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Canon Speedlite 90EX

Jim Fisher
 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Canon Speedlite 90EX - Digital Cameras
3.5 Good

The Bottom Line

The Canon Speedlite 90EX is an impressively compact flash. It pairs well with the compact EOS M, but can be used with any Canon camera that supports Speedlites.
Best Deal£146

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£146

Pros & Cons

    • Compact.
    • Inexpensive.
    • 24mm wide-angle coverage.
    • No tilt or bounce.
    • Slow recycle time.
    • Inconsistent output depending on camera settings.

The Canon Speedlite 90EX ($149.99 direct)($146.00 at Amazon) is the smallest and least expensive strobe in Canon's Speedlite lineup. Even though it was released along with the compact EOS M($489.98 at Amazon) it is compatible with Canon's full EOS camera line, including the full-frame EOS 6D($1,999.99 at Amazon).

The Speedlite 90EX is about 2 by 1.7 by 2.6 inches (HWD) in size and weighs a mere 1.8 ounces. It's powered by two AAA batteries. We tested the flash on both the EOS M and the 6D. The recycle time using alkaline cells is about 3.6 seconds, making it more appropriate for casual snapshots than for event coverage. The quality of light is excellent when shooting in Scene Intelligent Auto mode. Shots were well exposed, without blown highlights, and the character of ambient lighting was not lost in the shot. Switching to Program mode was not as kind. The flash output in that mode was harsh to the point where it overpowered the ambience of images. Fine tuning in manual mode garnered better results, but for casual shooters it's best to leave the camera in full automatic mode.

The flash doesn't have any sort of bounce capability, which is another way to soften output. If that's something you'd like out of a strobe, consider stepping up to the Speedlite 270 EX II. It's only $20 more, although it's a bit bigger and heavier at 2.6 by 2.6 by 3 inches and 5.5 ounces. It will still pair nicely with the EOS M, and its 72-foot Guide Number at ISO 100 indicates that it can output more than twice the light as the 90EX; it's rated at 30 feet at ISO 100. The Guide Number is a standardized method of measuring flash output.

If you're looking for a compact flash for your Canon camera system, you won't find one much smaller than the Speedlite 90EX. It pairs very nicely with the EOS M, and if you leave the camera in automatic mode the resulting photos are quite pleasant. Stepping up to the 270 EX II is a good idea if you want a bit more versatility, including bounce capability. It's a little bit bigger, but should still pair nicely with the EOS M and other Canon SLRs.

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Further Reading

Final Thoughts

Canon Speedlite 90EX - Digital Cameras

Canon Speedlite 90EX Review

3.5 Good

The Canon Speedlite 90EX is an impressively compact flash. It pairs well with the compact EOS M, but can be used with any Canon camera that supports Speedlites.

Get It Now
Best Deal£146

Buy It Now

£146

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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