The Godox TT350F is an affordable flash for Fujifilm Shooters, but you get what you pay for.
Godox are synonymous with producing good quality lighting at prices that make the accessories affordable to the masses. Their flashes are well built, and they have one of the most robust, user friendly wireless trigger systems around with their R2 triggers. The Godox TT350F is a small, affordable flash that has been designed to work with Fujifilm’s smaller Mirrorless camera bodies, but can it live up to their reputation of producing quality products that are affordable?
Just a couple of years ago there was a major shortage of lighting options for Fujifilm cameras, but as the platform has gone from strength to strength more third party developers have started making accessories for their excellent cameras. The Gododox TT350F is one of the cheapest High Speed Sync flashes that can be triggered wirelessly on the platform, but let’s see if it’s right for you.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Small
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- TTL works well
- Good battery life
- Powerful for its size
- Works with Godox/Flashpoint R2 Triggers
Cons
- Not the most user friendly interface
- Failed to fire on quite a few occasions
- Poor build quality
- Slow recycle times
Gear Used
We used the Godox TT350F with the Fujifilm X-T3, the Flashpoint R2 Pro F TTL for Fujifilm, the 18-55mm f2.8-4, the Fujfilm 55-200mm f3.5-4.8,a and the Fujifilm 56mm f1.2
Tech Specs
Technical specifications taken from the Amazon listing:
- Guide No. (1/1 output @105mm): 36(m ISO 100)
- Exposure control system: TTL autoflash and manual flash
- Flash exposure compensation(FEC): Manual
- FEB. : Âħ3 stops in 1/3 stop increments (Manual FEC.) Sync mode: High-speed sync (up to 1/8000 seconds), first-curtain sync, and second-curtain sync
- Multi flash: Provided (up to 90 times,99Hz)
- Wireless flash function: Master, slave, off
- Controllable slave groups: 3(A,B and C)
- Transmission range(approx.): ?100m Channels: 16(1~16)
- Effective range (approx.): Center:0.6~4m/Periphery:0.6~2.5m
- AA batteries: Ni-MH batteries(recommended) or 2*LR6 alkaline batteries
- Recycle time: Approx.0.1~2.2 seconds (eneloop Ni-MH batteries of Panasonic)
- Red LED indicator will light up when the flash is ready
- Full power flashes: Approx.210(2500mA Ni-MH batteries)minutes if set as slave)
- Sync Trigger Mode: Hotshoe ,Optic triggering
Ergonomics
The Godox TT350F is about as basic as you can get when it comes to overall looks. It has a very minimalist design, and apart from the in-your-face branding that’s slapped on the front, along with certifications and the FCCID number which are located at the top of the flash, there’s really not much to see. At the bottom of the flash you’ll find the focus assist lamp (which by the way is blindingly bright), and then under that you’ll see the hot shoe and the wheel to lock it to your camera.
On the right hand side of the Godox TT350F, you’ll find the battery compartment. The Godox uses just 2 AA batteries which helps keep the weight of this little unit down. Inside the battery compartment you’ll also find a micro USB port which you can use to update the firmware of the flash. The left hand side of the Godox TT350F is completely bare apart from a quality control sticker.
In this image you can see the main control panel of the flash, and the tilt swivel head. The controls on the back of the flash are nicely laid out, and the control wheel is a nice size. You have a mode button for switching between TTL, Multi, and manual modes, a zoom button (which also doubles as a custom settings button), the Sync and High Speed Sync control, and a button for slave modes which doubles as the group and channel control for when you use the flash with a wireless R2 transmitter. You’ll also see the power control and the test button.
The Tilt and swivel head of the Godox TT350F actually makes up more than half of the unit. The swivel head tilts from -7 to 90 degrees, and rotates 270 degrees. Like all other flashes you’ll find a small bounce card and a diffuser tucked away at the top of the flash head.
Overall the flash is very compact and weighs just 0.46 lbs. It’s just about the perfect size for smaller Mirrorless cameras, and it honestly doesn’t look crazy like a full size flash would when sitting in the hot shoe. The Godox TT350F has a pretty unspectacular design, but it does the job it needs to do. I’ve certainly seen flashes that are far worse when it comes to overall design.
Build Quality
Like a lot of Godox flashes, the Godox TT350F is a cheap flash that in no way pretends to be premium. It is however a very affordable, pretty well built flash unit that will survive day to day use. The TT350F is made out of a solid plastic that feels completely smooth. It will survive being banged around in your camera bag, or in the included pouch, so no need to worry about durability for the most part. The buttons all have a nice solid click to them when pressed, and the scroll wheel feels good too.
The flash head feels solid when you turn it and twist it; in fact it actually takes quite a bit of force to move the head around which I actually like as I don’t have to worry about it moving by itself. My two big concerns in regards to build quality are with the battery door, and the locking wheel at the bottom of the unit. The battery door is quite thick until you get to the hinge. The hinge is pretty thin, and i feel like you need to be quite careful with it otherwise it may snap. The locking wheel is made out of the cheapest plastic ever which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, but it does it’s job.
“It will survive being banged around in your camera bag, or in the included pouch, so no need to worry about durability for the most part.”
The LCD display is really quite nice. It glows bright orange and is easy to read in dimly lit places. It shows all of the information you need to know in regards to mode, power, zoom, and channel and groups for wireless use. The plastic that covers the LCD is nice and strong too. I haven’t exactly been careful with mine but it’s scratch and crack free and has not given me any issues. Apart from the battery door and the locking wheel, the Godox TT350F is pretty well built and should last a while.
Ease of Use
Flashes aren’t always the easiest pieces of equipment to use. If you buy this as your first flash, it will take some getting used to. The menu system is really quite terrible so I would highly recommend you familiarize yourself with the actions of all the buttons, and how to navigate the painfully abbreviated menus. I’ve used Godox branded lights for some time so I was at least able to fumble my way through the settings, but still, this is the most unfriendly flash I’ve used in terms of menu navigation. This is partly due to the small screen size and the amount of information displayed on it. It can at times look like a jumbled mess.
“The menu system is really quite terrible so I would highly recommend you familiarize yourself with the actions of all the buttons, and how to navigate the painfully abbreviated menus. “
Otherwise using the flash is as easy as slotting it in the hot shoe of your camera, making sure it’s in TTL mode and snapping away. If you want to switch to manual mode hit the mode button and and turn the dial to set the flash power. Pretty simple stuff. Triggering High Speed Sync is as easy as pressing the sync button once. The flash becomes a little more complicated when you want to use it wirelessly, but once you have figured out how to set the group and channel so that it matches your trigger, you’re all set. (The wireless trigger is not included with the flash, and will require a separate purchase)
The Godox TT350F can also be used as a trigger for some of Godox’s / Flashpoint’s larger lights like the AD200/eVOLV 200 and the AD600/XPLOR 600. While this is a nice feature, you’re much better off spending the extra to get the X1F, XProF trigger as the menu system is stupidly complex on the flash unit.
“I’ve used Godox branded lights for some time so I was at least able to fumble my way through the settings, but still, this is the most unfriendly flash I’ve used in terms of menu navigation.”
I did encounter some issues with the Godox TT350F while using it during a corporate event. There were a few times when the flash wouldn’t trigger for two or three shots. Plenty of time had passed during each shot for the flash to recycle so I’m not entirely sure what was going on to be honest. Granted this has only been when using it remotely, but it’s still unacceptable. In terms of battery life I have managed to squeeze about 250 images out of a set of good quality AA batteries.
Spend a little time with the unit, try to read the poorly written manual, or watch some YouTube Videos to help you gain a basic understanding of the flash and you should be fine.
Image Quality
If you buy this flash knowing that the power output is not going to rival that of a full size flash, you’ll be quite pleased with the output of this light. It has a guide number of just 36, where as a full size flash would be around guide number 60. So just keep that in mind.
The image above was in the bar area and there were just a few lights scattered around the room so it was quite dark. The Godox TT350F was more than powerful enough to light the immediate area though. Just for reference my camera was set to ISO 1600.
“Performance wise, this little flash packs quite a punch in the right situations. In outdoor settings (even with High Speed Sync) you’re not going to be doing any kind of over powering of the sun. That’s not what this flash is made for, and if your plan is to do that just know that you’re going to need a much more powerful flash.”
I am really quite impressed with what this little flash can do. I can’t even begin to explain how dark the dance floor area was, but the Godox TT350F done a fantastic job of lighting the scene. Granted, I had to bump my ISO up to 3200, but that’s really not a problem. In terms of light consistency, the TT350F is great. I noticed no major swings in temperature while using it.
In TTL mode the Godox TT350F performs like a champ, and it works equally as well in manual mode too. Performance wise, this little flash packs quite a punch in the right situations. In outdoor settings (even with High Speed Sync) you’re not going to be doing any kind of over powering of the sun. That’s not what this flash is made for, and if your plan is to do that just know that you’re going to need a much more powerful flash. If however you just want a small flash to take to events, or for portraits where you’re close to your subject, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what it can do.
Conclusions
Likes:
- Its size and weight compliment Fujifilm cameras well
- Great battery life from just two AA’s
- Quite powerful for its size
Dislikes:
- Navigating the menus is frustrating
- Misfiring issues persist
- Some questionable build quality
“I simply cannot recommend this flash for any type of major professional work though.”
If you’re a Fujifilm shooter who wants a small, lightweight flash, the Godox TT350F is a good choice. Its size really compliments the smaller camera bodies that Fujifilm makes, and the flash is capable of lighting fairly large rooms quite well. The TT350F will be good for some casual portrait work, small events, or just for general use. For the price you pay you’re going to get a flash that will do a decent job; if you put the time into learning how to use it.
I simply cannot recommend this flash for any type of major professional work though. There’s some questionable build quality issues, the misfiring can be frustrating, and getting through the menus is a pain. As much as we may like to keep things on the small side with our Mirrorless cameras, when it comes to flashes I would recommend going with something larger if you plan on using a flash often, and for critical work. The Godox Thinklike TT685Â would be much better despite its size in comparison to your camera.
The Godox TT350F receives three out of five stars. For the occasional flash photographer, or someone just breaking in to flash photography, this flash is fine. For everyone else, especially professionals, I would look elsewhere. You can buy the Godox TT350F on Amazon for $84.50.
