Does anyone else have a problem with batteries?

[Lelasmama05]

I had my first wedding shoot the day after halloween but I kept running into major problems. Not only were all the lighting situations completely horrible... but my flash was killing batteries within 5 minutes or less!!! It was like they were getting so hot that they just stopped working and I had to switch them out and let the other ones cool off! It was SUCH a pain in the ASS! Do any of you ever run into this problem?

[bric-a-brac]

what apertures were you shooting at? the narrower the aperture, the harder the flash is going to have to work; effectively outputting twice as much power every time you stop down.

Also, using any kind of plastic-y diffusion devise will do the same thing by absorbing the light your flash puts out and making it work harder to compensate. as an example, I stopped using Fong spheres when I learned how to bounce light properly and discovered that they EAT batteries like its their primary function. Fong probably has a contract with duracell and energizer.

now, bouncing light and working with primes and shooting between F/1.4 and 2.8 indoors for most candids, I can get through 6 hours on 12 AA's or less... I actually go through more batteries outdoors in direct sunlight when I need fill light, if anything.

[tim]

What camera, what flash, what diffuser/bouncing, what batteries, what exposure settings? I've never had that happen. Don't shoot ISO100 with flash indoors, it takes too much power and you end up with a black hole background. Typical reception exposures are ISO800 F4.0 1/100th, sometimes ISO1600 F2.8.

I recommend these batteries (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPowerex-2700mAh-Rechargeable-Batteries-holder%2Fdp%2FB0009H5VVM%2F&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325), they're not the ones that stay charged for months so you charge them the week leading up to your event. This charger (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMaha-Powerex-MH-C9000-WizardOne-Charger-Analyzer%2Fdp%2FB000NLUSLM%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Delect ronics%26qid%3D1225155101%26sr%3D8-1&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325) works great and has lots of great functions, like break in, and recovery of dead cells. I have one of these chargers (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMaha-Powerex-MH-C801D-Eight-Charger%2Fdp%2FB000E5S648%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Delectr onics%26qid%3D1239764507%26sr%3D1-4&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325) for regular everyday charging - with the C9000 I can charge 12 cells at a time.

A CP-E4 battery pack (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/498738-REG/Canon_1947B001_Compact_Battery_Pack_CP_E4.html/BI/2312/KBID/3114) hooked up to your 550/580/580 II will help recharge time and battery life too. They use 8xAA cells and i've not yet managed to get one to go flat at a wedding. I could probably do two weddings with the pack before it ran out, but I have it use power from both the pack and the internal cells. You can set it to just run the electronics on the internal cells and use the pack for flash charging.

[form]

Don't use alkalines, use NiMH. I don't run into that problem at all; ISO stays between 400 and 1600 and aperture stays between f/1.4 and f/3.5.

[bacchanal]

I recommend these batteries (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPowerex-2700mAh-Rechargeable-Batteries-holder%2Fdp%2FB0009H5VVM%2F&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325), they're not the ones that stay charged for months so you charge them the week leading up to your event.

And of course, the ones that hold their charge are Eneloops (http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/sanyo-eneloop-aaa-800-mah-rechargeable-batteriesbr4-battery-packagebrincludes-1-free-4-cell-battery-holder-p-391.html?SP_id=51&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7). Less maximum charge than the Powerex batts, but another high quality option. The C9000 charger is excellent.

[Lelasmama05]

I'll have to look into better batteries I guess. I do use a defuser though. Maybe that's what it is. I have a 30D and a 430ex flash. I was mostly at 1600 iso b/c of the horrible lighting. But there were times that I was lower when we were in the direct sunlight :mad: it just went from bad lighting to worse to worse :confused:

[focus.pocus]

What camera, what flash, what diffuser/bouncing, what batteries, what exposure settings? I've never had that happen. Don't shoot ISO100 with flash indoors, it takes too much power and you end up with a black hole background. Typical reception exposures are ISO800 F4.0 1/100th, sometimes ISO1600 F2.8.

I recommend these batteries (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPowerex-2700mAh-Rechargeable-Batteries-holder%2Fdp%2FB0009H5VVM%2F&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325), they're not the ones that stay charged for months so you charge them the week leading up to your event. This charger (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMaha-Powerex-MH-C9000-WizardOne-Charger-Analyzer%2Fdp%2FB000NLUSLM%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Delect ronics%26qid%3D1225155101%26sr%3D8-1&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325) works great and has lots of great functions, like break in, and recovery of dead cells. I have one of these chargers (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMaha-Powerex-MH-C801D-Eight-Charger%2Fdp%2FB000E5S648%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Delectr onics%26qid%3D1239764507%26sr%3D1-4&tag=headphonerevi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325) for regular everyday charging - with the C9000 I can charge 12 cells at a time.

A CP-E4 battery pack (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/498738-REG/Canon_1947B001_Compact_Battery_Pack_CP_E4.html/BI/2312/KBID/3114) hooked up to your 550/580/580 II will help recharge time and battery life too. They use 8xAA cells and i've not yet managed to get one to go flat at a wedding. I could probably do two weddings with the pack before it ran out, but I have it use power from both the pack and the internal cells. You can set it to just run the electronics on the internal cells and use the pack for flash charging.
although I am not the OP I want to thank TIM for the insight... learn something new in here everyday...

[form]

I now primarily use Powerex batteries myself; the energizers have grown old.

[tim]

although I am not the OP I want to thank TIM for the insight... learn something new in here everyday...

You think that's good, wait until you read my book!

[patrick clarke]

i await that with eager anticipation tim