eighing just 23 grams, this flash is lighter than most branded lens caps while delivering up to 350 flashes from a single USB-C charge. This ultra-cheap pocket flash brings honest manual work back to utilitarian photography, cutting out bulky gear and overpricing for brand names. Is it really worth handing over $25 for a primitive flash with zero automation and a fixed head?
The manufacturer stays completely silent on the exact guide number (the flash's conditional reach: the higher the number, the further the light travels), leaving you to guess whether this 23-gram lightweight can actually help in tricky lighting. The lack of TTL automation (an automatic exposure metering system where the camera decides how much light you need) and a swivel mechanism turns the device from a versatile tool into a purely mechanical toy for anyone ready to dial in power manually. Compared to bulky studio setups, it looks radically simplified, but the price tag is modest.
Design and real battery life
The miniature Godox iM10 easily slips into a photographer's pocket and weighs less than an ounce (23 grams).
This new gadget gives you exactly four manual power steps: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1/1, with zero intermediate steps and zero automatic settings. It cannot transmit data to the camera and lacks any TTL functions, relying entirely on a universal hot shoe center contact (the standard rail mount for a flash on top of the camera). Thanks to this dead-simple design, the flash physically mounts on almost anything—from old film cameras to modern digital mirrorless bodies.
The built-in battery charges fully in just over an hour via a standard USB-C port. The specs promise around 350 pops at maximum power with a three-second recycling time. If you need serious power and multi-lamp setups, there is a pricier alternative in the TT350II Thinklite, but that one will run you $85.
What this means for you
The Godox iM10 flash is already on sale for $24.90.
For $24.90, you get a purely utilitarian tool without automation, a rotating head, or remote control. It is built strictly for basic indoor fill light or night portraits where you don't need to fight the midday sun. If you are ready to control exposure yourself and aren't scared of manual limits, this pocket light replaces heavy gear on everyday walks.
Editorial analysis
Instead of traditional bulky on-camera speedlights weighing hundreds of grams, the new accessory strips the mass down to just 23 grams, making it lighter than most lens caps. Earlier we reviewed the LT1 model, which weighed 37 grams for a $34 price tag. Meanwhile, battery life figures diverge between outlets: The Gadgeteer reports up to 8,230 flashes, whereas PetaPixel counts only 350 pops per single USB-C charge. Will photographers actually embrace a stripped-down manual unit without tilt adjustments simply to shed pocket weight?
We covered this: September 1