cp-e2

[EiRiK]

does any1 have a pic of how the cp-e2 looks like when it is attached to the camera?
most of the pics of the net are of the cp-e2 by itself and i cannot really tell how big it is relatively (looks big to me).
also, will it affect the users' grip on the camera when it is attached to a camera with a vertical grip?

thanks in advance...

 

[mpenza]

it's quite small. but if attached to camera with vertical grip, it would be quite unwieldy to shoot using the vertical shutter.

 

[EiRiK]

ic... thanks mpenza

 

[mpenza]

usually, I just hang it off a pouch attached to my belt ;p

 

[ST1100]

EiRi, don't mind borrow your thread for a quick qn.

mpenza (or any cpe2 owner), does the cpe2 work on top of the flash, ie 6 AAs in the cpe2 and 4 in the flash for a total of 10 AAs? If so, does the cpe2 drain first?

i was just wondering if the cpe2 might be charging the 4AAs in the flash since the voltage is a bit higher.

 

[RCheah]

From what I know, the CP-E2 powers only the flash strobe, while the 4 AAs in the Flash itself powers the circuitry, i.e. brains of the flash.
So theoretically, the 6 AAs in the CP-E2 should run down first before the 4 in the flash?

Mpenza is right, it's quite cumbersome to use the vertical grip when the CP-E2 is attached to the base of the camera. Even though it's quite light, I doubt you'll want to add more wait to the camera itself. A friend of mine just slips it into one of his pockets.

 

[mpenza]

As Raymond said, the 4AAs in the flash powers the flash circuitry, with the 6AAs in CP-E2 providing the current to recycle the flash. The ones in CP-E2 will probably drain down first. Btw, today I shot more than 1k pics with flash (not full power) at SSF and the batteries in both CP-E2 and 550EX are both not fully drained yet. There's no indication of battery life on the CP-E2 though... which is something that probably should've been there.

There should not be any charging of the batteries in the flash via CP-E2 (the flash is not a battery charger! and non-rechargeables can be used in the flash!).

 

[CYRN]

From what I know, the CP-E2 powers only the flash strobe, while the 4 AAs in the Flash itself powers the circuitry, i.e. brains of the flash.
So theoretically, the 6 AAs in the CP-E2 should run down first before the 4 in the flash?

Not exactly true. the 4 batt have to be inserted to provide power to the flash circuits.

But it also provides some power to the strobe... I happened to think as above and put a set of "weak" (half-used) batts... and it drastically slows down the recycling time..even if I've a pack of 6 fresh energiser alkaline batt in the CP-E2.

Another thing.... dunnoe if anyone here experience it... After taking out the CP-E2, I forgot to insert the plastic "cap" for where the CP-E2 is connected to the 550EX... guess what happen?..... even with fresh set of 4 batt on the 550EX (CP-E2 not connected) the strobe is severely under. On ETTL, even at +2 EV... still like it's fixed at -3EV.

So, be careful 550EX owners.. dun lose that piece of plastic "cap". :devil:

 

[mpenza]

I've been shooting with the plastic cap taken out. no problems with underexposure.

 

[CYRN]

I've been shooting with the plastic cap taken out. no problems with underexposure.

hmmm... another point in the list of "to repair" in my next visit to canon services... :cry:

 

[Wai]

But it also provides some power to the strobe... I happened to think as above and put a set of "weak" (half-used) batts... and it drastically slows down the recycling time..even if I've a pack of 6 fresh energiser alkaline batt in the CP-E2.

funny..many pple told me that if the voltage supplies by the 4 batteries inside is lower, CP-E2 will supply more juice and force the flash to refresh faster

so what pple do is use 3 x batteries + 1 dummy one

some reference

In this way, seems recycling time do get a little faster though, because in principle, it's under voltage to power the capacitor of the flash therefore reacts more quickly for external power source.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1032&message=7892065


and the plastic cap is just for protection lar, i dun think it will affect the operation anyway

 

[ST1100]

No experience with the CP-E2, but from an engineering perspective, it is clear that the bottleneck in how fast the flash recycles is how fast the capacitor recharges, and i think the real bottleneck is how much current (or more correctly, power) the batteries can supply to the capacitor. It makes (most) sense that the flash should be designed to recharge from all 10 AAs for maximum performance, with circuitry included to prevent either set from recharging the other when voltages fluctuates.

Having 4 AAs exclusively to run the flash on-board circuitry (ie not powering the flash capacitor) doesn't make sense. If it were so, the 4 AAs would have leaked way before they are drained.

 

[EiRiK]

CYRN, i dont think the piece of plastic does anything other than cover the lobang....

hhmm... so any1 here have a cp-e2? can meet and let me try it out... hehehe...