Best batteries for speedlights

[Cuchulainn]

I had forgotten that I had not yet removed the set from my second speedlight. Here is an example of the overheating/splitting I was talking about. This one actually did leak some. It was sticky all along the split seam. Maybe just adhesive thought?

[smenzel]

I can't stand the idea of disposable batteries so I use rechargeable where ever possible, including the camera equipment. Couple of things to keep in mind with NiMH and LiOn batteries:

- the higher the mAh, the longer they'll last
- buy your batteries online and in quantity. You'll save a bundle
- recharge frequently
- don't listen to the nay-sayers

When I shop for NiMH batteries, I do a cost per unit comparison and get as high a mAh as is reasonable. This last batch of 2500 mAh AA batteries cost me a dollar (US$) a piece including shipping. They're supposed to be good for a thousand charges. Even if I only get a hundred charges that's keeping a lot of alkaline out of landfills.

Back when I used Alkaline batteries, I would run them bone dry getting every drop of energy out of them before disposing of the battery. Now that I use NiMH batteries, I recharge them whenever I have down time. It isn't like the extra charge is going to hurt the battery. And I'm at full charge when I head out the door.

If you do opt to go the NiMH route, be sure to get a decent charger. I've had good chargers and bad chargers. The former are great while the latter were quite frustrating.

[elloco]

I agree on the NiMH vs. Lithium ... those babies are dangerous ... Lithium-Ion batteries used to be the prime choice for all things that needed lasting batteries ... like laptops ... cellphones ... portable players ... cameras ... but it turned out they tend to overheat, leak and in extremely rare cases even explode or catch fire ... hence all of the tech I mentioned above, now has NiMH based batteries instead ... listen to Cuchu ... drop the Lithiums and get some NiMH's ...

oh and a tip ... colorcode your battery sets ... you never know when they will get mixed up ...

[Taltan]

A question about rechargable batteries. I bought myself a kit with a recharger and 4 batteries included. But for my SB-800 I will need 1 more battery. So I went to the store and got myself a two pack of batteries of the same brand.

But they have different mAh. The kit batteries has 2450 mAh and the new batteries has 2600 mAh. So my question is, can I use them at the same time in my SB-800?

[Jose-Miguel]

Main problem with rechargeable cells is voltage.
For rechargeable cells there are 3 characteristics:
- type: NiCd or NiMh, differences already explained in prev posts
- capacity mAs: the higher, the longer they'll last
- voltage: non rechargeable are 1.5 V, rechargeable batteries are 1.2 V

A speedlight with 4 cells will get 4x1.5=6 V from std cells, while only 4x1.2=4.8 V from rechargeable cells.
Speedlights works better with higher voltage, so a standard cell will always be better and faster than a rechargeable cell. That's why some people recommends std cells.

[DameAgs]

eloco....color coding batty sets...good point...regards, dame

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Jose-Miguel

...A speedlight with 4 cells will get 4x1.5=6 V from std cells, while only 4x1.2=4.8 V from rechargeable cells.
Speedlights works better with higher voltage, so a standard cell will always be better and faster than a rechargeable cell. That's why some people recommends std cells.

And they'd be wrong. According to the Strobist, NiMHs deliver more current, even though the nominal voltage is lower. He says:

To be sure, Ni-MH's are at a disadvantage in the voltage department. But voltage is not the only thing that matters in recycling a flash. When that flash is chirping away and you are waiting for the little light to turn red, what a flash needs is current. And NiMH's deliver current in spades.

Think of two hoses, with the first having a little more water pressure than the second. But the first one is a garden hose, and the second is a fire hose. The fire hose may have slightly less water pressure, but it can still deliver more water per second. Ditto the Ni-MH battery with current.

Example: My SB-26's take 6-7 seconds to recycle a full-power, manual shot with good alkalines. But with fresh Ni-MH's, they recycle in 3.5-4 seconds.

That lower-voltage/faster-recycle thing is counterintuitive, but true. And to be honest with you, if they were slower than alkalines I would still be mainlining the Duracells.

[Cuchulainn]

Thats a really good tip on color coding the battery sets. I have a bunch of those colored dots. I am going to color code mine. I haven't mixed them up yet, but I can see that is something that will probably happen sooner or later.

Originally Posted by elloco

I agree on the NiMH vs. Lithium ... those babies are dangerous ... Lithium-Ion batteries used to be the prime choice for all things that needed lasting batteries ... like laptops ... cellphones ... portable players ... cameras ... but it turned out they tend to overheat, leak and in extremely rare cases even explode or catch fire ... hence all of the tech I mentioned above, now has NiMH based batteries instead ... listen to Cuchu ... drop the Lithiums and get some NiMH's ...

oh and a tip ... colorcode your battery sets ... you never know when they will get mixed up ...

[faustomatic]

Hi guys
I just found the forum side of this site today. I've been using Sony 2500 mAh NiMH "AA"s for my 430EX and 540EZ with no problems. I'm shooting 8fps and I can get all 8 frames with flash most of the time. I carry 3 sets of 4 batteries including the ones in the flash. You might also find these useful: http://www.countycomm.com/CBH.htm I just picked up 2 of them to keep my loose batteries under control.

[Cuchulainn]

Very cool find. Thanks!

I just ordered one of each of the 4 colors and a couple of the MPCC cases as well.

Originally Posted by faustomatic

Hi guys
I just found the forum side of this site today. I've been using Sony 2500 mAh NiMH "AA"s for my 430EX and 540EZ with no problems. I'm shooting 8fps and I can get all 8 frames with flash most of the time. I carry 3 sets of 4 batteries including the ones in the flash. You might also find these useful: http://www.countycomm.com/CBH.htm I just picked up 2 of them to keep my loose batteries under control.