20D w/ grip and Quantum Turbo 2x2

Group,

I just bought a cable for use with my 20D w/ grip and Quantum Turbo 2x2 battery pack which had been only used to power my 580EX flash. My question is: when using the 20D's grip (where the 2x2 has a battery-shaped device that goes in place of one battery), do I remove the other battery from the grip when using the 2x2? If I leave the other battery in the grip, will I get longer useage out of the 20D/2x2?

Thanks,

Dennis

After reading and re-reading your post, I'm not entirely sure what you want to know.

I could be wrong, but I would think that set-up would work just like having 2 batteries in the grip. It shouldn't matter wheather one is actually an external battery pack or not, as long as the external is putting the same current onto the camera. You might want to run a multimeter on each to see what readings you get. Did you have to mod the door closure of the grip significantly? or was it a simple drilling of a hole in the door

Actually, your thoughts are similar to mine. Since the 2x2 can replace the single battery in the 20D's body, it must provide adequte current all by itself (if not using a grip), and since the grip can be run on one battery (I think), then I was guessing that I could run the 2x2 power into the grip all by itself without having to indert the other battery in the grip. I assume the grip just runs both battteries is parallel which would explain why it can work with one or two batteries installed.

No need to drill a hole. There is a little rubber flap (both on the grip and on the body of the 20D - you gotta look closely to find it) through which the wire can be run. The actual power cord from the 2x2 is a wire attached to a thing that looks just like the 20D's battery (BP-511? or something like this?). The wire from this then runs down to the 2x2 battery pack.

To the guy wondering what the heck I was talking about, is it clearer than mud now?

The 2x2 provides DC through a wire that terminates in a device that looks like a 20D battery. I was wondering, when I insert this into the grip, do I need to also insert one REAL battery?

I guess I'll ask another question: can the 20D's battery pack be run with only one battery?

Wont you lose the weight balance of the 2 511 packs if you dont use them in the grip. I am drooling over this $500 battery pack! Cant really think if a use for my situation, but MAN! SCHWING!!!

Here are a couple photos to clarify my question. As can be seen in the first one, the Quantum cable takes the place of the left battery in the grip. Do I even need the real battery in the right side of the grip?

In the second image, you can see how the cable leads out through a spring-loaded panel on the side of the grip - pretty neat.

Anyone have any idea if I need the second battery while the Quantum 2x2 is in use for the 20D?

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Since you don't need 2 batteries in the grip, it'll operate fine with only one, I see no reason why you should need a regular battery in addition to the Quantum adapter, if it's providing the correct power levels.

Man, that thing must run your camera for months!

Well, I finally heard back from Quantum, and they made it real easy. They haven't tested the Quantum Turbo 2x2 with the battery grip from the 20D, so they want me to send my cable into them for a free modification.

So, for the upcoming weekend's 3 night football games, I'm just gonna take the grip off and run the 20D off the 2x2 (along with my 580 flash). Then, if they can turn it around in a reasonable time, I'll send it to them to mod.

Dante, I've never run the camera off the 2x2, but I know the flash will last for well over 1,000 cycles before it even comes close to running out. Actually, I've only gotten it down to about 30% power after shooting 4 night games and around 1,200 shots. I'm assuming that it will power the 20D and my flash for at least half that many shots.

When using the Turbo 2x2, does it power the flash as well as the camera???