Originally Posted by waving_odd
Wow, I really didn't know. Good that I ask. So do you still load 8 NiMH batteries?
How about other power packs that are not using AA batteries? Are they good (in terms of power and recycling time)? I know a photog who rented one for a wedding event. His 580 EX II got damaged after 30 minute use of the power pack. He said it might be electric shocked by the pack. Sounds very unsafe.
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Yep, 8 Eneloops into the CP-E4, 4 Eneloops into the flash. I've now set that CFn to drive the light from the external batteries only. I feel like the slower recharge keeps me from burning up the flashes too much.
AA-powered flashes are built with an expectation of duty cycle, allowing cooling in between shots. Using a big power pack makes it too easy to exceed the duty cycle. I shot a bicycling event, and the paid event dude was downhill from me a bit. He had the 600/4 on a low tripod, and 70-200/2.8 handheld with flash on a battery pack. He rotates amongst 3-4 flashes all morning to keep from burning them up, and told me that many of his flashes have been Canon-refurbished (repaired?) 3-4 times because he's burned them up. That's more than a clear sign to me that it's time for a battery-powered studio strobe (as Strobist has recently covered).
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