Godox iT30Pro review – I’ve tested lots of small camera flashes, and this is the best so far

The Godox iT30Pro is a small, affordable, yet extraordinarily well-featured on-camera flash unit. It offers through-the-lens (TTL) metered, strobe, and manual modes, plus the ability to work wirelessly with other Godox flash units, including as a controller. It’s available in five versions for most popular cameras, namely Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, or OM System/Olympus/Panasonic. I tested the Fujifilm variant on my X-T5 and X100VI cameras.

Godox iT30Pro at a glance:

• $75 / £67
• Guide number 15m (ISO 100)
• TTL, strobe, and manual modes
• Built-in 2.4GHz wireless
• Available in black or silver
• 65 x 46 x 47mm, 120g
• Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and OM System/Olympus/Panasonic versions available
• godox.com

While Godox offers other on-camera flashes with striking retro styling, this one is a plain rectangular box that measures 65 x 46 x 47mm, and weighs just 120g. Its built-in Li-ion battery promises 560 full-power flashes and charges via USB-C, so there’s no need to deal with AA or AAA batteries. Recycling time is a respectable 1.5 seconds.

Turning the unit on is a two-step affair. First you have to hold down the power button for a second, then either swipe right on the touchscreen, or spin the top dial. This has the advantage that you’re unlikely ever to turn it on by accident. Switching the flash off again requires holding down the button for a second, while a quick press fires off a test flash.

Most functions are controlled using either the Menu and Set buttons with the top dial, or the rear touchscreen. Many can also be configured from your camera’s flash menu. Naturally the interface takes a little getting used to, but it doesn’t take too long with the manual to work out what’s going on. 

Godox iT30Pro key features:

• Output control: You get output power control down to 1/128 in manual or +/-3EV in TTL, in 0.3EV steps
• Optical slave: The unit can be triggered optically by other flashes, including the option to ignore a metering pre-flash  
• Kit contents: A USB-C charging cable and a soft fabric pouch come in the box
• Diffuser: You don’t get a push-on plastic diffuser, but low-priced third-party ones are available
• Cable trigger: A 2.5mm port allows the flash to be triggered by cameras that have PC sync sockets. Note, though, that it doesn’t have its own built-in light meter for an auto-exposure mode with vintage film cameras

A switch on the side engages a wideangle diffuser, but Godox tells you little about how it affects the coverage or output. From my testing, you’ll want to engage it with lenses wider than 35mm (or equivalent). It’ll then cover 28mm very nicely, or even 24mm with some unevenness right at the bottom of the frame. The brightness drops by two-thirds of a stop.

One of my favourite features of this flash is its onscreen distance scale. In manual mode, this does your guide number calculations for you, and shows the subject distance that will be correctly exposed. Meanwhile in TTL, it indicates the range of distances that can be covered. This can be useful to help you work out whether you might need to change the ISO or aperture.

Used on its own as the main light source, the Godox iT30Pro gives the direct-flash look that’s become popular again on some quarters. Tested on my Fujifilm X-T5 and X100VI, it does so with perfectly judged metering, and without any of the bleached-out, rabbit-in-the-headlights effect that can often spoil such shots. It also does a really good job when used outdoors on a bright day to fill in shadows when shooting portraits.

Godox TTL Hot Shoe Riser

With the flash bulb being placed low over the lens, you’ll need to watch out for shadowing, especially with relatively large-diameter standard zooms. But help is at hand in the shape of the Godox TTL Hot Shoe Riser, which costs just $14 / £17. This clever little accessory lifts the flash higher to reduce the risk of shadowing, while retaining full TTL control.

What’s more, it also includes a bounce facility up to 90°, with click-stops every 15°.  This can give much more attractive lighting indoors, particularly in a room with a relatively low (and preferably white) ceiling. It doesn’t swivel for portrait format shooting, though, and due to the way the flash hinges backwards, it can get in the way of using the viewfinder when set to higher bounce angles. But that’s forgivable for the small size and low cost.

2.4 GHz flash trigger function

When used as a wireless trigger, the iT30Pro doesn’t give quite the same level of control as a dedicated device such as the Godox X3Pro. But you can still operate three groups of flashes with either exposure compensation of +/-3EV, or manual power levels down to 1/128, in 0.3 EV steps. Naturally you can also adjust the unit’s own output, or instruct it not to fire at all. That might be all many users need. 

Unfortunately I don’t have other Godox flashes to test how well this all works. But its 2.4GHz control system appears to be well-regarded by other reviewers.

Godox iT30Pro: Our Verdict

Lots of similar-looking mini flash units have appeared on the market recently, but none that I’ve seen match the Godox iT30Pro for features and sheer value for money. For such a relatively modest outlay, it’s an easy recommendation to add to your bag, especially as barely any cameras have a built-in flash these days. I’d get the hot-shoe riser, too.

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