New soon to be introduced Canon flash - Speedlight 470EX-AI

[Manfred M]

Now this is almost scary...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mDjBnLWXAA

[William W]

Fantastic

[DanK]

My first reaction on reading about it was "I don't need that," but my first reaction after watching the video is "I want that." I think it would be quite handy in shooting candids, which I do a lot.

[Dave Humphries]

Hmmm, we didn't actually see it producing 'live' results (to prove it gets a good angle to avoid panda eyes), but no doubt it'll help some folks take better pictures easier, but I bet this first generation implementation could readily produce 'unexpected' results for the unskilled, just as Auto Exposure and Auto-WB do (e.g. grey snow scenes with blue shadows).

The "semi auto" mode, with automatic portrait/landscape rotation is a useful idea though.

In this demo, it did angle 'backwards' to avoid panda eyes, but I doubt it would detect and avoid using a bold coloured wall behind the photographer, causing a colour cast.

I see it as an interesting idea, but in full AI mode, it really doesn't know enough about the room (?) you're shooting in to be able to always make valid decisions. So I guess there's still a need for a skilled photographer, at least for a while

I can't help but applaud the marketing department's decision to release this one first, without a radio slave, leaving a gap to sell a bigger bucks version (670EX-RT-AI?) with that feature later (after those with G.A.S. have bought this one)

Just my musings,
Dave

One day its successor may have a visual system that fully analyses the room and measures distances and assesses reflectance and colour of all surfaces around photographer and subject, then decides.

Then we can expect the laser rangefinding, target (sorry, subject) tracking heads on mobile light stands to angle your brolly or softbox, complete with voice activation remote control of course

[William W]

Yes I was thinking about this the last few hours - and my thoughts crossed both Dan's and Dave's thoughts.

I think that I might wait for a more powerful model and a "Master" version now that I am not shooting Weddings and Functions - and what functions I do cover are relaxed and not under the pressure of time to make The Shot.

I do think that I would use the semi-auto mode more often than the auto mode, thus making it quicker to change shooting orientation and without my eye leaving the viewfinder.

WW

[DanK]

Dave,

On more sober consideration, I have to say I am leaning in your direction. And then there is the fact that I don't actually find it all that hard to figure out an approximately appropriate angle. My experience is that the angle doesn't have to be all that precise; after all, this isn't a laser we are talking about. The automatic one is faster, and like Bill, I find the speed of changing orientation appealing. But as you point out, like most other things automatic, it will often be wrong.

I think I will save my photography money for something else, at least for the time being.

Dan

[rpcrowe]

I don't generally like equipment that functions without me specifically instructing it what to do! It would drive me crazy if I wanted the flash to point in one direction with the flash deciding that it would point in another direction. Obviously, there is a remedy to this - just instruct the flash correctly

However, in the pressure of shooting, especially in strange surroundings, it is easy for me to forget how to instruct the gear to function in the way I desire. It is very easy to press a button without realizing and have the unit do something you didn't plan on.

I had that experience yesterday, shooting in the dark at the Model Railroad exhibit. I had inadvertently moved the button on my Canon wired remote up a fraction of an inch while I was pressing it. This locks the remote switch into firing position and the camera keeps clicking off exposure after exposure. I forgot that the switch worked like this and thought it had shorted out. I ended up shooting using the touch screen of my 6D Mark II with a soft stylus to both set the focus point and click off the exposure.

That setup works great, especially for focus stacking, and I probably would not have used it that way if I didn't have the continuous firing problem with the wired release.

As far as keeping the flash oriented in the direction I want it, both for vertical and horizontal shots, I use a Stroboflash Camera Flip Bracket which not only keeps the flash in the correct orientation but, keeps it a short distance over the lens.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...RoCbEIQAvD_BwE
A Demb Flash Diffuser Pro the takes care of the shadows beneath the eyebrows, nose and chin by directing some of the bounced light directly forward. A small white card taped to the rear of the flash tube works also but, not a smoothly as the Flash Diffuser Pro.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...xoCJIYQAvD_BwE

[shreds]

At £549, I suppose its at about the right price point, but as has been said, automatic often doesn't account for wanting to do things deliberately differently.

Also, keeping the flash on the camera is nowadays a last ditch or emergency solution for me.

OCF is preferable and with Godox's latest Pro battery driven 'monolight', just released, that to me is a much more attractive proposition, especially as Godox have now refined the initial offering with the Pro version and will be the choice of many wedding Pros and others doing portraiture in the field especially with a voice activated assistant moving the stand!

I am afraid I see the Canon A.I. as a bit of a gimmick at present. No doubt it will sell well to the dedicated Canon affectionado's until the rest of the field catch up.