Issue with Quantum Turbo Battery and Canon 580ex

rockcanyonphotosrockcanyonphotos Registered Users Posts: 117 Major grins
edited November 13, 2008 in Technique
Is anyone one aware of any special settings required when using a Quantum Turbo Battery pack with a Canon 580EX flash?? I have been using the 2 in combo lately and (a) the recycle time is not what I think it should be and (b) at the end of the football game (say 400 shots later) the battery pack still shows a full charge.

I read somewhere that you had to disable Cn.01 on a 580ex II when working with a Quantum Turbo but I don't know if that applies to the 580ex as well.

regards, Kevin
www.rockcanyonphotos.com

Canon 1DM4, 300mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8, 200mm 1.8, 24-70mm 2.8, 85mm 1.8

Comments

  • rockcanyonphotosrockcanyonphotos Registered Users Posts: 117 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2008
    Just got a return call from Quantum with the answer. In the event anyone else uses this combo.

    There is an issue with the Canon 580ex. In order for it to use the Quantum external Battery pack you need to set Cn.07 to 1 (the 580ex manual indicates that a setting of 0 should allow it to work with both the internal batteries and external pack but that is not the case).

    The 550ex is does not have this issue and the 580ex II apparently has 3 issues with an external battery (didn't get the details on this as I don't have one).

    regards, Kevin
    www.rockcanyonphotos.com

    Canon 1DM4, 300mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8, 200mm 1.8, 24-70mm 2.8, 85mm 1.8
  • i_worship_the_Kingi_worship_the_King Registered Users Posts: 548 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2008
    Sounds complicated... did you also tell them to get it fixed? deal.gif
    I make it policy to never let ignorance stand in the way of my opinion. ~Justiceiro

    "Your decisions on whether to buy, when to buy and what to buy should depend on careful consideration of your needs primarily, with a little of your wants thrown in for enjoyment, After all photography is a hobby, even for pros."
    ~Herbert Keppler
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited November 10, 2008
    I use a Canon external battery pack ( CP3 I think ) without issues or custom settings with a 580ex and a 580ex II.ne_nau.gif I like it because recycling is almost instantaneous, as long as the capacitor is not completely drained with each shot.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • GJMPhotoGJMPhoto Registered Users Posts: 372 Major grins
    edited November 13, 2008
    pathfinder wrote:
    I use a Canon external battery pack ( CP3 I think ) without issues or custom settings with a 580ex and a 580ex II.ne_nau.gif I like it because recycling is almost instantaneous, as long as the capacitor is not completely drained with each shot.

    I use the CP3s also...but with those you HAVE to have 4 batteries in the flash chamber and they will be used in all cases. As I understand it (and I could be mistaken), with the CP3, you're trickle charging the 4 non-rechargable batteries by blasting them with 12 batteries worth of power...it's about recovery time, not power. It's still the 4 batteries in the chamber that power the flash.

    If you set the Cn7 setting, I believe you're bypassing this behaviour and going straight to the external battery...which would be different. Can anyone confirm this?

    - Gary.
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited November 13, 2008
    The manual for my 580ex II, on page 27, Custom FUnction 12 - (0 = Flash and external power) (1 = External power source ).

    No where does it say anything about internal batteries only.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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