CP-E3 vs. CP-E4

My aging CP-E2 pack fell out of my shirt pocket, today, while shooting a wedding

with my 550EX. A couple tabs broke and the only way to keep the battery door

closed is with an elastic. I have had this thing fall a few times, no damage,

but I was tempting fate more than just once as the thing made a thud as it hit

the ground; it's time to move on.

 

I like the idea of a 8-cell magazine that slides in and out of a pack instead of

the somewhat cumbersome way the CP-E2 loads. After viewing the specs on both the

CP-E3 and CP-E4, it seems the latter is a bit more moisture resistant and

designed more for the 580EX. Is the recycling time any different between either

pack?

 

Is it worth the extra $10 for the newer pack? B&H sells the CP-E3 for $139.95

and the CP-E4 for $149.95, and I should get an extra magazine for another $35 or so.

 

Any thoughts?

I think for another $10 I would get the CP-E4. If you do get the new 580EX II the weather resistance could be nice. Of course to make the best use of it you would also need a weather resistant camera and lens. From what I understand there is no other advantage to the CP-E4 over the CP-E3, and the weather resistance of the new connector only works with the 580EX II, not the 580EX. Both are faster than your CP-E2, and I assume that the connectors are all backwards compatible, as I have never heard otherwise. But for $10...

I've got both the original 580EX and the 580EX II - I just checked the external plugs on both - they appear to be identical.

 

On the face of it I can't see why the CP-E4 wouldn't fit (or work) with an (original) 580EX.

 

Cheers,

 

Colin

<I>"...and I should get an extra magazine for another $35 or so."</I>

<P>

I suppose it depends on how much you shoot flash in a wedding. I have never needed to replace the batteries in mine during a wedding day. Once I shot as many as 700 flash exposures and it never slowed down. Of course, I have a couple sets of 8 AA's ready to go, just in case. Changing them out only takes a minute or two, and you can schedule that if you're paranoid.

<P>

However, if you dropped it and broke the latch like the last one, there is a new latch on the extra magazine. :)

Hmmm.......I am questioning the need for the extra magazine if I can get at least 300 flahses without a hitch. That's all I would really need. I assume I can use both NiMH and lithium cells in the CP-E3 or E4. I can't see myself getting the 580EX model anytime soon, as the 550EX is almost-new and I still have my older 540EZ which still gives me service.

 

BTW, it *was* raining, yesterday, I have run into this a few times when I shoot weddings, so far, no problems. I will put the new pack in my pants pocket instead of my shirt. Actually, the safest place for the these is attached to the tripod socket on the bottom of a camera.

 

Anyway, I will order one or the other from B&H within the next day or so. I should pick up some more 36-exposure rolls of Reala, it's getting harder to buy this film.

 

Thanks for all your advice, I appreciate it.

Hi to all!

 

newbie in this forum...

I write from Italy.

 

if it is possible, I've just a question.

Does anybody know if the 580EX-II is compatible with the CP-E3? I'm selling my 580EX and maybe during next week I'll buy a 580EX-II (surely improved concerning exposures...)

I own a CP-E3 right now, and I've to say that putting 8 cells inside it + 4 cells (of the same model - 3500 mAh each, bought on ebay) inside the 580EX, I normally obtain a recharging time under 1 sec. (max power, in "M" 1/1, trying to chronometrate it I've read some 0,8 secs)

 

it could be considered a "perfect solution" for my work...

I'd avoid to replace the CP-E3 ...if it is possible!

 

lookin to their socket... their appear to be exactly the same, and in more than a site I've seen the new CP-E4 advertised as 580EX, 430EX and 580EX II compatible... if it is true, I think that the CP-E3 will work without problems (or at least I hope!)

 

does anybody know anythin about this issue?

 

thanks!

regards

Rob.

Just ordered the CP-E3, should be fine for my needs.

Mr. Matteoli, I have a 580EX I and II and both work fine with DCB batteries and adapters, so I can't imagine why the CP-E3 would be any different. However, if you plug the CP-E3 into the 580EX II and it explodes like a hand grenade, well, like the signs in the parking lots say, "The management is not responsible for any damage."

 

As for selling a 580EX "I" to get the "II" version: probably a waste of time and money. I flipped my fairly old 550EX for a 580 II simply because the 580's appear to do a better on the NiMH batteries. The differences between a 580 I and II are somewhat better build, more flexible head, and cosmetic.

I allways keep my CP-E3 in my pants pocket. Forget about clamping it to a belt or placing it inside a shirt pocket. Too many things can happen at a wedding.

Mr. Pangalan, thanks for your answer.

...if only I would have known it before... my 580 EX"I" is almost gone, it is sold at 90% I tought that the second series would have been improved, concerning the exposure problems. My 580EX I normaly does not expose at the best. it goes slightly under almost always, and after have sent it in repair twice (both of the times they said that everything is fine, my 580EX is perfect, and that the first series never exposes at the best, problem corrected with the second series) i decided to sell it.

do you have any kind of problem using it in E-TTLII ?

 

thanks!

regards

Rob

So is the CP-E4 a better built CP-E3 with the same connector so I can use it on my 580EX (mkI)?