With a quality external flash, you can adjust and control the artificial light in a photo to create a masterpiece.
Today you will learn the best camera flashes on the market.
Let’s get started.
In this article:
Best On and Off–Camera Flashes For Photography
- Best Flash: Profoto A1X Air
- Runner-Up Best Flash: Canon Speedlite 600EX
- Best Budget Flash: Godox V1
- Best Cheap Camera Flash: Godox V860II
- Best Off-Camera Flash: Profoto B10 AirTTL
- Best Budget Off-Camera Flash: Godox AD600BM
- Best Flash For Macro Photography: Nikon R1C1
- Runner-Up Best Flash For Macro: YONGNUO YN14EX II
- Best Flash For Wedding Photography: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
- Best LED Camera Flash: Profoto B10 AirTTL
- Best Flash For Event Photography: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
- Best Flash For Portraits: Profoto A1X Air
- Best Speed Flash For Nikon: Nikon SB-5000 AF
- Best Small Hot Shoe Flash: Nissin i40FT
- Best Wireless Flash Light: Godox Xpro-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger
- Best Outdoor Flash For Photography: Profoto B10 AirTTL
- Best Camera Flash Under $100: Neewer NW561
- Best Camera Flash Under $300: Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT
- Best Professional Camera Flash: Profoto A1X Air
- Best TTL Flash: Profoto A1X Air
- Best TTL Flash For Nikon: Nikon SB-5000 AF
- Best TTL Flash For Canon: Canon Speedlite 600EX
Best On and Off–Camera Flashes For Photography
| Editor’s Pick | Brand |
| Best Flash | Profoto A1X Air |
| Runner-Up Best Flash | Canon Speedlite 600EX |
| Best Budget Flash | Godox V1 |
| Best Cheap Camera Flash | Godox V860II |
| Best Off-Camera Flash | Profoto B10 AirTTL |
| Best Budget Off-Camera Flash | Godox AD600BM |
| Best Flash For Macro Photography | Nikon R1C1 |
| Runner-Up Flash For Macro Photography | YONGNUO YN14EX II |
| Best LED Camera Flash | Profoto B10 AirTTL |
| Best Flash For Wedding Photography | Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT |
| Best Flash For Event Photography | Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT |
| Best Flash For Portraits | Profoto A1X Air |
| Best Speed Flash For Nikon | Nikon SB-5000 AF |
| Best Small Hot Shoe Flash | Nissin i40FT |
| Best Wireless Flash Light | Godox Xpro-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger |
| Best Outdoor Flash For Photography | Profoto B10 AirTTL |
| Best Camera Flash Under $100 | Neewer NW561 |
| Best Camera Flash Under $300 | Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT |
| Best Professional Camera Flash | Profoto A1X Air |
| Best TTL Flash | Profoto A1X Air |
| Best TTL Flash For Nikon | Nikon SB-5000 AF |
| Best TTL Flash For Canon | Canon Speedlite 600EX |
Best Flash: Profoto A1X Air
The Profoto A1X Air is the best flash for photography because of its unique round head that delivers a beautiful, natural light with a fall-off that is incredibly smooth.
The result is a shot that looks like it was taken in a professional studio, without all the huge, clumsy equipment.
That’s because the Profoto A1X Air is compact enough to sit atop your camera via the included hot shoe mount, meaning you can be truly mobile without sacrificing photo quality.
What’s more, you can still use the A1X Air as an off-camera flash thanks to the included remote control/receiver.
For an uninterrupted shoot, the A1X Air can do more than 400 flashes in a single charge of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
This makes sure that you don’t break your momentum just because you need to recharge your camera flash.
Recycling in between flashes takes less than a second, and the flash even comes with a number of magnetic snap-on light modifiers, giving you even more flexibility in shaping your light output.
The Profoto A1X Air works well with Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras, though you’ll need to choose the right flash for your specific camera brand, as they all work slightly differently.
If you’re looking for a small yet high-capacity speedlight, then this is the right choice.
Key Features of the Profoto A1X Air:
- Comes with TTL and HHS settings
- Fast recycling time of less than a second
- Compact and lightweight at 1.23 pounds
Runner-Up Best Flash: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT is the second-best flash because of its excellent continuous flash capabilities and huge versatility when it comes to lens coverage.
With the 600EX II-RT, photographers can set the perfect lens coverage, from 20mm-200mm, and as narrow as 14mm with the built-in adaptor. This means you can accurately control the spread of light across your subject, without compromise.
In continuous firing mode, it fires up to twice as fast as its predecessor, reaching speeds of up to 0.1 seconds! Considering most flashes boast fast speeds at around 1s, this is pretty damn impressive.
Speaking of impressive, the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT comes with a number of light modifiers (like a bounce adaptor and two different color filters), so you can create the perfect mood with every shot.
Looking for something that can shoot at long distances? You’ve found the perfect companion.
The 600EX II-RT has a guide number of 60m at ISO 100, making it fantastic at taking wide shots with lots of people in them, such as group photos at family events.
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT also gives you improved functional range, thanks to its wireless flash settings for optical and radio transmission.
Key Features of the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT:
- Lightweight at just 1.29 pounds
- Control for five groups of flashes (from 100 to 700)
- Fast-firing rate of up to 1.5x better than the 600EX-RT model
Best Budget Flash: Godox V1
The Godox V1 is the best budget flash because despite coming in at under $300, it offers unparalleled versatility.
What do we mean?
For starters, you can set flash duration anywhere between 1/300 and 1/20,000s, and dial in a power level as low down as 1/256th power, creating the perfect flash output for any shot.
For mains, you’ll be fiddling with all of the V1’s included extras for days, including two different diffusers, three light filters, a bounce card, and a set of barn doors.
That’s pretty much a full-scale professional lighting kit, without the price-tag (or the weight of one).
What’s for dessert, you ask?
How about the ability to use this as a master and slave flash, 10-level built-in LED modeling lamp, and super-lightweight body.
So yeah, pretty much everything you want in a budget camera flash.
A charging time of just 3.5 hours, 1.5 seconds of recycling time, and 480 full-power flashes make it an even better steal for its price below $320.
Key Features of the Godox V1:
- Color temperature at 5600±200K
- Can be used as a master and slave flash
- Comes with a 2,600mAh lithium-ion battery
Best Cheap Camera Flash: Godox V860II
The Godox V860II is the best cheap camera flash because of its wide array of professional lighting options, many of which you’d expect from much more expensive units.
For example, the V860II can be used as a manual flash, or as auto flash via TTL, with a super-fast sync time.
With a high guide number of GN60, the Godox V860II is great for using at long distances and for wide shots, especially when you use the auto-zoom mode.
This can zoom in from 20mm-200mm, automatically setting the flash coverage to meet the focal length of the lens. Taking epic photos has literally never been easier!
Nobody likes a harsh shot with ugly shadows, which is why the V860II is so great, as it comes with a mini softbox which mounts right onto the front of the flash!
Softboxes are great for diffusing light from a flash and creating a soft, even tone, and having a compact unit to accompany this cheap camera flash is a huge bonus.
The Godox V860II comes in three variants for Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras. If you’re looking for a cheap flash that can also fully support TTL functions, then this one will do the job.
Key Features of the Godox V860II:
- Dual-purpose (i.e. master and slave flash)
- Comes with a free CONXTRUE USB LED
- Large LCD screen with easy-to-navigate display
Best Off-Camera Flash: Profoto B10 AirTTL
The Profoto B10 AirTTL is the best off-camera flash because of its wide variety of control options.
For example, you can trigger the B10 wireless with the Profoto A1 or with a Profoto AirTTL remote, sync to your camera via TTL, or switch to manual mode for ultimate creative control.
The B10 model packs 250 watts of power, while a typical speedlight only has 50 to 100 watts, meaning you’re going to have as much output as you’ll ever need.
You can dial that output down in 10 steps, though, if you need something a little more subtle.
Need super accurate colors for your outdoor photos?
The Profoto B10 AirTTL has a color-rendering index between 90 and 96 with an adjustable color temperature of 3000-6500K, making for the perfect shot.
Best Budget Off-Camera Flash: Godox AD600BM
The Godox AD600BM is the best budget off-camera flash because the color temperature is stable over the entire power range.
The AD600BM boasts a 5600K color temperature, which only moves us much as 200K as you dial down the power output, which you can do in 9 different steps.
That means that even if you decide you need more (or less) power from your flash once you’ve started shooting, your final shots are going to come out looking pretty much the same in terms of the color temperature, meaning minimal edits once you’re back behind the computer.
The kit also contains a softbox and a color filter, which you can use to shoot whether in low light or outdoors on a sunny day.
Best Flash For Macro Photography: Nikon R1C1
The Nikon R1C1 kit is the best flash for macro photography because it’s actually a system of two different flashes designed specifically for up-close shots.
You’ll mount the SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander on top of the camera using the hot shoe mount, which will control two SB-R200 speedlights which mount on the camera lens itself, allowing the flash units to get nice and close.
In fact, you mount up to four of these little babies on the included mounting ring, and control a further eight off-camera flashes, meaning you can set up the perfect shot with the ultimate in creative lighting.
Handily, the speedlights are designed with an autofocus function to capture subjects in a challenging environment.
Runner-Up Flash For Macro Photography: YONGNUO YN14EX II
The YONGNUO YN14EX II is the best runner-up flash for macro photography because the lens-mounted flash is not only fairly powerful, but it can be modified using any of the four included color filters.
You can choose between fluorescent green, red, warm yellow, and white filters, which are ideal for highlighting certain natural colors in wildlife photography.
The magnetic filters fit snugly yet easily snap off when you remove them.
The flash unit runs off of 4x AA batteries, meaning you can keep shooting all day if you’ve got spares; great for those photographers who take off deep into the forest for some epic macro shots.
Best Flash For Wedding Photography: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT is the best flash for wedding photography because up to 16 camera units and flashes can be synchronized for simultaneous shots.
This is perfect for photographers who need to shoot in multiple angles and from different directions.
When you’re taking photos at a wedding, you don’t want to be getting in the way all the time by moving your gear around, so it’s a smart idea to be able to set and forget.
A camera equipped with this speedlight can also use it as a slave unit for optical shots. The wireless flash settings also allow you to snap photos from a distance.
How far you ask?
When used indoors, the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT as a slave unit can function from almost 50 feet away, while it can work from almost 33 feet away.
Best LED Camera Flash: Profoto B10 AirTTL
The Profoto B10 AirTTL is the best LED camera flash because it can be used as a continuous light for shooting videos, or in flash-mode for photoshoots.
That’s not the only thing you have control over with the B10.
Users can dial in a color temperature that suits their environment, between a warm 3000K and a white 6500K, and can set the brightness of the light in ten steps, right up to the max output of 250W.
Portability is another great thing about the Profoto B10 AirTTL. You can easily fit it in a camera bag and have it ready for an on-site shoot.
Best Flash For Event Photography: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT is the best flash for event photography because its high guide number allows you to shoot at long distances, or to frame a wide shot.
This is crucial for event photography, as you’ll need to be able to take close ups of individual athletes or performers, as well as long shots of crowd and supporters.
You’ll see its flexibility as a master or slave flash, an energy-saving speedlight, and as a modeling flash among other custom features.
The 600EX II-RT only needs four AA batteries to give up to 700 flashes.
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT also has a catchlight panel to give a more expressive look for the subject’s eyes.
Best Flash For Portraits: Profoto A1X Air
The Profoto A1X Air is the best flash for portraits simply because of the flash head’s round shape.
A rectangular flash often produces a sharp light on the skin, as opposed to a round head.
As a result, the A1X Air creates a cleaner and more uniform light for the background and subject.
Not only that, it’s incredibly compact, weighing in at just 1.2lbs, but is still one of the most powerful lights on the market.
Best Speed Flash For Nikon: Nikon SB-5000 AF
The Nikon SB-5000 AF is the best speed flash for Nikon because of a wide range of zoom settings and its wireless radio control function.
With the ability to adjust the zoom from 24-200mm, and to add another 14mm with the wide-angle adaptor, this is a seriously flexible flash.
Want to use it as an off-camera flash?
The SB-5000 has a range of up to 100 feet, and allows you to fire several units at the same time.
The Nikon SB-5000 AF can even fire up to 120 flashes in just one burst, making it perfect for burst photography.
Best Small Hot Shoe Flash: Nissin i40FT
The Nissin i40FT is the best small hot shoe flash because of its compact and lightweight size at just 203 grams.
A typical iPhone weighs 205 grams, so you can imagine how easy it is to carry this flash.
The flash also features a high-speed sync of up 1/8000 of a second.
Most high-end hot shoe flashes offer similar speeds, yet you’ll only pay around $200 for this guy.
Plus, you can dial down the output level in nine individual steps, giving you the perfect level of lighting for every scenario.
Best Wireless Flash Light: Godox Xpro-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger
The Godox Xpro-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger is the best wireless flash light because it has an insane level of customization. 16 groups and 32 channels of wireless trigger control, manual flash, multi flash, and flash exposure compensation and more.
Those with less than amazing eyesight will be glad that the Godox Xpro-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger has a huge LCD display for showing the current settings.
Best Outdoor Flash For Photography: Profoto B10 AirTTL
The Profoto B10 AirTTL is the best outdoor flash for photography because it offers a high color rendering index, adjustable color temperature, and the ability to operate as a continuous light or as a flash.
The CRI sits somewhere between 90 and 96, depending on the settings you opt for, meaning that the B10 is going to ensure your photos come out with accurate coloration.
Speaking of color, you can adjust the color temperature on this unit from a warm 3000K to a white, daylight-like 6500K, making it ideal for outdoor situations.
What’s more, the lightweight and cordless functionality mean that you won’t have to carry a lot of stuff.
The Profoto B10 AirTTL is the right choice if you don’t want to be weighed down by carrying different cables and wires.
What is the best camera flash under $100?
The Neewer NW561 is the best camera flash under $100 because of its high guide number, fast recycling time, and controllable output level.
All of the features rival what you’d find in a more expensive unit, and it costs less than $40, meaning you can probably grab yourself two!
What is the best camera flash under $300?
The Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT is the best camera flash under $300 because it has a built-in catchlight panel, dot-matrix LCD, and multi-dial controls.
It comes with an orange filter and diffuser dome. You can use them with the catchlight panel to enhance your subject’s facial expression whilst ensuring there are no harsh shadows messing up your shot.
What is the best professional camera flash?
The Profoto A1X Air is the best professional camera flash because of its round flash shape and an insanely fast recycling time of less than a second.
A round-shape flash gives off a softer light compared with a rectangular one. The rechargeable battery allows up to 400 flashes in a single charge.
What is the best TTL flash?
The Profoto A1X Air is the best TTL flash because your camera will basically work like a point-and-shoot device.
The AirTTL feature allows instant lock-in of the perfect exposure, especially during sunny days. A high-speed sync of up to 1/8000 of a second also helps to control ambient light.
What is the best TTL flash for Nikon?
The Nikon SB-5000 AF is the best TTL flash for Nikon because of its Advanced Wireless Lighting that’s not available in other models.
The new feature lets you control up to six groups of flashes and put them out of view behind obstacles. It’s also lightweight, weighing only 420 grams.
What is the best TTL flash for Canon?
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT is the best TTL flash for Canon because of its improved continuous flash performance, which is way better than the popular Canon 600EX-RT model.
The fast-firing rate is up to 1.5x more than the earlier version. An optional battery pack increases it up to 2.0x.
Conclusion
As a photographer, a high quality flash can be the difference between an amateur photograph and the shot of your career!
Depending on your personal style, the subject matter, and your budget, you can choose the perfect flash for your projects based on our careful selection of the best products in the market.
With the right flash, your creativity and skill can shine through every shot.