MD-12

[Chan Tran]

Yeah, probably a case of you get what you paid for. The gold standard in DMMs are the Fluke brands, but even on eBay they're way too expensive for an amateur like me. I ended up, after doing some research, getting a Kaiweets HT118A off Amazon as a good compromise of price, build, features, and apparent (according to reviews) accuracy and consistency. It's doing well so far, although I haven't stressed it in any way.

Yeah! I have 7 Fluke DMM's. The oldest was made around 1980 and is still working fine.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Get some rechargeables to save the environment and your wallet.

I've moved all my batteries over to rechargeables and am happy with it. Tip: don't charge and store but charge just before needed. they don't always kee the charge well when stored.

 

[Chan Tran]

I've moved all my batteries over to rechargeables and am happy with it. Tip: don't charge and store but charge just before needed. they don't always kee the charge well when stored.

That is the reason I don't want to use rechargeables. Because their self discharge rate is so high my cameras aren't ready when I need them. You can't just pull out a camera when you see something you want to take pictures of. You would have to plan ahead of time.

 

[BobD]

I have way too many multimeters. Several Flukes, one Agilent and a bunch of analogs including Simpson and Triplett. There's no way I need them all. It's a bit of an addiction. Like old cameras and mechanical watches and a few other things.

 

[Nitroplait]

To OP @Tomwlkr :
My short response in post #9 was meant to be a helpful suggestion not an order - and was expanded in post #11 with actual personal examples when someone else than you took offence.
I am sure you understand that I referred to personal experiences and didn't speak on yours or anyones else's behalf.

FYI to those who care:
An 8 pack of DURACEL AA cost about US$ 9 at Wallmart.
2x4 LADDA rechargeables and a charger cost less than US$ 30 at IKEA. They are claimed to do up to 1000 charges.
Anybody can do their own calculations on economy and waste based on their personal use-case scenario and make their choices from that.

Cheers

 

[Nitroplait]

I've moved all my batteries over to rechargeables and am happy with it. Tip: don't charge and store but charge just before needed. they don't always kee the charge well when stored.

Eneloope's and equivalents that comes from the same factory holds their charge surprisingly well (specified to loose only 25% of the charge over a year - when you buy a pack, they come charged and you can normally use them before having to charge), but I do the same as you just to make sure, as I have had one or two inconvenient incidents where a battery was unexpectedly depleted.
I also find it useful to date the batteries with a Sharpie. They do degrade with time and I prefer to bring the newest to important events.
The older batteries goes into remotes and flashlights etc.

My brother-in-law was Director of the photography department of Japan's largest publishing company. Around 2005 when Sanyo introduced Eneloop batteries, he made a departmental decision to stop the use of regular AA and AAA batteries in photographic equipment.
At the time it was still mostly film and almost all their motordriven cameras and flashes etc. where driven by AA and AAA. He told me the annual savings (I have forgotten the exact number) but it was significant enough for him to get a very large year-end-bonus - the latter was the reason he told me I think.

It took me many years before I implemented the principle myself.

 

[Chan Tran]

Eneloope's and equivalents that comes from the same factory holds their charge surprisingly well (specified to loose only 25% of the charge over a year - when you buy a pack, they come charged and you can normally use them before having to charge), but I do the same as you just to make sure, as I have had one or two inconvenient incidents where a battery was unexpectedly depleted.
I also find it useful to date the batteries with a Sharpie. They do degrade with time and I prefer to bring the newest to important events.
The older batteries goes into remotes and flashlights etc.

My brother-in-law was Director of the photography department of Japan's largest publishing company. Around 2005 when Sanyo introduced Eneloop batteries, he made a departmental decision to stop the use of regular AA and AAA batteries in photographic equipment.
At the time it was still mostly film and almost all their motordriven cameras and flashes etc. where driven by AA and AAA. He told me the annual savings (I have forgotten the exact number) but it was significant enough for him to get a very large year-end-bonus - the latter was the reason he told me I think.

It took me many years before I implemented the principle myself.

When shooting film the battery cost means nothing compared to the cost of film and processing.

 

[Tomwlkr]

Eneloope's and equivalents that comes from the same factory holds their charge surprisingly well (specified to loose only 25% of the charge over a year - when you buy a pack, they come charged and you can normally use them before having to charge), but I do the same as you just to make sure, as I have had one or two inconvenient incidents where a battery was unexpectedly depleted.
I also find it useful to date the batteries with a Sharpie. They do degrade with time and I prefer to bring the newest to important events.
The older batteries goes into remotes and flashlights etc.

My brother-in-law was Director of the photography department of Japan's largest publishing company. Around 2005 when Sanyo introduced Eneloop batteries, he made a departmental decision to stop the use of regular AA and AAA batteries in photographic equipment.
At the time it was still mostly film and almost all their motordriven cameras and flashes etc. where driven by AA and AAA. He told me the annual savings (I have forgotten the exact number) but it was significant enough for him to get a very large year-end-bonus - the latter was the reason he told me I think.

It took me many years before I implemented the principle myself.

I use maybe 8 AA batterties a yr so what is the sdavings for me?

 

[Nitroplait]

I use maybe 8 AA batterties a yr so what is the sdavings for me?

If you look at post #32 you can do the math for a time horizon of your choice. (My oldest rechargeable eneloops are around 10 years and still works)

You mention a consumption rate of 8 AA batteries a year.
From this and another current thread I can see you use an MD-12, MD-4 (8 batt each) a N90s camera (4 batt) a SB-15 flash (4 batt) & a SB16 flash (4 batt).
I would assume that you would have to toggle the batteries around between devices and likely have depleted some more than others.

It is my experience that MD-12 isn't always happy with that. For your use-case, rechargeables would allow you to recharge the batteries to the same charge before loading them into the motordrive.

 

[Chan Tran]

I use AA alkalines in the MD-12. I use Eneloop in the flash and I use the rebuilt MN-2 battery pack in the MD-4. I do that not to save money but to get the higher frame rate. The MN-2 has 14 NiCad cells( I rebuild it with NiMH) and thus deliver a much higher voltage than the AA alkalines. The flash recycles a bit faster with NiMH due to their high discharge current capacity.

 

[Tomwlkr]

If you look at post #32 you can do the math for a time horizon of your choice. (My oldest rechargeable eneloops are around 10 years and still works)

You mention a consumption rate of 8 AA batteries a year.
From this and another current thread I can see you use an MD-12, MD-4 (8 batt each) a N90s camera (4 batt) a SB-15 flash (4 batt) & a SB16 flash (4 batt).
I would assume that you would have to toggle the batteries around between devices and likely have depleted some more than others.

It is my experience that MD-12 isn't always happy with that. For your use-case, rechargeables would allow you to recharge the batteries to the same charge before loading them into the motordrive.

I have all those but they sit empty most of the time. I just dont use them that much. I jusy got the N90S so that may change. Also just got the MD12

 

[titrisol]

I have all those but they sit empty most of the time. I just dont use them that much. I jusy got the N90S so that may change. Also just got the MD12

It is crazy how cheap that stuff is!
When the N90 came put it was way out of my budget!