Which batteries give the fastest recycle time in a Canon 430EX II flash?
Asked 4/27/2012
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I’m using a Canon 430EX II for bird photography with a flash extender and have found recycle times very slow with alkaline AA batteries. In continuous shooting, I usually only get flash on the first frame, and in single-shot mode I may wait 15–30 seconds between flashes.
What rechargeable batteries are best if I want the fastest possible recycle times from a speedlight like the 430EX II? Is NiMH the right choice, and would an external battery pack be the only way to improve performance further for short bursts of 3–5 shots?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
6
If you want fast recycle times on the 430ex and most other speedlights, you need an external battery. No AA sized battery can deliver enough power -- its a limitation of the physical size of the battery's chemicals. The internal impedance rises as power is drawn, and the chemicals have to redistribute themselves to provide subsequent power. You need a large, external power source.
This is why a lot of working pros go to flash heads with separate power supplies, the big power supplies (or the bigger batteries supplying them) can deliver enough to recharge at sub-second rates.
Another issue is that if you shoot a lot of shots with a speedlight at high power over a short time, you will over-heat it.
Originally by user8620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8620
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For a 430EX II, the best AA choice is generally NiMH rechargeables, not alkalines. NiMH cells can supply higher current, so recycle times are much faster. Among rechargeables, low-self-discharge NiMH batteries such as Sanyo/Panasonic Eneloop are widely regarded as strong performers.
That said, AA batteries alone won’t usually give true sub-second recycling for repeated high-power bursts. If you want the fastest possible recycle times, an external battery pack is the next step; larger external power sources can recharge a flash much faster than internal AAs.
Also keep in mind that recycle time depends heavily on flash power. At lower outputs, recycle can feel nearly instantaneous, but at higher outputs—common with bird fill flash and extenders—you’ll slow down a lot more.
One more caution: firing many high-power flashes in quick succession can overheat a speedlight. So the practical answer is:
- use NiMH rechargeables instead of alkalines
- prefer low-self-discharge NiMH if batteries may sit unused
- use an external battery pack if you need the shortest recycle times
- reduce flash power when possible
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