which AA batteries & charger do you use?

[kiva]

<p>Actually there is a 2850 mAh NiMH AA battery that is very nice and affordable from a reputable company: http://www.thomasdistributingshop.com/ANSMANN-AA-2850mAh-NiMH-Rechargeable-Battery_p_147-794.html</p>

<p>The same company sells a battery charger that is multi-purpose and does not "cook" the batteries http://www.thomasdistributingshop.com/ANSMANN-ENERGY-16-BATTERY-CHARGER-Hi-Tech-Deluxe_p_0-278.html and it's money well spent, imo.</p>

 

[fotografz]

<p>Been using 2900 mAh NiMH AAs for about a year. <br>

However, about 6 months ago I switched to Powerex IMEDION AAs and a couple of sets of ENLOOPs. They need charging far less frequently and are ready to use for months without loosing too much of their charge. When you do charge them up fully before a wedding it only takes a small amount of time even on slow charge. Less wear and tear on the battery and they are all ready to go for those occasional times a need pops up. </p>

<p> </p>

[steve_c.5]

<blockquote>

<p>I think you guys are nuts to spend so much on "pro" chargers and batteries. I have dozens of Energizers from Wal-Mart around the house, for flashes and Xbox/Wii controllers, and a 15-minute Energizer charger that cost next to nothing. I just checked one set of batteries that have been sitting for over a month, and they're still at > 1.3v.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'll second what Matt Laur said, and add this: When you're in the heat of a wedding, you'd be surprised what a difference it makes for cells to read 1.4 v. versus 1.3 v. Camera flashes are very high drain devices, and you need every bit of charge that cell will put out.</p>

[markonestudios]

I've been using Energizer 2500mAh rechargeables which I bought with an Energizer charger. Been going strong for at least two years, but I finally need to buy a new set of them.

[mike_metcalfe1]

<p>Eliza[beth] - </p>

<p>I've had really good luck with the following charger - <br>

<a href="http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc801d-aa-aaa-battery-chargerbrdeluxe-8-cell-professional-battery-charger-w-full-lcd-displaybrbrfree-accessory-bag-2-free-eight-cell-battery-holdersbrspecial-price-6897-p-437.html?SP_id=&osCsid=g5ur1j3hte3mhh7e8rmpdhkkl6">http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc801d-aa-aaa-battery-chargerbrdeluxe-8-cell-professional-battery-charger-w-full-lcd-displaybrbrfree-accessory-bag-2-free-eight-cell-battery-holdersbrspecial-price-6897-p-437.html?SP_id=&osCsid=g5ur1j3hte3mhh7e8rmpdhkkl6</a><br>

It will charge 8 AA batteries at a time, and it does fast 1 hour charging, slow 2-3 hour charging (better for the batteries, helps extend their life) and it also has a conditioning setting which will charge/discharge/slow charge batteries that have been in use (this helps to re-condition batteries that have been in heavy use for a while, and gets them back to full charge. It can in some circumstances return a cell from the dead, theoretically, but i have yet to test this.)<br>

As for batteries, I like the powerex 2700 mAH batteries, they seem to hold a charge fairly well and after a year of heavy use still seem to be going strong. I also have an 8 pack of the 2100 mAH Immedion batteries tucked in my case as an emergency/last resort set.. I primarily use these batteries in a D300 battery grip (which takes 8 AAs, which makes it really easy with an 8cell charger!) and an sb900 flash.. In both uses, they perform great, and the flash seems to cycle a lot faster with the 2700 mAH batteries. <br>

I'm not affiliated in anyway with the thomas.net link above, but my 2cents, I've consistently had good luck with their company.. plus they run some really good specials from time to time..</p>

<p>mike</p>

[Matt Laur]

The simple chargers usually charge in pairs, and fall back to trickle charge mode as soon as one of the batteries hits the right voltage. The slower-to-charge battery rarely gets topped off, especially if you're not leaving them for a long time. The "expensive" chargers (really? $35 is expensive?) have multiple drain/cycle/charge/test modes that individually check each battery for performance and charge time, and let you know when one of them is shot. With the cheap chargers, you don't know which one is the problem, and most people don't have multimeters, etc. All they know is that one or more of the batteries in the set that's in their strobe is failing. A "pro" charger tells you which one, and can often bring the battery back by properly grooming just that one battery.<br /><br />I'd rather do that, at the modest extra few dollars on the charger (come on now - we'r'e talking about less than the cost of a pizza's difference, here, you know?), than waste batteries and lose performance when I need it, or throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[notso bad]

<p>I am not a pro, so my needs are less intensive. I love the Eneloop. They have a lower mAH rating, but holding the charge is much more important for intermittent photographers like me. Recycle times seem to be very quick at all times.<br>

THey sit on the shelf and are ready to go when I want to take pictures. On a three week trip with many indoor pictures, 4 AA eneloop batteries lasted the entire trip (powering a canon 580 flash)</p>

 

[picturesque]

<p> All I know is that I have no regrets spending $100 or so on my Energy 16 Ansmann charger. As I said, I've used all kinds of NiMh battery brands for at least 6 years or so--ALL of them are still in use today, a fact which I attribute to the charger. If that's ignorant, so be it. You are certainly entitled to think so, but I would consider what Matt and others have said before continuing to think the way you do--have an open mind.</p>

[a.s.photography]

<p>Power 2000 -2900mAh from Adorama NYC,1 set in my 580ex last for about 600-800 shoots,best so far</p>