battery types for your digital camera

[Rottie]

I am thinking about buying a rechargeable battery instead of old fashioned alkaline battery do you use NiMH or Lithium ion rechargeable battery? I know the latter offers more pictures than NiMH battery right?

 

[Anubis]

i use eneloops which are NiMH for anything that takes normal batteries

 

[corkyg]

Another vote for Eneloops. I got mine at Costco. Some of the newer cameras have proprietary LiIon batteries.

 

[sixone]

I bought a set of rechargeable Energizers. They lasted a long time in my cam, but wouldn't hold a charge after about a year. Well worth every penny, IMHO.

 

[Smoove910]

Amazon.com for the Eneloops:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...neloop&x=0&y=0

 

[Rottie]

eneloop battery looks very interesting I will buy this one next week!!!

 

[weez82]

Eneloops are great but so are GP Recyko. I have been using both the eneloops and GPs for over a year now. Both have performed the same. And dont skimp on a charger. Without a quality charger your batteries will suffer an early death. Highly recommended chargers are maha/powerex MH-C9000 (around $50) and the LA Crosse BC-700 (around $30). I have the BC-700 and it is great. Here is a good place to read up on rechargeable batteries and chargers: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?9-Flashlight-Electronics-Batteries-Included

EDIT:
GP Recyko: $16.81 + free shipping (as of 4-27-2011
http://www.amazon.com/GP-Pre-Charged...3927848&sr=8-1

Eneloops: $19.23 + free shipping (as of 4-27-2011 from MYBATTERYSUPPLIER)
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-Eneloop-...3927872&sr=8-1

Maha Powerex MH-C9000
http://www.amazon.com/Maha-Powerex-...YCWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303928131&sr=8-1

La Crosse BC-700
http://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Techno...OV50/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303928182&sr=8-1

 

[Lemon law]

To some extent, we have failed to mention a few things to our OP.

(1) While lithium batteries are always preferable IMHO, they do not come in basic AA battery form in the 1.2 to 1.5 volt range unless we are dealing with special non rechargeable lithium batteries. So if the device in question requires batteries in that size and voltage range, the only real current rechargeable option is Nickel metal hydride or nickle cadmium.

(2) As a rechargeable battery type, IMHO, Ni-Cads are damn near worthless.

(3) NI-MH aka nickel metal hydride batteries are far better for recharging in my experience. But this thread fails to mention that they come in basically two types.
(a) The normal higher capacity battery NI-MH that carries with in the fact that just sitting used, it loses 3% of its charge every day. Meaning in a month or so, its pretty well dead. But for a photographer who expects to go go forth with freshly charged batteries every day, and return with the batteries used up, the fact that each regular type NI-MH battery hold some 20% more charge means fewer batteries to lug around.
(b) The special NI-MH type battery that loses far far far less charge just sitting unused.
At the end of a year or so they can retain 80-90% of their charge. And that is the type I have standardized on. Great for things like clocks, TV remotes, and all kinds of photo devices.
(3) As for the last thing on battery chargers, I am not sure I am right, but its seems to be true from what I read. Because Battery chargers also come in two basic types. There is the so called 1 hour fast charger, that feeds a depleted battery high voltage initially, and then the smart ones reduce voltage to top the battery up. But its the dumb fast chargers the damage batteries by feeding them too much voltage for too long. Then there is the slow trickle chargers that never uses high voltage, but instead of one hour, its takes 24 hours to charge the batteries. But as long as I don't exceed 24 hours on a depleted battery, I have experienced no battery damage. I got more time that I have money. But one day I imagine I will break down and spend the $30.00-$50.00 bucks to get a smart charger.

 

[Rottie]

I decided to get Rayovac pre-charged battery Sanyo Eneloop battery was out of stock I hope Rayovac can do better as Eneloop.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

eneloop is amazing. fast charge recycle times are amazing. i have some 2600 mAh energizers and while those last a good number of cycles, i run into issues where they start recharging really slowly... like one shot every 5 seconds. or perhaps its my flash running dry. eneloops never slow down.

 

[weez82]

I decided to get Rayovac pre-charged battery Sanyo Eneloop battery was out of stock I hope Rayovac can do better as Eneloop.

Those will do fine but yea, like Rottie pointed out, the eneloops are the best. Just make sure you have a good charger (like the bc-700 or mh-c9000) and your batteries will last for many years.

 

[drizek]

I decided to get Rayovac pre-charged battery Sanyo Eneloop battery was out of stock I hope Rayovac can do better as Eneloop.

Rayovac hybridss are OK, I have some. I would have tried harder for eneloops though, particularly for a camera.