Which external flash works best with Sony a7R V cameras?

Question

Man I just finally pulled the trigger on the a7R V and I am seriously so hyped to use it! Im gearing up for a big indoor wedding shoot next month up in Seattle and realized my old gear just isnt gonna cut it for this body.

So I was thinking about grabbing the Godox V1-S since everyone raves about that round head and the price is so good at like 260 bucks. But then my logic was maybe I should just go native with the Sony HVL-F60RM2? Its way more expensive like double the price but I keep hearing the AF assist on the a7R V plays way nicer with Sony brand flashes. Im torn because the round head on the Godox seems so much better for soft portraits but I dont want the flash to overheat mid-ceremony or have weird sync issues. Is the native Sony worth the extra 300 dollars?...

KobernieSmoth · Accepted Answer

Re: "Congrats on the a7R V! Its such an..." - > maybe I should just go native with the Sony HVL-F60RM2? Its way more expensive like double the price In my experience, that extra 300 bucks is a lot to swallow when you have already dropped a fortune on the a7R V. Over the years, I have tried just about every lighting setup you can imagine... been doing this since the film days and I totally get the anxiety about gear failing mid-ceremony. I used to be a total brand snob because I thought only native gear would hold up for weddings, but I switched to the Godox V860III-S TTL Li-Ion Flash for Sony a while back and havent looked back once. Its basically the same internals as the V1 but with a traditional Fresnel head. Honestly, if you want to save money, this is the way to go. The battery life on these lithium packs is insane compared to old AAs. You can shoot a whole 10-hour day and still have juice left... usually. Instead of the expensive Sony, you could get two of these and have a full backup for less than the price of one native flash. I also suggest looking at the Godox X2T-S TTL Wireless Flash Trigger if you want to get that flash off the camera for some cool reception shots. Use the money you save to buy a nice diffuser or just put it toward another lens. Dont let the gear snobs scare you into overspending if you dont have to. Always here if you need more tips on setting up the wireless groups!

LeonardTit · Answer

Congrats on the a7R V! Its such an amazing piece of tech. Honestly, for a high-stakes Seattle wedding, going native is basically a necessity!!

the Sony HVL-F60RM2 GN60 Wireless Flash uses the cameras face detection algorithms for incredible exposure accuracy.

native AF assist is way more reliable on the a7R V sensor compared to the Godox V1-S Round Head Flash for Sony which can sometimes hunt in low light. Youll absolutely love it!

AntonUrini09 · Answer

I have been shooting with the a7R V for a while and the choice really comes down to how much you value the communication between the body and strobe. I have been very satisfied with these setups:

Sony HVL-F46RM Wireless Radio Flash GN46: This is a solid middle ground for native reliability. You still get that seamless AF assist and white balance integration which works well for dim Seattle ceremonies.

Godox V1-S Round Head TTL Flash: If you want that soft round head light on a budget, this is hard to beat. The recycle time is snappy and I havent had issues with it overheating during weddings.

Profoto A10 AirTTL Sony Studio Light: For the absolute peak of reliability, this is it. The interface is much cleaner than Sony or Godox menus. Tbh, you want gear that wont flake during a ceremony. The native units just feel more locked in with the cameras focus system tho.