Yes.  There was a post on photo.net a couple of says ago re. the matrix
metering system in the Nikon D80 vs the one in the D200.  The post included
the reply from Nikon which specifically stated that these cameras were
intended for different markets (skill levels).

I suspect that here, arrogant or not, Canon assumes that one who buys the 5D
will probably have/want a set of external strobes (note, here I say set),
because he/she will probably be doing more sophisticated lighting.

Different cameras are geared towards different people -- it that
wasn't so then there would only be the need for 1 camera.  Most pros
and some amatures have a selection of cameras for doing different
things.  That particular camera is aimed at people who wouldn't
necessarily use that feature.  Let me give you another example:  back
in "the day" when people used film, Canon had the "R" series of
cameras.  They used a semi-reflective mirror instead of a movable
mirror so you didn't get the brightest image in the viewfinder.  There
was no "pop up" flash.  If I remember right, the focusing was a bit
funky and it was split-ring focusing if you were in manual mode.  So
who'd want a camera with a dark viewfinder and funky focusing?  Well,
everyone who shot sports.  Because the mirror didn't move, the shutter
was REAL fast and the winders were like lightning.  You could blow
through a roll of film in something like 2 seconds if you weren't
careful.  The dark viewfind wasn't too bad and the flash would have
been useless because this was a sports camera and was most often used
outdoors in daylight.  Different strokes (and different cameras) for
different folks.

Another answer to your question is a bit more technical.  The guide
number on those flashes are so low that most advanced users find them
useless.  They just add weight to the camera.  Since it isn't really
an entry level camera, they figure that whoever buys it already owns a
flash.  Heck, I don't always get enough light out of a EX 580 and
sometimes have to shoot off two of them together.

So just figure different strokes for different folks.  If the camera
you have doesn't suit your needs, get a different one.

On Apr 23, 7:21 pm, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
wrote:
<snip>

<snip>

Here's the thing...take a picture with a direct, on the camera axis,
pop-up flash and then take a picture with a speedlight bounced off a
wall or ceiling and then tell me how wonderful pop-up flashes are.
There's no comparison. Pop-up flashes can be nice to have in a pinch
and yes they've improved massively, but they are in no way going to
replace external flashes--it's an issue of quality. You cannot get
great lighting with a flash on the camera axis...it's just flat.
Lighting needs dimension. It's not an old photographer being stingy
about old techniques and ways of things...it's just the way it
is...sorry guys :)

Joe

It's not that complicated at all.  It's simply Canon maintaing their
version of the pro paradigm and esp. wanting to sell IR flash controllers.

This is the same as the other nasty Canon habit: only the "pro" models
of their cameras have spot meters.  This is not so bad for digital but
for the dedicated amateur shooting slide film but who didn't want (or
could not afford) to pay the bucks for an EOS-(d) 1 digit body.  The
absence of a spot meter for shooting slide film is a terrible thing
Canon did to film shooters.  (Don't count the EOS 10(s) as the so called
spot meter was nearly 10%... hardly a "spot" meter)

In introducing the Maxxum 9, Minolta bravely burst the pop up flash
paradigm and made one of the best pro bodies _ever_ made for 35mm
photography (though not because of the pop up flash).  I never, not
once, used that pop up for lighting, but very often used it in the
studio for lighting _control_ which is the real reason it was put there.
 That camera sports a 1/12,000 shutter speed and 1/300 sync speed.
Very rare in film plane shutter cameras of any kind.

It would appear, however, that the pro Sony DSLR will also be bereft of
a popup flash.

(The only other film plane shutter camera with a sync speed as fast is
the Nikon F5).  Canon, the wimps, never got faster than 1/250.