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I've changed my mind about AA batteries.



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 7th 08, 08:44 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Andrew MacPherson
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Posts: 140
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

All my digital cameras until recently were AA for a combination of
convenience, interoperability, and the ability to use disposables in an
emergency. And, in general, I've been pleased with the AA performance.
However one slightly dodgy battery in a set of 4 can be hard to track
down, and the fairly rapid decay on NiMh can be annoying if you find your
camera dead when you need it.

I have had great success with Hybrio batteries for my K100D DSLR, but the
same batteries don't work in my Oly SP-550 for some reason. So I was
carrying different sets of AAs for different cameras, and the novelty was
wearing off.

I recently decided to buy a new DSLR, and narrowed it down to the 40D or
D300... cameras with very different price tags, but very good AF
performance, which is what I wanted for use at airshows in particular.

In the end the 40D won thanks to the 100-400L and Canon's recent
aggressive pricing. So the 40D was almost half the price of the D300,
leaving me plenty of cash free to buy spare batteries.

Fortunately the 40D has some very cheap and well regarded spares
available. So I bought three, just to make sure I'd have enough juice for
a long day out.

Now I'm not sure why I bothered. :-) The supplied battery is only on its
second charge, has already lasted through about 600 photographs, and
still shows as fully charged.

Ok, I wouldn't rely on the meter reading, but all the same, I'm really
impressed. So I apologise for being a doubting Thomas for so long! I
suppose I knew lithium batteries were vastly superior, it was always the
idea of being stuck far from a charger which bothered me. Now I'd just
stuff a spare in my pocket and not worry at all.

Andrew McP

PS I suppose to be fair the latest generation of cameras do seem to be
very good at saving energy. In the past there may have been more of a
case for sticking with AAs.
  #2  
Old April 7th 08, 09:19 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Ron Hunter
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Posts: 4,064
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

Andrew MacPherson wrote:
All my digital cameras until recently were AA for a combination of
convenience, interoperability, and the ability to use disposables in an
emergency. And, in general, I've been pleased with the AA performance.
However one slightly dodgy battery in a set of 4 can be hard to track
down, and the fairly rapid decay on NiMh can be annoying if you find your
camera dead when you need it.

I have had great success with Hybrio batteries for my K100D DSLR, but the
same batteries don't work in my Oly SP-550 for some reason. So I was
carrying different sets of AAs for different cameras, and the novelty was
wearing off.

I recently decided to buy a new DSLR, and narrowed it down to the 40D or
D300... cameras with very different price tags, but very good AF
performance, which is what I wanted for use at airshows in particular.

AF for an airshow? Almost every picture at an airshow will have the
subject more than 50 feet away from the camera, which means you wouldn't
be using the AF at all, as the setting would be, basically 'infinity'
all the time. Just set the focus at infinity, and turn AF off. With no
AF working all the time, your lithium ion battery would last several
times as long.

In the end the 40D won thanks to the 100-400L and Canon's recent
aggressive pricing. So the 40D was almost half the price of the D300,
leaving me plenty of cash free to buy spare batteries.

Fortunately the 40D has some very cheap and well regarded spares
available. So I bought three, just to make sure I'd have enough juice for
a long day out.

Now I'm not sure why I bothered. :-) The supplied battery is only on its
second charge, has already lasted through about 600 photographs, and
still shows as fully charged.

Ok, I wouldn't rely on the meter reading, but all the same, I'm really
impressed. So I apologise for being a doubting Thomas for so long! I
suppose I knew lithium batteries were vastly superior, it was always the
idea of being stuck far from a charger which bothered me. Now I'd just
stuff a spare in my pocket and not worry at all.


That spare will still cost many times what a set of Eneloop (or similar)
batteries, and will you still be able to buy a battery for that camera
10 years from now?


Andrew McP

PS I suppose to be fair the latest generation of cameras do seem to be
very good at saving energy. In the past there may have been more of a
case for sticking with AAs.


The issues of convenience and availability are still as important to me
as they have ever been.
  #3  
Old April 7th 08, 10:02 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
frederick
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Posts: 1,525
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

Ron Hunter wrote:


That spare will still cost many times what a set of Eneloop (or similar)
batteries, and will you still be able to buy a battery for that camera
10 years from now?

Does anyone seriously think that they'll still be wanting to use their
current camera in 10 years time?
  #4  
Old April 7th 08, 11:50 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Andrew MacPherson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 140
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

(Ron Hunter) wrote:

Almost every picture at an airshow will have the
subject more than 50 feet away from the camera, which means you
wouldn't be using the AF at all, as the setting would be, basically
'infinity' all the time.


I'm afraid you're very much wrong there. Infinity is a lot further away
than you might think. I have a lot of out of focus shots from my first
few manual focus shows to prove it. :-)

A critical issue is the camera's ability to lock on and stay locked on
without hunting. My K100D + screwdrive 70-300 can waste a lot of time
hunting through the range if it gets distracted, or my aim slips. It can
be very annoying.

You also have to factor in the need for very high shutter speeds which
lead to a narrow depth of field. So if the AF can't track fast enough you
get even more out of focus shots.

When I started out I never planned to spend so much money (40D + 100-400L)
for the airshows I enjoy so much, but I've been inevitably been led down
that path in order to overcome both my own limitations and those of my
previous hardware.

That spare will still cost many times what a set of Eneloop
(or similar) batteries, and will you still be able to buy
a battery for that camera 10 years from now?


The spares I bought for my 40D cost me less than 5ukp each (and have
plenty of positive reviews to stop me feeling nervous about that low
price) which is less than the cost of a set of 4 Hybrio/Eneloops. I'm
still a fan of the new NiMH technology but I have -- slowly and
reluctantly -- come to realise the benefit of having a camera which just
goes on and on (and on!) without me having to check the battery. I find
it very impressive indeed, even though part of me still objects to any
kind of proprietary battery (or lens fitting for that matter!)

Andrew McP

  #5  
Old April 7th 08, 04:02 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
SMS
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Posts: 2,312
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

Andrew MacPherson wrote:

PS I suppose to be fair the latest generation of cameras do seem to be
very good at saving energy. In the past there may have been more of a
case for sticking with AAs.


Of course if you really want AA back-up you can also use the vertical grip.

I tried it once on my 20D, just to see how well it worked, but it's
quite a hassle to have to have two chargers to charge all six batteries
at once, or to buy a larger charger.
  #6  
Old April 7th 08, 04:54 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 259
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.


In the end the 40D won thanks to the 100-400L and Canon's recent
aggressive pricing. So the 40D was almost half the price of the D300,
leaving me plenty of cash free to buy spare batteries.

Fortunately the 40D has some very cheap and well regarded spares
available. So I bought three, just to make sure I'd have enough juice for
a long day out.


You should of done some research before you bought spare Li-ion
batteries. They degrade from time of manufacturing, even without
being used.

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

From the link: "Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later
use. Observe manufacturing dates. Do not buy old stock,
even if sold at clearance prices. "
  #7  
Old April 7th 08, 05:25 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
just bob
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Posts: 308
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

Wait until you buy a flash: You are going to need AA batts still!

"Andrew MacPherson" wrote in message
ddress_disguised...
All my digital cameras until recently were AA for a combination of
convenience, interoperability, and the ability to use disposables in an
emergency. And, in general, I've been pleased with the AA performance.
However one slightly dodgy battery in a set of 4 can be hard to track
down, and the fairly rapid decay on NiMh can be annoying if you find your
camera dead when you need it.

I have had great success with Hybrio batteries for my K100D DSLR, but the
same batteries don't work in my Oly SP-550 for some reason. So I was
carrying different sets of AAs for different cameras, and the novelty was
wearing off.

I recently decided to buy a new DSLR, and narrowed it down to the 40D or
D300... cameras with very different price tags, but very good AF
performance, which is what I wanted for use at airshows in particular.

In the end the 40D won thanks to the 100-400L and Canon's recent
aggressive pricing. So the 40D was almost half the price of the D300,
leaving me plenty of cash free to buy spare batteries.

Fortunately the 40D has some very cheap and well regarded spares
available. So I bought three, just to make sure I'd have enough juice for
a long day out.

Now I'm not sure why I bothered. :-) The supplied battery is only on its
second charge, has already lasted through about 600 photographs, and
still shows as fully charged.

Ok, I wouldn't rely on the meter reading, but all the same, I'm really
impressed. So I apologise for being a doubting Thomas for so long! I
suppose I knew lithium batteries were vastly superior, it was always the
idea of being stuck far from a charger which bothered me. Now I'd just
stuff a spare in my pocket and not worry at all.

Andrew McP

PS I suppose to be fair the latest generation of cameras do seem to be
very good at saving energy. In the past there may have been more of a
case for sticking with AAs.



  #8  
Old April 7th 08, 05:51 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
SMS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,312
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

Ron Hunter wrote:

That spare will still cost many times what a set of Eneloop (or similar)
batteries,


Actually it won't. A set of six Eneloops for a digital SLR vertical grip
would cost about the same as a Li-Ion for the same camera. I.e. a
2000mAH, 7.4V BP511 costs around $12. Six 2000mAH 1.2V Eneloops for the
vertical grip would cost around $14, and would provide the same WH.

The difference is that you can go to Smarty-Mart and buy those Eneloops
for $2.25 to $2.50 each, but to buy a decent aftermarket BP-511 for $12
you have to order it from an online source. This is one advantage of AA
batteries versus Li-Ion.

Some real advantages of AA batteries a

1. Li-Ion packs are proprietary, you can't substitute disposable AA
cells if your battery goes dead in the middle of nowhere, and you have
no spare battery, and no AC or DC power for charging
2. Longer shelf life
3. Faster charging
4. AA cells will always be available, while less popular Li-Ion packs
may be discontinued
5. Multiple devices that use AA or AAA cells can share batteries and
chargers (though there are now Li-Ion chargers that can charge many
different battery types)
6. NiMH AA cells can be charged from a 5 volt USB port, while larger
Li-Ion packs (7.4V) cannot.
7. Hot Shoe Flash and Camera Can Use the Same Type of Battery

and will you still be able to buy a battery for that camera
10 years from now?


Batteries for the very popular digital SLRs will easily be available for
ten years. For second tier digital SLRs they'll probably still be
available, but not at low prices.

It's rather moot since none of the good digital SLRs use AA batteries
except in the vertical grip.
  #9  
Old April 7th 08, 06:14 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
David J Taylor[_5_]
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Posts: 923
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

SMS wrote:
[]
6. NiMH AA cells can be charged from a 5 volt USB port, while larger
Li-Ion packs (7.4V) cannot.


Just don't tell the people who design or make DC-DC convertor ICs!

David


  #10  
Old April 7th 08, 06:18 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
SMS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,312
Default I've changed my mind about AA batteries.

just bob wrote:
Wait until you buy a flash: You are going to need AA batts still!


This is true. It's too bad that they don't make a flash that uses the
same type of Li-Ion battery as the camera.
 




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