Rodney O wrote:
4x4rock,

Can you post the link for the Sanyo eneloop batteries and charger deal that you mentioned?

Costco is currently selling the Sanyo Eneloop for $19.99 ($25.99-$6 rebates.) It comes with 8 AA, 4 AAA and a charger.

Can't find them searching thru their internet store.

Thanks
Rodney O

I bought it from the warehouse. I came back a week ago and bought another one. They still have it at $19.99 with the instant $6 discount, no coupon needed.

Nuts. I got them a while back before the coupon. Ah well. It wasn't a bad deal then either. Just better now.

You know I just had a thought, lets just say your a very busy photographer and you have lets say 24 AA rechargeable batteries. I believe it does not matter if you have one flash or three. After a photo shoot it does not matter if you have PowerEx or Sanyo Eneloop your going to charge the battery after using it, so the next use you will have full-power. Now also to compare.

I will get longer use out of a 2700mAh battery then a 2000mAh battery not that the 700mAh is going to make that much of a deference of the PowerEx batteries have always received high reviews. So if this is correct http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/ENE/LOOP.HTM Daves test he says all seem to lose 12 to 15 percent of their charge in the first month after having been charged, so your 20 batteries you have in your bag are all down 15 percent in power. Case being when I'm at a paying job, I want all my batteires on a fresh night before charge.

Now if your a low volume photographer, and you have 24 batteries and there all charged up, even if you do rotate them so that all get used, they will all be at the same loss while sitting in your bag. It seems like the Sanyo Eneloop is good for people who hardly use there item where the batteries are being used. And not so for someone whos an everyday user and would have to charge the batteries once they were depleted.

Any Comments?

if you are a very busy flash photographer AA batts are not the answer. i try to avoid the use of flash for the obvious reasons. but i still use it as needed. like i said when it comes down to using a flash and if you use it a lot and have to have it work when it needs to work reliance on said multiple battery sets become problematic in management and real time use and juice.
here is where a HV power pack comes in. raw power and plenty of it that gaurentees an evening of uninterupted blinding light and for the most part will go into the next day. mine can deliver about 1200 full power whacks which when used with the controller in the flash turns into a fairly copious amount of lighting glee. in addition it even can power my camera or another flash at the same time as it has dual outputs

Amazon also has good prices on the Eneloops.

I have been using Rayovac Hybrids and very happy with them so far. They hold a charge for a long time and a little less in price than the Eneloops.

Bennett

You might want to Google Consumer Reports or find out what recent issue covers rechargeable batteries. At one time, as incredible as it sounds, Radio Shack's batteries rated higher than any other brand. That was several years ago. Check anew.

Funny, that for a topic.

It was exactly what I was wondering shortly before xmas.

After a bit of research, I opted on the Cosco Enloops. I got 3 sets for gifts.

Just based on the price alone, quite a KILLER deal, beings how a 4pack of just about any brand is over $20-25.

The "Blue Toolbox" style pack has a 4 place charger, 8AA, plus all the other sizes (2-c, 2-d, & 4AAA).

Killer-Killer deal.

Then, consider the fact that they are they are they the "only precharged" batteries, and the shelf life is years, instead of weeks.

Hey Sjms,

Cool, Whats that called steup called?
I'd be interested in checking that out.
Bob

FYI - the costco pack I saw had only AAA and AA size batteries. The C and D size units are adapters that help fit the AA size batteries into the space of the larger ones.

Rob-Bob wrote:
Funny, that for a topic.

It was exactly what I was wondering shortly before xmas.

After a bit of research, I opted on the Cosco Enloops. I got 3 sets for gifts.

Just based on the price alone, quite a KILLER deal, beings how a 4pack of just about any brand is over $20-25.

The "Blue Toolbox" style pack has a 4 place charger, 8AA, plus all the other sizes (2-c, 2-d, & 4AAA).

Killer-Killer deal.

Then, consider the fact that they are they are they the "only precharged" batteries, and the shelf life is years, instead of weeks.

Hey Sjms,

Cool, Whats that called steup called?
I'd be interested in checking that out.
Bob

the battery and cable setup is called of all thins the digital camera battery. i have been using it about 5 years now

the cable is a HV input it puts 310 vdc direct to the caps and after the proper custom function is set allows the AA batts to just power the computing and display functions of the flash. remove the cable and the AAs power the whole flash as normal leaving the CF as is

www.digitalcamerabattery.com

Just putting this battery pack thing in perspective. The Digital Camera Battery is NOT a "cheap alternative to AA cells". At $450 for 80 watts & 2.8 pounds, you can buy, carry and change out a lot of AA batteries instead. Additionally, these items require special cables to make their connections. They look like a viable option for the "pro" shooting an event, but not for the photographer traveling and treking the wilds.

Here's a link to an 80 watt one at BH for only $450 (without the cables)
The Digital Camera Battery 80Watts at B&H

The one reviewer was less than pleased with no service response from the mfgr.

the term cheap alternatives has been covered with the the alternat AA batts. plus the original question never mentioned cheak alternatives

i even use the AA batts in the "wild" as you put it on an as need situation. i even stated that

choosing the 80w DCB is misleading and way over the top as you chose the higher weight, higher cost and bulk does not fit most situational use the 40w unit in 90% is the best. that was just plain wrong. the 40w unit is the correct choice. i mean while your at it why didn't you just reference their 160w Li-po pack at $800+
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/413650-REG/Digital_Camera_Battery_DCB0684_160w_Li_Po_Battery_Pack.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/413647-REG/Digital_Camera_Battery_DCB0479_40w_NiMH_Battery_Pack.html

when in a situation where continuous output is required AAs fall flat and you can risk loosing images that you want. AA batts are for non critical use. i never said it was for running around in the "wild". that is of course the wild is a wedding or a dinner party you are shooting then its the DCB all the way. you would need to carry at least 15+ sets of 4 AA batts to get the equivelent output of the setup on 1 charge and they will recharge the flash slower. if you go through a lot of batteries in a shoot there is an economy of scale here to to taken. reliability and consistant output for long duration if you don't need or want that then its AA batts all the way.

i have been using their product for about 5 years now and i am currently working on my second battery cell pack. and their cell pack is made frome consistant quality commercial grade Nimh cells. i have tossed about 60 or so name brand nimh AA batts in that time due to their lack of longevity. longevity defined as chargability and use.

one review does not a product make. if it did canon and nikon would be in the dumpster a long time ago aslong with quite a few other corporate names. yep they can be difficult at times to confer with but when i need to i have gotten them and they have taken care of me. but if that is an issue there are other makers for this type of product

Ah.. Having a bad morning?? Such complaints It was not my intention to start a flame war. But if I stepped on your hot button, let me apologize.

Like other posters have mentioned, my AA rechargeables always seem to have gone "flat" when I want to use them. It seems like AA batteries demand "more attention" than should be necessary. I find it frustrating to have my expensive high quality gear dependent on measily AA batteries when I want to use a flash unit.

Having looked into Battery packs for my own use more than a few times over the last few years, I have not been impressed with their functionality for many photogrpahy situations. I do find that they are pretty expensive, that they are heavy, and that they do not mate particularly well or easily with my 20D, 30D and 40D level cameras. They may work well for the Pro who is shooting an event, but...

If you have knowledge of a battery pack that is more appropriate, then share your specific experience and include a link. And getting double the watts for less than a $100 more & only 1.3 more pounds seems like a better deal anyway.

btw at B&H 40W one with a USA charger costs $358 and weighs 1.5 pounds
40W Digital Camera Battery w US charger

And there is a 400W one battery only also, but they don't list its weight. It's only $663.
Digital Camera Battery 400w Sealed Lead Battery Pack with Worldwide Fast Charger
No mention of whether it comes with a back brace or not.

Funny, that for a topic.
It was exactly what I was wondering shortly before xmas.
After a bit of research, I opted on the Cosco Enloops. I got 3 sets for gifts.
Just based on the price alone, quite a KILLER deal, beings how a 4pack of just about any brand is over $20-25.
The "Blue Toolbox" style pack has a 4 place charger, 8AA, plus all the other sizes (2-c, 2-d, & 4AAA). Killer-Killer deal.
Then, consider the fact that they are they are they the "only precharged" batteries, and the shelf life is years, instead of weeks.

Hey Sjms,
Cool, Whats that called steup called?
I'd be interested in checking that out.
Bob

the battery and cable setup is called of all thins the digital camera battery. i have been using it about 5 years now

the cable is a HV input it puts 310 vdc direct to the caps and after the proper custom function is set allows the AA batts to just power the computing and display functions of the flash. remove the cable and the AAs power the whole flash as normal leaving the CF as is

www.digitalcamerabattery.com



Thank you, Sjms. I appricate, that, and your post.

Bob

IU vote eneloop alos, I cycle 2 sets on my flash and they can always be relied upon

Alex

Another vote for Sanyo eneloops. I picked up a combo size package at Costco for around $20.00.

Why not purchase a Quantum Battery 1 or 1+ for $60-$80 on EBay and it will run you another $50 for the adapter for your flash. This will give you rapid recycle along with 400+ full power shots and fully rechargeable. Also, you can run two flashes simultaneously off the pack.

well the DCB is the one for serious work and is a reasonably sized setup for a heavy flash use day. but for casual use the eneloops are still the best because they are always ready for the most part.

I suspect many of these cells come off the same manufacturing line somewhere in Asia... just that some are branded GP and some noname.

I've been quite satisfied with the Duracell 2650 MaH rechargeable batt's. I recharge them in an eight cell, slow charging Energizer charger. My Eneloops seem to be doing fine too. Don't use the "superfast" chargers. They'll drastically reduce the life of your batt's.

Kiron Kid

For a while I was using Power2000 2700mah batteries from B&H - they had 10 packs....no longer carry the same ones IIRC. I also used some 2300? or 2500mah Sony ones from newegg. I hated AA's, but they were an evil I had to deal with if I wanted to use my flashes.

I got a black box and a tuxedo from http://www.aljacobs.com/THE%20BLACK%20BOX.htm and I have never looked back. I am extremely happy with the packs. They are very inexpensive compared to other battery packs, yes, you have to buy a cable to make em work, but I think we're talking under $250 shipped for 2 battery packs and a cable. Most importantly, for me, I don't need to stop in the middle of an event to replace batteries in my flash, nor do I need to worry about how many days it's been for a set of batteries since they were last charged. The Tux weighs about the same - maybe even less than - the bunch of AAs and canon AA external pack I usedto carry anyway.

I can promise that if at all avoidable, I will not use AA's again for my camera gear. The black box has made my life a lot easier, and not needing to manage 24 batteries (8 in the CP-E3 and 4 in the flash, plus a set of backups for both, not even talking about a 2nd flash) is wonderful. Plus, I've got 2 or 3 dozen AA's for devices that need AA batteries and don't drain as quickly...

ok, now which charger is best for the value and eneloop? im using 16 packs of them kaka, for almost everything i can

Patrick, I just bought the La Crosse Tech. BC-900 charger @ Amazon for my eneloop's. Check out the review section on it, they explain it better then I could ever do.

the maha 8xx series

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/index.htm

sjms wrote:
the maha 8xx series

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/index.htm

I second that. As long as you don't need the geek features of the 9000, the 808 or similar are perfect. They're heavy-duty, fast (but not too fast), reliable beasts.