Canon EL-10 is the 430EX III-RT successor for mirrorless cameras

Canon’s on a roll with the announcements today. As well as the Canon EOS C400, the Canon CN7X17 KAS T and the Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM, we’ve also got a new Speedlite. It’s the Canon EL-10 ($249.99), the successor to the Canon 430EX III-RT ($299).

The Canon EL-10 is the final replacement model in Canon’s hotshoe flash lineup, completing the company’s transition from EX-RT to EL. As an EL flash, it features Canon’s new multi-function foot, which does limit the compatible cameras.

Canon EL-10 – Completing the lineup

The Canon EL-10 essentially brings the decade-old 430EX III-RT mid-range speedlight up to date with Canon’s current flash standards. It ditches the old standard foot for the company’s new multi-function foot.

It’s targeted towards amateur photographers stepping into the mirrorless world or those who are coming back to the world of flash and want an inexpensive Canon entry point. It’s about the same size and weight as the 430EX III-RT, and Canon says it also puts out about the same amount of light.

Despite utilising the new Canon multifunction hotshoe, it doesn’t draw power from it. It still requires you to stick some AA batteries inside it. This is a shame, given the number of units on the market that feature lithium-ion batteries.

Of course, AA batteries are easy to get hold of if you find yourself running out of charge. Although, AA batteries will generally run out much more quickly than a similarly sized lithium-based battery. Using standard alkaline disposable batteries, you’ll get a recycle time of 2.5 seconds at full power. If you switch to NiMH rechargeable batteries, though, that drops to an impressive 1.5 seconds.

Acts as a sender or receiver for other units

The Canon EL-10 can act as a sender, controlling other flash units. Or it can act as a receiver being controlled by another. It’s also compatible with the older EX-RT speedlights. Although, it only supports radio communication. It doesn’t support Canon’s older optical flash technologies.

Here’s the compatibility chart with other flash models and sender units.

Accessory Shoe	Compatible Device	Sender	Receiver
Multifunction shoe	EL-5	Yes	Yes
Multifunction shoe	EL-10	Yes	Yes
Multifunction shoe	ST-E10	Yes	–
Conventional shoe	EL-1	–	Yes
Conventional shoe	600EX II-RT	–	Yes
Conventional shoe	600EX-RT	–	Yes
Conventional shoe	430EX III-RT	–	Yes
Conventional shoe	MT-26EX-RT	–	–
Conventional shoe	ST-E3-RT (Ver 3)	Yes	–
Conventional shoe	ST-E3-RT (Ver 2)	Yes	–
Conventional shoe	ST-E3-RT	–	–

Of course, the Canon EL-10 also features E-TTL II for automatic exposures, with the ability to convert the TTL reading to a manual setting. It has a zoomable head from 14mm (with the wide angle adapter) up to 200mm at the long end. This lets it light up small events as well as blast light at a subject from a distance.

It has a huge 11-stop power range, letting you go all the way down to 1/1024th power. Now, at this brightness level, its uses might be limited, but it will likely provide an extremely short flash duration. Canon hasn’t confirmed the actual flash durations, though.

You get Rear-Curtain Sync as well as High Speed Sync. Although, when shooting HSS, that minimum flash power is reduced to a more familiar 1/128th. Of course, you can go all the way up to full power, but due to the nature of HSS, it won’t have as much effect on your shot as staying below sync speed.

Price and Availability

The Canon EL-10 Speedlite is available to pre-order now for $249.99 and is expected to begin shipping this month.