Are most cameras sold these days not using AA batteries? I guess there is a pro and a con to using speciality batteries. Cameras can be smaller and cost less money on batteries. But the drawback is when one is out traveling and forgets their charger they can’t just stop by a Walgreens and buy some lithium AA’s.
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Using AA batteries anymore?
- Thread starter jwolf6589
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I'm not sure that folks nowadays are paying much attention to cameras and whether or not they use rechargeable batteries. It seems that iPhones and Android phones have become the camera of choice.
But to answer your question, I have several older cameras and both use rechargeable batteries.
But to answer your question, I have several older cameras and both use rechargeable batteries.
I see. Perhaps this saves money and the environment? I still see lithium batteries being sold in stores so obviously something uses them. I know my digital voice recorder does.
I haven’t used a camera in at least 12 years whose primary batteries were the AA type. Maybe external battery packs allowed it but even then those also allowed the lithium-ion packs. Before that, I had a Nikon F5 that used (and chewed through) AAs.
Almost every electronic device you buy nowadays use Lithium-Ion batteries. You can go down the list, everything from home hair cutting to lawn mowers. I did manage to find a home hair cutting set that still used AA batteries. I actually prefer devices that use replaceable batteries rather than rechargeable.
The problem with rechargeable battery devices is that in most cases it's almost impossible to replace the rechargeable battery pack or it's too expensive to do so. Usually you wind up throwing away the device and buying another.
A good example of that is the now defunct Apple iPod Shuffle. We must have gone thru 10 of them over the years.
The problem with rechargeable battery devices is that in most cases it's almost impossible to replace the rechargeable battery pack or it's too expensive to do so. Usually you wind up throwing away the device and buying another.
A good example of that is the now defunct Apple iPod Shuffle. We must have gone thru 10 of them over the years.
When bulk isn't an issue. I too wish more devices would use standard AAA or larger batteries. I got a bunch of NiMH rechargeable batteries. They work great and I don't have to throw them out until completely worn out.
Just stuff like keyboards and mice. I don't want them with a lithium battery. It seems a waste knowing I'll have to throw a device out well before it is worn out. Just because the battery has gone bad.
Then there is my dust buster. Which barely runs 20 seconds now. With a non replaceable Li-Ion battery. This could have easily used a bunch of C or D Cell NiMH.
I still use Alkaline for some uses. Mostly for very low draw devices. Where NiMH makes no sense. Such as remote controls that go a few years on a battery. The NiMH will likely go bad before it has repaid it's increased environmental cost in production vs alkaline.
My remotes all use alkaline except apple remote. My digital voice recorder uses alkaline and it lasts a long time on them. A rechargeable would be a waste in such a device.
I've been using rechargeable batteries in cameras for a long time and it really is not a big deal. I always buy at least one extra spare battery at the time I'm purchasing a new camera. When I'm shooting, if I'm at home or shooting away from home and the battery power is indicating that it's running low or about to conk out altogether, not a big deal to pop out the exhausted battery, stick in a fresh one, and continue with what I'm doing. When it is convenient I stick the exhausted battery on the charger and that's that. It'll be ready to go the next time around.
Yep, it's all about how many times you'll replace a battery in a devices use life. You'd probably have to keep and use a remote control for a 100 years before the NiMH would have a lower impact than alkaline. Although that is for IR remotes.
Some of those radio frequency remotes. One which don't need line of sight, like in a Tivo remote. Go through batteries fast.
That's assuming you buy the batteries specifically for the remote and then throw them out when the remote dies! I have a bunch of NiMHs, and everything that takes AA gets them (flashes, remotes, flashlights). If I get something that takes AA, it gets a rechargeable from the pile. For things that really last a while, they often come with batteries and so if the included ones die, in go rechargeables. The only thing I own with alkalines is my avalanche transceiver, since those don't support NiMH generally and I'm not going to ignore manufacturer's suggestions on a safety device.
That said I far prefer everything to have USB recharging capability. Some devices take NiMHs and also have a USB port for recharging, which is the best of both worlds. But between the convenience of easily replaceable batteries and a battery I can charge on the go, I'll take charging on the go every time. Why would I want to go to a store to get new batteries for my camera on a trip when I can instead just recharge it? I'll usually have one of those little USB power packs that can be used to recharge anything on the go. More importantly, you can just keep them topped up. When dealing with alkaline batteries, you go out with 20% charge and bring spares for when it dies. With rechargeable batteries every device is at 100% every time I go to use it.
The early Fuji FinePix DSLRs(S1, S2, S3) had a 4x AA tray, but were supplied with NiMHs and a charger. I actually kind of like that set-up as you can still use them today without hunting down proprietary batteries, but even fresh NiMHs don't last super long. The S1 and S2 were extra fun as they still needed two CR123A batteries in the grip to power the "camera" functions(Metering, AF, shutter timing, mirror operatoin, etc) while the AAs power the "digital" part. These cameras are Nikon film bodies, the N65 for the S1 and the N80 for the S2 and S3, with a Fuji sensor and electronics stuffed into a fattened-up body. And yes, they're clunky(the S5, which is built on a Nikon D200 body, was and IMO still is an excellent camera).
The battery grip for the Nikon D200/S5 is really meant to hold two EN-EL3a batteries(or their Fuji equivalent if using the S5-the S5 will power up with Nikon batteries but refuse to operate even though they're electrically the same and use the same charger) but can be powered from a 6 cell AA tray. The last time I tried it, I got about 25 shots on fresh Duracell alkalines.
Most of the higher end AF era film cameras ran on AAs. Older pro class manual focus high speed cameras could use almost comical numbers of AAs. 8 is a relatively common number on those-offhand the MD-2/MD-3 for the Nikon F2, the Motor Drive FN for the Canon New F-1, and the Nikon F5 all used 8 cells. The Nikon F4 can be configured for 4, 6, or 8, but the 6 cell configuration is most common in the US(I like the 4 cell one, but it took me a bit of hunting to find one). IIRC, the motor for the Nikon F3 uses 10 cells. The F6 dropped to 2x CR123s unless you use a battery grip.
The battery grip for the Nikon D200/S5 is really meant to hold two EN-EL3a batteries(or their Fuji equivalent if using the S5-the S5 will power up with Nikon batteries but refuse to operate even though they're electrically the same and use the same charger) but can be powered from a 6 cell AA tray. The last time I tried it, I got about 25 shots on fresh Duracell alkalines.
Most of the higher end AF era film cameras ran on AAs. Older pro class manual focus high speed cameras could use almost comical numbers of AAs. 8 is a relatively common number on those-offhand the MD-2/MD-3 for the Nikon F2, the Motor Drive FN for the Canon New F-1, and the Nikon F5 all used 8 cells. The Nikon F4 can be configured for 4, 6, or 8, but the 6 cell configuration is most common in the US(I like the 4 cell one, but it took me a bit of hunting to find one). IIRC, the motor for the Nikon F3 uses 10 cells. The F6 dropped to 2x CR123s unless you use a battery grip.
Ha ha! Do you have any smoke alarms in your house? You know they all run on alkaline batteries?
Or lithiums (non-rechargeable usually)! Alkaline you have to change every year, lithium AAs are good for a decade.
Greater energy density is possible with OEM batteries. My G9 has a 7.2V battery, even though that battery is roughly the size of 2 AA batteries side-by-side. To get something close to 7.2V with AA batteries, one would need roughly 5 AA batteries, requirping a much bigger battery compartment. All that adds up to bulk.
All that said, most modern cameras can charge through the USB connection, so if you do happen to forget your charger, you should be able to use an alternalte charger, like a phone charger, in a pinch. If you pack a few spare batteries, then, on average, you'd be going several hundred shots before running out of power.
All that said, most modern cameras can charge through the USB connection, so if you do happen to forget your charger, you should be able to use an alternalte charger, like a phone charger, in a pinch. If you pack a few spare batteries, then, on average, you'd be going several hundred shots before running out of power.
Yes I see my new Powershot can charge through my Macs USB port. I wish my Canon Camcorder could do the same. 😀 In less than 2 weeks I am taking a trip to Idaho and plan on bringing my MacBook pro.
Expensive one. My house is equipped with smoke alarms in every room which run on alkalines. I have a carbon detector + smoke alarms in my room just encase. Don’t want to wake up dead one day due to carbon getting in my room. Have read so many stories of people dying due to no carbon detector.
Just because smoke and carbon monoxide detectors run on alkaline batteries doesn’t mean cameras should. Packing a charger for a trip is much more convenient than packing a dozen or more spare AA batteries.
They aren’t even remotely comparable scenarios.
They aren’t even remotely comparable scenarios.
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