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The New Godox IM30 Flash Could be a Street Photography Dream

Chris Gampat
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Last updated on 11/14/2024
11/12/2024
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Last Updated on 11/14/2024 by Chris Gampat

Today, Godox is launching a new flash in the form of the new Godox IM30. It’s less retro-looking than Godox’s previous Lux Junior, but it’s also slightly more powerful. Where the Lux Junior was Guide Number 14, this one is a whopping Guide Number 15 — the word whopping being used with all sarcasm, of course. All the important things you need and want to know are down below.

Godox IM30 Tech Specs

  • Guide number 15
  • Weighs 78 grams, which is apparently the weight of an egg.
  • No TTL, and therefore it has a universal hot shoe with full manual controls
  • The former statement means that you actually need to know how to use a flash, so this probably isn’t for beginners even if they’re making this claim.
  • Works well as a fill-flash
  • Full power to 1/64th, so there are 7 power levels
  • Uses two AAA batteries
  • 3.6 second recycle time on full power
  • Can be used via the hot shoe or a sync cable

A Flash for Street Photography?

So would street photographers use the new Godox IM30? While we don’t think everyone is going to, there are several street photographers who have used flash in their work before. The obvious one is Bruce Gilden, who has continued to do it at times. Because we’re the only website to fundamentally share both the artistic side and technical side of photography, we’ve also interviewed other photographers who’ve done it, too. Here’s what a few have said:

  • Cam Crosland said in our interview, “I took a conscious, deliberate decision to embark on using flash as a way of taking control and being more pro-active in my picture taking, and at the same time celebrating my new-found zest for life… and thus my long-term series Fishing with Dynamite was born.”
  • Michelle Groskonpf said in our interview, “Flash is my chunky paintbrush and brushstroke. It’s me declaring that there is obviously a photographer here interpreting this moment.”
  • Adam Miller said in our interview, ““With respect to the use of flash in the street, I think it comes down to, well, chutzpah!”

You can see more of their work in our interviews. Flash tends to help people know where to look in the image. And when you get close up to people to use it, it can allow us to see details that otherwise go missing. I tend to do it a lot at the events I’m paid to shoot at.

But beyond the idea of using flash, the Godox IM30 has a securement on it to help the photographer feel more comfortable that their flash isn’t going to slide off the camera. That’s quite important. Another thing to consider is that it isn’t weather-resistant. Personally, I only ever use weather-resistant camera gear. It lasts longer, which is important given that Godox hasn’t provided a price on the flash in our news communications.

Editor’s Note: the flash will cost $34.90

At the same time, you have to consider that this is Godox. Their stuff is cheap and meant to be used, broken, disposed of, and repurchased. I’ve long been over this idea and instead I reach for higher end camera gear to do the work that I enjoy. As it is, my Lux Junior is on my camera shelf and pretty much never gets used. In fact, I don’t think I’ve pulled it out since I finished reviewing it. Because of how I shoot, I’d probably never do it again either. I need to overpower the sun when I shoot, and a small light like that doesn’t really do the job.

beginners bruce gilden controls experienced flash Godox godox IM30 lux junior street photography
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Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.
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