# Incredible Godox Witstro 360 flash (does HSS too!)



## pwp (Apr 25, 2014)

I've just had a test drive of the incredibly gutsy Godox Witstro AD360. Impressed? Oh yes.
http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_Camera_Flash_Witstro_AD180&AD360_Powerfou&Portable_Flash.html
Its name suggests a 360w/s output but I'd rate it at a true 300w/s output. And it's hot-shoe mountable. A Canon 580EXII is rated at around 60-80 w/s, price with battery & inverter around the same as a 600 ex-rt.

The clincher is that with the right trigger it delivers clean HSS right up to 1/8000 sec on a 5D3 when triggered with a Phottix Odin. 
http://www.phottix.com/en/phottix-odin-ttl.html I'd like to know if HSS was achievable with Yongnuo 622C triggers.

Has anyone else checked out the Witstro? 

-pw


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## wickidwombat (Apr 29, 2014)

i just bought one of these on your recomendation its a pretty amazing little flash cant wait to really test it out


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## pwp (Apr 29, 2014)

Godox Witstro 360 http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_Camera_Flash_Witstro_AD180&AD360_Powerfou&Portable_Flash.html
Yep it's easily the gutsiest, most compact package I've seen. And the seamless HSS functionality is a huge bonus. 

For anyone else checking out the Godox Witstro 360, there are a few handy extras that might make ownership even more rewarding.
Who was it that said "don't forget to wear your protection"?
http://www.photo-shop-studio.com.au/speedlites/bare-bulb-flash-system/cap/godox-wistro-protection-cap/
Also interesting, and at $25 why not:
http://www.photo-shop-studio.com.au/speedlites/bare-bulb-flash-system/dome-diffuser/godox-wistro-wide-angle-dome-diffuser/
And if your shooting style requires a $20 snoot:
http://www.photo-shop-studio.com.au/speedlites/bare-bulb-flash-system/snoot/godox-witstro-snoot-with-grid-for-ad180-ad360-only/
And this attachment lets you use your Bowens modifiers. Awesome!
http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_S_type_Speedlite_Bracket.html
To halve the recycle time, use this splitter to hook into both battery terminals at once:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Godox-DB-02-Cable-Y-adapter-2-to-1-For-PROPAC-Power-Pack-PB960-AD360-AD180-/281142985960?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item41756d84e8

Reviews:
http://www.lightingrumours.com/godox-witstro-ad360-flash-review-4526#.U1sdzcew5Gw
http://www.englishphotographer.com/godox-ad360-pb960-battery-flash-review/
http://www.twiching.com/learningcenter/articles/149/

-pw


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## Dylan777 (Apr 30, 2014)

It seems very powerful and compact pwp 

I added the links to my fav, just in case my speedlites 600(x3) setup doesn't have enough juice.


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## Drizzt321 (Apr 30, 2014)

Seems rather reasonably priced with the Li battery pack. Thanks!


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

Is the external battery pack mandatory? I know it would likely need an external pack for higher output but is it the only power source? Pretty cool with the bare bulb.


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## wickidwombat (Apr 30, 2014)

Jamesy said:


> Is the external battery pack mandatory? I know it would likely need an external pack for higher output but is it the only power source? Pretty cool with the bare bulb.



yes it needs the battery pack
spare batteries are only $50!


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

wickidwombat said:


> yes it needs the battery pack
> spare batteries are only $50!



Makes sense - to get 360 w/s out of a pack, AA's just could not deliver.


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## wickidwombat (Apr 30, 2014)

Jamesy said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > yes it needs the battery pack
> ...



yeah when you see the recycle times this thing puts out its in a whole other class to any speedlight there is
it reminds me more of profotos


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## msatter (Apr 30, 2014)

This set is discussed for a while in this forum and it has 4219 posting about this flash and his little brother the Wistro 180: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1270039&page=1


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

Adorama sell these rebranded as Flashpoint StreakLights. The big one with battery pack is U$D 689.95.

http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=StreakLight+


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## blanddragon (Apr 30, 2014)

I own the Cheetahstand version of this CL-360
https://www.cheetahstand.com/A-New-Bare-Bulb-Flash-Arrives-p/cl-360combo.htm
It included the CellsII trigger. I'll have to try out my Odin triggers on it, but from the first few uses I really like this light. 
The bulb protector from them is $13 US. The unit does require a battery pack but I've found that at 1/4 power I get 200+ pops. Very happy with it!


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

blanddragon said:


> I own the Cheetahstand version of this CL-360
> https://www.cheetahstand.com/A-New-Bare-Bulb-Flash-Arrives-p/cl-360combo.htm
> It included the CellsII trigger. I'll have to try out my Odin triggers on it, but from the first few uses I really like this light.
> The bulb protector from them is $13 US. The unit does require a battery pack but I've found that at 1/4 power I get 200+ pops. Very happy with it!



Does the included trigger set control the remote power setting? How about TTL?


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## infared (Apr 30, 2014)

The AD-180's are just as good!(well...with less power but still way more than the Canon 600's)...with the flash cord adapters you are getting 1sec recycle at full power!!! With a few AD-180s and 360's you are getting extremely portable and inexpensive tube lighting (like a mini portable studio) with a ton of versatility and plenty of power. The batteries are incredible. Anyone hesitating about that...just try one for a while an you will hope you never see a AA battery or charger ever again. They are not auto strobes, so you have to know what you are doing..(a good flash meter can be very valuable) but I am definitely a fan.


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

infared said:


> They are not auto strobes, so you have to know what you are doing..(a good flash meter can be very valuable) but I am definitely a fan.



By auto strobe do you mean ETTL? Are they pure manual like most studio strobes?


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## msatter (Apr 30, 2014)

I was happy that got AA batteries during a model shoot yesterday because the battery of the Wistro was empty after 200 flashes. Luckily I had taken with me speedlights.

Hope to receive a new battery today and hope that one will do more than 90 full power flashes as this battery did before.


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

msatter said:


> I was happy that got AA batteries during a model shoot yesterday because the battery of the Wistro was empty after 200 flashes. Luckily I had taken with me speedlights.
> 
> Hope to receive a new battery today and hope that one will do more than 90 full power flashes as this battery did before.



I don't follow, is there an option to use AA's with this unit in a pinch if need be?


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## blanddragon (Apr 30, 2014)

Jamesy said:


> blanddragon said:
> 
> 
> > I own the Cheetahstand version of this CL-360
> ...



Yes it controls the power settings but does not do ETTL.


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## Jamesy (Apr 30, 2014)

blanddragon said:


> Yes it controls the power settings but does not do ETTL.



I guess the HSS in the title threw me off. That means you can do what is sometimes called super-sync, right? Using a studio strobe to shoot beyond your sync speed?


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## msatter (Apr 30, 2014)

Jamesy said:


> msatter said:
> 
> 
> > I was happy that got AA batteries during a model shoot yesterday because the battery of the Wistro was empty after 200 flashes. Luckily I had taken with me speedlights.
> ...



Your correct but those AA batteries were for my Canon speed lights that took over from the Witstro 360 his battery had developed a problem and did not work any more.

A few hours ago I received the spare battery and charging and testing it all worked as expected and I can now keep the AA batteries in my bag together with speed lights.

You can get a cable that connects the Witstro 960 batterypack to a different brands of on camera flashes making them recharge even faster.


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## pwp (May 1, 2014)

Jamesy said:


> infared said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's right, these are fully manual flash heads, just like an Einstein, or most monobloc heads. It's not a big deal. The output controller is robust, large, illuminated and quick to use.

In event situations I often switch my 580EXII's to Manual just to be sure of constant output. ETTL is frequently easily confused by background density or black or white subjects, backgrounds or shiney elements in the shot such as a mirror, glass, polished steel etc. Just set to Manual, shoot a quick test, and then your quickest adjustments will be via aperture or iso. Altering the output on any speedlight is obviously fine too, but usually a second or so slower than an aperture or iso shift for those moments when the pressure is on.

ETTL would be nice on the Witstro, but the price would be much higher. With the speed Godox is developing their products, we may well see an ETTL Witstro some time in the future. If you absolutely have to have ETTL, then these lights are not for you.

-pw


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## wickidwombat (May 1, 2014)

Any tips on where to get gel sets for this thing standard cto etc?


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## pwp (May 1, 2014)

wickidwombat said:


> Any tips on where to get gel sets for this thing standard cto etc?


Probably not exactly what you want, but could be a useful start point:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Godox-AD-S11Color-Gel-Pack-Reflector-for-WITSTRO-flash-AD180-AD360-F482-/160958458788?pt=AU_Flashes&hash=item2579df2ba4
I generally buy sheets of CC gels and cut them out to the required sizes, if if I'm feeling lazy, I just clip an oversized sheet onto the dish. Same-same but different...

BTW, how's Witstro World? Bright?

-pw


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## PerBuch (Aug 17, 2015)

Godox has a serius problem with the basic Construction.
They charge 3 lipo cells in serie with no balancing Circuit.
At soon as on cell gets sligtly behind, the others gets overcharged.
Battery life is going to bee short.
Is is possible to disasemble the battery pack to modify this ?


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## Chris Burch (Aug 17, 2015)

wickidwombat said:


> Any tips on where to get gel sets for this thing standard cto etc?



I got a couple of these filter packs early on -- they are the exact size needed and fit inside the reflector diffuser that comes with the 360. I now just cut my own from large gels sheets, though.


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