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View Full Version : Batteries - rechargable vs. disposible



Maleficent_vf
08-26-2009, 01:31 PM
I love my digital camera, but I hate the way it eats batteries. I've been using disposible lithium photo batteries, but it seems so wasteful.

What are other people doing? How do rechargables compare? When you're at WDW how do you manage your rechargables - the 3 hour recharge time makes me wonder how many batteries I'd have to have to make sure I won't run out of them on any given day.

Just to give you some idea of how much I use my camera on a trip - my last trip to WDW was 5 days and I took 1800+ pictures.

Thanks for any input!

BMan62
08-26-2009, 02:18 PM
I can't talk for anybody else, but I have had horrendous times with rechargeable batteries. Take too long to recharge, charge doesn't last very long, batteries themselves don't last.

But, that's just me.

I've used Everready Lithium batteries and have been very satisfied with their ability to last through an entire 8 day stay. But I only end up taking about 150 - 200 shots, so I'm not much help for you.

egospotter
08-26-2009, 02:21 PM
I got rechargables last year and love them. They seem to last longer anyway and I just charge them in the wall charger over night. We have 4 AA batteries, bring them on a full charge, keep one set in the camera (obviously) and one set in the bag to replace if needed. Last year we didn't need the replacement batteries at all, used the one set each day, but it was good to have them just in case. I think over 8 days we took about 900 pictures.

It will probably also depend on what kind of camera you have. Mine's just a little Kodak point-and-shoot.

From what I figure we are not only saving money, but reducing waste and icky battery acid in landfills. Works for me!

jray21
08-26-2009, 03:33 PM
The rechargeable batteries now are a lot better than the old ones. They have better memory(don't loose their charge as fast and charge full each time), don't have special rules (don't have to fully discharge them before re-charge), and last much longer (up to 1000 re-charges). There are many different companies out there, but I like the eneloop usb charger that comes with 2 AA batteries, or their wall charger that includes 8 AA and 2AAA. There are many others, but eneloop has worked well for me. The savings are well worth carrying around an extra set of batteries. :thumbsup:

kakn7294
08-26-2009, 03:45 PM
My previous digital camera used "regular" batteries so I always bought the Everyready Lithium - the shiny silver and blue ones. I tried the rechargeable but they were heavy, took too long to recharge, and lost the charge too quickly, especially towards the end of their use. I had only had them for maybe 6 mo and they would only last a couple of pictures (literally, only 2 - 4 pics) before they died. The Lithiums lasted nearly a full week and over 1000 pictures at WDW. It does seem wasteful but then again, so did recharging my batteries every time I turned the camera on.

Melanie
08-26-2009, 04:24 PM
We've used rechargable batteries for a couple of years now for a variety of things, including our point and shoot cameras. Work great for us, and I don't recall them losing their charge any quicker than regular batteries.

Ian
08-26-2009, 05:12 PM
I'm confused ... I didn't even know they made digital cameras that take disposable batteries? :confused:

I've never had a digital camera that was anything but rechargable and I've never had any issues with them. My cameras will typically go a couple hundred pictures before needing a recharge. The charger is very small, too, so I just throw it in my bag and plug it in overnight when it gets low.

baldburke
08-26-2009, 10:13 PM
We have about two dozen Energizer AA rechargeable batteries floating around our house. We have eight for Wii remotes, another eight tied up with three digital cameras and a bunch more charged and ready to go at a moments notice.

We find their life span to be very good, but I think what sold us was when you could pay $6 for a disposable four pack or $12 for a rechargeable four pack the choice is easy.

brownie
08-27-2009, 08:14 AM
I love rechargeable batteries! We haven't had any problems with the ones that came with our Canon cameras. We keep a spare battery charged to replace the one we are using when it gets low. They hold a charge for a long time when not in use.

I use Energizer rechargeable batteries around the house for everything. I've been switching things over as the disposable batteries die. I haven't had any problems with the rechargeable batteries and they charge in a reasonable amount of time.

meldan98
08-27-2009, 12:30 PM
When we had our dd almost 6 years ago, we purchased a bunch of rechargable batteries since most of her toys and gadgets required batteries. We would basically buy 2 sets of batteries, so that one could charge while the other was in use. You wouldn't believe how quickly a battery powered baby swing goes through a set of batteries. We have had the same batteries and had to add a few as we added more toys and Wii remotes. I can only imagine how much we would have spent on the disposables over the years.

brad192
08-27-2009, 03:24 PM
Yes, the newer rechargeables are much more efficient & reliable than the old ones. The newer nickle-metal-hydride (Ni MH) types give great performance & have virtually no "memory". The key to long life is buying the biggest milliamp hour (mAH) rating you can. They range from about 1000mAH to around 3500mAH for AA's (the higher the rating, the more you'll pay).

I have 3 sets for my camera, 1 that's 1200mAH (lasts about 1/2 a day depending on the number of pix I take), and 2 sets of 2800mAH. These last an entire day, unless I take an enormous amount of pictures, or forget to use "display disciplne."

Your digital camera's display is the biggest single power drain on the batteries. Depending on the type & size of the display, it can draw anywhere between 150mA and 500mA. Leaving the display on all the time will quickly drain your batteries.

OK, I'll take my Engineering hat off now...

PAYROLL PRINCESS
08-30-2009, 09:22 PM
I use both kinds.That way I have a set for when the rechargables aren't ready. I have bad luck with batteries. I swear I can put fresh batteries in my camera and they die 10 minutes later.

Ian-I think a lot of the newer digitals now come with AA batteries rather than the rechargables. My first digital-a Fuji-had rechargable but the latest one I bought-a Canon-and my Nikon before that-take AAs.

garymacd
09-03-2009, 10:04 PM
I think your use of battery types should be based on what you are doing with them. Granted Li-Ion batteries are expensive, they do last a little longer. I have never had great luck with rechargeable batteries. Their recharge life seems to get shorter each charge - even though NASA has completely debunked the idea of battery memory. Our newest cameras have rechargeable battery packs that must be used in the camera. We can't substitute AA's or AAA's.

One Off-Topic note: Do not EVER try to use rechargeable batteries in battery operated smoke alarms. They need a full 9 volts. Rechargeables only have 7.2 volts and will give you low battery warnings after about a month.

Remember to recycle those used batteries or dispose of them in a proper, environmentally friendly way. Many municipalities have set up recycling locations, and several of the larger hardware/home improvement stores also have recycle drop-off boxes.