F4 battery life

[jv1]

Good day,

 

I always thought of the F100 and F5 as battery-eating monsters,

that's part of the reason why I am on the lookout for a used F4. Now

I have come across a website that says the F100 gets 70 rolls on a

charge, and the F4 only 30 -- this I find very worrying!

 

I was wondering if anyone could confirm me how many rolls I could

shoot on average with an F4 (all 3 versions, if possible), or, if

that's easier, comparing it's battery life to that of an F100 or F5.

 

Thanks a lot in advance.

[armando_roldan]

AA alkaline batteries are cheap in bulk. I change batteries in my F100 about every 30-40 rolls, if not sooner. Nothing worst than having a dead or slow reacting camera in a important situation because you don't have fresh or spare batteries.

[Jerry_]

One cannot 'tell' how the AA cells will work on "your" camera body.

 

 

 

If you tend to hunt with the AF a lot, the number of rolls of film will be different than if you AF one time, shut it off, and shoot.

 

 

 

One + for the F4 body, it has a 'OFF' switch that both the F100 and the F5 lack.

[glen_johnson1]

The F4's MB-20 batt pack is only 4 AAs, that's why. You can attach a larger battery pack for longer life. The 30 roll figure is an extremely variable estimate that includes use of alkaline batteires, autofocus and power rewind. My batts last forever using AIS lenses!YMMV depending upon use.

[alex_lofquist]

I find that the F4s and F5 are about equally power hungry. But that is not too expensive, as has been mentioned, if you get your batteries in bulk. I prefer lithiums in my F5 as it makes a definite reduction in weight. Both camera bodies have a switch to turn off the power.

[david_h._hartman]

Battery consumption should be the least of your worries unless

you are shooting a long way from a source of replacements. The

cost of film, still low compared to getting to a destination is

greater. You want to get the photo right in the camera. Now much

else matters at these expense levels. <br>

<br>

Both the F5 and F100 easily trump the F4s/F4 is so many ways. I

stopped using my F4s as soon as I bought an F5 and liquidated the

F4s when I bought an F100.<br>

<br>

I recommend Energizer L91 lithium batteries for both the F5 and F100

for performance and longevity. Lithium and NiMH batteries are far

less likely to leak as they have resealable vents were as

alkalines have a one shot vent that will ooze once opened. The

best price Ive seen in the US for lithium batteries is at

Wal-Mart.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[HuskyMason1]

The F5 has an Off Switch and I would think the F100 does too.

[Michael R Freeman]

"Now I have come across a website that says the F100 gets 70 rolls on a charge, and the F4 only 30 -- this I find very worrying!" -- Jonas Vincken

 

Everything is relative, i.e. this website might be comparing apples to oranges. The F4/30 roll usage is for 4-AA alkalines in the MB-20 at 20C with a 35~70 f/3.3-4.5 lens. The F100/70 roll usage is for 6-AA NiMH in the MB-15 at 20C with a 28~105 f/3.5-4.5. A fairer comparison might be the F4 with the MB-21 and 6-AA Ni Cd, which is also 70 rolls (should be the same or better with NiMH).

 

I wouldn't worry about. Stick 4-AA lithiums in either the MB-20/F4 or MS-12/F100 and you can easily triple the expected battery life. Use a manual focus lens on the F4 and the AA lithiums last a longggg time.

 

Basically the battery life estimates don't have a lot of real world meaning, as depending on the lens, temperature, amount of auto focusing, battery type, phase of the moon, time of the month ... expected battery duration will be different.

 

I wouldn't pick a camera based on battery life (although I have bypassed cameras because of battery type). I have both an F4 and a F100. I'm not particularly worried about batteries - carry a set of 4 spare AA's and you're covered.<div></div>

[Michael R Freeman]

And for the F100 (both are extracted from the respective instruction manuals) ...<div></div>

[Michael R Freeman]

Might as well do the F5 as well ...<div></div>

[Jerry_]

"The F5 has an Off Switch and I would think the F100 does too."

 

 

 

 

Sure, both camera bodies do, but the little LCD display does not cease to display when either camera is 'off.' The F4 is off with no battery drain.

[jv1]

Thanks for all the answers. I knew it would be a difficult comparison, but all I needed was an indication that would at least help me out a little bit.

 

The reason I find battery-life important is not expense; but I plan to go backpacking for weeks, several times, in very lone, far-away regions in Asia and the Middle East. I have my doubts about finding fresh AA batteries there, and I probably won't have a chance to recharge mine every so often due to lack of electricity in most of the places I am bound to visit.

 

Battery life is definitely not the only factor, but if the difference had been HUGE, it might have been a decisive factor - take, for example, a D1, I have heard it's batteries last 2 or 3 days at most if you use it a lot! That would most certainly get me into trouble on my trips...

 

The reason I am looking at an F4(s) rather than the F5 or F100, are very specific for what I am planning to use the camera for. I thought about it for quite some time - I am very much aware that most, if not all, people will consider the F5 and F100 better cameras than the F4 - for my purposes, however, the F4 is ideal.

 

Thanks a lot for all the usefull, and helpfull answers!

[mawz]

For that use, why not an FM2n or FM3a? Battery life measured in months to years rather than rolls, and they work fine without a battery (Battery runs the meter on both and the Aperture priority circuitry on the FM3a). When access to batteries is an issue, I'd always recomend a mechanical camera over an AF body.

[jv1]

I really need the autofocus for some things, but I am also taking a Nikkormat FT3. Minus the meter, fully mechanical and one hell of a beauty.

 

I realise the combined weight of both bodies will be a lot, but not too much for me to handle - I won't be taking a LOT of lenses, just a few primes, and I have a very light but sturdy tripod, and I have carefully selected my other (non-photographic) gear.