# What does the AD-E1 actually do?



## jus2sho (Sep 14, 2021)

I currently shoot with a 5D4 and a R5. Seeing the new release of the AD-E1, I'm a bit confused to what it actually does. Every link I click on has the same description. Can someone please dummy it down a bit and explain what this product actually does and why I would need it? TIA


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 14, 2021)

The R3 has a new hotshoe. The AD-E1 allows you to use current Speedlites (up to and including the EL-1, and all the older ones as well) with the R3. Without the adapter, you cannot use high-end old hotshoe attachments on the R3.

By high-end mean with weather sealing. So the low guide number, inexpensive flashes will work directly on the R3 More details in this post. 

So far, the only native Canon product that works in the R3 hotshoe is the just-announced ST-E10. That’s a replacement for the ST-E3-RT, with the advantage that it doesn’t require any batteries (it can draw power from the cameras battery through the new hotshoe). Presumably there will be R3-native flashes coming out at some point, and this hotshoe will be used on R series cameras going forward.


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## jus2sho (Sep 14, 2021)

That's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!


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## bergstrom (Oct 3, 2021)

So basicly, don't buy the R3 because you are forced to buy an adaptor for your old flashes, when there was never a problem with the old hotshoes, but Canon got greedy and created a new problem which costs the consumer money.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 3, 2021)

Apparently all the old flashes work, but the old weather-sealed flashes won’t have a weather-sealed connection to the R3.


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## Beavercreek Dan (Oct 22, 2021)

It's the same shoe if you want it to be with all older flashes but newer stuff can now be made to draw power from the cameras battery instead of needing AA's or rechargeable. I like the thought of having a trigger for my strobes but not have to worry about keeping batteries for them. Maybe this will be added to future R's, not just pro bodies like the R3. Triggers use so low power that it would be perfect for that and not really diminish the camera battery any measurable amount. I dont use Vedic on my R5 but I can see how mics and other video stuff could benefit too.


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## unfocused (Oct 22, 2021)

neuroanatomist said:


> Apparently all the old flashes work, but the old weather-sealed flashes won’t have a weather-sealed connection to the R3.


I agree with Neuro and it's worth some clarifying (with the understanding that none of us has gotten an R3 in hand to confirm). I welcome Neuro's corrections if my understanding is wrong. 

I believe the issue is the rubber gasket that seals the higher end flash connections, like the 600 EX II. My understanding is that the weather sealing gasket physically interferes with the new hotshoe. It doesn't seem to have anything at all do with electronics and thus any non weather sealed hotshoe accessory should work. 

I've got the 600 EXII in front of me and honestly it looks pretty easy to just remove the rubber gasket if you don't care about weather sealing. 

Just remember that if someone leaves their flash out in the rain you may never have that recipe again.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 22, 2021)

unfocused said:


> My understanding is that the weather sealing gasket physically interferes with the new hotshoe.
> 
> I've got the 600 EXII in front of me and honestly it looks pretty easy to just remove the rubber gasket if you don't care about weather sealing.


I don’t think that’s correct (on the announcement day I had the impression the adapter was required for functionality, but I now believe it is not).

I believe the current sealed hotshoe products mount and function normally on the R3, and there’s no need to remove the gasket. However, the adapter is required for a _weather-sealed_ connection.

Looking at the ST-E10 and the ST-E3, the back ends of the gaskets are identical. The difference is the gasket on the ST-E10 extends further forward to cover the additional connection.




I think my understanding is consistent with the R3 specs. This is from Canon Europe:




The current current sealed hotshoe products are listed as compatible, with a footnote indicating the adapter is required to retain weather sealing.


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## privatebydesign (Oct 22, 2021)

I think Neuros second comment a moment ago is correct and his earlier one Sep 14th was not.

I believe you can use any flash/accessory on the R3 but it won't retain weather sealing. All the AS-E1 does is weather seal the R3 and adapt the hotshot to the older outer shape to weather seal the older products. The firing pins and communications are the same in the older accessories but they obviously don't fit into use or weather seal the new series of connections in the front edge of the R3 hotshoe.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 23, 2021)

It also occurs to me that a small piece of electrical tape might effectively substitute for the $40 adapter.


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## unfocused (Oct 23, 2021)

neuroanatomist said:


> It also occurs to me that a small piece of electrical tape might effectively substitute for the $40 adapter.


Thanks for the thorough comments. I'm sort of tempted to cancel my preorder, as I can't imagine ever needing the weather sealing. On the other hand, with all I've spent this year, the $40 price tag seems insignificant. I think this is supposed to ship before the R3. If I happen to get the R3 first and the 600 RT fits without the adapter, I may cancel at that time.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 24, 2021)

unfocused said:


> Thanks for the thorough comments. I'm sort of tempted to cancel my preorder, as I can't imagine ever needing the weather sealing. On the other hand, with all I've spent this year, the $40 price tag seems insignificant. I think this is supposed to ship before the R3. If I happen to get the R3 first and the 600 RT fits without the adapter, I may cancel at that time.


I am thinking exactly the same thing.


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 4, 2021)

From the recently posted R3 manual:




So it could be that my initial interpretation was correct. Or not, as implied by the specs posted above.

I’ll keep my AD-E1 preorder in place, and I’ll see what I see when the R3 is actually in my hands.


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## I_Miss_Minolta (Oct 7, 2022)

The AD-E1 is nothing more than a gasket translation device. If your environment requires weather sealing, then the AD-E1 is required. If not, then you can just take the gasket off the offending unit and drive on. The 430EX III-RT is fully compatible precisely because it lacks the gasket. I own the R7 and atop it rests a ST-E3-RT -- sans gasket.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 7, 2022)

I_Miss_Minolta said:


> The AD-E1 is nothing more than a gasket translation device. If your environment requires weather sealing, then the AD-E1 is required.


Correct up to this point. 



I_Miss_Minolta said:


> If not, then you can just take the gasket off the offending unit and drive on. The 430EX III-RT is fully compatible precisely because it lacks the gasket. I own the R7 and atop it rests a ST-E3-RT -- sans gasket.


Not correct. There’s no need to remove the gasket. A weather-sealed flash is fully compatible with the new multifunction shoe, except (as you correctly state above) it won’t be weather-sealed unless the AD-E1 is used. 

I routinely use my four 600EX-RT flashes (one mounted at a time, of course) with my R3. I have an AD-E1, but I haven’t needed it so far. 

There was a lot of confusion over this initially, before the R3 was in anyone’s hands. If you removed the gasket from your ST-E3-RT, you probably won’t miss it but doing so wasn’t necessary. 

Here is a 600EX mounted directly on the R3, you can see the flash’s gasket does not extend far enough forward to cover the front part of the hotshoe. 




Here is the flash mounted with the AD-E1 in between, where everything is sealed.


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## becceric (Oct 8, 2022)

unfocused said:


> I agree with Neuro and it's worth some clarifying (with the understanding that none of us has gotten an R3 in hand to confirm). I welcome Neuro's corrections if my understanding is wrong.
> 
> I believe the issue is the rubber gasket that seals the higher end flash connections, like the 600 EX II. My understanding is that the weather sealing gasket physically interferes with the new hotshoe. It doesn't seem to have anything at all do with electronics and thus any non weather sealed hotshoe accessory should work.
> 
> ...


Would that rain happen to create MacArthur’s Spark?


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## Del Paso (Oct 8, 2022)

bergstrom said:


> So basicly, don't buy the R3 because you are forced to buy an adaptor for your old flashes, when there was never a problem with the old hotshoes, but Canon got greedy and created a new problem which costs the consumer money.


I think you're turning an advantage (wheather sealing) into an imaginary disadvantage...
Old strobes still fit without adapter.


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## SilverBox (Oct 9, 2022)

I have an R3 and I use the adapter when I use my Godox V1 flash because it seems to have issues with TTL when I dont use it. However my 430ex, and rented 600ex flashes work fine, as well as the Profoto ttl remote.


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## I_Miss_Minolta (Nov 1, 2022)

neuroanatomist said:


> Not correct. There’s no need to remove the gasket. A weather-sealed flash is fully compatible with the new multifunction shoe, except (as you correctly state above) it won’t be weather-sealed unless the AD-E1 is used.


You're jeopardizing your speedlite's locking foot every time you CRANK that on your camera. With my ST-E3-RT, I could only get half way before the lock stopped cold. If I pushed super hard, I could get it to lock. Why would I do that when it destroys the weather sealing anyway?


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 1, 2022)

I_Miss_Minolta said:


> You're jeopardizing your speedlite's locking foot every time you CRANK that on your camera. With my ST-E3-RT, I could only get half way before the lock stopped cold. If I pushed super hard, I could get it to lock. Why would I do that when it destroys the weather sealing anyway?


I have four 600EX-RT flashes and none need to be 'cranked' onto my R3, I just push the locking lever over firmly and they lock down. They mount in exactly the same way they did on my 1D X, with the same force required. Perhaps your ST-E3 was damaged to begin with?

Regardless, Canon states they are compatible so please stop spreading your misinformation.


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## bergstrom (Dec 13, 2022)

I'm wondering will companies like Yongnuo update their flashes hotshoes to fit the R6ii's etc better?


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## neuroanatomist (Dec 13, 2022)

bergstrom said:


> I'm wondering will companies like Yongnuo update their flashes hotshoes to fit the R6ii's etc better?


I doubt it. The existing 'old-style' foot works in the hotshoe of all Canon cameras, if they update it to the new multifunction shoe connection, their flashes will _only_ work on the newest R-series bodies. Seems like that would be shooting themselves in the multifunction foot, so to speak.


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