I am so sick of the flash dying at the wrong moment... I have several weddings coming up and read this for an idea, just not hear much about them... who uses them? Are they more of a pain b/c of the cord etc?
Would love to know.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Pocket Flash".. this? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4987...Pack_CP_E4.html

If so, I use one and it works great... I usually put it on my belt, it's pretty thin and doesn't get in the way much.

Yes that is it...
that is the cheapest liely.
so definately handy to have then... lasts way longer?? it's not extra baggage?
I rarely hear anyone talk about it.

It's not really extra baggage... but being a guy I can put it on my belt, and yes with 2700mAh rechargables you can get well over 1000 flashes...
Even more important is the recycle time, super quick with the pack and never slows down.

>>>>QUANTUM Turbo SC <<<<

One of the lightest quantum batteries around (weighs about as much as 3 iphones,) MUCH better than the canon "packs" and you won't have to go buying a ton of NiMh batteries to go in it when they burn out (which they WILL in the canon packs, and fairly quickly too....)

Not only that, but the quantum pack is rechargeable, quicker and much more reliable. I've used canon packs before and was never impressed. They don't provide as much power (quantums will last all day - not just 1000 shots) and the fact that you have to deal with like 8 or 12 batteries at a time is a huge pain in the ass.

Whatever floats your boat... but I'd consider something of higher quality if I were making the investment.

what do you think about the 2x2? worth the extra money?

the 2x2 is definitely worth it, if you're willing to lug a heavier pack around. i personally use a 2x2 and it works phenomenally, i've had it for about 2 years with no flash problems whatsoever (people using them the wrong way tend to burn out flashes and subsequently talk bad about the quantum packs) also the 2x2 lasts me a full day of wedding coverage with about 1/3 of the battery left at the end of the day... which kicks ass!

i have not personally used the compact pack from quantum but i've heard a LOT of good reviews on them and people say they're very capable - almost as much punch as the 2x2, which is quite impressive.

so in short i guess i'd say yes, the 2x2 is worth the extra money, but the compact is a GREAT choice for someone who doesn't want to deal with the larger pack.

I have the canon, but the version that uses C cells instead of the AA. I love it for the price. I can use it for 2, sometimes 3 weddings before I have to recharge. That rocks if you have back to back weddings with no time to recharge in between.

I've thought about the quantum, etc. And yeah, it would be nice to have a pack I can adapt to different purposes, but.. eh. It's not worth my time now that I already have something that works and works well.

i used a friend's 2x2 last weekend for a wedding and i had problems with it not firing as quickly as i need it to. it was when the wedding party and bride and her father were walking down the aisle. i could not get off a few shots in a row with the flash firing each time. is there something i did wrong? a trick perhaps?

ok now im super confused...
I am wanting something light that I barely notice is there so I dont have to take chances on them dying and stopping to change...
what is the difference in the 2?

get the turbo compact. That should simplify things for ya!

is it lighter or heavier/
we are talking a difference of $300 here.. does the one jfk recommend work for now?

If you buy the canon CP-E4 I recommend you get two; otherwise, swapping batteries is really gonna drive you crazy. I happen to have two for sale @ $120 each; I'm going w/ the new turbo compact.

Thanks,
Mike

so why the advantage then, if you're swapping batteries why not just swap batteries in your flash?

With the pack attached your flash recycle time is quicker. Oddly enough, even w/ the pack attached you still need batteries in the flash. This is also true w/ the turbo batteries.

Thanks,
Mike

This is better, last longer, made better, is cheaper, and the product is backed up by the maker.

http://www.aljacobs.com/THE%20BLACK%20BOX.htm

The quantum SC pack is only 16 ounces... that's A LOT lighter than the 2x2. It's a lot smaller too, around 5 inches high, 3 inches wide and 1.3 inches thick. Well worth the $400 or so.Here's the deal. Your flash is normally powered by 4 AA batteries. They power the internal circuitry of the flash, including the metering system, zoom element, screen, lights, dials etc. They also charge the capacitor which provides the high voltage to make the flash well, flash.With an external pack, you're leaving those AA batteries out of the flash equation by simply letting them power the electronics of the unit, and the external power is routed to the capacitor/bulb elements. Those elements are the ones that obviously use more power, so the high capacity of the external packs are the real lifesaver here. That's why I really don't trust using AAs for external sources, and as others have said here, you need to change them out quite frequently (think 8 AA batteries every couple of hours - what a pain in the ass and a shitty thing to do to then environment!) When you use an external pack like the quantums, you won't have to deal with swapping batteries in and out of a cheapo external pack and wasting time and money along the way. Making the investment into a high-end rechargeable pack is obviously what I recommend, and will save you money, time and heartache many times over. You'll also swap out the AAs that are IN your flash much less often... I generally run an entire wedding without having to change them!I'm going to be gone this weekend but if you have any questions about using the quantum packs that you can't get answered here, please feel free to give me a call - my number(s) are listed on the contact form of my website, both of which will ring to my iphone if dialed. Or you can e-mail me. Have a great weekend!I think I know why. First of all, always make sure you've got fresh AAs in your flash to begin with. Second part is the key here. Many people make the mistake of hooking up and powering on the devices in the wrong order, so let's cover the correct way real quickly. The most likely thing that happened to you was the improper hook-up and powering on of the devices. Follow the directions below to get the setup to work properly!1. With the flash and quantum pack OFF, plug the flash cord into the port on the quantum pack. 2. Keeping the power on both units OFF, plug the flash cord into the external power port on the flash.3. Power on the quantum pack. Think of this as a garden hose... you want to get the water to the other end (to the flash!) before turning on the faucet/nozzle.4. Turn on the flash. Now you're set to go!Power down and unhook in reverse order. (Turn off flash, turn off quantum, unhook flash, unhook from quantum.)Enjoy!