Batteries (DSLR): Fujifilm FinePix S1 S2 S3 S5 Pro

[multivoiced]

Do we have any Fujifilm F-mount owners (or owners-to-be) here? I'd like to know of any experience or suggestions about powering these old cameras. Some have advised to stay away from S5 bodies completely because of ageing batteries. Surely there must be a better answer (whether it involves a Nikon battery grip or not).

Personally, I am most interested in S2 and S5, but any discussion could be useful.

 

[joe bosak]

I don't have these cameras but I do use other old digital cameras from 2002 onwards. Worth checking amazon and aliexpress for options and reading reviews there, can be surprising what turns up.

Also, there seems to have been a grip for the S5 that uses AAs (finding one might be another matter though).

 

[4season]

I don't understand: Replacements for Fujifilm NP-150 batteries appear to be inexpensive and readily available under the Kastar and Wasabi brands. And even if that weren't the case, there's always the possibility of rebuilding an existing battery. Rebuilding might not be so easy with "intelligent" batteries such as Sony's InfoLithium, but NP-150 doesn't appear to be so fancy.

 

[multivoiced]

Good point. One wonders if the avoidance of aftermarket batteries comes from fear or fact.

 

[Chan Tran]

If the original batteries are still available I wouldn't use the aftermarket but since there is no original batteries anymore I don't see why not? The other choice is not using the camera.

 

[beemermark]

https://www.betterbatt.com.au/s/digital-camera-battery/fujifilm/finepix-s2-pro/bbcb-120/

 

[joe bosak]

In general it may be worth checking the mAh on third party batteries, they seem to vary somewhat for certain cameras. And any other information you can glean. I see some described as "full decoding" so it may be some are better than others at reporting their charge level to the camera elecctronics (assuming that's what it means). And some don't appear to have OEM-compatible overcharge protection (think I saw that with some X100T batteries - means that not all the LEDs on the OEM charger will light up appropriately... whether they charged o unfortunately I do not recall).

 

[multivoiced]

https://www.betterbatt.com.au/s/digital-camera-battery/fujifilm/finepix-s2-pro/bbcb-120/

This link indicates "Ni-MH", which I hope is a clue that the generic Ni-MH rechargeable AA batteries I ordered will work well with S2.

 

[Chan Tran]

mAh rating should be taken with a grain of salt. Even when they don't cheat the rating is different depeding on the discharge current.