Firmware Limitations with Canon R3 / R5C and EL-1 Flash – Feedback Request

[fatihakboru]

Subject: Firmware Limitations with Canon R3 / R5C and EL-1 Flash – Feedback Request

Dear Canon Global Support Team,

I am a professional photographer using the Canon R3 and Canon R5C camera bodies along with the Canon EL-1 Speedlite flash. While I am generally satisfied with the system's performance, there are two recurring software limitations that significantly hinder my workflow:

1. High-Speed Sync (HSS) must be manually re-enabled each time the flash is attached or the camera is turned on.
This is disruptive in fast-paced environments. Competing systems retain the HSS setting automatically. It would be very beneficial if Canon firmware allowed this setting to persist.

2. Exposure Simulation is disabled when the flash is connected.
In many creative lighting situations, I still need to evaluate the ambient exposure before firing the flash. Disabling Exposure Simulation by default when a flash is attached restricts this ability. Other brands like Nikon, Fujifilm, and Sony allow users to override this.

Both issues appear to be software-related and should be adjustable via firmware updates. I sincerely hope Canon considers offering users more flexibility with these functions in future releases.

I remain committed to the Canon ecosystem, but improvements like these would greatly enhance usability for working professionals like myself.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Kind regards,

Fatih Akbörü

[deebatman316]

Usually HSS stays enabled even if the flash were powered off then back on again. You can enable it in the Speedlite Control Menu. I’ve never had HSS turn off for me without turning it off. Also the camera should show you the ambient light when a flash is being used. Even if Exposure Simulation is disabled there is a reason it’s disabled. The camera cannot predict how the picture will come out before the flash fires. This is because it doesn’t know how the flash is positioned or any other flash scenarios. You can simply turn off the flash and see what the ambient lighting is like. Then turn the flash back on. In the DSLR days Exposure Simulation was also disabled. This isn’t anything new. 

[fatihakboru]

Dear Demetrius,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my concerns.

Regarding High-Speed Sync (HSS), I understand that it typically remains enabled, but in my daily professional use with the Canon R3 and EL-1, I consistently find that HSS needs to be re-enabled manually after either powering the camera off or detaching/re-attaching the flash. This behavior may not be universal, but it certainly affects some setups or firmware combinations. If this is not the intended behavior, perhaps it’s worth Canon investigating under what conditions this occurs.

As for Exposure Simulation, I completely understand that the camera cannot preview the final exposure with flash—this is technically obvious. However, many mirrorless systems (such as Nikon, Fujifilm, and Sony) allow the user to choose whether to simulate only the ambient exposure even with a flash attached. This flexibility is highly useful in mixed lighting situations where assessing ambient contribution is critical. While toggling the flash off/on manually is an option, it’s not always practical during fast-paced shoots, and introduces additional wear and potential connection issues.

I bring up these points not as criticisms, but as suggestions from a working professional hoping to see the Canon ecosystem evolve with more user-driven flexibility. Small firmware enhancements like these can have a big impact on real-world usability.

Thank you again for your engagement and your insights.

Best regards,
Fatih Akbörü

[p4pictures]

Hi Faith,

I'll admit the combination of Speedlite EL-1 and the EOS R3 / EOS R5C is not so common, and therefore maybe not so many users have experienced this issue with HSS being switched off. Certainly if the problem is repeatable then it is worth feeding back to Canon, as that is quite different from my own experience with other combinations of Canon cameras and Canon Speedlites. 

To send feedback directly there is a link right in the footer of the Canon USA homepage https://www.usa.canon.com/ 

I am also in agreement that having the choice to use exposure simulation with flash. It would be valuable for photographers using fill-in flash in daylight conditions. I've experienced the issue with backlit subjects where the background is very bright that the cameras find it hard to focus on the face / eyes as the lack of exposure simulation renders the face so dark that the camera cannot detect eyes / face. Yet if you switch of the flash and use exposure simulation in the same conditions then focus on the eyes is consistently accurate. 

Thanks for pointing out that other camera systems do allow the choice to simulate or not with flash, I was not aware of that detail. 

[fatihakboru]

Subject: Canon EOS R3 Firmware 1.9.0 – Exposure Simulation Feature Not Available

Dear Canon Support,

I have successfully updated my Canon EOS R3 camera to firmware version 1.9.0. According to the official release notes, the update includes the following feature:

“Adds the ability to enable [Exposure Simulation] when a flash unit is attached.”

However, despite installing the update, I am unable to locate this new setting in any of the camera menus. I have tested this with both Canon’s own flash units and fully compatible third-party TTL flashes, but the [Exposure Simulation] option remains unavailable when a flash is attached.

Additionally, I could not find any official documentation or instructions explaining how to activate this function or under what conditions it should appear. This leads to the impression that, although the feature is listed as part of the update, it may not have been fully implemented or activated in practice.

Could you please clarify whether this is a technical issue, a compatibility limitation, or if there are specific steps or conditions required for this feature to appear?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Kind regards,
Fatih Akbörü

[deebatman316]

You need to press the depth of field preview button for it to work.

[p4pictures]

In the Display simulation setting, you need to select Display only while pressing the DOF button. Then while the depth of field button is pressed the camera will simulate the exposure even if the flash is used. 

See this section of the manual, and make sure to expand the caution section

https://cam.start.canon/en/C010/manual/html/UG-03_Shooting-1_0390.html 

[fatihakboru]

Thanks for your reply, but pressing the depth of field preview button is not the correct solution in this case.

The issue is related to the firmware version 1.9.0 for the Canon EOS R3, which claims to allow the [Exposure Simulation] feature to work even when a flash unit is attached. However, after updating to version 1.9.0, there is no menu option or setting that enables this feature — [Exposure Simulation] still automatically turns off as soon as a flash is connected.

So the problem is not about using the DOF preview button; it’s about Canon announcing a feature that either doesn’t work as expected or is undocumented in terms of how to activate it.

[fatihakboru]

Thanks for your reply, but pressing the depth of field preview button is not the correct solution in this case.

The issue is related to the firmware version 1.9.0 for the Canon EOS R3, which claims to allow the [Exposure Simulation] feature to work even when a flash unit is attached. However, after updating to version 1.9.0, there is no menu option or setting that enables this feature — [Exposure Simulation] still automatically turns off as soon as a flash is connected.

So the problem is not about using the DOF preview button; it’s about Canon announcing a feature that either doesn’t work as expected or is undocumented in terms of how to activate it.

[p4pictures]

I have just tested the new capability in my EOS R6 Mark II using the latest firmware 1.6.0, and can confirm I see the simulation working with a flash. Here is how it works.

• From the display simulation menu select the third option, Exposure only during DOF. All other options do not support exposure simulation with flash. 
• I set my camera to manual exposure 1/160th, f/2.8 ISO 160, I put a Speedlite ST-E10 transmitter on the hotshoe that was linked to a Speedlite 430EX III-RT off-camera.
• I'm indoors aimed at a dark subject that would be several stops underexposed with my chosen manual settings. Without any buttons pressed the camera shows a brighter version of the scene, and is clearly not simulating the exposure. 
• Press and hold the DOF preview button and the LCD / EVF changes to show a simulation of the manual exposure settings I selected and my scene is underexposed. It is clear that the camera is now simulating the ambient exposure while the flash is active, and ready to fire.

So proving that it works on the EOS R6 Mark II I see no reason why the same will not follow for your EOS R3. 

I have also tried some variations. I have used both EF lenses on the adapter and RF lenses - all work. I have use the ST-E10 on the camera and the Speedlite 430EX III-RT on the camera - both work. I have used the custom controls to assign the DOF function to the normal AE-lock button, it still simulates the exposure while I press the AE-lock button.

For your camera, please check you set the display simulation setting correctly. Also please check that you have not reconfigured the DOF button with custom controls to have some other function assigned. 

With this new function:

• You must set display simulation to Exposure only during DOF
• Exposure simulation is only active while the button assigned with the DOF function is pressed