bobatkins Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 <em>TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Canon Inc. said on Tuesday it has developed tiny fuel cells that it hopes will start replacing conventional batteries to power some of its digital cameras and printers in three years. <p> Canon will join a small army of companies, including Toshiba Corp., NEC Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. that are working on the development and commercialization of fuel-cell batteries for the next-generation of consumer electronics. <p> Fuel-cell technology mixes hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and is considered a promising replacement for today's lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used to power a range of mobile products from notebook PCs to mobile phones. </em> <p> <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/japan_canon_dc;_ylt=AiWtWmOjE7zi4WRRt tnMYRQjtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--">Yahoo News Link</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 <em>Canon is also developing organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays to replace the liquid crystal displays (LCD) it buys from other firms for use in its cameras and printers.</em> <p> A better development, IMHO, than fuel cells for cameras :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanel_peets Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 fuel cells are enviroment friendlier than conventional bateries. that's why in my opinion it is more important for tomorrow than organic LEDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatkins Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 I can hardly wait...<em><p>"My EOS 80D has exploded three times this month. Is this normal?"<p>"Where can I buy 3rd party hydrogen?"<p></em> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry h. Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Bob, you only got the question partially right... "Where can I buy DIGITALLY-OPTIMIZED third-party hydrogen?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick h. Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 <P>Green Electron Hydrogen for sale! Green electron hydrogen are much better for digital cameras than red electron hydrogen. Makes your photos sharper...seriously!<br> :)</P> RH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 << fuel cells are enviroment friendlier than conventional bateries. >> How is the hydrogen in the fuel cells produced? With electricity from coal-fired power plants, natural-gas powered plants, or nuclear power plants. All you've done is shifted the environmental impact away from the individual battery into the air or nuclear waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_austin Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 It'll take a *boatload* of locally available fuel cell recharging stations (will there ever be home (re)chargers for fuel cells?) before this technology will take off. As with many things, its the distribution/support "network" that'll determine its success or failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_jefferson Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Do you think they will name the first camera the Hindenburg 2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phyrpowr Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I'm waiting for the one that's powered,indirectly that is, by beans, if you get my drift, which you wouldn't really want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_trayers Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 So with a fully charged cell, would a camera the size of the 1DsMk2 weigh less than an 350D, but get progressively heavier as the battery wears down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyboy Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 OLED sounds great, imagine how bright those displays will be! Regarding fuel cells, havn't they been in the works for some time, some laptops use them don't they? (albeit larger ones) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_rubinstein___mancheste Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 If it lasts longer per charge then I don't care what the heck it's made of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potok Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 i cannot wait to save the earth, let me sit in my oversized SUV, burn 10 gallons of gas to get to the location, then take few pictures with my earth friendly Canon 1.2 GPix camera, without worring where to dispose batteries in this pristine nature, ok i am done, let me now drive around let me see this 8 cilinder baby going off-road. pointless. If someone have problem with disposing batteries for pro-SLR's i bet you if you get all few thousand sold around the world, you can stuck them in one standard size container. If you want to save the earth and my nerves, please do not put them in the oversized blister pack that is 10 times bigger then the battery itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger_smith4 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 "(will there ever be home (re)chargers for fuel cells?)" Why not? The technology exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitmstr Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 The "real" question is: will the Homeland Security allow them in the US or...will they be declared WMD and...will Japan be invaded as a result? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_nelson1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 <I>fuel cells are enviroment friendlier than conventional bateries.</I><P> It's not obvious that this is the case. A lot depends on the the environmental impact of how the hydrogen is produced, the technology used in the fuel cells and their manufacturing, and what kind of battery technology you're comparing it with. Environmentally, Ni-mh, NiCd, and Li-ion batteries all have very different environmental profiles.<P> Hydrogen has an undeserved reputation as a "green" (environmentally friendly) energy source, when, in fact, it's not an energy source at all. Hydrogen is best thought of as a medium for storing or transporting energy and its environmental impact depends of where the energy came from in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug_landrum Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Fuel cells have a tendency to produce the substance known as dihydrogen monoxide. Beware <a herf="http://fflegend.com/forums/printthread.php?s=daad87dd30633a5063fcbcca51f867fe&threadid=16389&perpage=15&pagenumber=1">the environmental effects.</a> Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma have caused the release of tons of dihydrogen monoxide. The environmental effects will take billions to clean up the results of this release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_chappell Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 <I>If it lasts longer per charge then I don't care what the heck it's made of...</i><P> How about a plutonium thermoelectric generator, then? They've kept numerous spacecraft going for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_trayers Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 <i>How about a plutonium thermoelectric generator, then? They've kept numerous spacecraft going for years.</i><p> That's more like it... Plutonium is about twice as dense as lead, so a new 1DsMk57 would probably need a trailer hitch to carry it about, but as the plutonium decayed over 10,000 years the camera would get lighter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taner Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Environment friendly North America will not be here before the oil-obsessed American empire goes where all empires go... That might take a while however! (Suggested reading: start with Gibbons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_k__north_carolina_ Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 I'm still waiting for my Mr. Fusion ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jespdj Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 It's not a really new idea, companies like Toshiba have already been involved with fuel cell batteries for a few years, for powering laptops and cell phones. It will probably take some time before it's practically useable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lester_wareham Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 I wonder how long it will take for fuel cells to accepted as safe on airlines? This is a problem for laptop applications also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_noble Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Why not wind up cameras? Sounds loads better rather than drowning my camera in water from the cell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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