This may be naive but what the hot shoe really is, as opposed to cold shoe? Is it possible to use it for a regular accessory, like a video light with external power, for instance? The reason for my question is that I had the Sony HC1 which was equipped with the Intelligent Accessory Shoe - that was a nightmare, allowing only Sony's own devices, not necesserily best but always most expensive...I'd like to have a regular cold shoe on my new cam - is any adapter required for the A1?

Piotr

It is not the Canon type Advanced Accessory Shoe. It will communicate with a Canon Speedlite flash but otherwise it is not wired, and therefore not compatible with AAS accessories such as the DM-50 mic, VL-3 light, etc.