Like someone mentioned, the brand loyalty trap is something I fell into for way too long and it cost me a fortune. Honestly, the most frustrating thing about gear these days is how it just cannot keep up with the speed of these newer bodies. I have spent years dealing with flashes that decide to take a nap right in the middle of a ceremony or a fast-paced portrait session. It is so draining.

• Thermal shutoff happens way too often when you're just trying to do your job.
• Recycle times that feel like an eternity while your subject is waiting.
• Wobbly hot shoe connections that make you pray every time you move the camera. In my experience, most units are just built for casual use and they fail the second you put them under real pressure. I've tried many different setups and I eventually landed on the Godox V1Pro-C Flash for Canon because it actually has a decent cooling system. But man, the search for reliability is just a total headache... you'd think for the money we spend on an R6II that finding a flash that doesn't overheat after twenty shots wouldn't be this hard. It's just exhausting tbh.

^ This. Also, I stumbled upon this discussion and just had to chime in. I spent years being a total brand snob and wasted so much money on the official Canon units... my bank account still hasn't forgiven me lol. Seriously tho, just go with Godox. You honestly cant go wrong with their stuff. It's fantastic and works perfectly with the newer mirrorless bodies like the R6II. I switched a while back and the performance is just amazing for a fraction of the price. It's such a relief not worrying about gear costs as much when you're out at events. TL;DR: Just get a Godox. It is way more budget-friendly and does everything the expensive ones do anyway!

I highly recommended the Godox V1Pro, it is a compact and powerful flash for most photographers.

Regarding what AxiomArray said about the brand snob thing... I totally get it. I used to be the exact same way until I actually tried the modern Godox stuff and realized how much I was overpaying for that red logo. It is fantastic! Honestly, if you are doing events with an R6 Mark II, you absolutely need that lithium-ion recycle speed. I have been using the Godox V1Pro C and the light falloff from the round head is just so much more natural for portraits than the old rectangular fresnel heads on the standard Speedlites. The big thing people miss is the thermal management. My old Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT would overheat and lock me out after a burst of shots, which is a nightmare at a wedding. The V1Pro just keeps chugging along. If you really have the budget and want to stay native, the Canon Speedlite EL-1 is a total beast with its active cooling fan, but it is massive and pricey. For the price of one EL-1, you can literally buy three or four Godox units and a trigger. It is a no-brainer for event work. The V1Pro recycling in like 1.3 seconds is a total game changer when you are chasing moments!

Godox V1 or V1 Pro.