Anyone have any recommendations for long lasting, reliable and consistent power AA rechargeable flash batteries?
I've used both Promaster and Quantaray with some success..
Also, I've found that when buying multiple sets that it's very hard over the course of a wedding season to know which batteries have how much life remaining.
Does anyone color code or have a good system for keeping batteries together in sets without creating a plastic baggie for each set? I usually just throw all the batteries into a pocket in my camera bag when not in use.
I'd recommend the newer low discharge AA's that retain their charges over time a lot better than the regular NiMH. The Sanyo Eneloop's can be found at the local warehouse-type stores for reasonable prices.
I use a mixture of Eneloop and Imedion. I color code mine with various color permanent ink pens. Also, the plastic cases that come with the Imedions are a good way to keep the batteries organizes as well--you could put charged batteries in the holder, and exhausted ones can be loose in the bag. E-Z!
Just wanted to add a thanks to this post, did a search prior to posting a similar question. Ordered some of them Imedion batteries, figure ill give them a try.
I've heard with the Eneloops that they're not all equally charged to the same levels. Some last slightly longer or less than others. The ones you buy from B&H apparently have a few that are dead on arrival. This came from more than a few reviews, which prompted me to buy something else.
However, that might just be B&H. Overall the reviews seem good.
I ended up getting Duracell 2650 mAh's from Costco pretty cheap, and two battery chargers from B&H. I haven't used them too extensively yet but I'm fairly confident they will be pretty good.
Mannequin- wrote:
I ended up getting Duracell 2650 mAh's from Costco pretty cheap, and two battery chargers from B&H. I haven't used them too extensively yet but I'm fairly confident they will be pretty good.
Mannequin
I use the Eneloops and Duracell 2650 mAh's. The Duracell's have performed flawlessly. You'll enjoy them.
I will shoot 2 - 3000 images per wedding and use a lot of SB900 multi flash setups in iTTL mode (D3 D300).
When the batteries go down the flash works fine in regular TTL mode but will fail in iTTL. So i will go through up to 7 sets a wedding - I just change them at regular intervals.
And now I run them in the bodies as well they are good for 3500+ frames. I was having a heap of battery issues as I like to shoot quickly and reliably on a wedding - the remote flash that stops is always the one one stuck up behind the organ.....
I bought a selection of batteries from http://www.thomas-distributing.com - conditioned them and tested times in my flashes. The Powerex under load were great. Next best were the Duracell 2650 then some other brands (Sanyo 2700 , Ansmann, Energizer, Maha ..... to name a few). Note I am only testing the top part of the batteries capacity.
The Powerex 2700 also had the most capacity when I tested them on the BC-900, even against higher rated batteries such as the Ansmann 2900.
Some batteries had such high internal resistance under load and heat that they would would cause the flash to shut down while the Powerex pumped.
Since I use a lot of batteries and will charge and condition my batteries low discharge has not crossed my mind to use low discharge types but of lot of you guys are.
Generally these guys are after long run times rather maintaining high voltage underload. These guys are really into batteries but not photographic images - there is a different demand in wedding photography .
I use eneloops as many do, and find them fantastic. Re: your second question about charge levels, a decent charger like the Maha C-9000 or the Maha C800S-U 8 Cell Charger would probably be beneficial. Also, it is possible to get plastic cases that hold 4 or 8 AA's, and maybe useful for organising your sets when in use. A company i frequently see recommended in the US is Thomas Distributing where you should be able to get everything you need.
m3rocket wrote:
I'd recommend the newer low discharge AA's that retain their charges over time a lot better than the regular NiMH. The Sanyo Eneloop's can be found at the local warehouse-type stores for reasonable prices.
I use a mixture of Eneloop and Imedion. I color code mine with various color permanent ink pens. Also, the plastic cases that come with the Imedions are a good way to keep the batteries organizes as well--you could put charged batteries in the holder, and exhausted ones can be loose in the bag. E-Z! ...Show more →
+ 1
Ozmoses> Also, I've found that when buying multiple sets that it's very hard over the course of a wedding season to know which batteries have how much life remaining.
I usually swap out flash batteries based on number of shots (if I can keep up with it) or by different segments: pre-wedding shots on one set (unless it's a very high number of shots), different set for the ceremony, one set for the post-wedding formals, another set for the reception, etc. If I can possibly do so, I'll used studio lights for the formals and let the batteries take a rest.
>Does anyone color code or have a good system for keeping batteries together in sets without creating a plastic baggie for each set? I usually just throw all the batteries into a pocket in my camera bag when not in use.
I name each set (ie 4 AA's) with a letter and then number each individual battery (using a Sharpie marker), examples would be A1, A2, A3, A4 through H1 ... H4. Each set lives in its own plastic 4 battery holder and are charged and used in sets. As I use a set I place them back in the plastic holder but with some ends misaligned -- fresh sets have all ends aligned (ie all + ends pointing the same way), so I can tell at a glance if a set has been used or not. During a normal wedding I keep a pouch attached to my belt with 3-4 sets of batteries so I don't have to visit my camera bag very often.
If you buy good rechargeable batteries be sure to get a good charger, I can highly recommend http://www.thomasdistributing.com/ as a great source for MAHA chargers and quality batteries (and their 4-AA battery holders).
Best,
Andy
I use the elite 1700 mah cells from cheapbatterypacks.com, as they have an extremely high amp rating. for a higher mah cell, I use their sanyo 2700 cells.
+1 for the Maha/Powerex Imedions. They hold slightly more of a charge than the Eneloops and they lose very little charge in storage unlike regular NiMH batteries. Quite simply the best batteries I've ever used and Maha makes amazing chargers as well.
Having said that however, your usage will dictate which batteries work best for you. If you shoot a lot and are constantly charging your batteries anyway then the standard Maha/Powerex 2700's I found tough to beat and most independent tests showed them to be the best or close to it.
If you're an avid hobbyist like me and your gear can sit unused for a period of time then the new low discharge batteries (Eneloops, Imedions, etc.) are definitely the way to go. You can grab your gear and have faith the batteries are still good. Regular NiMH batteries start to discharge on their own pretty much immediately even when not being used so again, the best battery for you depends on your usage. Cheers!
I'm happy to get this great info on Eneloops and Imedions and Powerex. News to me.
For AA battery cases, I find these cases from Green Batteries pretty handy. Translucent color coded or clear, and they snap together in bunches. They hold either four AA or four AAA. Cheap.
