I reviewed the Godox iT30 Pro, it’s small, smart, and surprisingly powerful

The Godox iT30 Pro is an ultra-compact TTL flash that’s been designed to sit directly on top of your camera’s hot shoe and give you all the auto exposure settings and features that you’d expect from an integrated flash.

This means that if you have an enthusiast or pro-level camera, but you’d like the convenience of an entry-level model that often has integrated flashes, then with the Godox iT30 Pro, you have all the convenience of a built-in flash with all the advanced features of a hot shoe flash.

Because of its small size, the iT30 Pro is the Flash you can always have with you, but then it’s more than that, it’s a great option if you just want to travel light and carry a Flash for backup. The extra illumination that it affords, with the ease of the TTL support or even advanced HSS style illumination, all without the weight and bulk of a normal hotshoe flash, shouldn’t be overlooked. The fact that it has a maximum GN of just 15 also means that the flash power isn’t overwhelming, so it will work well complementing any natural light to great effect.

One of the standout features of the Flash is that it includes Godox’s 2.4 GHz X system technology. That means it can function as both a master and receiver, so if you want to have a multi-light setup, as I did in this review, then that’s perfectly possible. All you need to do is make sure this Flash is synced with the other Godox X system units.

Powering the Flash is an internal battery, which can be charged through the USB-C port, meaning that it’s easy to top up when required. The battery, being lithium-ion, will supply the Flash with enough power to last all day for most enthusiast shoots.

The Godox iT30 Pro is a compact flash that you can take with you anywhere. It can be used directly on top of the camera to supply a little bit of fill flash or general illumination, or it can be utilised alongside other system flashes such as the V100 as part of a larger and more complex wireless system. Essentially, whilst this Flash is small and compact, it’s also extremely advanced, giving far more options than other flashes of this size.

The first thing that you notice when you lift the iT30 Pro from the packaging is that it doesn’t have a plasticky feel that many of the small flashguns like this have. The build quality is far more aligned with the V100 than it is with the IM22 that I reviewed recently. In this review, I’ve taken a look at the pure black version, but there is also a silver option depending on your personal preference for aesthetics.

While it does have certain tones of the retro style because of its fixed unit and physical top, it also feels extremely modern, with a large touchscreen on the back coupled with physical buttons and switches.

When it comes to size and weight, it measures 65 x 46 x 47 mm, weighing just 120 g. As the battery is integrated, that weight is the maximum weight of the unit, and once it pops on top of the camera, you can hardly feel any additional load.

What really marks this Flash out against some of the other small retro-looking flashes is the advanced nature of the interaction. Once switched on with a physical button on the back, you can rotate the dial right to activate the Flash. Then you have a screen that is very similar to the wireless flash transmitter X3 and the V100 units. Essentially, all you need to do is tap on the screen to increase or decrease the power, and you can even swipe your finger left and right to do exactly the same. Swiping down takes you into the main options, where you can set the flash type to manual, TTL, or HSS, and also access all the wireless flash options.

If you’re not comfortable with using the touchscreen, then you can just use the physical buttons on the right-hand side, and there’s a large dial on top that lets you quickly flick through all of the settings. The touchscreen is key to operating the Flash and gives you far more options for its use than many standard flashguns.

Whilst a lot of the features and functions are all controlled through the touchscreen, there are some manual physical options as well, such as flipping the Flash from narrow to wide using the switch on the side of the unit. When you do this, you can see the lens within the flash change.

Inside, powering the Flash is a large 7.4 V 900 mAh battery that can be fast charged through the USB-C port on the side of the Flash itself.

Just having a look around the rest of the body, there are a few additional points which are well worth highlighting about the build. Right next to the USB-C port is a small socket, which is essentially the sync cord jack, so if you want to use this with more traditional flash systems, then that is perfectly possible. Then on top, there’s a small red square, and this is essentially the photocell sensor that enables S1 and S2: S1 being a more traditional slave unit, and S2 ensuring that any pre-flash is ignored before the main Flash is fired.

One of the features that I really like is the hot shoe itself. This features a very nifty little detach button, so once you slide it onto your hot shoe, it holds firm. Then, when you need to take it off, you need to push down the detach button before it can be removed. This just means it holds nicely and securely, and also keeps the entire unit really compact.

It is worth pointing out that, unlike the V100 or other larger-scale hot flashes, there is no ability to move the Flash, so its position is fixed. You can adjust the spread of the Flash from wide to narrow, but when it comes to tilt, rotation, or any other movement, there is none. This is just a fixed-position flash.

Taking a look at the Flash’s features, aside from the size, which is extremely compact, one of the main points to highlight is that it is a full TTL auto exposure flash. This takes the exposure reading information from the camera and uses it to adjust the power of the Flash so that you get the correct exposure. This cuts out a lot of the complexity of using Flash.

However, if you do want to take full control, then you can obviously switch it over to manual and adjust the flash power yourself. You also have the option to switch to the HSS, or high-speed sync mode, and this enables shutter sync speeds of up to 1/8000 of a second.

A feature that really appeals to me is the fact that this small Flash is also fully compatible with the X system. That means if you have the X3, or the V100, or any of the other flashes that utilise the same system, then you can use it as part of a larger lighting rig.

Through this test, I was able to sync it with a V100 so that when the V100 was fired on the camera, the Flash would also fire at the same time. This enables you to create really quite complex setups, and the fact that this small Flash is so compact makes it incredibly easy to mount, allowing you to create sophisticated lighting setups that would be difficult to accomplish with more standard hot shoe flashes.

One of the other features that I really like, and which gives this Flash an extra element of depth, is the fact that it also features multi-flash or stroboscopic mode. This enables up to 100 flashes at 100 Hz. This means you can take multi-exposure shots to create some phenomenal results.

On the back, one of the big features is the full-colour touchscreen. Complementing this are three buttons and a dial to give you two choices over how you interact with the Flash. So if you want a more traditional feel, you can use the buttons, and if you want a more advanced digital interface, then you can use the touchscreen. Both are extremely responsive, although, as ever with flashguns, having the manual to hand at some point is always recommended.

Finally, some of the more traditional features include flash exposure compensation, as well as front and rear curtain flash sync, which are useful if you want to get some more creative effects, especially for events and weddings.

As a compact hot shoe flash, the number of features that the iT30 Pro packs inside is really quite impressive, and compared with other small retro-style flashes that I’ve looked at in recent months, the iT30 Pro is from the outset a very different product.

Firstly, you can just pop it on top of your camera, in the case of this review, that’s a Sony A7 IV, and once it’s in place, you can start taking pictures with it in TTL mode, and it will adjust the power for you. So really, there’s very little that you need to do; the Flash handles everything.
Like those cheaper flashes, because this Flash is fixed in position, it flashes directly at whatever subject you’re photographing. So you do get that slightly harsh look to the images, whereas with a standard hot shoe flash, you can bounce the illumination off something just to soften the effect. However, with many people looking for that direct flash look at the moment, this isn’t a bad thing.

What I like is that you can switch very quickly from TTL to manual. So if you do want to get a little bit more flexibility with how you’re using the Flash, then that’s also perfectly possible, with full manual control.

As I progressed using Flash, I found that there was far more to it than I initially thought. This isn’t just a small, compact flash that sits on top of your camera; it can be used as part of the larger X system ecosystem. For example, coupling this with the X3 wireless flash trigger, you can very quickly move the Flash around your subject. So if you want to get some really good off-camera flash lighting effects, then it’s incredibly easy to do, and in fact, far easier than most larger systems.

The guide number of just 15 might seem a little low. However, when you’re working at close quarters with your subject, you don’t want to blind them with light. Actually, that GN15 is just enough to get the illumination that you need.

Through the test, I was impressed with just how versatile this small Flash is, and it really started to come into its own when coupled with the V100. Here, I could use the V100 to bounce light from the ceiling onto the subject and then utilise the small Flash to create some backlighting.

Because it is so small, it’s incredibly easy to position or mount; you can even tape it to the wall. Then, as the V100 fires, the secondary iT30 Pro also fires, creating that backlighting to elevate subjects and help separate them from backgrounds.

I also like the fact that you can put this on a small flash stand, mount it on a micro tripod, and you suddenly have a very versatile small flash that can get right in close to your subjects. And okay, it might not have any flexibility over the positioning itself, but once you mount it onto a small tripod, then you can direct it and play with the positioning as much as you like. It’s just far easier to use and manoeuvre than a larger hot shoe flash.

One of the other aspects that I really liked about the small Flash was that, whilst it could be used as a wireless flash, it could also be used as the main transmitter. So if you want to use larger flash guns alongside the small iT30 Pro, that is perfectly possible. I coupled it with a V100 and even an AD600, giving you plenty of versatility.

While it might be small, there are plenty of creative options. As we’re heading into autumn, I’m already thinking that this is going to be an ideal option in the studio for shooting still life and other simple one-light setups. Using the X3, the ability to have such a small flash that can be moved around the subject gives us a quick and easy way to get loads of different options from the same subject.

Through the test, I was also impressed with the Flash’s longevity. A full day of testing, playing around, and checking out all the features was well within the capacity of that single battery charge, which Godox states will enable up to 560 full-power flashes. So for this test, that was more than enough to run the entire duration.

At the end of the test, I was just impressed by the flexibility of this small Flash. Used in isolation directly on top of your camera, you do get that retro direct-flash look, which is a little bit harsh. And if you’re using a wide-angle lens, then you do need to prepare for a little bit of shadow. However, as that look is in at the moment, this Flash just offers you a lot more flexibility than the cheaper options, such as the IM22.

However, where I really feel this Flash excels is when you couple it with any of the other X system units. So with the X3, you’ve got this really lightweight, nifty off-camera flash, which is ultra-portable and can be taken everywhere with you, unlike carrying around the V100 all the time.

You can also couple it with other iT30 Pros or V100S to create a far more complex lighting rig with backlighting, side lighting, as well as the main light, so a three-light setup, which is where the X system really excels.

But even as a small unit, it packs in all of those additional features, such as TTL and HSS, which is far more than you’d usually expect with a flash of this size. So when it comes to performance, it might be small, and it might be fixed, but it offers huge potential and flexibility due to its integrated wireless flash system that will work with other units in the X system.

If you want to travel light but at the same time carry a flash with you, then the Godox iT30 Pro is just the perfect option. In this review, I’ve looked at the S version, which is for Sony, but check out the website, and you’ll see that there are options for Canon, Nikon, as well as most of the other manufacturers, so you should find one to suit your system.

If you’re just starting out with Flash, this is a great option, simple to use, but unlike many other small flashguns of this style, it offers full TTL. So if you’re not sure what you’re doing, you can just let the camera do it for you. And what’s more, it’s an investment for the future, as it’s part of the X system. So you can build, develop, and expand on this and other units going forward.

As a standalone unit, it offers far more than most, with TTL, manual, HSS, and wireless control, all in this one small package. And whilst it might not be the most powerful or flexible when it comes to where the light is directed, the fact that it is compatible with the X system and the X3 wireless trigger suddenly unlocks a huge amount of additional potential.

So, while as a unit in its own right you can’t bounce the Flash or direct it, as soon as you couple it with the X3 wireless flash transmitter, you then have full control over positioning it any way you like.

When I started this review, I thought the iT30 Pro was just another compact hot shoe flash with the addition of TTL. However, by the end of the review, I’ve realised that it’s something far more. This is a flash that can develop with you and actually gives you loads of creative potential.

If you just want to travel light and have a bit of extra illumination in your shots, this is a perfect fill light, great for travel, street, and casual shoots. If you’re an enthusiast, then the fact that you can couple it with the X3 wireless flash transmitter means you’ve got a very cheap off-camera flash, giving you plenty of creative control over your flash work, which should be the quickest and easiest way to elevate your photography.

However, if you’re a pro, this small Flash can easily be dropped into scenes, positioned, and moved around, helping you to get the shots you want. And the fact that it’s fully compatible with the wireless system, and can be coupled with the V100 up to the AD600, just adds to its flexibility and use.

For me, the Godox iT30 Pro went from being a small oddity flash offering TTL, to an extremely useful, take-everywhere flash unit that I would highly recommend for beginners, especially, but also for enthusiasts and pros, just to add a little bit of extra flash lighting, if and when you need it.