Powering a Flash

[craig_s]

Based on a group test in a recent magazine, I've bought myself my first flashgun for the D40, a Nissin Speedlite Di622. Nothing spectacular but for £100 I'm really impressed. The quality of the light compared to the on-board flash is great.

The problem is I've no idea what the best thing to do battery wise is, so I'm looking for some advice from the more experienced folk on here. It takes 4 AA so easy enough to get hold of but am I better to buy single use ones in bulk or would a couple of sets of rechargeables be better? Cost wise rechargeable will obviously work out cheaper but will they last as long as some disposable ones? On full power, the recycle time for the flash doubles as the batteries get tired so what’s going to keep its power longest?

So what do you recommend? Any advice at all is really appreciated.

[SamHH]

I don't know what will give the best performance, but simply on the basis of cost I'd go with rechargeables. I use Engergizer and Duracell ones and they last plenty long enough for me.

[jon-]

Rechargeables are the king when it comes to flashes. Not quite the life of a normal battery but they've far less internal resistance which means your flash gun recharges much faster.

If you want to be really posh buy Sanyo Enloop or Maha Powerex and at least 2500mAH for the most bang for your buck.

The good ones aren't cheap though. The Maha charger I want is £50 for a 4 cell unit.

[Ed_P]

I do a fair bit of flash photography and researched the market quite well a few months back. There were quite a few recommendations for Sanyo Eneloop 2000 mAh batteries and loads of five-star recommendations on Amazon (where I purchased them). I've been very pleased. They have a long working life and also hold their charge well in storage.

[andy-xr]

Uniross and/or Energiser rechargeables for me. But not both in the same unit

[Vipers]

If you decide to buy in bulk, I would recommend www.7dayshop.com usually some really bargains there on Duracells

[fergusd]

I have a load of fujicell 2800 mAh NiMh A cells that I bought off ebay, for flash usage and running an in car video recorder, plus got a cheap NiMh AA charger, been brilliant and after about a years use they are all still working very well with negligable capacity reduction . . .

2800mAh are about the highest capacity AA rechargables you can get and you probably want the largest capacity possible as it will mean more recharges . . .

Buy them in sets, charge them in sets, use them in sets to prevent you from mixing fully charged and partially discharged cells together, which destroys them . . . I simply wrote a number on each set I have so I can always sort them . . .

Fd

[size13]

I use some Uniross 2500mAh and I got 24 Maplin 2000mAh when they were BOGOF for my SB600.
I tend to never run a set flat even taking 150+ flash photos.

Edited by size13 on Friday 23 October 15:15

[craig_s]

Thanks everyone
I'll have a look at them all and order them in the hope that they arrive some time this year.

[AndWhyNot]

Another vote for rechargeables.

If you've got an Asda photo place near you, check there as my local one just did an end-of-line on its rechargeables and I got 3 sets (of four) hi-capacity, branded batteries for less than £9 total.

[Simpo Two]

I have three sets of 4 NiMh rechargeables (and a charger that I think Mr Get recommended years ago that looks like car). The durability is remarkable; I use fill flash a great deal, and one set of batteries will last most of a wedding - say 400+ shots. However, the only warning you get of impending death is a sudden drastic underexposure - very little notice.