Supply chain shortages are a pretty common refrain out of Japan these days, with most manufacturers having to issue some kind of statement about reduced availability. But a lesser-reported side effect of these shortages is accessories, and sometimes the wait for new stock can be extreme. This week, one PetaPixel reader reached out via email to share that they had been waiting quite some time on an order of Canon EL-1 Speedlights. “I ordered several units over a year ago,” they write. “When speaking with Canon, they admitted to having more than 1,000 unfulfilled orders. They couldn’t provide a reason for the delay beyond supply chain issues. Which seems hard to believe.” They say this conversation took place over the phone, so it isn’t possible to verify the statement on volume of unfulfilled orders, but it is worth noting this person is a Canon Professional Services (CPS) member, which means they likely get priority access to new shipments of products. Even so, they’ve been waiting more than a year for a flash. PetaPixel reached out to Canon USA to see if it would confirm or deny the report, and the company responded only with the following: “Canon is experiencing supply chain issues with the Speedlite EL-1.” That isn’t an outright denial that there is a long list of photographers looking to pick up an EL-1, but it’s not a confirmation either — so take the 1,000 order waiting list with a grain of salt. What is clear is that this flash has suddenly become basically impossible to acquire new. B&H Photo, for example, shows it as back ordered. It’s not available directly from Canon either — neither the new or refurbished option is in stock.
The photographer’s claim that they have been waiting for over a year jives with what little public information is out there. In a Canon Community post from last year, the most recent notice of a restock came on August 2, 2023 but there hasn’t been any chatter about a resupply since. “Hey everyone, was wondering if this speedlite has been quietly discontinued? Or did it become super popular and they’re all scooped up? It seems to be unavailable at all the major retailers, including new and refurbished on Canon Direct,” one photographer writes. The EL-1 is a $1,100 flash that was first announced in 2020 alongside the M50 Mark II, so it’s not a particularly new accessory but it is Canon’s most expensive speedlight that it currently offers. The EL-10 and EL-5 are more affordable and widely available, too. The COVID pandemic and retraction of the camera industry that hit rock bottom in conjunction with lockdowns really did a number on camera manufacturing. That mixed with high demand has proven difficult for just about every camera maker to overcome. For those who are still waiting on a Fujifilm X100VI, just remember: it could be worse.
