Review: Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash (Godox AD200)

The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is a lot of Flash in a Compact Package

For photographers that need to shoot on location, lugging around heavy monolights with massive battery packs can be quite a hassle–especially if you’re working with a skeleton crew or running solo. This is where the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash comes in, delivering 200 watt-seconds of light output in a compact package barely larger than a conventional speedlight. While you won’t be overpowering direct sunlight with the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 anytime soon, it is a great strobe for any photographer that is looking for a versatile, portable flash. For those that may not be aware, Flashpoint is actually one of Adorama’s in house brands, with Chinese lighting equipment manufacturer Godox being the OEM. The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is also sold under the Godox brand as the Godox AD200.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Affordable price point
• TTL built in
• Compact and lightweight
• Modular head design
• Excellent battery life
• Compatible with almost all camera systems on the market as long as you’ve got the corresponding remote

Cons

• Only 200 watt-seconds of power

 

Gear Used

We tested the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash with the Fujifilm X-T3, Sony A7RII, Sony A7RIII, Flashpoint R2 Pro triggers for Fujifilm and Sony, and the Glow EZ Lock 42″ Collapsible White Beauty Dish.

 

Tech Specs

Tech specs for the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash was taken from the official Adorama product page.

Power	200Ws
GN Bare Bulb Head	196ft / 60m, ISO 100 (SL360 reflector)
GN Speedlite Head	170ft / 52m ISO 100 (35mm coverage)
Flash Modes	TTL / M / Multi
HSS	to 1/8000th
FEC / FEB	1/3rd Increments ( 3 Stops)
FEL (Flash Exposure Lock)	Yes
Manual Flash	1/128 1/1 Output (1/3rd Increments)
Radio	R2 2.4GHz Radio System
Radio Slave Modes	Canon, Nikon, Sony (Auto Switching)
Wireless R2 Range	330ft / 100m +
Groups	A / B / C / D / E
Channels	32
Optic Wireless Slave Modes	Canon, Nikon, Sony
Optic Slave Modes	S1/S2
Sync	First Curtain, Second Curtain, HSS
Flash Duration Fresnel Head	1/220s 1/13000s
Flash Duration Bare Bulb Head	1/220s 1/11300s
Color Temperature	5600 +/- 200 k
Recycle Signal	Audio and Visual
Battery	14.4V 2900mAh Lithium-ion
Battery Capacity	520 Full Power Flashes
Recycle Time	0.01 2.1 Second
Custom Functions	Yes
Auto Memory Function	Yes
LED Modelling Light	Fresnel Head Only
USB Port	Yes. For Firmware Upgrades
Sync Port	3.5mm
Size Main Body	8 3/16 x 2 7/8 x 2 or 208x75x51mm
Weight Main Body	1lb 7.5oz or 668g
Size Battery	2 13/16 x 2 13/16 x 1 9/16 or 71x71x40mm
Weight Battery	7.5oz or 214g
Size Bare Bulb Head	2 7/8 x 2 7/8 x 1 1/4in or 75x75x33mm
Weight Bare Bulb Head	1.7oz or 48g
Size Fresnel Head	3 x 2 x 1 1/2in or 74 x 52 x 38.5mm
Weight Fresnel Head	3.5oz or 98g
Size Barndoor Set	3 13/16 x 2 7/8 x 1 1/4in or 98x74x31mm
Weight Barndoor Set	5.9oz or 166g

 

Ergonomics

Adorama offers the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash in a variety of configurations. The review unit that Adorama sent over came with both the bare bulb flash head and Fresnel flash head, as well as a set of barn doors, grid, and and four color gels that can be magnetically attached to the barn door bracket. A carrying case with pre-cut foam, battery charger, as well as a light stand adapter with 1/4″ pin and built in umbrella holder are also included (not pictured).

Here’s a look at the rear of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 where you’ll find the control panel along with a high contrast LCD information display. On the top row are the dual function Group/Channel Selection button and the triple function Flash Ready Indicator/Flash Test/Custom Function button which lights up red when the flash is ready to pop. Beneath that is the Selection Dial and Selection Set button. Finally at the bottom are the dual function Mode Selection/Wireless Selection Button and the dual function Modeling Lamp/High Speed Sync Button. To switch between the different functions on each of the buttons, simply hold them down for 2 seconds. I rarely used the control panel on the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 after initially configuring it though as I mainly controlled it using the Flashpoint R2 Pro remotes during my tests.

 

Here you see the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash with the Fresnel flash head attached.

Here you see the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash with the bare bulb flash head attached. Note the 1/4-20 mount on the side of the bare bulb flash head that is not present on the Fresnel flash head.

Here is a side by side of the the Fresnel flash head and the bare bulb head. The knob on the side of the bare bulb head is used to secure accessories like reflectors and small light modifiers.

Here’s a closer look at both flash heads that come packaged with the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash. The attachment interface is identical for all flash heads.

Here’s the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 with the Fresnel and the bare bulb flash heads. To attach a flash head to the eVOLV 200, simply align the four locking pins on the flash head of your choosing with the corresponding slots, push in, and then slide down until you hear an audible click indicating that the flash head has been securely fastened.

Here’s a look at the right side of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200. The spring loaded battery compartment resides towards the back of the flash. The Flashpoint eVOLV 200’s lithium ion battery pack lasts quite a while, and if you find yourself needing to swap in a fresh battery if you happen to be on a lengthy photoshoot, you can eject the spent battery by pulling on the battery release and swapping in a fresh one easily. Towards the middle is where you’ll find the 3.5mm PC Sync Cord port, for the two people still using them, as well as the Wireless Control USB Port, designed to work with older Flashpoint R1 (Godox FT-16) receivers. You will also find the flash head release further towards the front of the unit.

Here’s what it looks like when the lithium ion battery pack is removed from the Flashpoint eVOLV 200.

Here’s the top of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200, which is pretty bare aside from the logos and the Flashpoint R2 Wireless Radio and Optic Light Sensor window towards the rear of the flash.

Here’s the left side of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200. You’ll find a 1/4-20 attachment point, as well as the power switch and the Micro USB port that’s used for firmware upgrades. A Micro USB cable is not included with the flash.

Here’s a closeer look of the left side of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200.

The bottom of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 is even more spartan than the top. You’ll find a single 1/4-20 attachment point on the bottom.

This is what the front of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 looks like with the Fresnel flash head attached.

And here’s what the front of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 looks like with the bare bulb flash head attached.

 

Build Quality

The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is made from high quality plastic and feels very sturdy when compared to conventional speedlights. I didn’t notice any creaks and body wobble during our tests, swapping out flash heads and batteries easily. While installing the bare bulb into the bare bulb flash head, the bulb did slip out of my hand and fell onto the tiled floor from about chest height. Luckily, the bare bulb didn’t suffer any damage, although I doubt it’ll fare as well had it happened on concrete. I’ve heard reports of the Flashpoint not working after taking a spill, but I can’t confirm whether these are isolate incidents as I always sandbag my light stands or have an assistant holding them. While the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 aren’t as robustly constructed as similar offerings from Broncolor or Profoto, you really can’t complain given the Flashpoint’s price point.

 

Ease of Use

The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is a very versatile strobe that functions similar to a monolight, but at a much smaller profile and consequently packing much less power. You’ll definitely want to use the eVOLV 200 in conjunction with the Flashpoint R2 Pro remotes. The original R2 remotes will work just fine, but the R2 Pro remotes are much more well thought out and features a much improved user experience. The R2 Pro remote gives you much quicker access to all of the functionalities of the XPLOR 600 Pro, such as toggling between TTL and Manual mode, adjusting light output, turning the modeling lamp on or off, etc. The Flashpoint R2 remotes are also available for Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, and Sony. As of press time, Flashpoint currently supports the widest array of camera systems on the market. While not as fast as the more powerful Flashpoint XPLOR 600 Pro, recycle times with the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 were consistently quick and never exceeded two seconds at full power, recycling much quicker when the light output was dialed down. High speed sync also worked flawlessly. During my tests of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200, I didn’t experience any issues with the flash.

 

Image Quality

While I generally prefer to use monolights over speedlights whenever possible when shooting on location, there are times when I’m working with a skeleton crew or by myself and have to be very selective with the amount of gear I bring with me. The benefit of the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is the amount of power it packs while taking up barely more space than a regular speedlight would. At only 200 watt-seconds, you’re not going to be overpowering direct sunlight anytime soon when using a standard f2.8 zoom lens (you’ll want to go with it’s more powerful cousin the Flashpoint XPLOR 600 Pro for that), but for situations where a speedlight will suffice, the eVOLV 200 will do it faster and better thanks to its higher power output and faster recycle time.

But in the situation when you’re one of those photographers shooting at f1.4 on a lens with a low ISO setting and using the Flashpoint as your key light, you’re going to be able to do a bit of overpowering. The rest can be handled in your post-production within reason.

 

Conclusions

Likes

• Competitively priced
• More powerful than speedlights while taking up almost the same footprint
• Excellent battery life
• Consistent performance

Dislikes

• I wish it had more power.

With a MSRP of US$336.95 (including the barn door, grid, and magnetic color gels), the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is an affordable option that photographers in the market for compact yet powerful off camera lighting solutions should consider. You’ll want to look elsewhere if you regularly shoot under the harsh, midday sun, but the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 will handle most other lighting situations with ease. Featuring solid built quality, reliable performance, fast recycle times, and exceptional battery life, the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash is a powerhouse flash in compact package. Flashpoint just recently announced additional accessories for the eVOLV 200 like the LED head, Round flash head (that looks suspiciously similar to the head from Profoto’s A1 speedlights), and a flash head extension with a 6.5 foot cable, adding even more functionality to the already versatile eVOLV 200.

The Flashpoint eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash (Godox AD200) earns 5 out of 5 stars.