Canon Speedlite EL-5 Assembly instructions

Advanced User Guide
E
CT2-D256-A © CANON INC. 2022

Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Supplemental Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Compatible Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Instruction Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Safety Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Part Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Getting Started and Basic Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Charging the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Inserting the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Attaching and Detaching the Speedlite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Turning on the Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Fully Automatic Flash Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
E-TTL II / E-TTL Autoflash, by Shooting Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Checking Battery Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Advanced Flash Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Flash Exposure Compensation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Flash Exposure Bracketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
FE Lock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
High-Speed Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Second-Curtain Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Bounce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Flash Coverage Setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Manual Flash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Stroboscopic Flash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Modeling Lamp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Modeling Flash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Clearing Speedlite Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Setting Flash Functions from the Camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Flash Control from the Camera Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Radio Transmission Wireless Flash Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Radio Transmission Wireless Flash Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Autoflash with One Receiver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Autoflash with Two Receiver Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Autoflash with Three Receiver Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Wireless Multiple-Flash Photography with Flash Ratio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Shooting in Group-Specific Flash Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Firing Test Flash/Modeling Flash from Receivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Remote Release from Receivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Linked Shooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Customizing the Speedlite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Setting Custom and Personal Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Customization with Custom Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Customization with Personal Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Custom Flash Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Flash Firing Restriction Due to Temperature Increase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Troubleshooting Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Introduction
Designed for EOS cameras equipped with a multi-function shoe, the Canon EL-5 is an
external Speedlite compatible with E-TTL II / E-TTL autoflash. In normal flash photography,
it can be used as an on-camera flash attached to a multi-function shoe, and radio
transmission wireless flash photography, it can be used as a sender or receiver. Dust and
water resistance is equivalent to the EOS R5.
Read before use
To avoid shooting problems and accidents, first read the Safety Instructions. Also read this
Advanced User Guide carefully to ensure correct use.
Read in conjunction with the camera instruction manual
Before use, read this guide and the Advanced User Guide of your camera to familiarize
yourself with operations and ensure correct use.
* Explanations in this guide are based on use with an EOS Digital camera.
Precaution on continuous flash firing
Flash units fire repeatedly in continuous shooting with flash or when you shoot with features
such as stroboscopic or modeling flash. Some people may experience seizures or similar
symptoms from visual overstimulation caused by continuous flash firing (including light
reflected off brightly colored walls or other surfaces). If you or others experience these
symptoms, stop firing the flash units immediately.
•Supplemental Information
•Compatible Accessories
•Instruction Manual
•About This Guide
•Safety Instructions
•Part Names
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Supplemental Information
Check the following website for supplemental information about the Speedlite.
https://cam.start.canon/H001/
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Compatible Accessories
Check the following website for the latest compatible cameras and accessories.
https://cam.start.canon/H002/
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Instruction Manual
The included Instruction Manual provides basic instructions on flash photography.
Advanced User Guide
Complete instructions are provided in this Advanced User Guide.
For the latest Advanced User Guide, refer to the following website.
https://cam.start.canon/A006/
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About This Guide
Icons in This Guide
Basic Assumptions
Icons in This Guide
< > Indicates the select dial.
/ Indicates the duration (approx. 12 or 16 sec.) of the operation for the button you
pressed, based on when you release the button.
In reference to buttons or setting positions, the guide uses the same icons or display
items found on the Speedlite.
Links to pages with related topics.
Warning to prevent shooting problems.
Supplemental information.
to the right of page titles indicates functions only available with the camera set to
Creative Zone modes (< >, < >, < >, < >, < >, or < >).
Troubleshooting tips.
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Basic Assumptions
Instructions apply to the Speedlite and camera with the power on ( ).
The icons used for buttons, dials, and symbols in the text match the icons found on the
Speedlite and the camera.
Functions can be set by pressing the joystick vertically or horizontally or turning < >
for selection.
Function setup is exited by pressing the < > button.
Default settings are assumed for Custom/Personal Functions of the Speedlite, as well as
menu functions/Custom Functions of the camera.
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WARNING:
Safety Instructions
Be sure to read these instructions in order to operate the product safely.
Follow these instructions to prevent injury or harm to the operator of the product or others.
Denotes the risk of serious injury or death.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
Use only power sources specified in this instruction manual for use with the product.
Do not disassemble or modify the product.
Do not expose the product to strong shocks or vibration.
Do not touch any exposed internal parts.
Stop using the product in any case of unusual circumstances such as the presence of
smoke or a strange smell.
Do not use organic solvents such as alcohol, benzine or paint thinner to clean the
product.
Do not get the product wet. Do not insert foreign objects or liquids into the product.
Do not use the product where flammable gases may be present.
This may cause electric shock, explosion or fire.
Do not touch the product connected to a power outlet during lightning storms.
This may cause electric shock.
Observe the following instructions when using commercially available batteries or
provided battery packs.
• Use batteries/battery packs only with their specified product.
• Do not heat batteries/battery packs or expose them to fire.
• Do not charge batteries/battery packs using non-authorized battery chargers.
• Do not expose the terminals to dirt or let them come into contact with metallic pins
or other metal objects.
• Do not use leaking batteries/battery packs.
• When disposing of batteries/battery packs, insulate the terminals with tape or other
means.
This may cause electric shock, explosion or fire.
If a battery/battery pack leaks and the material contacts your skin or clothing, flush the
exposed area thoroughly with running water. In case of eye contact, flush thoroughly with
copious amounts of clean running water and seek immediate medical assistance.
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