Can you use AA NIMH batteries in the F90?

[sl attanapola]

It's me again! I was wondering if it was OK to use Energizer 2100mAH

NIMH batteries in the F90(F90X)! I use a set in my SB25 and its

seems to work alright.

 

I am only asking since I heard that these batteries produce a

higher current and I do not want to damage the camera!

 

What are your experiences?

 

Also how do you rate Energizer NIMH AA batteries against other makes

like Hahnel or Duracell?

[mustapha_abdelrahman]

I have bene using NIMH in my three F-4s for years with no ill effects.

 

Just remember to recharge them if you have not used in a month or so. Also, the F-4 has a little switch inside the battery holder that one flips for use with Nicad or Nimh. It has to do with calibrating the battery indicator light, that's all.

[tree]

I wouldn't recommend it, see <a href="http://www.vividlight.com/articles/210.htm">this

article</a> for more information.

[david_h._hartman]

If you can run NiCd(s) safely you can run NiMH batteries. NiCd(s)

are recommended in the N90s manual. Ive had no problems

with NiMH batteries in an F4/F4s, F3 w/ MD-4, FE2 w/ MD-12 as

well as the F5 and F100. I prefer Energizer L91 Lithium AA

batteries but use NiMH for economy. <br>

<br>

I recommend using Energizer, Duracell, Panasonic or another major

brand name battery and I will not put alkaline batteries in any

of my cameras, motor drives or speedlight except in an emergency.

Lithium and NiMH batteries have resealable vents where as

alkaline batteries do not. The former might vent a little if hot

but once an alkaline battery vents it will ooze.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[james_ogara1]

SL, no problem at all. They don't however work well in the F-5 or cameras that are finicky about voltage levels. I have read of F-5 users getting 5-10 rolls between charges.

[rustys pics]

I would recommend it based on experiences I had using them in an N8008s. I use the Energizer 2500Mah NimH batteries in the 8008s just fine. Your N90 is more recent and should present no problems.

Lithium cells, however gave me all kinds of weird meter displays and "hieroglyphic" symbols in the top plate and viewfinder LCDs. I took them out before any permanent harm was done. Energizer NiMh cells should be fine.

[mab]

With all due respect, the article cited by Tom Emerson warning against using NiMH cells in cameras is poorly-informed nonsense.

<p>

NiMH batteries indeed supply lower VOLTAGE at full charge than ordinary

alkaline batteries do (about 1.2 volts vs. 1.5 volts). And indeed, they

usually can supply somewhat higher CURRENT (Amps) than most alkaline batteries can (although still less than NiCads, interestingly). They also can usually store more total ENGERGY (Joules) than most alkaline and NiCad batteries do (although how much more depends on how quickly they are discharged).

<p>

However, the amount of current delivered to your camera at any given time depends on what the camera draws from the batteries, not on the amount of energy in the cells themselves. You simply can't damage equipment designed for alkaline batteries by using NiMHs. At worst, the equipment may not work (because of the lower nominal voltage), or may prematurely decide that the batteries are discharged. But no permanent damage can result - in fact, about midway through their discharge cycle, alkaline batteries will deliver about the same voltage as freshly-charged NiMHs.

<p>

The situation is not the same with Lithium (Li) primary cells, by the way. They run at a HIGHER nominial voltage than alkalines (about 1.7 volts) and could potentially damage poorly-designed equipment (but I don't believe any recent Nikons are vulnerable to this).

<p>

I show a NiMH discharge curve toward the end of my (somewhat outdated and rather technical) review of NiMH chargers, at

<a href="http://www.crypto.com/chargers/">www.crypto.com/chargers/</a>.

<p>

 

Best

<p>

-matt

[wilfred_wong]

I usually use NIMH cells on F90X (when F90X is still my main camera). No problem.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>They don't however work well in the F-5... --James

O'Gara<br>

</em><br>

Thats news to me. Maybe its a problem with early F5(s),

not mine. As to the number of rolls per charge the capacity of

NiMH batteries have changed over the years. My earliest NiMH AA(s)

are Energizer NH15-AA, 1200mAh and my latest are Energizer NH15-AA,

2500mAh. <br>

<br>

Battery life depends a lot on how many seconds the CPU is active.

I set all my AF camera to timeout in eight seconds. If I didnt

use manual focus lenses Id set the meter to shut down in

six.<br>

<br>

---<br>

<br>

I recommend buying a spare battery holder for convenience. Both

NiMH and Energizer L91(s) can die rather suddenly. You can slide

a fresh set of batteries in just seconds instead of fumbling with

individual cells.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[alex_lofquist]

I use NiMH cells in my F5 but keep a cartridge filled with lithiums just in case. I typically get at least ten rolls with the NiMH cells.

[james_ogara1]

David, the issue for the F-5 isn't with the (improving) NiMH cells, but with the low voltage, which causes the F-5 to shut off abruptly when the batteries have plenty of life left in them.

 

This is why, I suspect, you say in your post that they tend to die "abruptly."

[david_h._hartman]

<em>This is why, I suspect, you say in your post that they

tend to die "abruptly." --James O'Gara<br>

</em><br>

No I find NiCd(s), NiMH and Lithium cells all die abruptly in all

devices. I have a head lamp that uses AAA batteries and I use

NiMH in it, also a very small water proof flashlight. Both of

these die very suddenly, one minute the are bright the next they

go dim and then out. The transition can be as fast a 10 seconds.

I just think I remember reading about battery problems with early

Nikon F5 using NiMH batteries. I bought my F5 in 2000 and have

not had any problems NiMH batteries.

[james_ogara1]

From the Nikonians battery guide:

 

F5 The MN-30 battery pack

 

The F5 has (as many other cameras) a pretty strict low-voltage level control at approx. 9.0V. That is, below this voltage it will stop functioning completely. This low-voltage detection level prohibits the F5 to malfunction due to low batteries, whereas short drops below this level does not disturb the F5. The MN-30 battery pack street price is 130 USD.

[david_h._hartman]

There is a 9th battery option for the standard MS-30 battery

holder. For anyone who is interested try a google.com search. Its

something you make yourself and it does not require modifying the

standard battery holder. If you cant find info from a

search try the F5 forum at Nikoninas.org or an advanced search at

google.com with nikoninas.org as the Domain.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.