Rechargeable Batteries

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Originally Posted by Dizzy

Are the off-brand batteries worth buying, or should I stick to the Nikon only?

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Hi Mike,

The "ducks nuts" of generic batteries seem to come from http://sterlingtek.com/ - I've used them personally (as have others here) and have found them to be - in some cases - even better then the originals.

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I haven't worked with rechargeable batteries for quite a while, and in the "old days" it was advisable to let the batteries run all the way down before recharging, so they wouldn't develop a "short memory". That is just not convenient at the moment, and I've been recharging when it was down about 50%, and on days/nights I was going to be out shooting a lot of pics, I've "topped it off" a couple times when it was only down about 25%.

Any suggestions on how to get max life from the batt's?

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Memory effect used to be a problem with nickel-cadmuim batteries, but the issue has pretty much disappeared with more modern michel metal hydride & lithium ion batteries. Many suggest running them right down only occasionally, and I understand that running them right down on a regular basis is actually bad for them. If laptop batteries are anything to go by then the absolute worst thing possible is to leave them trickle charging indefinately. Personally, I top up my (Li-on) battery after every shoot, and it's never been an issue; several years later the camera is still showing the battery performance as "excellent".

Thank you Colin....Exactly the answers needed, on both counts..:cool:

Mike

I am coming into this thread a bit late but I too use Eneloops and find them really good and much faster recycle times than any of the previous batteries I used whether rechargeable or not.

One thing that a friend told me about which may make the biggest difference is the power rating (2300 for example) and the actual output. He showed me and tested my old rechargeable batteries that were only giving out 1500 rather than the eneloop which put out exactly what it should have been.

The added bonus of always having a spare set in my bag knowing that they will stay charged is a nice thing to have too.

I was strongly recommended not to rapid charge too so the only time this is a problem is when you have to shoot two days in a row but if this becomes a problem I will just buy another charger or more batteries.

Thanks for your input Mike :)
I ordered some Eneloops and should receive them in a few days. Interestingly, they were cheaper than buying energizer recharegeables at Walmart!

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Originally Posted by Dizzy

On several sites I see batteries factory labeled as NIKON, and costing in the $35-$40 US range. Then, there are several generic brands that are much less, as low as $10.

Are the off-brand batteries worth buying, or should I stick to the Nikon only?

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I haven't used them, but concur I've not heard anything bad about SterlingTek - my spare camera battery is a genuine Nikon, bought (I think) before I knew of SterlingTek.

The other thing to be wary of is where you buy anything branded goods like batteries; e.g. "Nikon", "Canon", etc.

There are many tales of people getting counterfeit goods (especially bought 'as new' from the 'secondhand' trading sites)

So stick to a well known and reputable dealer. If anything seems 'to good to be true', it usually is!

Thanks for the input Dave, and I've bookmarked the SterlingTek site so I can order spares.

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Originally Posted by Dave Humphries

So stick to a well known and reputable dealer. If anything seems 'to good to be true',
it usually is!

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BTW, my youngest daughter (nearly 21) tells me I am "old and wise". I advise her that 52 is not even in the ballpark of "old", and this presumed "wisdom" (and gray hair) comes from the experiences of having made all those mistakes already, and then learning from them.

Told her this one a hundred times, but it's a good reminder to hear it again: "If anything seems 'to good to be true', it usually is". :cool:

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Originally Posted by Dave Humphries

There are many tales of people getting counterfeit goods (especially bought 'as new' from the 'secondhand' trading sites)

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I think there's a valuable lesson there - I've possibly been a victim a few times in the past along these lines - I remember getting some lithium batteries through our national auction site, only to have a 580 die unexpectedly; 1 battery out of 4 had gone flat ... I went through all the batteries I'd bought and did a peak current test -- some peaked at 8 amps - some only 6 - and others struggles to make 4 -- which lead me to think that I'd probably just paid for a bunch of 1/2 discharged batteries :(

These days I'm getting smarter, but only slowly :(

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Originally Posted by speedneeder

Thanks for your input Mike :)
I ordered some Eneloops and should receive them in a few days. Interestingly, they were cheaper than buying energizer recharegeables at Walmart!

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Tried out the new Eneloops this last weekend. They definitely cycle my flash faster, and if they are anywhere close to the 'slow discharge' claimed I will be VERY happy with them.