American Bald Eagle HOLD TIGHT (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Pygargue à tête blanche) Homer, AK Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, flash, tripod and Wimberley Head II. ISO 800, F4 1/1000s Manual Exposure. Full Frame. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.
Getting the most from your flash batteries
Weather your choice is flash as fill light, or flash as main light, you most likely don't pay a lot of attention to your flash batteries and charger. With today's cameras capable of a 10 frame per second capture rate; you should.
I boost the battery capacity and recycle rate with Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery pack. The CP-E4 is powered by 8 AA batteries and attaches to the flash with an integrated cable. You still need a separate set of batteries in the flash unit itself, and I use Custom Function 12-1(for the Speedlite, not the camera) to set the 580EX II to draw recycle power from the battery pack only, as opposed to the default setting of drawing power from both the flash batteries and those in the CP-E4. That way I still have a fully-charged set of internal batteries available if the pack runs low on power after a big day of shooting action.
What kind of batteries? I use rechargeable Ultra high capacity PowerEx 2700mAh NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydrate). They cost more than alkaline batteries, but save money in the long run because they can be used hundreds of times (often more than 1,000 times). NiMH batteries preform well in cold weather, but they gradually loose power when they are not in use. I always carry a full set of spares and because they have no memory, I can charge them any time without affecting their capacity.
What kind of charger? Maximizing battery life is not only about buying the highest-capacity batteries, it's got a lot to do with the charger you choose. Buying the wrong charger can result in under, or overcharging your precious batteries; resulting in lower capacity and a shorter life. I use the PowerEx MH-C801D battery charger which holds eight AA or AAA batteries and provides a dedicated circuit to charge each cell. It can also independently condition each cell through a charge - discharge - recharge cycle (which is recommended every 10th charge). Known as a smart charger, the MH-C801D initially charges with a hight rate once the batteries are inserted, then slowly reduces the current to a trickle charge once peak current is reached. Be sure to install the batteries in sequence from left, to right, without leaving an empty bay.
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