Rechargeables in flash?

tjphotography · Mar 25, 2008

I use the Quantum Turbo for the quick recycling time. It costs big $$$, but when you can't wait 1 sec. for the flash to recycle it worth every penny.

It plugs into my SB-800 and the batteries in the SB-800 are just for the LCD screen. The quantum actually powers the flash output.

Travis
www.tjphotography.com

table1349 · Mar 25, 2008

tjphotography said:
I use the Quantum Turbo for the quick recycling time. It costs big $$$, but when you can't wait 1 sec. for the flash to recycle it worth every penny.

It plugs into my SB-800 and the batteries in the SB-800 are just for the LCD screen. The quantum actually powers the flash output.

Travis
www.tjphotography.com

Three of those are on my long list. The PW's were bad enough at $188 each.

RKW3 · Mar 25, 2008

I have rechargable for my sb-600. I have a bunch that I try to keep fully charged as much as possible.

keith204 · Mar 25, 2008

Rechargeable batteries here too. I can't imagine all the money I've saved for not using normal ones.. I do have a set of 20 or so normal AA's I put in my bag if I am worried that I'll go through all the rechargeables.

royalWITHcheese2 · Mar 26, 2008

i use rechargeable too, although someone told me lithium would work well too.

Chris H. · Apr 6, 2008

thanks for the replies everyone!

JerryPH · Apr 7, 2008

An interesting note. This Saturday I had a chance to do a birthday party. I used Nikons off camera CLS, which means 2-3 preflashes before the flash on all pictures. I took over 450 pictures on the same 5 batteries over a 6 hour period. I usually change the batteries at around the 250-300 shot mark, but this is the first time I pushed them.

Even with that many flashes, recharge times were under 3 seconds at the end of the day and here is the surprising part... I thought I was using my Energizer 2700mAh rechargeables... but it was the 2500mAh ones.

I was very pleased with the info, and now know that I don't need more than 1 sets of batteries for the day unless I am doing a wedding or something that requires more than 400 pictures.

I bet that if I was going full manual on the flashes, that I could get better than 500 flashes out of a set of batteries becuase there is no preflash (for auto adjustment prior to each picture) and I would usually be between 1/16th to 1/2 power, depending on the needs.

Thats all pretty amazing considering how powerful the SB-800 really is and how much one flash can light up.

Village Idiot · Apr 7, 2008

I had 16 dead batteries after Saturday. But that was me having to change my 4 PW batteries and using 8 non rechargables in two other flashes after the rechargables died.

iflynething · Oct 9, 2008

Bump.

I was wondering about rechargeables in my SB-800. I use 5 so it would be awkward for charging. Two separate charges. Anyways, I think fro mwhat I have just read, I will start using them. I have been using Lithiums, but they are too damn expensive. $10 for 4. I need two packs. My simple math tells me $20 and tax for that.

Anyways, I'm going to get some rechargables now

~Michael~

ksmattfish · Oct 10, 2008

Chris H. said:
Ive heard mixed talk about using rechargable AA's in a flash...

Other than the slow leak what are the downsides you've heard?

I use NiMh in my flashes and battery packs. The first year I switched from alkalines I saved over $500! I've been using Duracells, Energizer, and PowerEx. They all work fine.

zandman · Oct 10, 2008

i have a battery charger that can charge any rechargable batteries, can hold 8 or more AA's at the same time and you can monitor what's goin on.
it's up for sale if anyone's interested.

JerryPH · Oct 10, 2008

tjphotography said:
I use the Quantum Turbo for the quick recycling time. It costs big $$$, but when you can't wait 1 sec. for the flash to recycle it worth every penny.

It plugs into my SB-800 and the batteries in the SB-800 are just for the LCD screen. The quantum actually powers the flash output.

Travis
www.tjphotography.com

They are good... and are good for 1 second recycle times at FULL power of an SB-800. Thing is, if you do 50-60 1 second shots, your batteries will be great, but your SB-800 will be toasted. The flash itself is not made to exceed anything more than 3 flashes in 4 seconds at the very most. Anything else and you are going to need to scrounge up another $320 for it's replacement.

There is no AA battery in existence that can kill a SB-800, so I can fire away with impunity and I'll live with the 300+ pics at a time the AAs give me with 1-2 second recycle times on 1/2 power and use multiple strobes.

E6filmuser · Oct 17, 2008

I use Ni-Cads and Ni-MH all the time. As both produce only 1.2V there could be a problem with voltage-sensitive equipment but a flashgun capacitor is either charged or it is not. I don't fire off shots in rapid succession, so overheating is not an issue. The cost of ordinary AA cells is prohibitive if you use flash for a high proportion of shots.

Ni-Cads which are not fully discharged before recharging can develop a "memory" for low charge. With "smart" chargers available, that need no longer be a problem.

GrfxGuru · Oct 17, 2008

I recently started using Sanyo Eneloops as replacements for my Energizer 2500ma rechargables and have been blown away by how long they last. My Energizers would drain real fast and in the end I would carry standard throw away cells and use those instead. so a big thumbs up to the Sanyo Eneloops.