Are there any other consequences to the removal of the hotshoe universal pin besides 3rd party flash compatibility?

[David - Sydney]

Looks like Godox has already released a firmware update anyway!

Canon has removed the universal pin on the new SL3 (200D Mk II) flash hotshoe

Canon has removed the universal pin on the new SL3 (200D Mk II) flash hotshoe

www.diyphotography.net

 

[LDS]

Canon basically is hindering buyers of those cameras to reuse old generic flashes, buy the very cheap and simple ones, or buy non-Canon used ones. At least as long as adapters are not available. Current and new Canon compatible models will be updated.

It could impact also some people attending photo courses - i.e. studio ones - where what is made available to students are often simple radio controls not specific to any camera. If Canon was aiming these camera models also to schools, etc. the removal of the central pin looks an ill-advised decision.

The linked article thinks the 600EX is the only flash available from Canon, though - it's not good reporting.

 

[unfocused]

Could this have something to do with Canon not wanting beginners to fry their camera's using old strobes?

 

[3kramd5]

Could this have something to do with Canon not wanting beginners to fry their camera's using old strobes?

Seems unlikely. They could protect against that with a diode.

 

[LDS]

Could this have something to do with Canon not wanting beginners to fry their camera's using old strobes?

They would need to use really old strobes - at least 20+ years old - many of them using a sync cable, not the hotshoe (the Vivitar 283 one of the notable exceptions). It could have been a real problem years ago. It is true people could still find old units on eBay or the like, but I wonder why they took this decision now, and not 15 years ago, for example.

Maybe they are selling more now on markets where very old units are more common, but I've a feeling it's more to protect Canon business from cheaper units than consumers from high-voltage units.