How necessary are battery packs?

cdifoto wrote in post #16420320
That's really good. I might go back to ABs then. 1/2 power should be pretty much always ready then.

No. Needs at least 1-2 seconds on the vagabond. Ive clicked the button to fast and will get an underexposed shot. Nothing that cant be fixed but best to wait a couple of seconds.

umphotography wrote in post #16420424
No. Needs at least 1-2 seconds on the vagabond. Ive clicked the button to fast and will get an underexposed shot. Nothing that cant be fixed but best to wait a couple of seconds.

Interesting. Might be close enough for me though. I don't do bursts with flashes but I want my lights ready for randomly grabbed candids. Slight underexposure wouldn't bother me as much as a complete non-fire does anyway.

I put the aforementioned Interfit on lowest and it still took 4 seconds to recycle. Needless to say it went back to B&H. Lowest on it was the same as my cheap YongNuos on 1/2 I believe, a setting on which they're virtually always ready. I'm better off with the cheap lights on that basis.

Curtis N wrote in post #16418076
Oh, how omnipotent you must be! You can anticipate every conceivable photographic situation and conclude that using most of the power from a 600EX would be inappropriate.

Canon sells flash units with external power sockets. Canon also sells the CP-E4 battery pack. They are designed to be used together. Thousands of professionals have used them for millions of shots without destroying their flash unit.

We use technology today that didn't exist 10 or 20 years ago, and sometimes new technology gives rise to creative opportunities. Sometimes people will use technology differently than you would. Feel free to tell them all what's appropriate.

Omnipotent? Did you look in the mirror today? You would have been better off checking your comprehension as well. I do know that 1/4 power HSS has immediate recycle and has no requirement for a battery pack. However, why not ask ECHO63 who I quoted ( https://photography-on-the.net …p?p=16413609&po​stcount=13) and who states that despite having a battery pack for his speedlites he "plans on getting a set of Quadras at some stage - that should solve (his) power/recycle time issues" Both recycling and power are an obvious issue with Speedlites however you want to dress it up or compensate for it. Obviously you missed the "Quadra - power/ recycle issues" statement as well? Probably whilst celebrating the fact that you use a battery pack all the time - and therefore - everybody should(?) It seems that you yourself are stipulating WHAT is appropriate - yourself being 'omnipotent' and I only answering the question posed by OP with his requirements in mind.

I often attach a 6K strobe to my camera because it has a PC socket. Thats what the PC socket is for. Just because its there, doesn't mean its always appropriate.