Decisions Decisions

I'll be coming across $350 (Thanks to my company's fitness reimbursement plan) that I'd like to invest in some equipment.

I'm trying to decide on either 2 Canon CP-E4 - Flash power packs for my 580s

OR

Purchase an AlienBee B800 (and eventually a vagabond mini)

I've used the cheaper battery flash packs (Optima?) before and I liked having the fast recycle time but the POS broke after 3 weddings! I don't have any experience with AB's but I think adding a bigger strobe (plus off camera) could bring my photography to a new level. I have many months to learn the AlienBees before my first wedding, so I have lots of time to practice.

What would you do in my situation?

The B800 would only become more useful than 580EX flashes if a battery pack allowed you to shoot outdoors in daylight, and a B1600 would be better for that anyway.

I didn't notice so much of a difference with the battery pack that I thought it was worth the weight, bulk, cost or trouble. I bring bunches of rechargable AA's and with a fresh set in the flash at all times, recycle times have just never been an issue for me.

Get these instead of Canon, they work just as well. I have two for Nikon, got 'em off ebay for less than half what Canon charges. They've survived a dozen weddings fine.

I have two AB800s, I use them for lighting a room. One wouldn't help me at all. If you had one plus a lithium mini battery pack AND an assistant then it could be handy for really bright wedding days.

The difference of a battery pack is massive, and I never leave them home anymore. When I finally convert to off-camera all 580EX flashes, they will be even more useful because my off-camera flashes will have near instant recycle times.

A 580 with a battery pack still takes 2 seconds to recharge, if you're at full power. I wouldn't be without them either, especially for off camera lighting during the day and room lighting during the evening.

I'll look into a battery pack from my AB800 for next season, I think. Sometimes I just really want the power.

Power is useful outside with an assistant and a battery pack. Otherwise, small and portable is much easier, less bright and blinding to people, and capable of eTTL with the right triggering system.

I find in the middle of summer when you're not in shade, even with two 580s on full, they just can't match the sun even enough for good fill. That's when I want an AB800.