It has been greater than 5 years because the launch of the unique Godox AD600 Professional, and we lastly have model two. Let’s see what’s new.
Whereas the Godox AD600 Pro II comes with a number of recent options and upgrades, at its core, it’s nonetheless a 600 Ws battery-powered strobe. It has options like high-speed sync, TTL, multi-flash, and primarily each different function that has change into normal throughout the pro-level Godox lineup. As a substitute of diving into every thing this gentle has and the way it all works, I’m simply going to clarify all of the options that separate this gentle from the unique Godox AD600 Pro.
The primary is the brand new wi-fi sync function. Up to now, you at all times wanted to set your flash and wi-fi set off to the identical channel to ensure that them to speak with one another. This might change into annoying in conditions the place there are different photographers on the identical channel or in areas with numerous wi-fi programs that would trigger interference. This meant you might probably have to vary channels to mitigate the issue, and each time you modify channels, you must do this on each single one among your gadgets. Now, you may have the power to easily use the wi-fi sync function to pair the set off to the flash. When you do that one time, you by no means need to mess with it once more. This removes yet one more factor you must take into consideration when establishing your lights for a brand new session. The one caveat right here is that the function is barely accessible on the newer Godox X3 set off as a result of that’s the solely set off to have been launched that would incorporate the brand new know-how. I assume all future set off releases will incorporate the brand new function.
Subsequent up is a function that I actually get pleasure from having. The Godox AD600 Professional II has new LED lights on each side of the strobe. These lights will change shade relying on what group you may have assigned to the sunshine. So when you have the sunshine set to Group A, the sunshine can be purple. If the strobe is ready to Group E, the LED gentle will shine purple. This offers you a visible illustration of which group the sunshine is assigned to with out having to convey the sunshine all the way down to a peak the place you’ll be able to visually see the display on the strobe. There also needs to be no downside with needing a number of teams as a result of, in whole, this function helps as much as 16 teams/colours. The very best half is when you may have the sunshine paired with the brand new Godox X3 set off, the set off can even present the colour related to every group. So that you need not keep in mind what group is related to what shade. Sadly, when you have an older set off that doesn’t have a shade display, you’ll clearly be compelled to recollect what shade is tied to which group. However even it is a higher choice than having to drag your gentle down in conditions whenever you want verification.
From right here we will speak concerning the new bodily upgrades on the AD600 Professional II. With the brand new gentle, you will discover an upgraded TFT shade show. When it comes to brightness, I might simply see the display in full daylight, and I solely had the brightness stage set to about 75%. So display visibility ought to by no means be a problem. I by no means actually felt like I wanted a shade display on my flashes, however now with the brand new group shade identification function, it’s positively good to have.
On the skin, the sunshine nonetheless has all the identical ports, corresponding to a charging port, a sync cable port, and a USB-C port. Nonetheless, this USB-C port is barely used for upgrading the sunshine’s firmware. Right here, I want I had the power to cost the sunshine by way of USB-C. I do know this might probably improve the cost occasions in comparison with the devoted charging brick, however this function would make touring quite a bit much less cumbersome.
The strobe additionally has upgraded buttons and wheels that each one really feel sturdy and have a very good clicking sensation in use. A few of the buttons additionally carry out some double duties, such because the modeling lamp button. Right here you’ll be able to press the button to entry all of the modeling lamp settings, however when you lengthy press the button, it permits you to shortly flip the modeling lamp on and off. Talking of the modeling lamp, that is one other space of the sunshine that’s seeing enchancment. As a substitute of the 38 W daylight temperature gentle discovered on the unique AD600 Professional, we now have a 40 W bi-color modeling gentle. So not solely will we get a bit extra gentle, however we additionally get it from 2800 Okay to 6000 Okay. This new modeling lamp offers you a bit extra flexibility in lower-light conditions the place you would possibly merely wish to use the fixed gentle as the principle supply relatively than needing to pop the flash and fiddle with gels. 
For conditions the place you would possibly must work in decrease gentle eventualities but additionally want the power to freeze movement, the AD600 Professional II can now go a full cease decrease in energy. This implies as an alternative of being restricted to an influence stage of 1/256, now you can go as little as 1/512 energy. This decrease energy additionally unlocks the power to entry a sooner flash period with a t.1 time of 1/12,340th of a second. So this added flexibility is nice if you end up in decrease gentle environments the place the modeling lamp will not work in your state of affairs, or if you’re photographing one thing in motion and wish the freezing energy of a sooner flash period.
What I LIke
- New bi-color modeling lamp
- New shade display
- New shade LED group identification
What I Did not Like
- No USB-C charging
- Although extra highly effective than the unique, I want the modeling gentle was extra highly effective
Instance Photos
Conclusion
In use as a strobe, this gentle performs very equally to the unique AD600 Professional. You’ll nonetheless have 600 Ws of energy and get 360 full-power flashes on a full battery. The sunshine additionally has recycle occasions as little as 0.01 seconds on the lowest energy and 0.9 seconds at full energy. At full energy, you’ll be able to count on a flash period of 1/220th of a second, and on the lowest energy, you’ll see 1/12,340th of a second. So not a ton has modified right here to essentially warrant an improve if you have already got an AD600 Professional. However what is going to warrant an improve is when you can see your self benefiting from the general higher and extra user-friendly expertise with the on a regular basis use of the sunshine. The upgraded bi-color modeling gentle and the strobe’s wider energy vary may be simply the pliability you want in your particular wants. Additionally, if you’re simply now stepping into the system, or simply now including a 600 Ws gentle to your equipment, I do suppose the newer Godox AD600 Pro II is price the additional price over the unique.
