You need to make sure you duck before the flash head swings around and knocks you out...
What we love...
- Clear, easy to use screen
- Auto bounce – With the correct camera
- Fast recharge times
What we don't love...
- Not compatible with all cameras
- Not fully wireless
- More expensive than 430EX-iii
As soon as I saw the Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI, I knew that I had to order one. I was actually lucky enought to be one of the first people in the United Kingdom to receive the unit and everyone would have thought I’d have been happy about it?
Wrong… You see, as much as I like owning the latest gadgets, sometimes before hitting the buy now button, I should really read the technical aspects of the unit.
Hidden away in the darkest depths of Canons website are the little * or *3 or the bit that says compatible cameras, after a few goes with my Canon 5D Mk iii I realise that something isn’t quite right.
You see, the fully compatible mode doesn’t work with my camera or even my backup camera which is the Canon 1300d. Now I’m disappointed!
I didn’t really want to shell out on a new camera and at the back of my mind I knew that the next time I did invest in another camera it had to be a Full Frame Mirrorless and I also wanted it to be a Canon.
So this review is based on using it in its semi manual modes and below, and to be honest I do actually love the flash gun over my previous Canon 430EX-ii. For starters the screen is much clearer and I can manually alter the settings a lot easier than the previous flash gun.
The Semi-Auto mode is really good and helps me go from Portrait to Landscape with a double depress of my shutter button.
I’m using some pretty strong Ni-mh rechargable batteries in the unit, this helps the flash recharge within 3.5 seconds. As yet I’m not quite sure how many shots can be fired from the flash before it gives up, but I’m well into 400 and its still recharges fast.
Its pretty lightweight at 365g but I do feel like the head feels delicate. It hasn’t got the “click” of the 430 and the 600, it moves a little to easy. It does come with a case so I need to make sure it goes back in there each and everytime.
Its got a guide number of 47 so is on par with the 430EX-iii and a focal length coverage of 24-105mm, 14mm with the flip out bit of plastic on the front. Its only got the optical remote flash, so if you need fully wireless best to go with another model.
Ignoring the “Aritifical Intelligence” for the moment, the flash is great and a massive upgrade on my current equipment. I do have the Canon M50 mirrorless unit on order, which I do believe is compatible so I will provide an update at some point.
Would It Go With Anything Else...
For starters, it does help if you have a compatible camera. In the Canon 5D series, Mk iv and above should all work. But the lower end of the scale is patchy. Canon 7d Mk ii and the Canon 6d mk ii both work in full AI.B mode, I also believe that the Canon M50 is compatible.
Disclaimer
I have not been paid to write this advert by anyone, its been written for the love of gadgets. This unit was purchased by myself directly from Canon UK. But some of the links (not all) may result in me receiving a small commission.
