Canon CP-E4 Speedlite Compact Battery Pack

You really don't want to be cranking 74 shots through your flash in one go. You'll blow out the flash tube.

FWIW, the CP-E3 and CP-E4 are identical, except for additional sealing on the latter.

I love mine; definitely gives the 580EX tons of reserve power and the flash recycle time is practically instantaneous.

No worries, I've already been though that one ~~ it takes about 200 full power shots within the hour to cause melting.

€70 Canon fix, don't worry about it, they are professional tools and if all professionals followed what the manual said, we'd have far less photos ...

http://www.pbase.com/g​er_bee/580ex_flash

Better inserts in the CP-E4 methinks.

Double Negative wrote in post #4674504
You really don't want to be cranking 74 shots through your flash in one go. You'll blow out the flash tube.

FWIW, the CP-E3 and CP-E4 are identical, except for additional sealing on the latter.

I love mine; definitely gives the 580EX tons of reserve power and the flash recycle time is practically instantaneous.

Just curious but while using this CP-E4 pack, you still leave the batteries in your 580 EX flash right? It actually has access to all 12 AA batteries?

Edle wrote in post #4674729
Just curious but while using this CP-E4 pack, you still leave the batteries in your 580 EX flash right? It actually has access to all 12 AA batteries?

Yes, but you can configure how they're used also (use all batteries for charging, or just battery pack when connected)

Double Negative wrote in post #4674785
Yes, but you can configure how they're used also (use all batteries for charging, or just battery pack when connected)

Oh....I could pull out my manual, but I'm too lazy. I am guessing I configure this via the 580EX LCD?

GerBee wrote in post #4674542
No worries, I've already been though that one ~~ it takes about 200 full power shots within the hour to cause melting.

€70 Canon fix, don't worry about it, they are professional tools and if all professionals followed what the manual said, we'd have far less photos ...

http://www.pbase.com/g​er_bee/580ex_flash

Better inserts in the CP-E4 methinks.

Ever since reading the manual, I've been ultra-paranoid about burning out the flash. I just looked at the photos in the link you sent and I'm even more scared now! Does anyone know how many shots a 580EX II can really take in an hour? The Canon number seems a bit low and "useless".

Applies to the 580EX II.

The 580EX was recommended to use a dummy battery in the gun to get the full benefit from the pack ~ was never an aficionado of that myself. The flash flattened its own batteries first but boosted by the pack.

The way I use mine, it's still moreorless the same way and I've found when I run out of juice, simply swap out the batteries from the pack to the gun an away you go again. I rarely carry any spares!

I've let it setup whatever way it came, happy out, so have not looked in detail, but the whilst I found the manual incorrect in practice for the 580EX it is configurable and works as stated in the manual for the 580EX II.

Edle wrote in post #4674729
Just curious but while using this CP-E4 pack, you still leave the batteries in your 580 EX flash right? It actually has access to all 12 AA batteries?

GerBee-can you attach teh CP-E4 to the bottom of the camera (1D)?

scot079 wrote in post #4675284
GerBee-can you attach teh CP-E4 to the bottom of the camera (1D)?

The CP-E4 comes with a scew that lets you thread it through the battery pack and into the tripod mount of a camera.

SunTsu wrote in post #4675296
The CP-E4 comes with a scew that lets you thread it through the battery pack and into the tripod mount of a camera.

Thanks SunTsu. I read on here somewhere that doing so will cause some sort of noise that appears in photos. Wondering if anyone has attached the CP-E4 to the 1D mk III...

scot079 wrote in post #4675325
Thanks SunTsu. I read on here somewhere that doing so will cause some sort of noise that appears in photos. Wondering if anyone has attached the CP-E4 to the 1D mk III...

You're welcome. If you want, I can take a picture of the screw, etc and post it here.

I think I actually read the manual of the CP-E4 and somewhere, I read it's OK to attach the CP-E4 to the bottom of 1D series, but not others. I'll go look right now.

From the manual (mods, please let me know if I was not allowed to post part of the manual verbatim):
Notes:
1) when using an EOS Digital camera with the Compact Battery Pack CP-E4, images may contain noise due to electromagnetic interference....

It then goes on to say it's OK to attach to a 1D series body or a gripped body....

Much appreciated SunTsu

Do you mean noise as in interference in the picture? Don't know about that. And I don't know why, unless the close proximity to the camera battery causes a magnetic current ~ would have thought the Quantum battery, which is used my many Fuji owners, would be more suspect ~ but I just don't know and never use my packs attached.

I only once attached a pack to try it out, I wear a think belt and find it easier to just latch it on there via its cover flap ~ I don't thread it, just open the flap and close it over the belt.

scot079 wrote in post #4675325
Thanks SunTsu. I read on here somewhere that doing so will cause some sort of noise that appears in photos. Wondering if anyone has attached the CP-E4 to the 1D mk III...

Sun Tsu's manual quote does not make sense, does it?

An electromagnetic current from the pack can or could cause noise on say a 40D, but attach a grip with more batteries in it, an yer sound!

Or use a 1D ~~ Scratch head on this one, strange but true what?

GerBee wrote in post #4675485
And I don't know why, unless the close proximity to the camera battery causes a magnetic current ~

GerBee wrote in post #4675538
Sun Tsu's manual quote does not make sense, does it?

An electromagnetic current from the pack can or could cause noise on say a 40D, but attach a grip with more batteries in it, an yer sound!

Or use a 1D ~~ Scratch head on this one, strange but true what?

Probably has to do with the proximity of the battery pack to the electronics in the camera. With a grip in place, the battery pack is placed further away, plus there would be more shielding between the battery pack and the camera electronics. It's the electromagnetic fluxes generated by the battery pack that would cause interference with the camera. So, yes, it does make sense.