What are the best external flashes for Nikon DSLRs?

Question

Which external flash is actually the best move for a Nikon DSLR like my D750 when I'm just starting to do more serious event work? I have been looking at a few different ones but honestly the more I read the more confused I get because everyone has a different opinion on whether brand name matters anymore. I am mostly stuck between the Nikon SB-700 and the Godox V860III-N.

I have a wedding gig coming up in about three weeks in this really old, dark wood barn in upstate New York and I know my current setup just isn't gonna cut it. My budget is pretty tight, I'm trying to stay under $250 if possible because I also had to buy a new lens recently. The SB-700 is like the gold standard for reliability from what I hear but I keep seeing people rave about the Godox because it has that lithium battery instead of AAs.

Here is what I am weighing:

The Nikon SB-700 because it is native and i-TTL just works without messing around

The Godox V860III because the recycle time is supposed to be insane

Maybe a used SB-910 if I can find one on eBay in time?

I'm kinda worried about the Godox overheating or the menu being a nightmare to navigate when I'm stressed out during the reception. But then the idea of carrying around 20 AA batteries for the Nikon sounds like a total pain in the neck. I need something that can keep up with fast shots during the dancing and won't die on me halfway through the night. Is the build quality on the third party stuff actually good enough for professional use or should I just bite the bullet and get the Nikon even if it has fewer features for the price? I really don't want to mess this up since it is for a friend and they are counting on me to get the indoor shots right. What are you guys using on your Nikon bodies these days or is there another option I totally missed?

Wait, I forgot to mention I use a D750 and sometimes a D810 as a backup so it needs to play nice with both...

PolarPhoton · Accepted Answer

Honestly, if you are doing a wedding for a friend, you want that absolute peace of mind!! I have used the Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight for years on my D750 and it is seriously a beast. The i-TTL is just so accurate every single time, I love it! You dont want to be fiddling with weird menu settings while the couple is doing their first dance, right? That barn lighting is gonna be tricky, but this flash makes it so much easier. Here is why I would stick with the native Nikon stuff for your first big event:

Reliability is 10/10. It just doesnt fail on you when things get hot.

The menu system on the SB-700 is super intuitive, unlike some of the third-party stuff that feels like a logic puzzle.

If you can find a used Nikon SB-910 Speedlight in your budget, snag it immediately! It handles heat even better and has way more power for those high barn ceilings. I know people love the Godox battery, but honestly, carrying a few sets of Panasonic Eneloop Pro High Capacity AA Ni-MH batteries really isnt that bad at all. They are fantastic and last way longer than cheap disposables. I always carry spares in my pocket anyway just in case. The Godox V860III-N TTL Li-ion Flash is fast, sure, but the build quality feels kinda plastic-y compared to the tank-like Nikon gear. For a wedding where everything is high-stakes, I always choose the gear I know wont glitch out. You are gonna do amazing!

Backlitnax · Answer

Building on the earlier suggestion, the Godox V1-N Round Head TTL Speedlite works well for my D750.Better light spreadMagnetic modifiers Ngl, the round head makes a huge difference.

UploadUnit · Answer

Following this thread