A new series of distyryl-BODIPY has been rationally designed and synthesised from a novel fluorinated platform, 8-pentafluorophenylBODIPY, which has enhanced reactivity in the presence of both electron rich, and for the first time, electron deficient aldehydes. The pentafluorobenzene leads to larger red shifts of absorption and emission compared to previously reported analogues. The reactivity and spectroscopic results have been rationalised with quantum mechanics calculation. The fluorescence sensitivity of one derivative to acidity is also presented.