Joined in 2023 
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The unit feels chunky and solid in your hands. With the battery and flash head, the AD200 is definitely heavier than a speedlight. The on/off switch at the side has been changed. The original AD200 switch was not easy to find if you don't know what you are looking for. I've had assistants who have never used the AD200 be unable to find it. The Pro switch feels a bit better and more obvious. It's a small improvement but hardly groundbreaking.
The EC200 is an extension cable which allows you to mount the detachable head on top of a light stand and the head unit at the bottom. It’s takes more time to set up but having the weight at the bottom helps the stability if you use lightstands. In practice I found it a bit of a faff to set up at weddings. Magmod I remember vividly when it was announced. I remember thinking “This looks like the perfect flash for wedding photography” In my first review I concluded that it was the best flash you never knew you needed. Since then a lot has changed. There are now quite a number of accessories available for the AD200 and Godox have built an entire ecosystem of flashes and add-ons you can buy. So no real surprises. The AD200 is less powerful than the AD360 but more than the normal speedlight. However, It may surprise some that there is only a 1/3 stop difference between the AD200 and the AD360. Whilst in percentage terms that seems a lot (ie. 33%), the AD200 of course is much more portable with the integrated battery. So if you still wondering if you should buy the Godox AD200 for weddings then I would have to say without any hesitation. YES! Absolutely! In fact don't just buy one, buy two! A Small favour..... Three years on and competitors have tried to copy the AD200. The Yongnuo YN200 and the Geekoto GT-200 are two that spring to mind. But in my opinion, none are really challenging the Godox AD200. The Technical Stuff
If you do find yourself often in these situations at a wedding then you may want to consider a more powerful flash. Godox have released a range of strobes with more power. From the AD300 right the way to the upcoming retina burning AD1200! More powerful flashes will give you the option to use larger light modifiers to help you project softer light for better results. With the introduction of the AD200. Suddenly we had an all in one solution that used the Fresnel head. Suddenly we could use all the light modifiers designed for speedlights! Something us wedding photographers did a lot. The rear LCD screen is on the bottom of the flash. It's small but functional and the buttons are logically placed. The buttons and dial feel nice and responsive. At weddings, the Godox AD200’s are my main flashes for pretty much everything. Outdoors for groups. Portraits. Indoors, I use them to light speeches, first dances and occasionally if the situation demands, wedding ceremonies.
The answer for me is ‘no’. Not for wedding photography anyway. The changes are too small to justify the extra money. And the power adjustments for 0.1 instead of 0.3 is actually very annoying for weddings since it slows me down. Otherwise I just don't use it. Instead I prefer to put the AD200 with the Fresnel head into the Magmod Magbox for situations where I want a large softbox. Godox AD200 Vs Godox AD200 Pro If you are mounting AD200's on a light stand. Then my strong advice is to either have someone hold it or use a weight like a sandbag to stop the stand from toppling over. Even with the introduction of the Godox AD300 which are much more like the Profoto B10's, I am not remotely tempted to switch. The fact they fit neatly into my camera bag. Slip into my think tank pouch so I can carry one on my hip when I am walking to take photos. It’s just perfect for a wedding photographer on the move. You can change groups by pressing the GR/CH button and change to a different channel by holding down the same button for two seconds then using the dial to choose which channel you would like.Taking wedding photos in the middle of a sunny day is something I avoid if at all possible. The sun is just not very flattering to your subjects. Plus trying to overpower the sun means using a lot of power. The speedlight, fresnel head is by far the most useful for weddings due to the plethora of light modifiers available already. The reason I use the AD200’s indoors rather than speedlights is simply because of the power. And by that I don’t mean I shoot at full power. No no! That’d be retina scorching after a while. Flash power can now be controlled by 1/10 increments and minimum power is now 1/256 rather than 1/128 on the original Godox AD200. It’s hard to think that my original Godox AD200 review is already three years old. So I thought it was about time update my review and let you know how my experience has been. Have my feelings changed over time? Has the AD200 stood up to the demands of professional use?
As always, the aim of this review isn’t going to be full of stats and shooting test objects. I will be focussing on what I’ve found to be important (and what’s not) from using it as a busy wedding photographer in Derby& Nottingham over the past few years. I’ve had quite a few messages from people asking what the differences are between them and if the additional cost is worth it. Three years after their release, there are imitators but no-one close to competing with this innovative flash. The Godox AD200's really are the perfect mix of flexibility, portability as well as being great value for money. Overall the LCD is perfectly usable. My only minor quibble is I'd like to have seen the rear LCD to be a little brighter. It can be hard to see in bright sunlight but it's not a big deal.Thanks to Profoto’s marketing campaign. There has been a rush to release round head flashes due to the ‘better’ lighting pattern. In practice it’s not a biggie unless you like to fire flash unmodified directly at your subjects. Using this head, the quality of light is indeed better compared to bare Fresnel head. The downside is you lose a bit of power. For weddings, I simply don't use it. Godox EC200 - Extender cable It is worth noting that the AD200 Pro does have a recessed LCD screen which should help though I still remain sceptical it would survive a 2m drop. The reason is because more powerful, I can use a lower power setting to emit the same amount of light and minimise the flash recycle time. For example if using speedlights I had to use 1/4 power to light a scene. With the AD200, I could shoot at say 1/32 and have almost unlimited flashes whereas on the speedlight I'd have to wait for the battery to recycle. This means if something unexpected happens. I don’t need to worry about the flash recycle time and I can concentrate on capturing the moment. There! If you are a stats nerd then fill your boots! 🙂 Suffice to say it pretty much has all the features you'd expect from a modern flash and some you'll probably never use. Interface The Maggrip fits over the Fresnel head. Just make sure you take care and don’t cover the heat vents. The Maggrip does JUST about fit over the H200R head but it’s not recommended. I’ve seen plenty of people split the rubber this way.
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