Nikon Z 50 DC chargers?

Nikon gives me 2 options to charge my Z 50 battery: take the battery out and use the AC charger that came with the camera or buy a different Nikon AC charger that allows to charge the battery while in the camera (without being able to use the camera while charging), No DC chargers that use either the car's cigarette lighter port or USB ports are available from Nikon at this moment. To cover their a$$ they warn against using any third party chargers, of course.

So, any of you use third party DC chargers and how would you know you are not doing any damage or invalidate the warranty?

My preference is a second battery and plug-in charger, both Nikon branded. The additional cost will soon be forgotten. I don't believe plugging a camera directly in for charging the battery is ever a good idea, just in my personal opinion.

My preference is a second battery and plug-in charger, both Nikon branded. The additional cost will soon be forgotten. I don't believe plugging a camera directly in for charging the battery is ever a good idea, just in my personal opinion.

I do have the spare battery, but would like to be able to charge from my vehicle when I'm away. What do you base the opinion on that its not a good idea to charge through the camera? Because Nikon says to not use chargers other than their own or connecting the camera to a USB port for a long time?

I would think I'm not the only one who wants to be able to charge away from AC outlets. Why doesn't Nikon offer a DC charger or the ability to connect to a USB port and charge?

Edited October 16, 2021 by frans_waterlander

What do you base the opinion on that its not a good idea to charge through the camera?

Paranoia

Well, I could live with a DC charger fed from the cigarette lighter outlet or from USB ports, but even that isn't offered by Nikon.

According to Ken Rockwell, the Z50 will charge with almost any USB power source and USB B cable (detail is a little more than halfway down this page):

 

https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/z50.htm

 

Not my camera or my risk, but it is likely that the Nikon USB adaptor puts out 5v just like almost all phone/Ipad power adaptors. My Olympus EM5 III can also charge with USB power but I have not tried it.

Ken is not correct on this one. USB delivers 5V +/- 5% while the EN-EL25 battery in the Z 50 is rated at 7.6V and the Nikon MH-32 AC charger included with the Z 50 delivers 8.4V. So, no USB direct cannot charge the battery.

I'd buy a 3rd party charger bundled with a battery and hope they 'll work. If not the battery should catch fire while charging, so no Nikon warranty problem.

If your vehicle is big enough, why not get a "solar generator" / inverter?

What socket does it have?

 

The Z6ii has in-body charging of its 7v EnEl15c via USB-C... ie 5v.

 

You can use it that way or charge it that way, but not both.

The EH-73P AC charger produces standard USB voltage of 5v at 1 amp. Pure vanilla.

I don't want to draw power off a USB port. It's not intended as a power outlet.

I don't want to draw power off a USB port. It's not intended as a power outlet.

Eh? Yes they are! Even the ancient USB 2.0 Micro-B is easily rated to provide 500mA.

 

USB-C is happy to supply up to 2000mA, although the Z6ii limits it's own feeding for in-body usage or charging to 460mA.

 

It seems the Z50 cannot be USB powered whilst it's switched on. It can only be charged when switched off.

Eh? Yes they are! Even the ancient USB 2.0 Micro-B is easily rated to provide 500mA.

 

USB-C is happy to supply up to 2000mA, although the Z6ii limits it's own feeding for in-body usage or charging to 460mA.

 

It seems the Z50 cannot be USB powered whilst it's switched on. It can only be charged when switched off.

The power is for a device that uses the USB port for communication like a mouse not intended as a general power outlet. I use it when I don't have other choices but I really don't want to use the USB port for power. Also they should make a new power outlet for the DC power outlet in car. Those cigarette lighter are for cigarette lighter they are not designed as an power outlet.

Also they should make a new power outlet for the DC power outlet in car.

Nearly all newly built cars in the last 10 years have USB power ports....:cool:

A third battery might be the way to go.

Nearly all newly built cars in the last 10 years have USB power ports....:cool:

Those are so wimpy wouldn't even charge the cell phone. You need at least a 12V 10A outlet if not more.

You need at least a 12V 10A outlet if not more.

120W!... really?

 

About the fastest USB charging phone/tablet will draw 3000mA.

120W!... really?

 

About the fastest USB charging phone/tablet will draw 3000mA.

Power outlet isn't only for charging. You need sufficient power to run something decent perhaps charging a laptop.

The power is for a device that uses the USB port for communication like a mouse not intended as a general power outlet.

 

I must disagree. Many desk top motherboards have a BIOS option to keep one or more USB ports powered when the computer is shutdown specifically for charging. Of course the computer has to be connected to wall power - the mains as the Brits would say. - and the power supply switch has to be "on".

If I had doubts before about plugging my camera into my computer, these responses have only increased them.

about plugging my camera into my

The camera limits the current drawn, not the power supply's ability to deliver.

 

My note above about the current drawn for charging, or use, by the Z6ii, ie 460mA, is way, way below the power 'available' from the powerbank.

 

It's happy to supply 1900mA via USB-C to my Android tablet or external battery chargers.

 

So, Nikon is very cautious about it's power management, so 5 hrs to recharge in-body.

 

PS. Nikon UK is currently Out of Stock for EnEl15C.

Ken is not correct on this one. USB delivers 5V +/- 5% while the EN-EL25 battery in the Z 50 is rated at 7.6V and the Nikon MH-32 AC charger included with the Z 50 delivers 8.4V. So, no USB direct cannot charge the battery.

 

I don't know about the specific case, but power converters are common, including ones that convert 5V to 8.4V.

Whether the camera has one, I don't know.

(snip)

 

Those cigarette lighter are for cigarette lighter they are not designed as an power outlet.

 

Most now don't have the ability to actually light a cigarette, and haven't for years.

The only use for them is power, and that is the way they are marked.

(But many people still call them by the old use.)

 

Otherwise, I have a small power inverter that plugs into the outlet in our car.

Power inverters for 50W or 100W aren't so big or expensive. Then you just

use the regular AC charger.

 

But they have been used as a power source for at least 60 years.

Most now don't have the ability to actually light a cigarette, and haven't for years.

The only use for them is power, and that is the way they are marked.

(But many people still call them by the old use.)

 

Otherwise, I have a small power inverter that plugs into the outlet in our car.

Power inverters for 50W or 100W aren't so big or expensive. Then you just

use the regular AC charger.

 

But they have been used as a power source for at least 60 years.

It's the bad connector for power.

It's the bad connector for power.

 

It is. But it is not so easy to start a new standard.

 

My dad has the story from when I was about 2, (about 60 years ago), I stuck a butter knife

from a picnic in the outlet, which never worked right after that. Or maybe just the cigarette

lighter didn't work, though no-one in our family smoked, so that wasn't a problem.

 

I think my mom had a baby bottle warmer for it.

 

Actual lighters need about 10 amps or so, which is a good amount of current for

most uses. Many will supply more than that.

 

A few years ago, we had a rental car where the outlet didn't work.

(And had a portable GPS device to plug in.)

 

Reading the manual, the fuses were supposed to be on the passenger side,

but I couldn't find them. Then I remembered that it was a Japanese car, and which

side is the passenger side in Japan. Yes, just where is said, but on the driver's side.