Canon Speedlight EL-1 In-depth First Impressions (with test images)
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- čas přidán 21. 07. 2024
- In this video, we have a first look and first impressions of the newest flagship speedlight from Canon, the EL-1. It's marketed as the "1DX" level of their flashes with extremely fast recycle times and a weather resistant body. Wanted to show you guys the operation and some sample images I took with this flash. (Note: this unit is still a preproduction model)
Unfortunately, the city I stay in just went into another lockdown and so, I had to return the flash. I was planning on shooting with it for a few more shoots and do a a proper review on this amazing flash. I did manage to take it out on two separate shoots within the span of a day. It's not long but it did give me a good idea of the improvements in this flash. Hopefully I'll be able to loan it again to do more proper testing! In the mean time, if you have any questions about the flash, feel free to ask me and I'll answer as best I can. Here's a quick timestamp:
0:00 Intro
1:55 Quick unboxing + in depth operating the flash
13:50 Totally Unscientific test
16:03 Test shots/examples
18:27 Price + closing remarks
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*Disclaimer: I am a Canon Malaysia EOS Youth Ambassador but Canon did not ask me to make this video nor tell me what to say in this. All opinions in this video are my honest thoughts.
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I really like the fact you admit you have some short coming and that is great. Rather than playing up your past you give a lot of information and I do like it.
Thanks for the review! I can confirm what you noted here. I was in luck getting two of these speedlites from Canon's promo in my country, getting them together as a bundle with the 2 R6 bodies I recently upgraded to. I've tested them individually and wirelessly, and the level of control, recycle speed, and output consistency is nothing short of amazing. I've used 580EX II units with Phottix Odins in the past, and it's just night and day of a difference. Mixing ambient light with the flash output has never been more efficient and consistent. Two of these plus the new ST-E3-RT v2 might be all you'd need for an onsite lighting rig. Absolutely worth it if you're shooting portraits professionally.
I pre-ordered mine back in December, can’t wait for it to arrive.
Can't wait for you to get your hand on it!
Very informative and in detail review of this flash unit. Very pricey and expensive but I'm looking forward to buying this beast of burden because of the things that it can do that some other flash units may not be able to do.
Thanks Sam. You're absolutely fabulous 🤩
Found your channel from instagram explore, really interested in this flash for use at wedding gigs. Recharge time is extremely important plus I find canon's engineers do great at designing these speedlites.
I was going to shoot an actual day wedding the very next day to test the flash BUT the lockdown happened hahaha. But I can confidently say the recharge time is miles better over the older versions
thanksf for the thorough test here! was hoping to see at what flash power you could shoot the 12fps/20fps to match the camera. is there an output where it will actually keep up and sync properly for extended bursts? thanks!
That thing is WAY too expensive for a speedlight.
Great video man! This is the first video I’ve seen on yours and I love your style. Keep it up! 👊🏻👏🏼
Appreciate it man! Thanks a lot
Nice video. Very informative.
Thank you Alando!
Wish you had tried the popup diffusion filter when shooting outdoors in the night with flash set to 1/8192. But very nice review. Also it looked like there maybe a way to adjust the daylight balance of the modeling light which would be very interesting when using for a small video-light fill. So you can match daylight or tungsten setting of your camera.
As for specularity of the light, were both flashes set to the same focal length?
when ut ake pictures of people with the flash direct on a subject, do you use a diffuser?
Can you tell me if the flash can do the following:
1. Wireless 2.4GHz in Ext.A?
2. Wireless 2.4GHz remote camera shutter trigger?
thanks ! great video
Great video. Have you had an opportunity to use this flash extensively?
So I just got my Canon EL-1 Speedlite...I bought a quantum turbo battery pack for it. Was that a mistake? I connected it to the Speedlite and it did not power on the Speedlite... Does the EL-1 Speedlite also need to have the battery inside it, too? even though it's connected to a flash battery pack? Thanks
How does this Canon EL1 compare to say a Profoto A10/A1X/A1?
Has anyone had issues with the 1.0.2 firmware update. Updated mine and initially the “UPDATE” screen was still flashing and ghosting in the background of the flash display. Took battery out and now there is a slight pulsing of the backlight when I go to change settings.
Now i see why its so expensive, I found your channel wI was looking at the el-100 because i wanted something with a small amount of power, this flash does it all, i will be buying it but not right now, i currently got my old 580ii that works fine im a natural light shooter and only now im adding flashes to my event shoots, can you tell us if this flash will also work with theCanon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT I know it will work with the version 2 for sure, but since its also a rt wanted to know if it can still be fired? thanks and great video on this flash.
👍 Tip: You use now alkaline AA’s switch to rechargeable ni-mh AA like GP recyko 2700 they recharge your old flash way faster and last longer they keep there power longer nearly till complete drained. Add the godox cp-80 or canon original cp-4en with 8 AA and even my older 600ex-rt reloads much faster😁
Thanks for the info!
Does anyone know how I can turn off the beeping sound?
These are expensive. I have four canon flash units - two 580 IIs, a 600 rtII and 470 ex AI. The flash units I use at weddings are a pair of gloxy f90s which are every bit as good as the canon 580s, but a quarter of the price. I’ve had them 6 years now and they work fine. I chose them because of their 100% compatibility including high speed sync. At the time I got the pair for £102!
That is the ultimate compatibility test btw - HSS. That and the external power socket. At weddings I use external batteries to give me sub 1 second cycle times.
Here from your IG. Keep up the good work bro :)
Thanks man! really appreciate it!
Charge Times for the 600ET-RT, are no problem for me because I have my Flush it Plugged into a Power Pack That's in my Top Pocket. OK I have to be mindful of the cord though. I just checked Amazon and the EL-1 Speed-lite and it's $1506.00 AU. Looks like I'm sticking with 600ET-RT II. Thank you for the information.
I wish that Canon use LPe6n battery.
Thank you for the comparison. Would it be a more accurate comparison if both flashes were tested with fully charged batteries? Specifically to the 600, using eneloop pros?
Well I still use the 600 and I've use all kinds of batteries with it. From eneloop pros, to cheap batteries and I've still found the EL-1 to handle recharge cycles much faster and also more consistently
@@samguw Thank you for your reply, this is useful to know. I use the (slightly cumbersome) CP-E4n battery packs for extra power with the 600s that I use every day with patients. I get nearly instant recycle on less than full power, (with full charge) but I'm struggling to decide whether or not to upgrade. Have you ever used your 600 with a CP-E4n?
ATG & I agreed that if you are an amateurs to pros thinking of buying Canon's world first overpriced flash, you better buy two extra batteries. And add an external hv battery pack.
$1,100.00 for flash
$360.00 for three batteries
XXX for ATG/Godox/Nissin/Quantum Turbo with supported cable
Flash behaves like 80WS or close to GN30 (no fool going to set it @ 200mm with a 28-70 is parked), not GN60!
Again if you are serious in getting this, think again.
You can get ATG/Godox system
Or the latest ATG/Paul Buff Link. Same price as EL-1 but with a power light of 800WS!
And the Hub is less and better than Canon 2.4GHz TTL transmitter.
More power is always better. So do you want 800WS or 80WS for the same prices?
Thanks for your review! Does this flash work with the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT?
Welcome! Unfortunately, I am not too particularly sure about this. I believe it should as it's in the manual
The trigger works, but the software needs to be updated to version V2 for it to work properly. You can send it into canon for the software to be updated, or purchase a new one with V2.
I always use the menus on the camera so the controls on the flash are an irrelevance to me. I also use yongnuo remote tranceivers to set multiple flashes through the menu system of the camera. The canon system of camera operated flashes is brilliant, even with multiple flashes you can balance your A:B group as a ratio and your C group as a percentage, all from the camera - superb!
But many photographers failed to use the camera's flash menu. It's the best & easy to use.
Regard to this flash, not many are going buy a weak flashlight (80ws) for $1,200.00!
There many TTL monolights that have 200,300,400,500,600,800ws for less than Canon.
Nice review, I presume......as a master, it will trigger my older model 600 flashes?
Yes it can! Tho I didn't manage to test it out unfortunately
From instagram i am her❤️nice video man❤️🤗📽️🙏📸🇷🇴
Awesome man, thanks Alessander!
I use a speedlite as a light source for camera-scanning film, and the modeling lamp in this would be incredibly useful for that. $1000 tho . . .
gotta have to agree with you on that. I'm not sure if it's fully worth the 1k but to some people it is
$1100 for a Canon flash vs. $250 Godox V1... Why anyone would pay such a premium is beyond me.
Well i think it depends. I personally own 2 Godox V1s and there is huge difference. I bought the V1 because i just needed something affordable and I don't use flashes very often. But the V1 output is inconsistent at higher outputs, slower recharge cycles (compared to the EL-1, but the V1 isn't terrible), poorer build quality, less power choices, transmission issues etc. But you do get what you pay for so it's a trade off. Everyone has different budgets and different needs so there isn't a "bad" choice
@@samguw Godox fan boys. They're crazy like Qanon :-(
I've owned the V1 but I had to sell it because I found it too complex to use for what it does. And it overheats too easily. Anyway. I think that Canon is looking to price themselves on the same level as the Profoto A10. Meaning, that's the market they are targeting not the Godox crowd.
@@samguw I have 3 V1s (actually Flashpoint from Adorama). I shoot on the red carpet at 12 fps for 4-5 shots. Flash is very consistent in output power. All 3 of them. I rotate so not to wear them quick because I take hundreds of thousands of shots. EL-1 only recharges faster at full power. .9sec vs 1.5sec for V1. But at reduced power like 1/32 I can shoot at 12fps and it will flash on every shot. What Canon made is just simply an overkill.
@@tomKphotoFortCollins You mean Godox fans are practical, don't you?
Thx
I have 4 600 series flashes. The biggest advantage is the recycle time. Even shooting in 4frames/second speed the EL-1 keeps up in occasional bursts. Powerful and fast. Love it!
Will this work with my 6D?
Yes it will work
the only experience i made is it needs a very very long recharching time for the battery. More then 2 Hours with the el-1 battery. Profoto does this in 1/2 hour.
Ah thanks for this! that's actually a pretty long recharge time. Wish I could have held on to the flash longer to try this out
@@samguw If you have multiple batteries (spare) it makes no difference how long the recharge time is. The longer the recharge time the longer the battery last. Li-on batteries hate fast recharges and heat.
Thanks for confirming that it is over priced.
did you try YONGNUO YN622 off flash looks better
Does anyone know what is the largest umbrella or softbox.......
that can be used?
An overcast day is the largest softbox
That can be used with the EL1, I'd appreciate a technical answer, if possible rather than a whimsical photographer antidote.
I usually use my speedlight off camera on a light stand with a shoot through umbrella.
I found this Godox 95cm softbox for off camera flash if that’s what you meant
www.hypop.com.au/products/godox-95cm-octagon-reflective-umbrella-softbox-portable-for-flash?variant=31057426251838¤cy=AUD&gclid=CjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNLNq4tq3ZeFO7j1zxBS6h6uP95D8TOUe5U635Va4Woxt0MixQWnQDhoCnHIQAvD_BwE
why this and not a profoto b10?
Preference. That's basically it. And the B10 is not a hotshoe flash so that's that
@@samguw I think I meant a1
@@rudifleck2911 ProFoto's radio group controls aren't as flexible as Canon's. All of Canon's 5 groups can be M, A or TTL - with ProFoto, you have to live in their less flexible groups.
PS - the secret to Canon's system is the 430RT. A small wireless transceiver speedlight that's 'right-sized' for a mirrorless camera. An A-1 or EL-1 is downright silly on a modern R5/R6 body. We fire EL-1's from the 430's, and for 5+ years we shot 100+ weddings a year with the 600RT's on stands (fired from 430RT's).
We use both the 600EX RT II and the B10. The B10 is for large areas with soft boxes and other modifiers, and is very powerful but more difficult to control in small spaces and at lower power levels, the 600s are much easier to manage in one on one settings with less space, and offer much greater flexibility in control of light specularity (EL1 is similar in light output to the 600 EX RT) hope that helps. It's a bit like the 600 is a small steak knife, and the B10 is a samurai sword.
Is it bad that I bought this?
Yes sell it to me
How much does it sell
It even says "sender" and "receiver" instead of "master" and "slave," because those words are doubleplus ungood now. LOL
oh! I didn't even notice that hahah but I recall canon changing the terms awhile ago if im not mistaken
I think it's a silly change to make, because calling those functions "sender" and "receiver" fails to convey accurately what's going on. A receiver doesn't have to follow the instruction of a sender, but a slave does have to follow the instruction of a master. When a flash is set to "receiver," does it retain the option not to flash if a trigger signal is received? I sure hope not!
The price is ridiculous. They are not going to sell many. On top of that you need extra battery $119. And if you want to go wireless with two units that is another $299 for the transmitter. And another $1099 for the second unit plus two more batteries. Why does one need 197ft GN is beyond me. Or 1/8192 for that matter. 1/256 is already very slow, practically unusable. But that is Canon for you. Sorry but for the fraction of the cost Godox does mostly the same thing. You can buy 4 Godox units (or more depending on the model) plus transmitter and have a full wireless setup for this kind of money. And have extra batteries too.
Well the price is definitely out of my budget for sure because speedlights aren't that useful to me but I wouldn't say the price is ridiculous. It's all a matter of perspective and use. Some people may value the fact that it can be charged by the same battery as their camera. Or the fact that it has the same weather sealing as the 1dx. Or maybe some people do need the extra low power. Just because something is expensive doesn't mean the price is insane. Pricing for its market, not for the masses. Imo at least. I wouldn't pick this up. Too expensive for me
@@samguw Which Canon camera is using EP- EL battery? All Canon's (Nikon's too) accessories priced ridiculous to start with. That is why third party exists in the first place. EL-1 has mostly gimmicky specs majority will not use. For example 1/8192 power. My flash has 1/256 and I hardly use it. If I want to go lower I will put a diffuser and piece of paper in front of it. I bought 3 Flashpoints (V1) on sale at Adorama for $159 on sale. Canon ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter $299. Flashpoint transceiver $60-70. On top of that it is 3x more powerful than Canon, 100m vs 30m transmission. So basically Canon priced stuff for snobs. That is all there is to it.
Update: Adorama will have Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III R2 soon. It has exactly the same parameters/spec as Canon EL-1 for $229.
You can buy 4 of these for the price. And it will use the same battery as V1 but will have 480 FF pops vs 320 for Canon. The only thing it will not have is 1/8192 speed, who cares.
But the EL1 is not a flash most people will use. Arguably, most people won't even use most specs in cameras. Your argument is like saying 20fps shouldn't exist on cameras because most people won't use it. Once again, just because YOU won't use (or can't afford it) doesn't make it overpriced. There are always going to value options for any product on the market and it's okay to choose those because they might provide value to you. But other people may value things that exist in the higher end option. My argument is to never knock on something just because we won't use it or its out of our budget. Different strokes for different blokes.
(Note: i meant the flashes battery can be charged by a normal lpe6 charger)
@@samguw It is very simple. If another alternative exists, cheaper then the item is overpriced. Period. Those who say that it is worth it because it has Canon or Nikon name on it are just snobs. I can afford anything. Right now I own two Nikon D5s, D500 and D810. And gazillion cameras before that. I shot with Canon for 11 years using top of the line cameras like 1Ds and 1Ds mk2, 5D2, 5D3, 5D4, 40D, 50D, 7D. Before that I shot with Nikon D1 and D1x. Plus I have gazillion lenses. So many that I don't know what to do with. Even if I need a lens for a certain occasion I would buy it. And before that many Nikon and Canon film cameras. I have owned most of Canon and Nikon flashes. But as soon as alternatives came on the market I stopped buying OEM accessories because alternatives are cheaper, perform the same or better in many cases. So why bother being a snob is beyond me. And I am done.
Okay! Thank you for your insight!
Not using the same battery might of been the dumbest thing ever
1,000 dollars cause it has a red ring lol!!
1k for this 😱😱😱😱😱😱
The modelling lamp is LED's they don't get hot !
You need to find an electrical engineer that can take electronics like this apart and test everything down to the components 🤣🤣
Why on earth would you do that? It’s a consumer item. The build quality and electronics of Canon Speedlights are renowned.
@@kevins2684 out of curiosity, and to see chang a in circuit design over generations of products would be cool. It would be a difficult job though. You practically have to reverse engineer it.
Godox v1x better price
Shouldn’t you do more research before making a video? Much better than saying things like “I don’t know” and “I have no idea”