Rankings
The Godox iT30Pro S is an ultra-compact TTL flash for Sony cameras featuring high-speed sync, a full-color touchscreen and built-in 2.4 GHz wireless. Its trade-offs are a fixed head, modest output and limited wireless range, making it less suitable as a primary light source. Ideal for travel, vloggers and Sony shooters needing a lightweight on-camera fill or accent light.
The Westcott FJ80 II M is a universal 80Ws on-camera speedlight featuring a 2.8" touchscreen, 100 m wireless range and fast 0.05-1.5 s recycle. Its main trade-off is the lack of a built-in zoom head and a modest 1600 mAh battery capacity. Ideal for multi-brand event and studio shooters needing high-speed sync.
The Godox AD100Pro is a pocket-sized monolight delivering 100 Ws of power with full TTL, HSS up to 1/8000 s and built-in wireless control. Its lack of a hot shoe and modest full-power flash count are notable limitations. It suits run-and-gun, event and travel photographers who need a portable, feature-rich off-camera flash.
The Altura AP-UNV2 is an affordable speedlite with a strong 68 m guide number and a feature-rich LCD interface. Its main trade-offs are slower recycle with alkaline batteries and limited high-speed sync capability. Best suited for beginner to intermediate Nikon shooters who need portable power without the cost of OEM units.
The Voking VK750II is a budget-friendly TTL speedlite with a strong 58 m guide number and a versatile swivel head. It lacks high-speed sync and uses only optical wireless, with a less secure hot-shoe lock. Best suited for beginner Nikon shooters needing reliable on-camera TTL performance.
The Commander Optics A7 flash offers automatic E-TTL, high-speed sync and built-in 2.4 GHz wireless for Sony Alpha cameras. Its main limitation is the lack of detailed specifications such as guide number and recycle time, making performance assessment difficult. It is best for budget-conscious shooters who need basic TTL and wireless off-camera capability.
The Meike MK-430N is a compact TTL speedlite providing a 36 m guide number, built-in LCD and wireless slave capability for Nikon and Canon shooters. Its modest power, relatively slow recycle time and uncertain HSS support may restrict fast-action or high-power scenarios. Ideal for hobbyists seeking an affordable on-camera flash with TTL and wireless features.
The Ambitful AF970 is a compact universal manual flash offering fast 0.1-2.5 s recycle, 8 power levels and 2.4 GHz wireless control, making it versatile for multi-brand setups. Its lack of TTL, modest guide number and plastic construction limit its appeal for professionals needing higher output and premium build. Best suited for beginner to intermediate shooters who value cross-brand flexibility and rapid burst capability.
| Attribute | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 m | — | 58 m | 68 mbest | — | 36 m | 35 m | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 1.5 secondsbest | — | 3 seconds | 4 seconds | — | 4 seconds | — | — |
| ↓ lower better | 120 gbest | 524 g | — | 280 g | 602 g | 275 g | 390 g | — |
900 mAh | 2,600 mAhbest | — | — | 1,600 mAh | — | — | — | |
— | — | — | — | 9 | 22best | 8 | — | |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 35 mmbest | — | |
100 mbest | 100 mbest | 25 m | — | 100 mbest | 25 m | 30 m | 30 m | |
— | 5,800 Kbest | 5,600 K | — | 5,500 K | 5,600 K | 5,500 K | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Performance(1) | ||||||||
Recycle Time (seconds) | 1.5 seconds | 0.01-1.5 seconds | 3 seconds | 4 seconds | 0.05-1.5 seconds | 4 seconds | 0.1-2.5 seconds | — |
General(1) | ||||||||
Compatible Mount Types | — | Tripod | Hot Shoe | Hot Shoe | — | Nikon, Canon, others | Hot shoe | — |
Connectivity(1) | ||||||||
Wireless Range (m) | 100 m | 100 m | 25 m | — | 100 m | 25 m | 30 m | 30 m |
Features(3) | ||||||||
High‑Speed Sync | true | true | false | true | true | true | — | true |
Number of Flash Modes | — | — | 5 | 5 | — | 3 | 5 | 4 |
TTL Support | true | true | true | true | true | true | false | true |
Battery & Power(3) | ||||||||
Battery Type | Li-ion | Lithium-ion | AA | AA | Lithium-ion polymer | AA | AA | — |
Battery Capacity (mAh) | 900 mAh | 2600 mAh | — | — | 1600 mAh | — | — | — |
Power Levels (steps) | — | — | — | — | 9 | 22 | 8 | — |
Design(2) | ||||||||
Weight (with batteries) (g) | 120 g | 524 g | — | 280 g | 602 g | 275 g | 390 g | — |
Dimensions (L×W×H) (mm) | 2.559x1.811x1.850 inches mm | 4.72×2.99×2.99 in mm | 200x75x57 mm | 5 in × 3.2 in × 2.9 in mm | 203.2×96.5×246.4 mm mm | 165 x 74.6 x 59.2 mm (extended) mm | 200x75x57 mm mm | 4x9.5x3 inches mm |
Lighting(4) | ||||||||
Guide Number (m) | 15 m | — | 58 m | 68 m | — | 36 m | 35 m | — |
Flash Duration (ms) | 1/1000-1/30000 ms | — | — | — | — | — | 1/200-1/20000 ms | — |
Zoom Range (mm) | — | — | 18-188 mm | — | — | — | 35 mm | — |
Color Temperature (K) | — | 5800 K | 5600 K | — | 5500 K | 5600 K | 5500 K | — |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers view the iT30Pro S as a game-changing mini flash that brings full TTL, high-speed sync, a full-color touchscreen and Sony global-shutter support into an unprecedentedly small package. While they applaud its feature set and portability, they consistently point out the trade-offs of a fixed head and modest light output compared to larger speedlights.
Everyday users celebrate the flash's pocket-size convenience, rich feature set and easy touchscreen operation, especially for travel and solo content creation. Recurring concerns revolve around its limited power, fixed head design and the relatively short wireless range for larger multi-light rigs.
“first TTL pocket flash for advanced photographers”
“pretty decent output when needed”
“don't let the size fool you”
Professional reviewers and editors consistently praise the AD100Pro for its unprecedented power-to-size ratio, fast recycle times, and robust wireless capabilities, calling it a game-changing off-camera flash for portable setups. They also note its intuitive OLED interface and solid TTL/HSS reliability, while flagging the lack of a hot shoe and relatively modest full-power flash count as trade-offs for its compact form factor.
Everyday users echo the professional sentiment, highlighting the flash's surprising power, ease of TTL/HSS integration, and USB-C charging as major positives for travel and on-location work. Recurring themes of criticism focus on limited battery endurance at full power, the necessity of a separate trigger due to the missing hot shoe, and a learning curve with the stroboscopic menu.
Professional reviewers commend the VK750II for its reliable TTL performance, strong bounce capability, and solid build quality, noting its fast recycle time and accurate brightness control. However, they point out the lack of high-speed sync, limited wireless options, and the insecure twist-lock hot shoe as notable drawbacks compared to higher-end competitors.
Everyday users appreciate the flash's durability, easy TTL operation on Nikon bodies, and versatile swivel head, often describing it as sturdy and good quality. Recurring complaints focus on the twist-lock hot shoe, limited wireless features, and the need for fresh batteries to maintain quick recycle times.
Professional reviewers consider the Altura AP-N1001 a solid entry-level option that delivers impressive output and intuitive controls at a low price. They commend its reliable i-TTL performance, useful LCD interface, and wireless slave capability, while noting that it falls short of OEM flashes in terms of full HSS support and advanced features.
Everyday users consistently praise the flash's bright power, easy TTL synchronization via the LCD, and sturdy construction, seeing it as great value for beginners. Recurring complaints focus on slower recycle times with alkaline batteries, the need for manual adjustments on mirrorless bodies, and limited high-speed sync functionality.
Professional reviewers note that the Meike MK-430N offers solid specifications for its class, delivering reliable TTL performance, a useful LCD panel, and decent wireless range, but they caution buyers to verify version-specific features such as high-speed sync and to be aware of possible configuration differences.
Everyday users appreciate the flash's affordability, lightweight form factor, and the inclusion of essential accessories, though they commonly mention the limited power output and the need to manage AA battery life during extended shoots.
Professional reviewers commend the AF970 for its universal brand compatibility, rapid recycle speed and flexible head adjustment, noting it as a solid budget option for portable manual lighting. However, they repeatedly point out the absence of TTL, a modest guide number and plastic build components as drawbacks that keep it from competing with higher-end units.
Everyday users appreciate the flash's cross-camera versatility, affordable price and decent wireless range, often using it for events and portrait bounce lighting. Common complaints focus on the lack of TTL, a slightly loose hotshoe and the plastic tripod foot, with some noting slower recycle when powered by alkaline AA cells.
Professional reviewers and editors have not published direct evaluations of the Commander Optics A7, and its absence from major review sites suggests limited adoption. Discussions of Sony-compatible flashes typically highlight Sony's own HVL-F45RM and HVL-F32M as preferred choices due to proven integration, reliable performance, and richer feature sets.
No consumer reviews or user-generated feedback were found in the research, indicating that everyday users have not widely discussed the Commander Optics A7 online. Consequently, there is no clear consensus on satisfaction or dissatisfaction among purchasers.
