Canon Battery Pack CP-E3

Bodley

Looking into getting a CP-E3 battery pack to decrease recycle time on my 550ex and 580ex flashes. Can't seem to find the information on Canon's site as to how much the pack improves recycle time.

Any real world experience on full power recycle time with pack? Other Canon packs better?

patch29

I own both CP-E2's and CP-E3's. They both make a significant difference in recycle times. I shoot mostly with the CP-E3's now, loaded with NiMh 2500mah batteries. I can shoot candids with a 580 all day on a fresh set of 12 batteries. The CP-E3's are a worthwhile upgrade from the CP-E2's. They hold two more batteries, use a battery magazine for fast reloads (not that I have any extras) and the case is much more user friendly for attaching to a belt or lightstand. I have been very happy with mine.


A quick test with a 580EX, fresh NiMh 2500mah batteries, full power, manual flash 1/1.

without the CP-E3, about 3-4 seconds for full recycle.

with the CP-E3, about 1 second for full recycle.

Bodley

patch29 wrote:

I own both CP-E2's and CP-E3's. They both make a significant difference in recycle times. I shoot mostly with the CP-E3's now, loaded with NiMh 2500mah batteries. I can shoot candids with a 580 all day on a fresh set of 12 batteries. The CP-E3's are a worthwhile upgrade from the CP-E2's. They hold two more batteries, use a battery magazine for fast reloads (not that I have any extras) and the case is much more user friendly for attaching to a belt or lightstand. I have been very happy with mine.


A quick test with a 580EX, fresh NiMh 2500mah batteries, full power, manual flash 1/1.

without the CP-E3, about 3-4 seconds for full recycle.

with the CP-E3, about 1 second for full recycle.

Just the info I needed. Guess I'm out a few hundred more :cry

Thanks

Greg

Bodley

Any Battery Recommendations?

patch29

I use Energizer AA NiMh 2500 mah. I bought them at Sam's Club with an 8 hour charger.

mercphoto

Bodley wrote:

Any real world experience on full power recycle time with pack?

Search the forums because I posted such information elsewhere. It is more than a 2X improvement. Also using 2500 mAH NiMH batteries is a big plus over Alkaline as well. I believe I got recycle times to about 1 second at full power.

I bought a second magazine and 20 NiMH batteries. I set the flash to use the internal batteries only for running the flash unit not for recycling, and to use the external batteries only for recycling the flash. This way when I run low and swap out the magazine I don't have to also swap out the batteries in the flash unit. Since the batteries in the flash only run the control logic they last forever.