The 470EX-AI appears identical to each different Canon Speedlite, but it surely has motors within at the base and hinge, and a sensor in the nook of the face of the flash. When you double faucet the shutter button to your digicam, the flash issues out at the topic, calculates the distance, then issues itself at the ceiling and does the identical. Right after that, the flash reorients itself one ultimate time into what it “thinks” is the best direction to succeed in the absolute best soar mild on your topic.
he new flash is a pleasant thought, the sort we’re in truth starting to see slightly more of from Canon lately. But there are some obstacles. For something, when you let the flash pick out a spot, and you then transfer to recompose your photograph, you have got to do the entire procedure all over again or else the mild will soar in the incorrect direction. The flash too can handiest paintings its magic on ceilings — flip the digicam sideways and it’s going to nonetheless point up after it measures. There’s a 23-foot prohibit to the sensor, and if a ceiling is black it’s going to simply point instantly up.
There is one thing known as “semi-automatic” mode, despite the fact that, and whilst it’s now not as flashy (sorry) it could be simply as, if now not extra, helpful for semi-pros. This mode necessarily shall we the photographer pick out no matter attitude they would like to point the flash, lock it in, after which each time they double faucet the shutter button the flash will flip itself again to that attitude.
It’s now not all the time going to be ready to get again to the identical actual spot relying on precisely how photographer or the digicam transfer between pictures. But it’s the more or less factor that may save treasured seconds. Say you recognize needless to say you all the time need to soar the flash off of a large white wall that’s close by. With the 470EX-AI, you have to simply lock in that attitude, which takes away the want to fumble with the flash each time you progress the digicam or your self.
All this additional tech didn’t inflate the worth an excessive amount of, and it might probably nonetheless be used like a customary flash if you need. (Though, a phrase of caution, there’s no radio transmitter in the 470EX-AI.) Regardless, it’s an exhilarating thought from Canon, and I in my opinion hope it’s a signal that extra outside-the-box — however nonetheless useful! — merchandise are in the works.
