Head-to-head · Best Softbox Lighting Kits

Godox DP1000III-V 2-Light Studio Flash Kit vs Godox SK400II 2-Light Studio Flash Kit

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Godox SK400II 2-Light Studio Flash Kit comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about Portrait and product photographers who want an affordable, expandable studio strobe kit — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #3 in Best Softbox Lighting Kits

Godox DP1000III-V 2-Light Studio Flash Kit

4.5

$819as of Jun 7

The Godox DP1000III-V 2-light kit is the high-power studio strobe pick for photographers who need to overpower the sun or feather large modifiers. A full DPiiiV-series video review and retailer testing praise its 1000Ws output and roughly 1-second full-power recycle, with reviewers noting 'the strobe seems impossible to beat for the price.' The trade-off is a bulky head and more power than small-studio shooters need.

Strengths

— Huge 1000Ws per head for overpowering ambient light and big modifiers
— Very fast recycle time, around 1 second at full power
— 30W LED modeling lamp runs cool and efficient, safe with softboxes

Watch-outs

— Heads are bulky and heavy compared to lower-wattage strobes
— Overkill for small-room portrait work
— Modeling lamp could be brighter for previewing in bright rooms

$819 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Softbox Lighting Kits

Godox SK400II 2-Light Studio Flash Kit

4.6

$419.9as of Jun 7

The Godox SK400II 2-light kit is the best-value entry into studio strobe lighting, and Digital Camera World made it a 5-star pick, noting you get a full two-head softbox kit 'for less than the cost of just a single flash head from a premium brand.' TheGadgetHead rated it 4.5/5. The Bowens mount and built-in Godox X radio make it easy to expand later; the main caveat is the plasticky build.

Strengths

— Two 400Ws strobes with softbox, umbrellas, stands and remote for one low price
— 150W modeling lamp adjustable 5-100% to preview the lighting effect
— Fast 0.4-3s recycle time and stable output (under 2% variation)

Watch-outs

— Mostly plastic body that can feel a little fragile
— Strobes need AC power, not battery-portable
— Flash output means it is less beginner-friendly than continuous LED for video

$419.9 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Godox DP1000III-V 2-Light Studio Flash Kit

The DP1000III-V is the most powerful pick here at 1000Ws per head, far stronger than the Godox SK400II's 400Ws and in a different league from the continuous Neewer 700W and Neewer backdrop bulb kits; like the SK400II it uses a Bowens mount and the Godox X radio.

Godox SK400II 2-Light Studio Flash Kit

The SK400II is a flash kit, where the Godox SL60IIBi, Neewer 700W and Neewer backdrop kits are continuous lighting; it offers far more power-per-pop than any of them and recycles faster than the higher-wattage Godox DP1000III-V at lower cost.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Godox DP1000III-V 2-Light Studio Flash Kit	Godox SK400II 2-Light Studio Flash Kit
Type	Strobe (2x 1000Ws monolight)	Strobe (2x 400Ws monolight)
Power	1000Ws per head	400Ws per head
Modeling Lamp	30W LED	150W (5-100%)
Recycle Time	0.1-1s	0.4-3s
Color Temp	5600K	5600K
Mount	Bowens	Bowens
Wireless	2.4GHz Godox X	2.4GHz Godox X
Includes	2 strobes, softbox, stands	2 strobes, softbox, 2 umbrellas, 2 stands, remote, bag

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