Anyone Using AA-Size Li-Po Batteries

[wiltw]

The downside is that with all Eneloops, they are heavy and the higher the rating, the longer the recharge, and a charger must be matched to the battery — Eneloop makes its own charger, though its pricey. These batteries are used in my GPS and I can squeeze out 3 weeks of use out of that on one pair of Eneloops. I do not use them in cameras or flashes because I do not use flashes and the camera (EOS 1N with PDBE1) is heavy enough without putting in the even heavier Eneloops (x8)!

Curious, I measured these

• Duracell alkaline AA, 86g
• Tenergy 2300 Ahr, 95g
• Amazon 2400 Ahr, 104g
• Powerex 2700 Ahr, 107g

so four of them

• Duracell alkaline AA, 344g
• Tenergy 2300 Ahr, 380g
• Amazon 2400 Ahr, 416g
• Powerex 2700 Ahr, 428gg

So in a flash unit (which uses 4 AA), the difference is 36g - 84g for faster recycle and more total flashes of NiMh, or 1.27 oz to 3.0 oz. Not much of a penalty.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

So in a flash unit (which uses 4 AA), the difference is 36g - 84g for faster recycle and more total flashes of NiMh, or 1.27 oz to 3.0 oz. Not much of a penalty.

My post referred to the larger capacity 4,500 mAh Eneloops (there are also 5,000 mAh available now, as per a friend's reminder at lunch time), not the unknown (to me) brands you mentioned, with the exception of Duracell, which I never use.

There are also Varta, Panasonic, several varieties of EverReady, Fujifilm... still other batteries.

You put x8 Eneloops in an EOS 1N's power drive booster and apart from the reliability uptick, you'll immediately notice the weight. It is a camera that is easier to wield when the added weight of batteries is a consideration. I sometimes swap out the heavy Eneloops for lithium AA, but a careful watch has to be kept on this as a power source (as a side note, specifically to the two types of power drive booster E1, only that model with the asterisk denoting AEL can take lithium AA batteries; the use of lithium AA in boosters not so marked causes shorting).

 

[Chan Tran]

My post referred to the larger capacity 4,500 mAh Eneloops (there are also 5,000 mAh available now, as per a friend's reminder at lunch time), not the unknown (to me) brands you mentioned, with the exception of Duracell, which I never use.

There are also Varta, Panasonic, several varieties of EverReady, Fujifilm... still other batteries.

You put x8 Eneloops in an EOS 1N's power drive booster and apart from the reliability uptick, you'll immediately notice the weight. It is a camera that is easier to wield when the added weight of batteries is a consideration. I sometimes swap out the heavy Eneloops for lithium AA, but a careful watch has to be kept on this as a power source (as a side note, specifically to the two types of power drive booster E1, only that model with the asterisk denoting AEL can take lithium AA batteries; the use of lithium AA in boosters not so marked causes shorting).

Where can you get the 5000 mAh AA?

 

[spijker]

My post referred to the larger capacity 4,500 mAh Eneloops

I had a look at the various Panasonic websites, Global, Australia, USA, Canada but I can only find capacities up to 2550 mAh for the black AA Pro. Can you post a link to those 4,500 mAh "Eneloops" ?

 

[pentaxuser]

Unless the rechargeable would make my camera goes faster I don't want to use them in cameras.

I can't be sure about making a camera go faster but the orange and black rabbits powered by Duracell here in the U.K. can certainly climb for longer than the standard white rabbit. They look more attractive as well.

pentaxuser

 

[Chan Tran]

I can't be sure about making a camera go faster but the orange and black rabbits powered by Duracell here in the U.K. can certainly climb for longer than the standard white rabbit. They look more attractive as well.

pentaxuser

I use MN-2 battery pack in the Nikon MD-4 motor drive and MN-30 in the Nikon F5 because they make the camera frame rate higher. That's because they put more cells in the pack than 8 cells. Otherwise, for in camera use the alkaline batteries last long enough and have long shelf life so I don't see the need to use rechargeable in them. For flash is a different story because the rechargeable not only makes the flash recycle faster but the flash uses too much power so it makes more sense to use them.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

According to the latest scuttlebutt on the web the replacement for the lithium cell is the magnesium cell. It has the same voltage and is much cheaper..

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks for the factual reply, Chan Tran. My post was just a bit of fun. When I saw the phrase "make the camera faster" the amusing advert on U.K TV came into my head where the Duracell rabbit is more powerful than the normal white one. No doubt I needed to explain my post better for a non U.K. person.

pentaxuser

 

[ic-racer]

As far as I know Magnesium cell battery is not on the market. However, Graphene is available. https://www.propwashed.com/graphene-lipo-battery-performance-tests/

 

[John Koehrer]

Thanks for the factual reply, Chan Tran. My post was just a bit of fun. When I saw the phrase "make the camera faster" the amusing advert on U.K TV came into my head where the Duracell rabbit is more powerful than the normal white one. No doubt I needed to explain my post better for a non U.K. person.

pentaxuser

The pink rabbit is far more rare and when Elmer Fudd's out trophy hunting he needs all the speed he can get.

 

[pentaxuser]

On my part this is a further diminution to the thread but if I can crave indulgence from the serious contributors, my favourite scene is Bugs retreating to his above-ground burrow when chased by a Bluto-like character who decides to flush him out with a chainsaw. Bugs is nonchalantly sitting in an armchair reading the paper while the chainsaw gets closer and closer. He then reaches above the chair to a previously unseen box. This box has a lever and on the box is written One Million Volts

pentaxuser

 

[ic-racer]

I changed my mind on the type of Eneloop battery I need. The "PRO" battery had greater capacity, which is useless. In fact, in my entire life, I have never exceeded the capacity of any rechargeable battery in any item of photography equipment. For example, I never shot 200 images with a battery powered Rolleiflex before the batteries lost the full charge (3 days or so). In every case of battery failure it is because either the batteries had lost their charge spontaneously, or the batteries were old and no longer could be charged to take more than 10 pictures at a time.

 

[L Gebhardt]

To me one of the biggest advantages of rechargeables is I've never had one leak. I've been using Eneloop and Amazon Basics rechargeable batteries for years with good results. They do hold charge for a year or more, though they certainly self discharge faster than alkaline. I also use them in trail cameras over the winter. They do very well until it gets below 0F. A good charger is key. You want one the charges each cell individually, and ideally has recondition and slow charge features. Also keep in mind that the NiMh cells have lower internal resistance than alkaline batteries. This could damage devices with poor designs that rely on the internal resistance of the battery to limit current. Some cheap LED flashlights come to mind, but I could see some early photo equipment also being damaged.

 

[ic-racer]

I can confirm that after a month and only a few exposures (this pack is on a 35mm camera with a Polaroid back), the battery pack is still fully charged.

 

[EdSawyer]

I would be surprised if anyone can pack 4500 mah in any AA sized battery. That said I use and like Eneloops.

But for the EOS 1V with PB-E1, the way to go is the NP-E2 power packs, way better than the 8xAA holder.

 

[ic-racer]

In the Rolleflex system, not much difference between using the packs or the AA holder, as they are basically the same thing.
What advantage does the NP-E2 have? Is it easier to charge?

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I like electronic film cameras as much as the mechanical ones. One issue with electronic cameras is the need for batteries. NiMh batteries, like the older technology NiCad, still lose charge over time.

The big issue with that is a camera that gets infrequent use will not be ready to go without a charge. By the time the batteries are charged (even 15 minutes quick charge), the opportunity may be long gone.

I have converted almost everything I own to Li-Po or Li-Fe battery. Except for cameras. I'm in the process of doing that. The main benefit is the batteries stay charged. So, when I grab a camera or flash, it is ready to go.

BTW, I'm no fan of Alkaline cells. They leak and destroy equipment.

View attachment 191330

All types of batteries leak. Even rechargeable ones. I had a Canon F-1 motor drive with a nicad pack and it leaked. I also had NIMH AA batteries leak too. Hopefully, engineers will design devices that take that into account and mitigate damage when leaks happen. With greater demand for denser energy batteries housed in a smaller space, some batteries explode into flames in people's pockets.

 

[ic-racer]

Update: the camera with the 5 batteries shown in post number 39 above still reads full charge.

 

[M-88]

I'm using Eneloop Ni-MH batteries. Not manufactured under license, but original Sanyo Eneloops. Never ever EVER had a problem with them. They hold more than adequate charge even after two months from last charge so that I can still get 400 shots without flash on my Pentax K-x. And mind you, these batteries were bought back in 2012. So why bother myself with any other solution...

 

[M-88]

I would be surprised if anyone can pack 4500 mah in any AA sized battery. That said I use and like Eneloops.

I know that some brands claim to have batteries with 2800ish mAh in them, but it's a well known fact that they lose much more juice than LSD cells from Eneloop. So it's either volatile 2800 dictated by marketing, or steady 2000.