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Planning to use SB600/800s for a remote shoot I have coming up, and wanted to learn about battery options.

I currently have one SB-600, which I am very happy with. I dont need the commander, nor extra power from the SB800 (strictly).

I need a second, and perhaps a third flash for this assignment. So, naturally, was thinking of getting two more SB600's.

However, then started to look at extended battery options, and came across the nikon SD-8A. Which looks like it provides double battery life, plus the onboard batteries, however, only connects to the SB800. Am I right to think, that if I want to use the SD-8A, its only an option for SB800s.

With the above understanding, I went to google, and noticed Quantum have various solutions, including one for the SB600 (looks like it has an adapter to mount inside (like fake AA's) and then connects to the belt pack. Does this sound right? I cant make out what I need from the Quantum site, its one of the worst I've ever seen. If the Quantum pack will connect to my SB600, then maybe I buy more 600's. However, the cost of the Quantum pack, may far outway the savings, and I may be just as well off getting two more SB800's and the SD-8A.

I think I saw one of the guys with an SD-8A on at the Melbourne Workshop, just wondering if anyone in here can offer some tips. Primarily to compare the SB800+SD-8A with the SB600+quantum options.

in addition, can one SD-8A support two SB800's?

I have only used alkline in the past, perhaps there is a third option, using the SB600/800 with better rechargables?

option 4, Metz has some very powerful hammer heads, no doubt have good batteries in the handles...?

this looks like the quantum one...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=330895&is=REG

anyone know if HK SUpplies have any options?

Oz_Beachside wrote:option 4, Metz has some very powerful hammer heads, no doubt have good batteries in the handles...?

The 45 used 6 Nicads in a pack that fitted into the base of the handle.

The 60 used a gel cel that was contained in a shoulder pack that's connected to the gun via an umbilical cord.

thanks Gary,
I noticed Ted's were clearing some items, they sold a 60, and a 45 on ebay for not much...

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=220072843894&rd=1&rd=1

If you were in Sydney, I could lend you my Metz 45 Cl4 which includes two rechargable battery packs and two spare AA battery packs. Plenty of power, plus second fill flash. (I like my Metz )

P

Reschsmooth wrote:If you were in Sydney, I could lend you my Metz 45 Cl4 which includes two rechargable battery packs and two spare AA battery packs. Plenty of power, plus second fill flash. (I like my Metz )

P

thanks for the offer. I think the SB800, but would love a better recycle time. Battery life would be ok, just not the waiting time (based on my expereince with a SB600).

Oh how I wish I could take my bowens 500ws travel pack (but not an option on this gig).

Firing two flashes at half power will be faster to cycle than firing one at full power. With that in mind, why not go for a more powerful flash (albeit only 1/3 of a stop more power) and use it at a lesser power setting than the less powerful flash and asking more from it?!

It's like driving a six cyl versus a four. It's false economy if the four is working harder to achieve the set goals when the six could do it with less effort.

There are low resistance alkalines which may cut down on recycle times (Duracell Ultra M3, Energizer Titaniums, etc), or lithium cells if your pocket extends to it (or if the shoot pays, and the expense is justified). Rechargeables will offer marginally better recycle times, Nicads being better than NiMH, but these days its very rare to find good quality NiCads in AA cell format, as the mass market moves towards the fallacy of higher capacity is necessarily better in rechargeable batteries.

As for 1 SD-8A pack connecting to 2 flash units - it's not a factory supported option, so it can't be done without modifications. As the -8A cuts the SB800's full power flash recycle time to under 2 seconds (from 6s), I'm guessing there's ample capacity in reserve to split that output to two flash units even if they're firing concurrently.

Onyx wrote:Firing two flashes at half power will be faster to cycle than firing one at full power. With that in mind, why not go for a more powerful flash (albeit only 1/3 of a stop more power) and use it at a lesser power setting than the less powerful flash and asking more from it?!

It's like driving a six cyl versus a four. It's false economy if the four is working harder to achieve the set goals when the six could do it with less effort.

There are low resistance alkalines which may cut down on recycle times (Duracell Ultra M3, Energizer Titaniums, etc), or lithium cells if your pocket extends to it (or if the shoot pays, and the expense is justified). Rechargeables will offer marginally better recycle times, Nicads being better than NiMH, but these days its very rare to find good quality NiCads in AA cell format, as the mass market moves towards the fallacy of higher capacity is necessarily better in rechargeable batteries.

As for 1 SD-8A pack connecting to 2 flash units - it's not a factory supported option, so it can't be done without modifications. As the -8A cuts the SB800's full power flash recycle time to under 2 seconds (from 6s), I'm guessing there's ample capacity in reserve to split that output to two flash units even if they're firing concurrently.

chi you never ceaae to amaze me with your technical knowledge

I use the sd-8A and find it good enough for hardcore press stuff like shooting red carpet at MTV music awards thats a 1 hour red carpet with my flash going off pretty much all the way through, i still had enough juice to shoot media room afterwards as well

most other press photogs have the quantum battery packs and they are great but i think for a photoshoot you wont need one for the expense
it woudl be more cost effective to buy a whole stack of spare batteries instead

Onyx wrote:Firing two flashes at half power will be faster to cycle than firing one at full power. With that in mind, why not go for a more powerful flash (albeit only 1/3 of a stop more power) and use it at a lesser power setting than the less powerful flash and asking more from it?!

It's like driving a six cyl versus a four. It's false economy if the four is working harder to achieve the set goals when the six could do it with less effort.

Perfect feedback, thanks. Makes sense, and I had planned to use two for a "larger light source" (physically). I think that will solve the recycle time issue.

wendellt wrote:I use the sd-8A and find it good enough for hardcore press stuff like shooting red carpet at MTV music awards thats a 1 hour red carpet with my flash going off pretty much all the way through, i still had enough juice to shoot media room afterwards as well

most other press photogs have the quantum battery packs and they are great but i think for a photoshoot you wont need one for the expense
it woudl be more cost effective to buy a whole stack of spare batteries instead

Agree, and a this style of shoot is not as tight timing as a "red carpet" press stuff.

As for a heap of batteries, is there a recommedned rechargale, or non-rechargable, with suitable characteristics for flash demands?

Appreciate your help

Further food for thought:

• SB800 can use 5 AAs instead of just 4. This improves both recharge time (through higher voltage) and runtime (through higher capacity).
• NiMH AAs will provide faster flash recharging and longer runtime than alkalines. They can source more current even though their nominal voltage is lower. I don't think particular types/brands will make a difference: just get ones with a fairly large capacity.
• The external power systems that use "dummy batteries" to inject 6V in place of 4 AAs can be good.
  I made an external power pack for my Canon 420EX some years back. I still use it sometimes on the 420EX when it's a remote slave (e.g. in the rafters of a chapel). I now use a Canon CP-E3 pack for my main 580EX flash.
  In fact I've got another 6V SLA battery and charger on the shelf here in case you want to make a pack for an SB flash (keep in mind that it usually requires cutting a notch into the battery door to get the cord out).
• In the Canon flashes that can use external power packs (e.g. 540EZ, 550EX, 580EX) the internal AAs are still required to power the logic circuits and the flash zoom. I think the SB flashes are the same. I know of one guy who uses his flash so much while shooting bicycle races that he's had to set up his 580EX with dummy batteries for the internal power, coming from the same source as the power going into the high-voltage flash-charging power socket. Apparently he was draining the AA batteries during the shoot due to the zoom function.

 BTW, I've just returned from a week of bird shooting in western Victoria. With a 580EX flash (with Better Beamer) and a CP-E3 external power pack (takes 8x AAs) I would take 200-400 telephoto shots per session in two sessions per day (mainly flight shots around a gannet colony) using fill flash on almost every shot. The internal four 2000 mAh AAs got recharged a couple of times during the week, but the external eight 2400 mAh AAs got recharged every night (my charger indicated it pumped around 1700 mAh into each on average). FWIW, my 30D's BP511A battery got recharged only once during the week.

Oz_Beachside wrote:As for a heap of batteries, is there a recommedned rechargale, or non-rechargable, with suitable characteristics for flash demands?

Flash use is quite torturous on batteries. As DaveB points out in his post, using external power sources in the SB's will still require 4 cells in the flash unit, to power the unit's electronic circuits and LCD display, etc.

For NiMH cells, higher capacities means higher resistance (due to more metal plate membranes to store that higher capacity), which translates into longer flash recycle times. It also produces more heat in the cells and shorten their useful life. Nearly all the Japanese cells are made by Sanyo, with the Chinese ones made by ???. There's little difference between brands, but I'd avoid the absolute cheapies.

However if you can't recharge to re-use your batteries during the shoot, it may make sense to get a whole heap of throw-away alkalines to use. Any brand should do - just avoid zinc carbon (aka. "Heavy Duty" or "Super Heavy Duty") cells.

the ones i use are 2500mah they can take more charge

but now i think they go up higher

theres a really cool 1 hour super charger sold at Jaycar, chi got me onto it

Jaycar seem to have two online;

2500mAH - NiMH $4.75
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB1744&CATID=18&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=583

and a 2400mAH - NiMH $3.90
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB1727&CATID=18&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=583

WOuld the difference be improved life, and the cost of shorter recycle times for the more expensive ones?

Secondly, as for a charger, looks liek they have two of the fast charger type;

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MB3537&CATID=18&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=295

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MB3536&CATID=18&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=295

Which batteries, which charger suits the fast recycle time?

I dont mind changing to a second, or third set in the day. Just want the faster recycle time...

keep it simple

2500MAH

the charger i have is called

powertech plus
MB-3538

Oz_Beachside

Here is another site for Maha Powerex Chargers (4 and 8 at a time) and Batteries:

http://www.servaas.com.au/

Contact details below:

http://servaas.com.au/contact_us.php

fozzie

fozzie wrote:Oz_Beachside

Here is another site for Maha Powerex Chargers (4 and 8 at a time) and Batteries:

http://www.servaas.com.au/

Contact details below:

http://servaas.com.au/contact_us.php

fozzie

Cheers, I just oredered some of the 2700mAH batteries, and a fast charger. I ordered 16 batteries in total, which gives me 4 for the SB600, 5 for the SB800 (april's purchase) and 7 spare.

I'll give those a try. I think, from the cheapo alkallines I was using, to these, plus a SB800 at the same time, I can reduce the power, and therfore reduce the recycle times down to a few seconds, so we are not waiting for the shot.

thanks all for your help.