I own and very barely use an AD200Pro, nice tool for the price, a bit on the heavy side for casual shooting, since I am thinking of a trip and taking some camera gear with me thought could get a little strobe in case of need, would only take with me the trigger and an umbrella just in case, what about the Godox 100, is it reliable and powerful enough for some open space portrait?
If you just need a fill within 2m, it’s certainly adequate for the job for a direct shot. The fresnel head on the AD100 spreads the light more even than the AD200’s, so for a fill you do not need an umbrella. For umbrella use, you need an ND filter to squeeze more out of it. I do prefer the AD100 more than the AD200 for traveling, though mainly for the size and weight. To be fair, the AD200 is one of the most efficient lights out there for a direct flash use. Though for softbox/umbrella use, the AD300 might be worth considering depending on how you pack it.
I have the AD100, 200, and 300 (and had the 600 at work.) The one I liked the least was the AD200, even though it seemed wildly popular. Too many things to buy to make it work right -- round head, the big stand adapter to hold an umbrella or softbox, etc.
The 300 is my favorite, as I think it's the sweet spot for power/size/price, but I get a lot of use out of the little AD100. Shooting through a white umbrella makes a nice portrait light for a one-light+ambient location shot (except outdoors in bright sunlight for obvious reasons.) It's very small, recycles quickly, and the battery lasts a long time.
All that said, I wonder if the V-1 would be a more versatile choice. Same round head, same power, but can be used on-camera as well, or used as a trigger if needed.
The Godox AD100Pro is an excellent choice for travel due to its lightweight and compact design. However it’s less powerful (100Ws) than the AD200Pro, So, in bright sunlight, I may need to position the subject closer or use a more directional modifier. Personally, I’d opt for the Godox AD200Pro for its greater power and versatility, making it suitable for a wider range of scenarios. By the way, the Godox AD200Pro II is an upgraded version of the AD200Pro.It is definitely worth for taking a look.
I was reviewing the AD100s and AD300s for weeks. I ruled out the 300 due to a fair share of reviews noting it's light color output is different and can conflict with a lot of speedlights and some other AD models.
In the end, I bailed on the AD100 idea because the Godox / Flashpoint speedlights work basically as good and their shape is quite convenient.
My favorite lights by far are the AD600s. And when good photo quality demands more light, if the speedlights are not enough, the AD600s really are not that big a deal to use one or two of them. I prefer the original 600s. The ones I have are Flashpoint - 3 of them. They go on sale every year for Black Friday / month for about $350 give or take. Best bang for the buck of any lights I've ever owned.
PS there's one drawback to the AD100s. The back of the lights when overhead is hard to check to confirm settings from the wireless. With speedlites I can bend and rotate the screen to face downward for confirmation of settings and to monitor battery info.
