Recycle Time
The interval a flash needs to recharge its capacitor to full power after firing.
Measured in
seconds
In depth
Recycle time scales with the power used, so a unit that takes three seconds at full power may be ready in a fifth of a second at 1/16. Firing before the ready lamp lights gives a partial, underexposed burst — a common cause of inconsistent exposures in a burst. External battery packs cut recycle times dramatically on speedlights.
Examples in practice
A speedlight at 1/8 power recycles fast enough to keep up with a five-frame burst, where full power would not.