Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI flashgun review

Smarter than the average flashgun, the Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI has an artificially intelligent bounce and zoom head…

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Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI
(Image: © Future)

Digital Camera World Verdict

To some, this flashgun will be an amazingly innovative, useful and time-saving tool. To others, it will feel like gimmickry gone mad. Either way, it’s very expensive and relatively poor value if you’re happy to set your own bounce and swivel angles.

Pros

  • +

    Innovative motorized bounce & swivel

  • +

    Super-accurate exposure

  • +

    Fast recycling

Cons

  • -

    Lacks radio-controlled operation

  • -

    Expensive

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We’ve all seen flashguns with clever heads. Smart features like TTL metering and motorized zooms that track the focal lengths of camera lenses have been around for many years. Canon’s latest Speedlite takes things to a new level, aiming to automatically optimize flash lighting with the addition of a motorized bounce and swivel functions, controlled by artificial intelligence. 

In automatic mode, the 470EX-AI looks and feels a bit like an extra from a sci-fi movie. It plays all the angles, with the ability to move its own head through 120 degrees of vertical rotation and a full 180 degrees to the left or right. 

The range of movement stretches from zero to a rear-facing 120 degrees for vertical bounce, and full 180 degrees in both directions for horizontal swivel. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

Features

The interface is similar to that of the Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT with intuitive pushbuttons, a rotary dial surrounding a multi-way pad, and an on/off lever that also features a Lock position to avoid unintentional adjustments.  (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

In fully automatic AI Bounce mode, the Speedlite fires a pre-flash pulse at the subject, then tilts vertically upwards and fires a second pre-flash pulse at the ceiling. It then calculates the optimum bounce angle, based on the distance to the subject and the distance to the ceiling. If you swap between portrait and landscape orientation, you can reposition the flash head by applying a double light-press to the camera’s shutter button. This relies on orientation sensors built into the flashgun, rather than the camera itself. This way, everything works properly even if you’re utilizing the flashgun off-camera.

The all-important extras in the control panel are the AI Bounce button at the bottom left, and the 0-degree, semi-automatic and fully automatic AI Bounce slider at the top. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

Naturally, some of us prefer to be in control. For example, you might like to bounce the flash off a white wall rather than a ceiling, or even fire it at a reflector panel. For this, the 470EX-AI offers a semi-automatic AI Bounce mode, in which you manually point the flash head in your desired direction and then press the ‘Angle Set’ button.

Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI

(Image credit: Canon)

(Image credit: Matthew Richards)

 Again, you can switch between portrait and landscape orientation and apply a double light-press of the shutter button to maintain the same bounce angle. As well as fully automatic and semi-automatic modes, there’s also a 0-degrees option for selecting direct flash with no bounce or swivel.

One disappointment is that fully automatic AI Bounce mode is unavailable when using cameras launched before the second half of 2014 – including the Rebel T5/1200D, Rebel SL1/100D, Rebel T5i/700D, 70D, 6D, 5D Mk III and 1D X. When shooting with these as well as the newer Rebel T6/1300D, M3, M5 and M6, you can only use the semi-automatic mode, which is a shame.

In other respects, the 470EX-AI is quite conventional. It has a traditional control panel based on buttons, a rotary dial and mono LCD display, rather than a fancy color touchscreen.

The top of the flash head features a pull-out wide-angle diffuser panel which is spring-loaded, but no catchlight card. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

A clip-on diffusion dome is supplied with the Speedlite. This enables you to blend direct flash with reflected light from a ceiling or wall, which can give a more natural look to images. Detection pins are fitted so that the Speedlite knows when the diffusion dome is fitted. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

Perhaps a little surprisingly, it lacks the RF (Radio Frequency) communication of the Canon 430EX III-RT and both editions of the 600EX-RT. For wireless off-camera flash, it can only operate via an optical link, and only as a slave, not a master.

The Speedlite features an infrared wireless slave mode for off-camera firing but not the RF master/slave modes featured in the less expensive EX430 III-RT. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

Specifications

Build quality is up to Canon’s usually good standards. There’s a metal rather than plastic hotshoe mounting plate, and a locking lever that’s quick and easy to use. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

Max claimed Gn (ISO 100, metres) Gn 47

Bounce (degrees) 0 to 120 degrees

Swivel (left/right) 180 / 180

Zoom Range 24-105mm (auto)

Wide-angle Diffuser 14mm

Reflector card No

Auto Metering E-TTL / E-TTL II

Flash Exposure Comp +/-3EV

Manual Power Settings 1/1 to 1/128

AF-assist beam Red lamp

Secondary lamp No

Wireless Master/Slave Slave IR

Additional Flash Modes HSS, RC

Flash Info LCD Yes

Supplied accessories Stand, dome, soft case

Dimensions (W x H x D) 75x130x105mm

Weight (excl batts) 385g

Performance

Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI

The AI Bounce is great for well-lit indoor portrait shots – as long as you have a ceiling or wall to bounce the flash light (Image credit: Canon)

With a rating of Gn 47 (Guide number, ISO 100, metres) maximum output is more powerful than from the 430EX III-RT, but weaker than from the 600EX II-RT. Recycling after a flash is both silent and pretty swift, TTL metering is usually accurate and consistent in direct and bounce/swivel modes. Battery life is about two-thirds of the 430EX II-RT, ranging from around 115 to 800 shots on a set of four alkaline cells, depending on output power and how much you use the motorized bounce/swivel and zoom functions. 

The EX470-AI comes complete with a diffusion dome and tabletop stand. The latter has a tripod mounting socket built into its base and everything’s wrapped up in a good-quality, compartmentalized soft case. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

(Image credit: Future)

Maximum output is pretty powerful but it just about lags behind Canon’s powerful 600EX series flashguns

(Image credit: Future)

Recycling speed is quick even after utilizing a full-power flash, especially when using the NiMH batteries

(Image credit: Future)

TTL metering is incredibly accurate and consistent, for both direct and bounce mode flash modes 

The EX470-AI comes complete with a diffusion dome and tabletop stand. The latter has a tripod mounting socket built into its base and everything’s wrapped up in a good-quality, compartmentalized soft case. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)

How we test flashguns

At DCW, our in-house team of experts are well-versed in testing cameras, lenses and accessories. We review equipment such as flashguns using a combination of real-world and lab testing, rating the power output of the flash, its versatility, its key features and its ease of use. We use our findings from reviews to inform our comments in buying guides. For more, see our guide to how we test and review at Digital Camera World.

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Matthew Richards
Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.