Clicking sound with Canon EL-10 Flashgun!

[adam461]

I've had my brand new EL-10 for about a week and every time it fires, it makes a clicking sound, I'm not sure if this is normal across all EL-10's or if mine is just faulty. I've owned many Canon flashguns in the past and none of them made a clicking sound when fired. I did phone Canon this morning to ask them and they said it is normal for this particular model, but I'd thought I'd ask here to see if somebody has got the same flashgun and is experiencing the same sound, thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[deebatman316]

Yes it does have an AF Assist Beam. Set the camera to One Shot AF. With the AF Assist Beam enabled on the camera and on the flash. Then put the lens cap on and see what happens. Record a video of what happens and post it. What camera are you using the EL-10 on.

[adam461]

It's still the same, makes the same sound. It's hard to record the flashgun firing on camera because you'd hear the camera shutter sound as well.

[deebatman316]

Just be aware of the AF Assist Beam in dark environments. The speedlite may fire the AF Assist Beam in poor lighting conditions. Leading your subjects to believe that the picture was taken. When in fact it wasn’t.

[p4pictures]

My Speedlite 430EX III-RT also emits a similar clicking sound when it is fired. Given that the EL-10 is similar but an updated version of the 430EX III-RT then I don't think the clicking sound is a problem. My 430EX III-RT has certainly been used a lot without any troubles for many years. 

[deebatman316]

So does the 470EX-AI it’s based off of the 430EX III-RT. I had to test it out to see if would react the same way.

[adam461]

Looks like it's normal then, thanks for trying out your 470EX-AI.

[deebatman316]

Also your flash does have an AF Assist Beam. The main flash tube emits a burst of strobes (Intermittent Flash Firing). All of Canon’s flashes do this old and new. Even old ones with an IR AF Assist Beam. Some even have a choice between IR and Intermittent Flash Firing such as the 470EX-AI. Even when set to IR the Flash uses Intermittent Flash Firing on the EOS R Series. Page 39 describes operation of the AF Assist Beam for your flash. In the video the flash being used is the old 550EX. Which you wouldn’t think has working AF Assist Beam on the EOS R series. But it does have a working AF Assist Beam. The camera being used is the EOS R5. Canon EOS R series AF Assist Beam 

 

[adam461]

Thanks for replying, it seems rare I'd be unlucky and get a bad copy. It seems it makes a clicking sound and that's that.