Alex's question on batteries

[sk_szekiat]

Just thought i'd start a new thread on Alex's behalf. Here's my experience on shooting digital in remote

areas. I was in a village in borneo last summer for a 2 week nature shooting trip. The village we were

based in has no wires running to it whatsoever. As a gauge, they don't have fridges, TV, or even electrical

lighting. They have a solar panel that charges batteries during the day and provides electricity for small

things like a CB set and a radio telephone but thats about it. For the trip i used to canon DSLRs and a

portable hard disk drives as well as many AA powered devices (GPS, flash etc). We brought a diesel

powered generator with us as well as voltage regulated power bar (multi adaptor bar) allowing us to plug

in 6 devices to charge. We then got the generator going for 4hrs each night and we were fine. The same

technique was used in connecting to an alternator on board our river boat's engine room.

 

In short, if u're worried about being in the wilderness, bring a voltage regulated power bar. This ensures

that a steady current goes to your charger with no surges so no worries of burning it (common when using

a generator). Another useful tool that i always carry is a DC to AC converter. Most places will have a

generator of sorts for u to use your bar, but if not, there's usually a vehicle of sorts where u can run the

engine while connecting your converter to the batteries. This will give you a AC current to then connect

you up. I know its a big hassle, but it can be done quite easily.

 

The long and short of it is alex, just like when we were shooting film and needed to remember to pack

special spares of certain rare films (i use to keep 4 rolls of 800 press film as spare in any camera bag), the

same applies to digital. It might be a lot heavier, but a 30gb hdd will store easily 7000 shots or 200 rolls

of film when shot on my 1dmk2 digital. I'd sooner carry the hdd and stuff than 200 rolls of film.

[ray .]

I'm certainly willing to trade Alex my D70 with lithium battery adaptor straight up for his M8.

No rush Alex, you have time to think about it.

[vivek iyer]

Ray, Crop size and pixel counts would make the R-D1s a more equitable trade for the D70 (too bad you don't have the D70s)!

[stevep]

"there's usually a vehicle of sorts where u can run the engine while connecting your converter to the batteries. This will give you a AC current to then connect you up"

 

Well - with the M8 charger you're fine since it runs off 12V as well as 110/220V. A couple of years ago in Malawi, I met a couple of guys taking a 12V car battery to the next village to charge it up. To start their car? Not a chance. They used it to run their radio and took it for charging once a week.

[kajf]

Thw M8 charger might be bulky, bur it have the possibility to be powered by a 12V car outlet

- so if there is a car near by, the M8 can be charged..

[paul_neuthaler]

Ya see, that's where my IIIF has the edge!

[sk_szekiat]

well there u have it, leica's even given u the solution. Good thinking on their part. Now if only

canon would do the same. Save me so much joy. That said, some of the canon chargers are

tiny.

[fourfa]

you can get a Canon charger from Sterlingtek that charges from AC or 12V for about $12. In fact they're cheap enough that I've considered buying a few to cut apart so I can run other devices from the Canon BP511 batteries...

[vinay_patel]

I believe you could always make a power source from a couple of coconuts and some unbent hairpins. I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the professor do it on Gilligan's Island ;-)

[vic_.]

I have two M4's for sale <b><a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00JyX0&tag=">HERE.</a></b>

<p>A monkey could learn how to use it in two minutes.

[Alex_Es]

Thanks SK for starting this thread and great story. And thanks to all the rest of you

for pitching in.

[andrew robertson]

Again, the R-D1 takes the completely ubiquitous Fuji NP-80 or any of its clones.