The accessories ecosystem for the Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless is growing. The Canon Speedlite EL-5 will be the first flash specifically created for the EOS R.
Canon Speedlite EL-5 . Features
The EL-5 comes by adopting the Speedlite EL-1 professional-grade flash feature which was released in 2020. However, the body design is more compact and the selling price is cheaper.
The difference between the two is in the cooling fan. The EL-5 is not equipped with a cooling system like the EL-1. So, the performance is more limited. At the maximum light output setting the EL-1 can be used up to 335 times. Meanwhile, the EL-5 is limited to only 95 times. If the light output is set lower, the EL-5 can be used up to 350 times on a single charge.
Another difference is in the recycle time. Each snapshot of the EL-5 requires a recycle time of approximately 1.2 seconds at the maximum light output setting. The EL-1 is much shorter at just 0.9 seconds.
The good news is that the GN (Guide Number) and maximum power output of the EL-5 are the same as the EL-1. This flash offers GN 60m at 200mm (ISO 100) with a maximum power output of 76Ws. Very impressive considering the selling price is much cheaper than the EL-1.
Some of the features of the EL-1 on the EL-5 include a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, high-speed charging circuit, the same interface with an LCD screen and joystick control. In addition, the EL-5 has also been designed to be weather resistant.
The EL-5 features a Canon Multi-Function Shoe connector. This makes it limited to use on the EOS R mirrorless camera. Compatible cameras with this flash include the EOS R3, EOS R7, EOS R10 and EOS R6 Mark II.
Price and availability
The EL-5 is planned to be available in March 2023. The Canon EOS EL-5 price is US$400. Much cheaper than the EL-1 which costs US$900.
