Canon EL-100
Compact Zoom Bounce Flash, Optical Controller & Slave
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
R3 R5 R5C R6 II R6 R R8 RP R7 R10 R50 R100
Bodies Compared RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash
Canon EL-100 Speedlite Flash (8.4 oz./239g with two AA eneloop or alkaline, 24 & 50mm zoom head, 3.1 second measured recycle time, measured GN 16m/53' at 24mm or 20m/67' at 50mm, $149) with included stand. bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used flash — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new flash. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new flash before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
August 2023 Better Pictures Canon Reviews Canon Flash Lenses All Reviews
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Zoomed to 50mm on Full-Frame (31mm APS-C). bigger. |
Canon EL-100. bigger. |
Introduction top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
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The EL-100 is a full-featured flash hidden in a tough, tiny package at a bargain price.
It's perfect to take everywhere atop your camera for fill-flash, which often adds huge improvements in nature, landscape, wildlife and especially portrait photography. High ISOs don't do anything to change the quality of lighting, while fill-flash adds catchlights to eyes and ensures faces look great rather than lie in shadow:
Zoey and Her Carrots, 7:19 AM, 30 November 2019. bigger or full resolution 20MP file.
If I hadn't used flash, Zoey and all her carrots would have been nothing but shadows because the only other source of light was the window behind Zoey!
If it wasn't for the flash, most of this backlit image would be much darker and in shadow:
Bike Del Mar, 10:08 AM Sunday morning, 18 September 2022. Canon EOS R7, Canon EL-100 flash, OWC ATLAS S PRO 256GB SDXC card, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM II on EF to RF adapter at 100mm (160mm equivalent) at f/5 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 12.6), Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original 32 MP © 9 MB NORMAL JPG file.
Unlike most other flashes regardless of size or price, the EL-100 surprisingly has no problem shooting long bursts at 15 FPS on my EOS R7 (of course not at full power), and it also has a full range of motion to point the head in just about any direction:
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Rotated right +180º bigger. |
Rotated right +90º and up +45º bigger. |
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
New top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
Probably the world's first full-featured mini flash, perfect for mirrorless.
New "↯A" setting that lets the flash fire only when the camera thinks it needs to.
Good top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
The most flexible flash head I've ever seen in a mini flash: -150º left to +180º right and from 0º to +90º vertically.
24mm and 50mm (full frame) manual zoom settings (15mm and 31mm on APS-C).
Tough.
Tiny.
World-standard two-AA power. Doesn't use wimpy AAA cells popular in some other tiny flashes (AAA are harder to find, more expensive and have only half the power of AA cells).
Automatic power-off means it won't run down the batteries on its own if you forget to turn it off or it gets knocked to ON. Hooray!
Fast, easy and obvious to setup and use: turn it ON (or to ↯A to let the camera figure out when to fire it) and you're done.
Trivially easy wireless setup: just set the switches for Group and Channel. (The $1,000 EL-1 demands you go fiddle in menus to set these.)
Transmits color temperature information (which varies with power) to the camera for auto white balance optimization.
Continuous Shooting Priority Mode ("CSP") lowers the power by half and raises the camera's ISO by a stop in one action to allow the system to shoot continuously at twice the frame rate (set in-camera).
High-Speed Sync (HSS) mode (set in-camera).
Front- and rear-curtain modes (set in-camera).
Repeating stroboscopic mode (set in-camera).
Manual power mode (set in-camera).
Perfect padded case included.
Tiny stand included.
100% U.S.A.-based high-quality technical support at (800) OK-CANON.
Canon's usual sturdy and easy-to-use locking locking foot:
Canon EL-100. bigger.
Bad top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
Not a big deal, but the big rear rotary switch does so much that you can't just turn it ON and OFF by feel as I can do on other flashes. I have to stop paying attention to my subject and instead look at the switch to move it.
Battery compartment polarity markings are illegible black-on-black, making it impossible to change batteries in the dark. You need good light to see the molded markings and load the AA cells.
Missing top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
No built-in infra-red autofocus illuminator.
No lock on the mode dial so it conceivably will be easy to knock when thrown in a case, but no big deal as the flash shuts itself off automatically if accidently turned ON.
No catch-light card.
No ultra-wide panel.
No Sto-Fen diffuser.
No colored filters.
No rear LCD; almost all of the advanced settings are made in your camera.
No test flash button.
No olde-fashioned on-flash-metered "A" exposure mode.
Flash head can point just about anywhere, except down. There is no -7º setting as on many larger flashes for close-ups.
No remote cord socket; you can't use the SN-R3 cable.
Compatibility top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
E-TTL and E-TTL II
The EL-100 uses Canon's E-TTL and Canon's E-TTL II flash control systems, which means it works on every Canon mirrorless camera, on every Canon DSLR and on most Canon 35mm EOS film cameras.
Works with 35mm and digital cameras that use either of these systems, which is just about every Canon camera model introduced since the year 2000. This is every DSLR, EOS-R and EOS-M camera, as well as the best 35mm cameras like the EOS 1V and EOS 3.
It won't work properly on the very old original TTL-flash or A-TTL systems of the oldest 35mm cameras. Your camera camera needs to be compatible at least with the E-TTL system, which is every model that has come out from 2000 and newer.
I doubt that you'd use this with a 1987 EOS 620; even the most demented film shooters should be using a good EOS camera like the EOS-1V or at least an EOS-3, with which this flash works great.
I tried it, and it works great with my original 5D from 2007 as well as my newest R7 and R10, and it should also work great even with Canon's first D30 DSLR from 2000.
If in doubt, look in your camera's manual and see if your camera is E-TTL or E-TTL II compatible.
Specifications top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Power Output specifications top
At full power |
Rated GN* |
Measured GN* |
24mm |
69' / 21m |
53' / 16m |
50mm |
85' / 26m |
67' / 20m |
*Guide Number at ISO 100. Divide the guide number by your distance in meters or feet and that's the aperture to use at full manual power.
Manual Power Settings
From FULL to 1/128 in third stops (set in camera menus).
Recycling Time specifications top
Rated 5.8 seconds at full power with alkaline AA cells.
I measure 3.1 seconds at full power with ten-year old AA eneloop cells.
Much faster or instantaneous at lower (normal) powers.
Flashes per charge specifications top
58 at full power with alkaline AA cells.
Many more at normal power levels, typ. 400 with alkaline AA cells.
Flash Duration specifications top
1/1,100 second (909 µS) at full power to 1/28,000 second (36 µS) at 1/128 power.
Flash Head Zoom Settings specifications top
24mm and 50mm settings, full-frame.
15mm and 31mm settings, APS-C.
Flash Head Bounce Angles specifications top
-150º left, +180º right.
0º down to +90º up.
Infrared Illuminator specifications top
None; uses short bright flash bursts if needed for AF assist.
Sync Modes specifications top
Front or rear curtain, High Speed Sync (HSS), repeating stroboscopic (set in-camera).
Modeling Lamps specifications top
Rapid stroboscopic Xenon discharge.
Optical Wireless specifications top
Groups A, B and/or C.
Channels 1-4.
Works as Controller or Slave.
Radio Wireless specifications top
None.
Quality specifications top
Flash made in Taiwan.
Stand made in Taiwan.
Case made in China.
Case specifications top
Included soft velcro case. bigger.
Power & Battery specifications top
Runs on two AA cells, Ni-MH (eneloop), Ni-Cd or alkaline.
With alkaline, rated 58 shots at full or up to about 400 shots in regular shooting.
90 seconds auto power-off, programmable.
1 hour auto power-off as optical slave (receiver), programmable.
Battery Level Indicator
None.
Size specifications top
Volume
1.69 cubic inches.
27.7 cm3.
Pointed Forward
3.61 × 2.54 × 2.80 inches HWD.
91.7 × 64.6 × 71.03 millimeters HWD.
Pointed Up
4.51 × 2.54 × 1.65 inches HWD.
114.62 × 64.6 × 42 millimeters HWD.
Weight specifications top
8.425 oz. (239.0 g) with two AA eneloop or alkaline, actual measured weight.
Rated 6.7 oz. (190g) stripped naked.
Operating Environment specifications top
0º ～ 45º C (32º ～ 113º F).
0 to 85% RH.
Announced specifications top
06 September 2018.
Promised for specifications top
October 2018.
Canon's Model Numbers specifications top
September 2022 -
3249C002 (3249C004 in Japan).
SPEL-100W.
JAN code: 4549292-125450.
September 2018 ~ 25 August 2022
3249C001 in Japan.
SPEL-100.
JAN code: 4549292-125443.
Included specifications top
Flash.
Tiny stand.
Case.
Big folded multi-language instruction sheet.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
September 2022
$149 at B&H, at Adorama and at Amazon
About $100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
September 2018
$199.
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Canon EL-100 Box. bigger. |
Canon EL-100 Box Back. bigger. |
Optional Accessories (what's included) top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
OC-E3 Coiled Shoe Extension Cord.
Getting a Legal U. S. A. Version top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
This section applies in the U. S. A. only.
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
USA Warranty card. bigger.
Your flash must include a U. S. A. warranty card like the one shown above from Canon U.S.A., Inc. It should be folded inside the instruction sheet inside your box. The serial number on the card must match the serial number on the sticker on the bottom of your flash head.
If not, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-U. S. A. versions have no warranty in the U. S. A., and you probably won't be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!
Shifty dealers may include color copies of a card from a legitimate U. S. A. item in a gray-market box, hoping you won't check serial numbers and catch their fraud. A card with the wrong serial number means nothing other than that you have no warranty coverage.
If a gray market version saves you $50 the risk might be worth it, but for $20 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.
Always be sure to check yours while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed. Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem.
Performance top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Measured Power Output specifications top
At full power |
Measured GN* |
Rated GN* |
24mm |
53' / 16m |
69' / 21m |
50mm |
67' / 20m |
85' / 26m |
*Guide Number at ISO 100. Divide the guide number by your distance in meters or feet and that's the aperture to use at full manual power.
Recycling Time specifications top
3.1 seconds at full power, measured.
Much faster and often instantaneous at lower (normal) powers.
Wake Time specifications top
This is how long it takes to be ready after it's gone to sleep for a while and you then tap the camera's shutter to wake it.
It takes a measured 3.1 seconds with AA eneloop cells because the EL-100 needs to recycle again if its been asleep for a while.
Obviously the EL-100 discharges as it's sleeping and has to charge-up again. Other flashes like Nikon's SB-500 and SB-400 keep the flash charged ready while they're sleeping, ready to fire the instant your camera wakes.
Ergonomics specifications top
Just turn the flexible flash head; there are no locks to get in the way.
Fast, easy and obvious to setup and use: turn it ON (or to ↯A to let the camera figure out when to fire it) and you're done.
Trivially easy wireless setup: just set the switches for Group and Channel. (The $1,000 EL-1 demands you go fiddle in menus to set these.)
No rear LCD needed; it just goes.
Perfect padded case included.
Tiny stand included.
Canon's usual sturdy and easy-to-use locking locking foot.
No lock on the mode dial so it conceivably will be easy to knock when thrown in a case, but no big deal as the flash shuts itself off automatically if accidently turned ON and this makes it much easier to use when it's on your camera.
Battery compartment cell polarity markings are illegible black-on-black, making it impossible to change batteries in the dark. You need good light to see the molded markings.
The big rear rotary switch does so much that you can't just turn it ON and OFF by feel as I can do on other flashes. It makes it easy to set wireless communication, but have to stop paying attention to my subject and instead look at the switch to move it:
Canon EL-100. bigger.
Exposure specifications top
Exposure is mostly a factor of your own technique and your camera; your camera's TTL system is more critical to exposure than the flash, which is simply controlled by the camera.
Compared top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Versus Other Canon Flashes
The EL-1 stands out for its insanely fast recycling. If I'm shooting action, the EL-1 is the flash to have when you-re trying to blast out as much light as you can as fast as you can. The EL-1 is a monster flash, but doesn't feel as heavy as you'd think. It dwarfs other full-size professional flashes like my trusty 580EX II.
My 580EX II has more power than even the EL-1, but it's an older design that can't keep up as long at high frame rates. The EL-1 recycles over four times as fast as the 580EX II. Even at its maximum zoom of "only" 105mm, the 580EX II still has more measured power than the EL-1 does at its 200mm setting; don't be fooled by the zoom head ranges!
My almost-as-compact 320EX is about 10% larger in each dimension and weighs 56% more with its 4-AA cells than my EL-100. The 320EX's flash head is about as adjustable and adds an LED continuous light or flashlight. With 4-AA cells on tap it recycles faster and has a half-stop more maximum power than my EL-100. The 320EX, like the 580EX II, are discontinued, and available cheap and clean over eBay (links below).
All four of these can shoot bursts at lower power at 20 FPS; the difference is how many frames it can shoot before it loses steam. While the EL-1 is built for this, I'm also impressed at how the EL-100 also has no problem keeping up with long bursts at fast frame rates.
Canon EL-1, 580EX II and 320EX Flashes Compared (EL-100 not in this photo). bigger.
Full-power GN at 24mm* |
63' / 19m |
56' / 17m |
53' / 16m |
67' / 20m |
71' / 22m |
Full-power GN at 50mm* |
87' / 27m |
80' / 24m |
67' / 20m |
80' / 24m |
101' / 31m |
Full-power recycling* |
0.9s |
3.0s |
3.1s |
2.4s |
4.1s |
Battery |
4 AA |
2 AA |
4 AA |
4 AA |
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Weight w/battery, oz.* |
23.9 oz. |
13.9 oz. |
8.4 oz. |
13.1 oz. |
18.1 oz. |
Weight w/battery, g.* |
676 g. |
394 g. |
239 g. |
373 g. |
513 g. |
Made in |
Myanmar |
Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Japan |
Announced |
2020 October |
2015 July |
2018 September |
2011 February |
2007 February |
Discontinued |
current |
current |
current |
2017 |
2012 |
Price, 03/2021 |
About $65 used if you know How to Win at eBay. |
About $100 used if you know How to Win at eBay. |
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Price, 09/2022 |
About $50 used if you know How to Win at eBay. |
About $90 used if you know How to Win at eBay. |
* Actual measured values.
(roughly to scale—>) |
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Full-power GN at 24mm* |
63' / 19m |
70' / 22m |
56' / 17m |
53' / 16m |
Full-power GN at 50mm* |
87' / 27m |
105' / 31m |
80' / 24m |
67' / 20m |
Full-power recycling* |
0.9s |
0.9s |
3.0s |
3.1s |
Battery |
4 AA |
2 AA |
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Remote Control |
Optical & Radio |
Radio only |
Radio or Optical |
Optical only |
Txmttr and/or Slave |
Txmttr or Slave |
Txmttr or Slave |
Txmttr or Slave |
Txmttr or Slave |
Foot |
Standard 5-pin |
Multi-Function only |
Standard 5-pin |
Standard 5-pin |
Works with |
Just about every EOS camera, digital or 35mm, made since the late 1990s. | Only the newest cameras since about 2021 with the "Multi-Function Shoe." | Just about every EOS camera, digital or 35mm, made since the late 1990s. | Just about every EOS camera, digital or 35mm, made since the late 1990s. |
Infrared AF Illuminator |
Yes |
No (uses white LED) |
Yes |
No |
White LED |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Weight w/battery, oz.* |
23.9 oz. |
20.7 oz. |
13.9 oz. |
8.4 oz. |
Weight w/battery, g.* |
676 g. |
586 g. |
394 g. |
239 g. |
Made in |
Myanmar |
Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Introduced |
2020 October |
2022 November 02 |
2015 July 08 |
2018 September 06 |
Gone by |
current |
current |
current |
current |
Price, 03/2021 |
n/a |
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Price, 09/2022 |
n/a |
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Price, 08/2023 |
* Actual measured values.
All four can shoot bursts at lower power at 20 FPS; the difference is how many frames each can shoot before it loses steam. The EL-5 and EL-1 are the best for this, and the EL-1 adds a fan to keep the flash cooler and let you shoot longer before it overheats.
Versus Nikon
Sadly Nikon flashes don't offer any full-featured little flashes like this little EL-100.
Nikon's SB-400 is a favorite of mine. It's smaller and belts out lots of power fast, however its flash head only tilts up (not left or right) and has less maximum power than any of the Canons above, only GN 45'/14m at ISO 100 (actual measured power).
Nikon's SB-500 is an iffy thing, dumped to China and bigger and heavier than the little EL-100 and costs almost twice as much. It does have a little more power (measured GN 63'/19m), does wake up instantly and the same 3s recycle time as the EL-100.
Versus Sony
Sadly Sony flashes also don't offer anything close to this little EL-100.
Sony's HVL-F20AM is even smaller than this EL-100, but it's only a basic wink-light and has few features or flexibility (the head only tilts vertically). The HVL-F20AM has less power as well. It runs on 2 weak little AAA cells.
Sony's HVL-F46RM is full-featured, but it's a medium-sized 4-AA flash that weighs almost twice as much and costs almost three times as much as this brilliant EL-100 — but only has the same power and recycling time!
User's Guides top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
See Canon's EL-100 User's Guide PDF and Phil Steele's Advanced Off-Camera Flash course.
The tiny, full-featured EL-100 is perfect for use on small cameras like the newest EOS R7 and EOS R10:
Canon EOS R7, RF-s 18-150mm IS STM and EL-100 Flash. bigger.
Canon EOS R10, RF-s 18-45mm IS STM and EL-100 Flash. bigger.
Recommendations top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Compatibility Specifications Accessories
USA Version Performance Compared
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
The EL-100 is the perfect mirrorless flash. It's tough, tiny, full-featured and nearly free. Neither Sony nor Nikon have anything close.
It easily pops in any bag, or lives atop your camera full time.
I got my EL-100 at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used flash — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new flash. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new flash before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
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