This Is Clever

[Mike Farley]

A flash gun that can work out the optimum angle to bounce its light from the ceiling and set itself accordingly. That is what Canon has just introduced. Mind, it will not be cheap. The US price is $399, which does not include any purchase tax.* Tthe sterling price will be close to that figure once VAT is added.

Lots of websites have the story. The link below is to PetaPixel.

https://petapixel.com/2018/02/25/canons ... ai-bounce/

* US prices never include tax as each state sets its own rate. I still recall my surprise when I made my first purchase there. I bought something which I thought would cost a dollar, handed over a five dollar note and received $3-92 change.

[Ronald Barker]

Parks cameras £549

[Mike Farley]

Parks cameras £549

Wow. Purchasers will really have to want the automated bounce feature to fork out that much.

Even allowing that this is the pre-order price which will probably drop once early adopter requests have been fulfilled, that is still some mark up compared to the US. It is as if Canon wants to direct custom to the grey importers. And that is before taking into account that Chinese manufacturers can knock out basic flash guns for a fraction of what the OEMs want for theirs.

[davidb]

Parks cameras £549

Warehouse Express (WEX) - £499 (£416 before VAT)

[Mike Farley]

Warehouse Express (WEX) - £499 (£416 before VAT)

That is still a premium well in excess of £100 compared to the US price.

With the difference, it would be possible to buy at least FOUR of Amazon basic flash guns, which are currently just under £25 each.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-E ... dpSrc=srch

[Mike Farley]

Sony has just announced its A7 III camera and appears to be using a slightly more advantageous, if still not generous, exchange rate compared to Canon. The price is 1,999 either in dollars or sterling.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/la ... iii-117318