The most frustrating part of learning off-camera flash is getting the flash to sync with the camera consistently every time – but an unusual new flash has arrived that doesn’t need manual pairing when used off-camera. The Godox iT32 is a modular flash with a magnetic hotshoe that doubles as a wireless transmitter for unusual versatility on-camera and off.
The Godox iT32 itself doesn’t actually have a hotshoe mount. For that, there’s the Godox X5, which is both the iT32’s hotshoe mount and a wireless trigger.
The iT32 connects with the X5 using magnets, which means photographers can move from on-camera flash to off-camera flash without unlocking the flash and sliding it out of the hot shoe slot.
But Godox also says that the iT32 doesn’t need to be manually synced with the X5 trigger. The iT32 syncs automatically with the X5 and automatically switches to trigger mode when detached, so photographers can pull the flash off the camera and keep shooting without manual pairing.
The X5 trigger is designed to simplify off-camera flash by functioning as both the transmitter and the iT32’s hotshoe slot. The X5 trigger isn’t as advanced as Godox’s other triggers, but if the X5 and iT32 are physically connected, it can control multiple Godox flashes.
Separated, the X5 can only control select 2.4GHz Godox lights up to 20 meters away, but the range is up to 80m when both the flash and trigger are used together to control other Godox lights. The X5 itself has no screen, though the transmitter’s two buttons can be used to remotely increase or decrease exposure and swap from TTL to manual mode and back.
When used together, however, the iT32 has a touchscreen that works to control the various options and settings along with the side dial and buttons. Those options include TTL and manual modes, high-speed sync, first curtain sync, second curtain sync, and multi-flash mode. The flash is rated to a GN18 guide number with a 1.5s recycle time and about 510 flashes per charge.
The other perk of the magnetic hot shoe design is that the iT32 works with any major camera brand. Photographers using multiple brands only need to purchase multiple X5 hot shoes (the cheapest component of the new modular flash) in order to use the same flash across multiple camera brands and still have full TTL functionality.
Besides the magnetic attachment to the hotshoe/transmitter, the Godox iT32 also supports magnetic flash gels and a diffuser.
While the X5 and iT32 are sold separately, both pieces are required to use the flash. The iT32 needs that hot-shoe component for on-camera and off-camera use.
The iT32 retails for about $79 (about £60 / AU$121 / CA$111), with the X5 trigger selling for around $20 to $25, depending on the mount (about £19 / AU$38 / CA$35). The flash system is available for pre-order, including at B&H in the US; Godox hasn’t yet shared a ship date.
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