Speedlite EL-5 Is weather sealing pad movement normal?

[Ingvar3000]

Hello!

I have a Speedlite EL-5 flash.

I'm wondering if it's normal that the little pad that pressed the flash to the camera moves slightly from side to side when you touch it with your finger (when the flash is not on the camera). 

 

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

To my knowledge, I do not believe the foot of the flash moves.  I don't own this model flash however.

[jrhoffman75]

It looks you have highlighted the weather seal, which should be flexible to conform to the camera. 

[shadowsports]

Thank you John.  He was likely referring to the weather seal and not the foot.  😁

[Ingvar3000]

Yeah, I'm referring to that weather sealing pad. The foot itself remains stationary. 

But the weather sealing pad moves not only up and down with the lock mechanism, but also moves slightly from side to side (even in the "Lock" position). I'm talking about a case where the flash is not mounted on the camera.

When the flash is on the camera, it may rotate very slightly when pressed firmly on one side. Is this normal?

[p4pictures]

The rubber weather seal is attached to a part of the clamping mechanism that helps seal the Speedlite to the camera, it moves up and down and can indeed rotate a fraction too. The weather seal is actually easy to pull off and replace too. If you do this you will see the moving part the seal mounts on. You will also notice if you lower the seal while the Speedlite is not on the camera that there are two pins that lower from the centre part of  the metal plate, these fit in to the corresponding holes in the hotshoe to keep the Speedlite in place. 

It is similar for older Speedlites such as Speedlite 600EX II-RT, except they only have a single pin to sit in a hole on the hotshoe.