Safe to use Canon Speedlite 166A on Canon S5is?

I have a Speedlite 166A that I used a few times on my Canon S5is,
until someone told me I could damage the camera with it. I quit using
it, but is it really unsafe to use on this camera? The recommended
flashes are 220EX, 430EX, 580EX. Thanks

Steve

D. Frankinton added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

>>I have a Speedlite 166A that I used a few times on my Canon
>>S5is, until someone told me I could damage the camera with it.
>> I quit using it, but is it really unsafe to use on this
>>camera? The recommended flashes are 220EX, 430EX, 580EX.
>>Thanks
>
> Just measure what voltage is coming off the pins/contacts that
> trigger the flash. If it's 8 volts or less, 5 volts usually,
> then you're probably safe. Those warning are normally about
> very old studio flash units that typically have 80 volts or
> higher on the triggering contacts.

If the recommended externals include Canon's own 430 and 580EX
models, that strongly suggests that the camera will benefit from
the advanced electronic feedback connection between the flash and
the camera. Now, these are not cheap flashes; I have the 430EX
and I recall that it cost some $450-500 when I bought it 2 years
ago (likely far less now), but I'd personally rather spend the
$$$ and not only eliminate ANY risk to the camera and to gain the
many advantages to Canon's newer camera-flash TTL system.

> According to this list
>
> http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
>
> It sounds like that flash is perfectly safe with 4.33v.
>
> That's what you get for listening to the advice of a bunch of
> arm-chair photographers and resident trolls that infest this
> newsgroup.
>
> ...Interesting, the G7 doesn't like anything higher than 6
> volts.
>
--
HP, aka Jerry