Flash Recycle Time Between "M" and "ETTL"

Wilt wrote in post #5523224
'martinsmite' just call me 'Milt'

No, Martin. If you really want to get even, call him Wilted.

PacAce wrote in post #5523909
No, Martin. If you really want to get even, call him Wilted.

That is striking low, Lenny!

Wilt wrote in post #5522065
Certainly all true statements. OTOH, I rather doubt that any AA batteries would still be usable a decade and a half later from the date they were put into service, so there are the multiple replacement sets of AA to keep in mind in the expense equation.

Then there is also the unknown of how long that battery pack from Canon remains usable with future Canon flash, whereas the long term applicability of Quantum is well established across many flashes.

True, but AAs and the CP-E4 have a low up-front cost, AAs are pretty cheap, and the system is light. I just got some sealed lead acid batteries to power some flashes, they should last a good while, but without the accelerated pack the quantum does. Quantum is a better solution, I think, except for the weight, but it's not a solution i'd go for myself.

tim wrote in post #5528940
True, but AAs and the CP-E4 have a low up-front cost, AAs are pretty cheap, and the system is light. I just got some sealed lead acid batteries to power some flashes, they should last a good while, but without the accelerated pack the quantum does. Quantum is a better solution, I think, except for the weight, but it's not a solution i'd go for myself.

Yes, the Canon does have the benefit of readily available AA batteries if you should be out in the field and the batteries in the pack have been run down. And it is about $250 less than a Quantum Turbo for the initial purchase. My comment about battery longevity was to point out that my Quantum pack had been in service for 15+ years; in that period of time you would typically need to have purchased and used up 5 sets of 8 AA NiMh batteries at a cost of about $25 per set. So the differential is reduced to $125 with the benefit of a battery pack which fits many flashes, not merely Canon flash. As for weight, worn on the belt, I find that I do not notice even after 12 hours coverage of a wedding day.

I bet you look great with a hulking great battery pack on your belt I've never managed to get the CP-E4 batteries even close to flat, so that's not an issue IMHO. Different equipment for different people

tim wrote in post #5529154
I bet you look great with a hulking great battery pack on your belt I've never managed to get the CP-E4 batteries even close to flat, so that's not an issue IMHO. Different equipment for different people

No, my point was not about battery capacity until flat. My point was about the fact that NiMH has a finite life, even sitting on the shelf unused a battery set can go bad and need replacement. That is why the need for 5 sets in 15 years.

If I'm planning on an external battery pack exclusively for my 580EX, my decision would be quite simple. I do know that Quantum can be used for more than one flash, but what other lights can you use it for? Only flash units or more powerful strobes, as well?

SYS wrote in post #5529276
If I'm planning on an external battery pack exclusively for my 580EX, my decision would be quite simple. I do know that Quantum can be used for more than one flash, but what other lights can you use it for? Only flash units or more powerful strobes, as well?

You can use them with Quantum lights, Vivitar lights, Metz lights, in fact (per the Quantum chart) many different brandsand the models, which fall into the category of 'speedlights' and even 'monolights'. If curious, see www.qtm.com

Wilt wrote in post #5529165
No, my point was not about battery capacity until flat. My point was about the fact that NiMH has a finite life, even sitting on the shelf unused a battery set can go bad and need replacement. That is why the need for 5 sets in 15 years.

Wilt, the Turbo 2x2 and the Turbo SC (and I'm sure the other Turbos are the same) use NiMH batteries, too. So how are they different from the regular AA NiMH batteries?

PacAce wrote in post #5530287
Wilt, the Turbo 2x2 and the Turbo SC (and I'm sure the other Turbos are the same) use NiMH batteries, too. So how are they different from the regular AA NiMH batteries?

You point out a fact that I was not aware of. The Quantum Battery 1 and 2 and original Turbo all do not use NiMH. I love the power density of NiMH, but think it absolutely sucks that my Garmin GPS needs to be sent to Garmin if I have NiMH battery capacity issues! So I would hate dealing with the more frequent need to send battery packs to Quantum with the Turbo 2x2 and the Turbo SC, too!