The biting chill of the mountain air felt like a digital shutter closing on my lungs. I was perched precariously, balancing on a granite outcrop, the wind a relentless choreographer of my carefully laid plans. My goal: Capture the fleeting, ethereal dance of the alpenglow on the jagged peaks. That’s where the Godox V1 came in.

Frankly, I’d been skeptical. Round head flashes? Sounds like a gimmick. My usual setup, a pair of Bowens monolights, was, shall we say, inconvenient to haul up a mountain. The V1 promised a lightweight, portable solution, packed with features. The 76Ws output wasn’t going to blast the scene to smithereens, but it was enough to fill in the shadows on a subject in the foreground. I wanted a subtle touch, not a nuclear explosion.

Setting up the V1 with my Sony a7 III was a breeze; the TTL communication was flawless. Immediately, a noticeable difference presented itself: the light quality. The round head diffuses light so beautifully and evenly; it’s just inherently better than the harsh, direct output you often get from rectangular speedlights. The alpenglow was soft, the snow sparkled delicately, and the foreground subject emerged cleanly from the shadows. The 1.5-second recycle time kept pace with my frantic shooting rhythm, essential when dealing with rapidly changing light conditions. I got all 480 full-power shots claimed.

However, the lack of a hard case for the flash head itself is an oversight. I had to wedge it into the already stuffed backpack, a recipe for disaster. A solution? Simple. A padded lens case fits perfectly and provides much-needed protection.

Compared to the older Godox V860II (which, let’s be honest, is a workhorse but can feel a bit clinical), the V1 feels more refined, both in design and in the light it produces. It’s a small but crucial difference.

The LED modeling light is also super useful, although a bit too weak to use in bright sun.

So, who is this flash for? If you’re a portrait photographer on the move, a wedding shooter needing speed and portability, or, like me, someone who seeks photographic nirvana atop unforgiving peaks, the Godox V1 is an excellent investment. Go buy one. Seriously. Just remember the lens case.