I’ve used a Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT for years. I actually preferred it to Canon’s range-topping Speedlite 600EX II-RT, as I enjoyed the more compact and lightweight build, and thought that the control interface was much more modern and intuitive. Indeed, the 430EX III-RT is still in production whereas the 600EX II-RT is now obsolete, the latter giving way to the newer top-end Speedlite EL-1.
So where does the new Speedlite EL-10 fit in? Well, it’s a direct replacement for the 430EX III-RT that caters to the latest mirrorless cameras. It’s actually Canon’s second Speedlite to feature the new multi-function foot, following on from the Speedlite EL-5, designed to slot into the multi-function shoe of the latest EOS R system mirrorless cameras, so far including the R1, R3, R5 Mark II, R6 Mark II, R7, R8, R10 and R50. The new 21-pin multi-function shoe enables more extensive communication between the camera and Speedlite, as well as other accessories. However, all of Canon’s latest EOS R system cameras that I’ve listed, apart from the EOS R50, also feature a conventional 5-pin connector in the base of the shoe, in addition to the relatively thin strip of 21-pin gold contacts at the front. The upshot is that the 430EX III-RT is compatible with all Canon EOS DSLRs and mirrorless R system and M system cameras apart from the EOS R50, whereas the EL-10 is only compatible with the very latest R system cameras. Even so, it aims to be one of the best flashguns for Canon cameras.
