I bring my AF 400 T and Quantum Battery 2 to every wedding, but I
haven't had to use them yet. I'm still doing okay with the AF540 and
Pentax Power pak. Maybe I'll try it newt time. I'm devoted to using
some kind of diffuser at the reception. It's just too much better than
bare flash, and I probably miss some good shots waiting, but I get
enough good ones that my clients are happy. I do make sure I'm ready
for the predictable "big moments." That's not hard to do.
Paul
On Mar 13, 2009, at 11:29 AM, Bruce Dayton wrote:
Welcome to the wedding world. Recycle times are the number one
problem. And we are talking 1 second or less as being fully usable.
Any longer and you can miss shots, as you have probably found out.
Most flashes using ANY kind of AA's won't recycle any faster than
about 5-9 seconds. The best recycle times are with the very
expensive lithiums and it is still 5-6 for your flash. It will only
be about 1 second faster than fresh alkalines. Hardly worth it.
So the only route to go is an external larger battery pack. Right
now, for the AF540GFGZ the only option is the Pentax TR-Power pak II.
I have one - it takes 6 C cells and brings the max recycle time down
to about 3 seconds. Because of thyristor circuitry, it is usually
around 1 second. Basically the more flash power needed, the longer
the recycle time, but it is much better than the AA route. Still,
it is just marginal.
Quantum makes the battery packs that are most used for flash work.
The problem right now is that none are set up for the AF540 flash.
you would have to make your own holder - not impossible. But the
battery packs are expensive - based on capacity and recycle times.
To do better than the TR-Power Pak II, it will probably cost you
more than the flash.
I have had the joy of looking into all of these things. On top of
that, light modifiers that soften the flash output take more power
and increase recycle times. So a Lumiquest Soft Box or Gary Fong
Light Sphere will increase the recycle times.
The other alternative is to use a different flash - most likely one
of the Metz big handle mounts - I have a Metz 45 CT-3 unit and 2
Pentax AF-400 T units. These can take different battery systems
from Quantum and start to get to where you want to be with both
flash output and recycle times. They are bigger, heavier and cost
more. They can usually be found used, however.
To summarize, you need big, fast batteries to get the recycle time
down. The newer Pentax flashes are not supported except by the TR
Power Pak units. They do an ok job, but not optimal (I use one all
the time). Otherwise you are looking at a different flash system -
and with enough flash output to really handle a wedding the Metz
series 45 would be your most economical choice - you would shoot
using the Auto sensor in the flash, matching your camera settings to
it. It is reliable and there are multiple battery system choices
along with multiple light modifiers you can get.
--
Best regards,
Bruce
Thursday, March 12, 2009, 11:08:49 PM, you wrote:
JC> Anyone available to answer an alliteratively quaint and quick
question?
JC> Well, I was wondering what's the best battery to buy for
frequent-flash
JC> photography. The bullshit batteries I bought for last weekend's
white
JC> wedding were obviously obsolete for that oddysey of outbusts.
JC> Alkalines are available all around, yet vary in their veracity
and voltage
JC> volume. Lithiums last a lot longer, but buying them by the bag
begets
JC> broke-ness. Rechargeables require regular monotonous mainenance
and more
JC> money at the moment of purchase, but procurement provides a pre-
existing
JC> power population in your pocket that pooh-poohs spurious
substitution by
JC> shoddy successors.
JC> Recycle rates, really, are the reason I ask about all this. My
Pentax
JC> AF540FGZ needs a new and nubile change in the charge-chamber.
Previous
JC> performance pooped out posthaste, posing a problem.
JC> Suggestions?
JC> Silly salutations,
JC> John
JC> --
JC> http://www.neovenator.com
JC> http://www.cafepress.com/calemp
JC> http://www.cafepress.com/neovenatorphoto
JC> --
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JC> [email protected]
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