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The V480C enters the Godox flash line up as a compact, mid-range flash boasting to “bring studio quality light wherever you shoot.” Without the weight or price tag of Godox’s higher end series it’s designed with intuitive touch screen controls, good light output, and compatibility with Godox’s X wireless system. This flash is designed for photographers who want a great deal without compromise on quality — or back pain.
Disclosure: Godox sent us the V480C for review at no cost
Overview
With a guide number of 50, The V480C clocks in just at your standard speedlight flash power but it shines in its portability and user-friendly display. At just $169, it’s one of the most affordable options in its class — yet it delivers features that rival flashes nearly double the price. Let’s take a look.
Key Features
Size & Build
Measuring 6.54″ x 2.8″ x 1.93″, it’s very compact weighing only 12.7 oz (battery included.) With all the features we will look at, it’s hard to believe that this flash comes in at under one pound.
Power & Battery
The new VB22 lithium battery charges via USB-C and delivers approximately 650 full-power pops per charge. A reliable performer even on longer shoots.
User Interface
The OLED color touchscreen is user friendly and intuitive. You can navigate using either the touchscreen or traditional dial/buttons. Whether you’re setting the flash up as a master, slave, wireless unit, or switching to high-speed sync, the menu layout makes it easy to find what you need, without reaching for Chat GPT mid-shoot.
I was especially impressed how you could quickly and easily slide your finger across the screen to increase or decrease the power of the flash in manual mode.
Tilt & Swivel
The Godox V480C allows for –7° to 120° tilt and 330° swivel range — perfect for creative bounce lighting on ceilings, walls.
Modeling Light
A 2-watt modeling lamp in the front helps with focus assist in low-light environments — subtle but useful. You can adjust its output strength based on your needs. If you’ve ever tried to nail your focus before dawn for a race as the athletes warm up, or in a low light reception, you’ll appreciate this small feature that makes a big difference.
Power Control & Zoom
Manual output ranges from 1/256 to 1/1 in 0.1 stops, and the zoom spans from 24mm to 105mm, giving you plenty of flexibility. I wanted to see how far the flash would reach at full power in manual mode. Although this is clearly a terrible image, it demonstrates how much light can come out of this compact and budget-friendly piece with no ambient light to help. I was impressed.
I ran another test on the flash to evaluate its endurance—specifically, how many consecutive pops it could handle before failing. At 1/8 power, I fired it rapidly and repeatedly (to the point where it felt like I was on the verge of a seizure), and it delivered 100 out of 100 flashes without a single misfire. Very impressive.
However, when I repeated the test outdoors in full sun at full power, the results were far less consistent. The flash only fired on about every third or fourth attempt. Not ideal. It appears that at full power, the unit requires a one to two second pause between shots to recycle properly.
In this shot, I used the flash to mimic the bright sun. You can use this technique to create backlighting or cross lighting with portraiture or wedding photography when you find yourself in flat light. You can also use this for product or food photography.
Another test I wanted to run was crosslighting in full sun. Having a flash powerful enough to compete with direct sunlight is essential when shooting everything from weddings to commercial work that requires bold, directional lighting. I set the flash to manual at full power and brought it out at midday.
While it didn’t recycle fast enough to fire on every shot, it delivered enough output to effectively match the intensity of the sun from about five feet away.
High-Speed Sync
HSS supports up to 1/8000s.
Customization Options
Options for screen brightness, standby control, and auto-off timers give photographers a chance to truly tailor the flash to their preferences.
Wireless Compatibility
This flash is fully integrated with Godox’s X system, so if you’ve already got other X-compatible gear, this fits right in.
Brand Compatibilty
The V480 flash is available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, and Olympus/Panasonic. Each version is labeled by its last letter—for example, the Canon version is V480C, while Nikon and Sony use V480N and V480S. If you’re not shooting Canon (why though?), just be sure to get the version that matches your camera brand.
The Godox V480C is not compatible with the EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1. See the full compatibility list.
Firmware
The Godox V480C can receive firmware updates, the current version is 1.01.
Comparison: Godox V480C vs. Canon EL-5
The Canon EL-5 is a comparable mid-range flash with a guide number of 48.6 and a much steeper price of $329. The V480C delivers essentially the same output, but at just 12.7 oz, it’s about 59% the weight of the EL-5’s 21.4 oz.
Put simply: you get similar power, better portability, and more cash left over for lens filters—or, let’s be honest, another lighting gadget you probably don’t need but definitely want. I’d still need to test how the EL-5 handles full-power bursts with short recycle times—a weak spot for the V480C—but if you’re looking for something that’s lighter on both your bag and your budget, this flash holds its own.
Who is this Flash For?
This flash is for photographers who want something lighter than a traditional speedlight without sacrificing too much power. If you don’t like spending money unnecessarily, this is right in your wheelhouse. It holds its own against mid-range Canon options at half the price.
If you’re like me and get irritated when gear hides functions behind a matrix of “press and hold, select and scroll to find…,” the intuitive interface will score major points. It’s also a great option if you want modular flexibility. Pair it with the SR2 round head adapter and AK-R1 accessory kit, and you’re working with the kind of modifiers usually reserved for studio strobes- but of course with less light output.
One Criticism
One caveat: There’s no clear mention of weather sealing. For outdoor and sports photographers, that’s a critical detail. Canon, for example, tends to talk about weather sealing in their specs. I’d love to see Godox add that info for those of us who shoot in less-than-ideal conditions. For many of us, gear has to be able to weather the elements. Budget or not, if it can’t survive rain it’s not the piece for the job.
Update: Godox confirmed directly to us that the V480C does have a level of weathersealing.
Conclusion
To be honest, I didn’t expect much from a flash this size at this price. I’m used to lugging around camera bags that feel like they were engineered for a weight training session. My pieces are big, heavy, and sturdy. I pretty much always buy the expensive, shiny toys. When I picked it up — smaller and lighter than my afternoon cup of coffee — I immediately dreaded writing this article because I didn’t think it was going to get my approval.
To my surprise, the V480C really impressed me. It’s compact but capable, easy to use, and budget friendly. In fact, it’s made my current Godox V1 Pro start feeling insecure about its slot in my bag.
After shooting recently at Hard Rock stadium, sprinting up and down steps for hours, I’m seriously rethinking what makes it into my kit — and the V480C just may have earned its place.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a lightweight, affordable, intuitive flash, the V480C delivers. And take it from someone who’s usually a bit judgy about small and suspiciously affordable gear — this one deserves a second look.
Availability
The Godox V480C is available from the official Godox Amazon store for $169 USD.
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