Viltrox has dropped the Vintage Z1 Pro On-Camera Flash. It nails the retro look, but more importantly, it actually fixes the frustrating limitations of its predecessor.
The new Z1 Pro (Professional Version) is a total game-changer.
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The Core Upgrades: No Longer Just a Pretty Accessory
The Z1 Pro finally brings the essential features you expect from a modern flash:
TTL Auto-Metering Support: The camera and the flash finally talk to each other. You just frame your shot and press the shutter; the flash calculates exactly how much light to throw, instantly cutting down your trial-and-error time.
High-Speed Sync (HSS): This is a massive addition. With HSS, you can shoot in broad daylight with a wide-open aperture like or to get that creamy background blur, while using the flash to perfectly fill in your subject's face. Your shutter speed can jump to 1/2000s or higher without a hitch.
S1/S2 Optical Slave Modes: If you don’t want it sitting on top of your camera, you can use it as an off-camera light. It can be triggered remotely simply by detecting the flash from another light source. -
Built for Mirrorless
Weighing in at just about 136 grams, you barely feel this thing in your bag or on your camera. Modern mirrorless bodies (like the Fujifilm X100 series, Nikon Zf, or other retro-inspired bodies) tend to look clunky and feel top-heavy with massive professional flashes. The Z1 Pro’s form factor is an absolute match made in heaven for them.
Design-wise, it features a sleek Fresnel lens on the front, a nice faux-leather texture on top, and a modern Type-C charging port on the side—meaning you can easily top up its battery on the go using a standard power bank. -
A Gorgeous Touchscreen (With a Catch)
The Z1 Pro features a touch-sensitive LCD screen on the back. Swiping left or right toggles between TTL and Manual modes, while swiping up or down switches between front-curtain, rear-curtain, and high-speed sync.
While diving into some of the latest YouTube reviews for the Viltrox Z1 Pro, a few real-world quirks caught my attention. Several creators pointed out that the rear touchscreen is so sensitive that if you shoot through the camera's viewfinder, your forehead or cheek will constantly brush against it, accidentally changing your modes. Testers also noted that the physical dial is a bit too loose and easily rubs against your clothes when the camera is on a strap, and the TTL metering tends to safely underexpose shots by about a full stop on certain camera bodies. It’s nothing a quick +1 EV bump and some extra care can't fix, but definitely something to keep in mind if you're planning to pick one up!
Who is it For?
Priced around 60$ in the USmarket (and as always, highly competitive globally), this little flash offers an incredible bang for your buck. For that price, you get a beautiful retro aesthetic, a weight equivalent to less than three eggs, TTL auto-metering, High-Speed Sync, and dedicated hot-shoe versions for all major camera brands (Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Panasonic).
