Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

The CP-E4 is a great compact battery pack for the 580EXII. It reduces the recycle time greatly and allows you to get more pops. I've configured my flash (through custom functions) to draw all power from the pack. So when the flash slows down, I unplug the pack and still have 4 semi-fresh batteries in the the speedlite. My only change would be for a belt clip instead of a belt loop.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Works as described. In most cases I can shoot a whole wedding or event without having to change batteries. Comes with a convenient belt holster or can be mounted on the bottom of the camera body or bracket. The cord is plenty long enough and very flexible. If you shoot weddings or events lasting six hours or more, buy it! You won't be sorry.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Flashes can suck batteries dry pretty quickly. The CP-E4 battery pack gives you extended work time. That's a convenience that allows you to get everything done without having to stop and change batteries.

The soft case allows you to easily attach the battery pack to a tripod or your belt. The cable stays out of the way for the most part, but like any cable, it can be a nuisance at times.

You can attach the battery pack to the bottom of the camera if you need that flexibility. (I already have a camera battery pack and tripod mount on the bottom of the camera, so I don't do it. The whole thing would weigh a ton!!)

I like the convenience of extended shoot times without having to mess with batteries. The CP-E4 battery pack is an essential piece of equipment for me.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I bought the battery pack to cut down on flash recycle time and it performed perfectly. However, I was unaware that a total of 12 batteries is required: 4 in the Canon 580 EXII I use, and 8 in the battery pack. Since I use rechargeable batteries, plenty of time ahead of the event I shot was required to charge the batteries. 2 rechargers would help for anyone interested in purchasing this battery pack and using rechargeable batteries.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

If you shoot any kind of indoor action photography that requires the use of a flash this is amust have item. I do a lot of indoor sports mostly in either poorly lit older high school gyms or newer well lit high school and college gyms that use mercury vapor or other color casting light. Shooting on contiuious burst with a flash requires a battery pack for the flash to recycle fast enough to keep up with my 50d & 40 cameras. The CP-E4 does the jop well and it's lighter weight than the 510 packs I used to use with a handle mount Sunpak is an extra blessing. I suggest getting an extra magazine. I use recharable batteries most of the time but get good results with both. The only cons I have are the strap mounts, I would prefer loops that allow spring clip type straps. Mounting the pack to the bottom of the camera with a power grip attached is just to heavy for shooting long events, a confortable strap is necessary especially when using two cameras.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Nothing other than a great piece to have for the cost .. after 2 sessions with one I went and purchased a second for a spare.
Added life and speed to the speedlite

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I purchased two of these battery packs for my Canon 580EX-II flash units. I recently shot a wedding with these battery packs. They preformed as expected for all of my pre-ceremony pictures. I also used them for all of the reception photos. For the off camera flash/battery pack, I added a Velcro ribbon through the belt loop of the pack case to make it easier to attach and move between my light stand and my mono-pod. I attached the second pack to the battery grip of my camera for my on camera flash. This added considerable weight to the camera but I preferred the added weight to attaching the battery pack to my belt and having a dangling cord

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I did my first wedding using the CP-E4 and I could kick myself for not getting one earlier. At times, I shot rapid-fire photos and the flash kept up with my 1Ds Mark II. I never had to even glance at my flash to see if it was ready to shoot. The belt loop on the battery pack is sturdy and secure. I wore it all day long. I will never again shoot an event or wedding without the CP-E4.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

The only thing I worry about with this set up is the durability of the plug going into the flash. The flash has two spring clips that drop into a groove on each side of the plug. When inserted, the plugs is held very firmly. I noticed upon removing the plug from the flash that the spring clips had chipped off some plastic from the sides of the groove. Maybe the plug has to "wear in" to the clips. Hopefully this will not be a problem in the future. Other than that the unit is perfect. The number of flashes you can get without the batteries going dead is really a plus for flash photography. Get one for each flash. This is a must have piece of hardware.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Best four wedding events

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

It's a bit on the pricy side, but it does exactly what it's supposed to. The battery tray, as reviewed elsewhere, feels a bit on the flimsy side, but the pack as a whole is well built & allows the 530ex II to refresh incredibly quickly, helping to make sure you won't miss a shot due to the flash not being ready.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Used with alkaline batteries or rechargeable batteries, this compact 8-battery pack extends flash sessions and shortens flash-recycle time. The unit can be hung from the belt or hung on the tripod. There is a slot on the top of the unit to string a shoulder strap, and there is a hole through the unit and a quarter-inch screw for mounting the pack to the bottom of camera battery packs or to the larger multiple-battery Canon cameras using the tripod mount hole, but this adds a great deal of bulk to the camera. Even for routine shooting, the battery pack significantly shortens recycle time. I particularly like to use the pack with Canon ring lights for macro work.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

This is a must have for bird flight photography - it was a joy to have my flash ready at any moment.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I found it to be very reliable. I just used it to photograph a wedding. With the flash on during the entire day, the battery pack performed consistently. The flash recycled very quickly, and I was ready for every shot--no delays. It is very light and has a long cord.

An "on/off" switch would be good to add to it.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

No more 3-5 seconds waiting time between flashes! The flash can now keep up with my camera (50D). I'll never miss a shot again. I use it with 2500mAH NiMH batteries for both the unit and the flash and haven't run out yet during a shoot. The battery tray could be constructed a little better (hence the 4 stars), but spares are available.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I can shoot High school football all night long and never worry about running out of battery power. It helps in the recycle time too, for those fast action shots.Great for wedding too!

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

This battery pack is the best thing you can buy if you own a 580EX ll flash. The worry of running out of power is history. Now you can concentrate on your picture taking. I was concerned about the reviews of how weak the battery holder tabs were if you take care in removing the batteries you should have no problems. I am happy with this product.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I was impressed on June 6 when I used the CP-E4 in a wedding shoot.It performed the way expected.No shot to miss due recycling problems.I did like the sounds of my shutter in multiple shot mode.Well this could turn to be addictive and I just got my 5DMII and I don't want to trade it in for the fast 1D M III.Not any time soon. I love the CP-E4 .Great item for my bag.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Best used when put on backwards. Great for making sure you get those great reception photos. Just right for the price!

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I have a transistorized version which is slower, more bulky and not as long lasting. I would highly recommend this instead.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

If youre shooting for money you had better have a battery pack. This is great to clip on your belt or your camera strap. Im going to get one for each camera to hook to the strap. Dramatically increased recharge times and extended life on the flash. There are more powerful battery packs out there but this is as powerful as you want to get without the risk of damaging your strobe.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I used this product for wedding photography, especially to get those fast recycling times as people walk down the aisles. Every time my flash was ready by the time they got to me. it's great because to me its lite, fast recycling. Couple of things i would change is that maybe there be a bigger velcro piece so maybe i can connect it to my forarm or maybe they make a glove to attach it to, it tends to get hot as well, the batteries are hot when you take them out.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Help recharge the flash unit quick.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Combine a set of 580EXII flashes with 2600mAh NiMH AA batteries, and you have the never-ending flash power you have always dreamed of.

In fact, you have too much power. Be careful not to nuke your flashes by shooting more than 15-20 continuous bursts. Seriously. I have to keep telling myself to slow down when I shoot weddings with these. Overheating is a serious risk, so wait at least a minute or more between bursts of that number.

Setup your flashes, (bouncing, gridded, umbrella, etc) at multiple ends of the ballroom or ceremony location, then carry one with you and a shoe-mounted flash, and there isn't a shot you'll miss. In fact, they'll all have perfect rim lighting, and fast shutter speeds, regardless of the ambient lighting in the room.

NOTE: I average 500-600 full power flashes on one set of 2600mAh AA rechargeable NiMH batteries, with virtually no refresh times to speak of. If you dial your flashes down to 1/3 or half power (circumstances permitting) you can squeeze 800-850 shots out before you begin to notice any refresh times over 3 seconds. On rare occasions I've pushed it to nearly 1000 shots before I had an assistant change them out.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I have not used this much yet, but very fast recycling times. Also convenient that you can use AA batteries to power it. I use rechargeable ones, but if your in a pinch, you can but standard AAs in most locations.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

the tabs which hold the AA batteries are VERY fragile and break off easily. You need to push the batteries from behind to get them out without damage. The battery frame is replaceable, however, so you can survive if too many break off.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Because I use a few different Flash Diffusers, on a 580EX II, they tend to drain the batteries pretty quickly. The CP-E4 Battery pack, fixes that problem. The increased recycle time is also a nice feature. I use rechargable AA Batteries in it, and there replacement cost is better, than with some other packs. It does the job for me and so far I am happy with it. One thing to note, is the instruction manual mentions "Electrostatic Interference" if the pack is too close to the camera. I made a scan of it, and will include it here. I have not encountered any problems with it, following the instructions.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

This is a great product, just a bit too bulky. The cord can be a little bit longer, maybe if you can change the cord for a couple of different sizes. Other than that, its great for weddings, sports events, or whenever you need some speedy flash.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Very nice addition for pro and semi-pro. Ridiculous cost. [$]

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Save money on battery using it.
Battery last longer,is water resistent,looks profesional and it is.
Flash charge Faster and my pictures looks all perfect.
No more miss picture due to lost charge or Waiting for charge.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

excellent product!

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

this was the recommended one, but i found out the previous model (CP-E), which i already had and it worked just as well. If you use fresh batteries, the recharge time is very quick. That was my fault for not checking before buying, so much for wanting to upgrade

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

CP-E4 Power Pack conveniently mounts to my bracket. Provides consistently reliable, fast power to my Canon 580EX II Speedlite Flash. Powered hundreds of
worry free flashes & got me through several hours of our family wedding, with great results.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

A battery pack is necesary in some situation. though not so much anymore with the 580EX as with my old 540EZ. The CP-E4 is very compact and light. the only problem with it is that it only takes AA batteries, Canon has no pack to put into it. If one of the AAs goes bad, and they do, then the hole pack is bad.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Battery pack shortens flash recycle time, and lenghtens period between battery change out

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

This product was sent back, that is how unpleased I was. It was bulky and did not work with my camera bracket. To expensive for what you get. I instead went with re-chargable batteries to have on hand.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

When you need addition power source for your Canon Flash, this would be it.

It's a bit expensive, about half the price of the latest flash itself.

I used this on my wedding photography and it haven't failed me yet. I also got 3 580EX II flashes for back-up but having the CP-E4 connected just makes the recycling time and the consistent power an added bonus for not having to worry about your flash.

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

This unit recycles my 580EX II in less than .75 secs on full power with the new hybrid rechargeable AAs! Super Fast, Compact and Unbeatable!!

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

This a great product

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

Its light and compact, extends the normal camera flash range, its easy to use and well worth the dollar

Comments about Canon Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack:

I use 2 Canon 580ex flashes at weddings and was using Energizer Lithium batteries which are listed as ok in the Canon manual. I had tons of problems with the flashes getting very hot, over heating and shutting down using the Lithium batteries.

I finally decided to get the battery pack and use Energizer Rechargeable 2500mAH batteries. Wow, what an improvement. I can use the main flash for a full 10 hour wedding/reception without changing batteries or any problems at all. I also purchased the battery cartridge for easy swapping of the batteries but haven't needed it so far.

The combination of the battery pack and rechargeable batteries has elimated the worry of wondering when the flash is going to die, which was usually at a critical moment. The flash recharges quickly, remains cool and keeps on firing when I need it.