which dslr can take AA or other kind of readily avail disposable battery?

[leslie_cheung]

I know the pentax ds can take AA and the nikon d70 take some form of

battery adaptor. Any word on the 20d, km d7, oly's? thanks.

[jorgen_udvang]

KM 7D with the vertical grip can and the Fuji S3.

[jimstrutz]

Canon 20D with BG-E2 Vertical Battery Grip can take 6 AA batteries. But for the $200 it costs for the grip you can buy a whole lot of BP-511's on ebay, where they are less than $10 each with shipping anywhere. An extra charger for the home or car can be had for another $10.

[rick_waldroup3]

The Sigma SD9 and SD10 take AA batteries.

[Ed_Ingold]

The vertical grip for a D100 can take AA batteries. Battery life is ... inadequate. As a rule, you should stick with the original battery for best service, and have at least one spare.

 

Once a camera has been out for a couple of years, there are cheaper, third-party batteries available. I'd stick with the OEM for Li-Ion batteries. Without the proper safeguards, they tend to catch on fire.

[ron_goodenow]

What is the proof that non-OEM batteries tend to catch on fire? I've read dozens of reports and not seen this mentioned once.

[dg1]

I've only seen mention of non-OEM batteries exploding, catching on fire etc recently, and I've been using them for a couple years in my 10D and Ricoh GX. I too, have yet to read any first hand report of this happening. I think it's another urban-myth. Perhaps started by the OEM battery manufactures?

[michaelbrochstein]

I agree. An urban myth (exploding lithium ion batteries) that probably has a basis in a lone or a very very very very few incidents. For 99.9999999% of us it should not be a factor for anything like normal circumstances.

 

I too would prefer that there was more standardization in high power batteries for DSLR's (and notebook computers) but unfortunately there simply isn't today or likely in the near future. NiMH batteries do not compare to Lithium Ion batteries.

 

My personal advice is to bite the bullet and support another battery format. Don't let your choice of battery guide a DSLR purchase as it would severly restrict you in your choice. The Nikon D70 (for instance) can take *many* photos before the battery needs to be changed (assuming you don't use the built-in flas alot and use the LCD excessively). Having one spare is probably all you will ever need in most circumstances.

[Ed_Ingold]

Urban legend? Sometimes what you don't know can hurt you.

 

Li-Ion batters are critically sensitive to overcharging, and may melt or even catch fire. There have been several recalls, including the following by Dell:

 

http://support.dell.com/support/batteryrecall/index.aspx/i5000/en/main?c=us&l=en&s=gen

[bill_tuthill]

Without a vertical grip, and who wants a vertical grip (DSLRs are

already big and heavy enough and it's not hard to rotate your wrist),

only the Pentax *ist-D and *ist-Ds and Sigma SD10 accept both

standard AA NiMH and rechargeable lithium, right? The Pentax appears

to win in that its CRV3 is a standard LiON rechargeable, whereas

the SD10's CR123 is usually non-rechargeable.

[awindsor]

Finally I would add that the 20D's AA battery option seems beset by problems. Lots of problems reported even with alkaline batteries. The lower voltage NiMH and NiCad batteries apparently won't work in the grip.

[jorgen_udvang]

A little story:

A friend of mine just left for Europe with his EOS 300D, and he forgot his charger. Now he has to buy a new one. Canon chargers are not terribly expensive, but much more so than most AA battery chargers. The challenge, however, is to find a shop that has it in stock. Adorama lists 18 different Canon chargers for digital cameras alone, and it's very obvious that all photoshops will not have all of them.

 

In a couple of year's time, when the 300D is not any longer as "hot" as it has been the last 18 months, this will be an increasing problem for those who forget, lose, damage etc. their chargers and or batteries. Cameras that use AA cells will not have this problem. Not in the near future anyway.

 

The question about how long your digital camera will last, will probably not be about picture quality, but about spare parts, batteries included.

[jimstrutz]

I would agree Jorgen, but the same BP-511 battery fits the Canon 300D, D30, D60, 10D, 20D, and at least some, if not all, the Canon G series bodies. So this battery and the charger for it are generaly easy to find. This situation is likely to continue for some time due the the number of cameras that require this battery and the fact that they usually need to be replaced every 3 years or so. Third party vendors will continue to supply them even if Canon doesn't.

 

But you are right that some day accessory items will be hard to come by and should always to be considered before plunking down a lot of hard earned money for the latest dgital camera. But in the case of your friend's Canon battery, it's not much of an issue. Just about any photo dealer will have them.

[kin_lau]

Jorgen

"A little story: A friend of mine just left for Europe with his EOS 300D, and he forgot his charger. Now he has to buy a new one. Canon chargers are not terribly expensive, but much more so than most AA battery chargers. The challenge, however, is to find a shop that has it in stock. Adorama lists 18 different Canon chargers for digital cameras alone, and it's very obvious that all photoshops will not have all of them. "

 

That happened to me last year, left my charger for the 300D at my parents place and drove down to NY, didn't realize it until 6hrs later. I simply dropped by the nearest "Best Buy", and bought a "multi-charger". It will recharge over 20 different kinds of batteries from different manufacturers, and as a bonus, it also works in the car. Added bonus, this charger also will work on the NB-2LH battery should I get a 350D/Rebel XT.

[jorgen_udvang]

A good thing that Canon has used the same battery for a number of cameras, particularly for people who upgrade within the brand (which is the whole point for them, I asume), but on the 350D, they have changed.

 

I agree that this is not the biggest problem in the world as long as you are in a big city, but in my part of the world (Thailand), if you travel anywhere more than 100 meters outside the cities, the only thing you will find is AA and Fujicolour (and great food, but you can't feed your camera with gaeng kiow wan). So I use an A95 and an OM-1. Great, trouble-free cameras :-)

[Spearhead]

Do those notebook batteries in the Dell recall work in cameras? If not, what's the connection between non-OEM batteries and camera batteries?

[msgill]

<p>I agree with Jorgen Udvang and it happened with me during location in a Jungle where my both batteries consumed and only nearest alternative was AA. Has any of my colleague tried self made holder/tray of six AA maganisum/disposable/NIcad/Nimh and powered the gear and it performed very well no damage to the machine? Canon BG-E1 do not have option of AA and even third parties have not made BP with AA. Comments will be appreciated. </p>

[jimstrutz]

<p>"Has any of my colleague tried self made holder/tray of six AA maganisum/disposable/NIcad/Nimh and powered the gear..."</p>

<p>I did once. I took a 3 week trip down the Colorado River throught the Grand Canyon, and there are no stores along the way. Couldn't get AA batteries either, but that's a different issue. Anyway, I packed all my BP-511 batteries for the 10D, but wasn't sure they woud last. So I cobbled together a AA holder (five cells I think) for the sack of disposable lithium AAs that I brought. I used duct tape to attach the holder to the bottom of the camera, and ran a wire to the external power input of the camera. I had a small Panasonic FZ3 that I also powered with the device. Although bulky, it worked quite well. But in the end, I didn't need it. I only went through 4 of the 5 BP-511s I brought.</p>

[bill_tuthill]

<p>Jim, on my last Grand Canyon trip, I met a group with a <a href="http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=7430">solar charger</a>. They said you could shoot a bullet though it and it would continue generating power, but we didn't have any guns to test it with. On that same trip, I didn't even deplete one battery because I turned off the LCD and used the viewfinder. (Why are we adding interesting comments to a 2005 thread?)</p>

[jimstrutz]

<p>Hi BIll. Did you take an IK trough there? I kept thinking I would rather be paddling my Lynx than pushing a 2000+ pound boat around. We had a 2 place Tomcat that was thrown into the mix, but whenever it got interesting I was required on the oars of one of the rafts.</p>

<p>We had a large (4'x5' I thnk) fold out solar charger as well, but it was taxed pretty heavily keeping up with two laptops and a sat phone used to connect them to the internet. The problem we had with that was the lack of sunshine in the bottom of the canyon. South Canyon was the last place we camped with a wide view of the sky. We also laid it out on the gear pile during the day, but you still don't get a lot of Sun in there. The charger worked a little in the shade, but not well enough to provide any extra power for cameras. We have a similar problem in much of Alaska due to the lack of clear weather much of the time. Solar chargers can work great if conditions are good though.</p>

<p>Yeah, I was surprised to see this thread get recalled too.</p>

[msgill]

<p>Thanks Jim Strutz but my request is regarding 300D whose manual is silent on the subject. i know 10D/20/30 perhaps BG-E2 takes AA but Rebel D is quite different and being non-technical can not take risk of making holder of AA and attaching Nicad or NiMH with the gear. Whether a thread is old or new question is transferring/imparting knowledge to the members and not depriving if one is living in such part of the planet where canon service center is not located and many of my colleagues are having D5 and some like me are happy with Rebel because photography is hobby of innocent people. Again my question is attaching NIcad/NiMH/disposable AA battery so flash shot can be freely made in remote part of country side and no damage to the gear.</p>

[jimstrutz]

<p>Please take no offense Myra. It is just suprising to see a 4 year old thread become active again. If this was at dpreview.com this thread would reappear at the top of everyone's list, so people could see the discussion continue. Unfortunately, at photo.net the only ones who will see this discussion continue are the few of us who have notifications turned on for it, or people like yourself who are doing a search for specific information. For that reason you might get more responses from more people if you started a new thread. I'm sure there are people who have done exactly what you are proposing and could help you in doing it. It's odd that we encourage people do do a search before posting a new question, but at the same time, if there are new ideas to add the masses might be better served by starting a new thread. Another imperfect system. :)</p>

<p>Still, I believe the 300D (Digital Rebel) has an external power input port, and even if not a dummy battery could be employed with a wire to the external power source. A set of short wooden dowels with wires through the center could be used for the dummy battery. Then all you have to do is get the appropriate voltage and polarity right. You may not know how to do this, but I would be willing to bet that you know people who do. It's a very simple electrical project, and anyone with a very modest knowledge of electricity should be able to do it.</p>

<p>If you use the dummy battery the power source needs to be approximately 7.2 volts. This could be satisfied with 5 lithium or alkaline disposables, or 6 NiMH AAs. I'm not sure what the rating of the external power port would be (if it actually has one). Then all you have to concern yourself with is the polarity, and that is marked on the batteries.</p>

<p>Good luck. But if you want more specific ideas, and perhaps with picturtes, post a new question about this. I'm sure you will get lots of responses.</p>

[msgill]

<p>i googled/yahoo and every site to locate AA BG to meet any eventuality above the original Battery 511 of 300D and to use built in flash freely but with no results. Only other alternative was Photo net where perhaps one of the cream of champions of photography exchange knowledge and this thread attracted for posting instead of starting a new one which was likely to be left unanswered like so many. I appreciate ur advice for making connection but whether this gear accept Nicad/NiMH AA or not? I have already damaged my old Metz 40MZ2 with NIMH so bit hesitant to go ahead and once again damaged to the gear. Jim how i can flare up when a hobby of photography have made me a slave and prisoner and thus remained un harmful from other addictions etc. Credit goes to the management who gifted membership to so many like me and my learned friends on this site who have done magic to make alive a four years old thread.</p>

[jimstrutz]

<p>As to whether or not the 300D will work with NiCad or NiMH AAs or not -- Sure, they will work great as long as you get the voltage and polarity right. The problem is no one sells a AA batter grip for the 300D, so you would have to build one yourself. It's certainly not hard to do.</p>

<p>Some commercially made camera grips are designed to work only with alkaline batteries (1.5 volts), and don't cooperate with the lower voltage (1.2 volts) of NiCad/NiMH. And others don't like the slightly higher voltage of disposable lithiums (as much as 1.6 volts with no load). But if the designer chooses the correct number of cells, any of these will be fine. All you need is someone to make you up a battery pack that puts out 7.0 to 7.5 volts. That would be 5 alkaline or lithium AAs, or 6 NiCad/NiMH.</p>

<p>Actually, you could probably get away with 6 alkalines too, but I wouldn't put 6 lithiums in a pack not designed specifically for them.</p>

[msgill]

<p>Jim today i did the experiment by using the blank cartridge of 511 (as 300D do not have point for input) soldering wire and attaching first four AA clip (1.2 volts NiMH) and nothing happened and then increased one battery and later another thus six, only display appeared battery sign was flickering. I then off the gear to avoid damage. IMHO this gear do not accept NiMH as it is for amateur like compact cameras. What i understood the built in circuit of this machine is only for lithium so canon introduced BG-E1 which have groove for two 511 and not AA battery . Canon 350/400Ds have AA provision and for alternate supply i have to upgrade to other machine. </p>