How are you finding the recycle time and the capacity in the real world Marc? Can you use the packs while they are plugged in for charging, i.e. as a regular non battery strobe?
Ben, you seem interested, so I'll try to give you a more in-depth with a wedding bias, as you have so kindly done with various subjects in the past:
I've only done the one shoot so far. I did a bit over 100 shots in about 2 hours not counting test firing before leaving and at the location (advertised number @ full power is 150 pops). About 50% of the shots were using 100% power level, either one head @ 400 w/s into a 60" umbrella to light backgrounds, or two heads with asymmetrical distribution (my location was a cave with fairly low ambient). The remaining was done at various power levels: usually 200 w/s ... with just a few all the way down to 25 w/s when using a smaller shoot-through on the light stick held close to the subject for fill. The battery still had plenty of juice left. I didn't have to use the second battery, but suspect I would at a full wedding and would say I'd swap batteries in the car before using it at a reception.
All of these shots were done with the box set to fast recycle, and with the reflector diffuser caps in place even when using a shoot through umbrella ... so I made it work a little harder than it need to.
Recycle was exactly as advertised, about two and a half seconds on 400 w/s @ fast recycle, a little over a second on 200 w/s, and seemingly instantaneous @ 100 w/s or less.
The box is auto dump, so when you make +/-adjustments the next flash is ready. I did notice that when I made the adjustments from the camera using the Skyport, the auto dump-to-ready recycle took longer than if I had the assistant do the +/-adjustment right on the box.
Range of the Skyport was good ... better than experiences with my Hensel radio, but no where that of a Pocket Wizard. This location was stacked to the ceiling with all kinds of carny machines , etc., and I once accidentally triggered a completely hidden strobe about 150 feet away while fiddling with the sync cord issue I mentioned earlier (advertised indoor distance is 164'). A reception hall would have to be pretty big for this not to work, but it is conceivable to exceed the range.
Yes, you can plug in the charger into a mains outlet and use the box like a standard generator ... but it doesn't charge the battery simultaneously. 1.5 hours for a full charge, and you can top it off any time with no ill effect.
My biggest question right now is whether I keep the second two head kit I secured from B&H. Obviously, setting lights at a reception would benefit from two separate 400 w/s units out of the way bounced into ceiling corners using an A-B channel to remotely control the level of each to light backgrounds .... then roaming with an on-camera TTL fill.
The other consideration would be whether I can adapt a larger beauty dish (or speed ring) to mount directly to a stand or boom arm with a L bracket to secure the Quadra head independently. That would really make this kit more usable for weddings and portraits.
-Marc
