1 – 2.6 Seconds
  • 230 Full Power Flashes (using 2500mAh Ni-MH Batteries)
  • Full 360 Degree Swivel, and Tilt Head
  • Large LCD Screen
  • AF Assist Light
  • Metal Foot with Locking Pin
  • Sound Prompt
  • Custom Functions
  • Settings Memory
  • Overheat Protection
  • USB Port for Firmware Updates
  • Communication Port (For XTR-16s / FTR-16s Receivers)
  • 3.5mm Sync Port
  • External High Voltage Battery Port (Canon Style)
 
Must have missed that one, it was in one of the reviews I read :)

That's me sold then!
 
andy1868 said:
I'm after another flashgun, mostly as a backup but will also come in handy for different lighting scenarios. Is the Yongnuo 685 the one to go for? I have an SB800 and SB700 already triggered by 622n when off camera. This is fine for my use, but the Nikon prices for new are high especially when I can get features at a lower price; factor in that it'll mostly be a backup just in case I didn't necessarily want to be shelling out hundreds of pounds.

Are there any other suggestions of things I should be looking at?
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So you have two Nikon guns with YN622 receivers triggered by YN622-Tx? The cheapest option would then be to simply add a YN685.

But if you have more ambitious plans changing to Godox is probably the best and easily the cheapest way. You could take first steps in that direction by adding a Godox gun (I'd go for the lithium battery version for much faster recycle) and swapping the YN units for Godox equivalents. You then have 100% compatibility with Godox and full access to the system.
 
Or just go for the Godox V860II and throw the AA batteries away for good, the lithium battery on the V860II is great and go's on forever, obviously more expensive but a much better investment long term :)
 
andy1868 said:
After some more reading, the only thing in the Yongnuo 685's favour is the fact that you can fire it in the CLS system using the onboard flash, which the Godox 685 can't. I know this system isn't without it's faults but I have used this in the past, and it is nice to have this to fall back on in the event the triggers start messing about :thinking:
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Back-up is prudent ;) As a long term Yongnuo user I've always had back-up options with either a spare trigger (cheap!) or a spare gun that can also be used as a radio Commander. Godox guns also work as radio Commanders.

But so far I've never needed back-up. I'm not a heavy user throwing everything in the back of the car for a wedding each week, but I've had 100% reliability. I don't think this new China-age kit would have caught on if it was unreliable, regardless of price.
 
Lots to think about thanks guys :) I’ve got a few weeks before the next wedding so have a little time to ponder the options :)
 
I have 3 TT685n's which are simply excellent. The only slight niggle that I don't like is that the flash shoe doesn't sit perfectly on my 750 or 610, there's a bit too much play really. I use off camera with an X1 on camera which is so easy to use and works flawlessly. I do unfortunately shy away from using a 685 on camera as a commander due to my comment above, which is a slight annoyance. However, for the money, they are a no-brainer!
 
I’m going to add to the above as I’ve had a play tonight. There’s a
little wobble in the plate in both my Godox and Nikon flash’s. It’s the head of the Godox’s that are much stiffer and so when swivelling them, they move in the hot shoe more noticeably. Maybe it’s a Nikon thing? They may loosen with more use?
 
Livin The Dream said:
I’m going to add to the above as I’ve had a play tonight. There’s a
little wobble in the plate in both my Godox and Nikon flash’s. It’s the head of the Godox’s that are much stiffer and so when swivelling them, they move in the hot shoe more noticeably. Maybe it’s a Nikon thing? They may loosen with more use?
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Flash manufacturers seem to go for either a light swivel movement with a couple of click-locked positions, or a much stiffer swivel but no locks. Neither is ideal.

The former needs to be unlocked with a push-button before moving, which is a very minor inconvenience, but unless you're lucky and the click-locked positions fall at just the right angles, when using intermediate settings the head can tend to slip under its own weight, certainly if you have any kind of modifier attached and turn the camera vertical.

The latter type with a stiffer swivel has a much better chance of holding more positions, but if you have a modifier attached and it does start to slip, it can be a bluddy nuisance. Not sure which type is best, both can be a PITA at times. Not sure why we can't have something which combines the best of both.
 
HoppyUK said:
Flash manufacturers seem to go for either a light swivel movement with a couple of click-locked positions, or a much stiffer swivel but no locks. Neither is ideal.

The former needs to be unlocked with a push-button before moving, which is a very minor inconvenience, but unless you're lucky and the click-locked positions fall at just the right angles, when using intermediate settings the head can tend to slip under its own weight, certainly if you have any kind of modifier attached and turn the camera vertical.

The latter type with a stiffer swivel has a much better chance of holding more positions, but if you have a modifier attached and it does start to slip, it can be a bluddy nuisance. Not sure which type is best, both can be a PITA at times. Not sure why we can't have something which combines the best of both.
Click to expand...

Wholeheartedly agree with the above Richard. Are you still shooting Canon, is there movement in the hot shoe? The plate just needs to be a slightly tighter fit ideally, only a couple of mil.
 
Thanks for the clarification :)

Just to update the thread, after weighing up the options I’ve ordered a Godox TT685 for now with the scope to look into some of the other flashes in the future. Should be arriving today all being well so I’ll check the fitment etc when I get in :D
 
Livin The Dream said:
Wholeheartedly agree with the above Richard. Are you still shooting Canon, is there movement in the hot shoe? The plate just needs to be a slightly tighter fit ideally, only a couple of mil.
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a little movement but not an issue. I've never used a camera/flash where there wasn't at least a little and you don't want it too tight or it'd be tricky to slot in easily. They do vary very slightly but there is no standard for hot-shoes AFAIK which started life as a little slot to attach a Leica rangefinder about the size of a matchbox. They were never intended to hold a thumping great half-kilo of flash but various attempts to improve things over the years have failed to catch on.

The solution is the locking mechanism that all guns etc now have, but they can be a mixed blessing too. The handy lever-lock versions are great when they tighten just right, but then take the gun off-camera to a different shoe and they may be too loose or too tight. I prefer the screw-down variety for that reason.
 
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