Pricey rechargables - worth it?

[beatle]

I let my girlfriend borrow my A70. She kept it and mailed me the 1800 mAh Powerex batteries after buying a set of Rayovac IC3s and charger. It's been a week and I've still not gotten my batteries (6 hours away) so I'm about ready to order some new ones instead of waiting forever to use my new camera.

The deal on the batteries in Hot Deals seems like a good value: 24 AA and 8 AAA for $40.55 (including shipping minus 5%). A set of 4 AA Powerex batteries will run me $16.97 after shipping. I could use the AAA down the road if I decide to get a wireless mouse, a muvo, a Palm, etc. and the AA batteries would be nice spares. I never really got as many pictures out of my Powerex batteries as others claimed... usually only about 100-150 before the batteries died completely. I'm using a MAHA MH-C204F charger, FWIW.

Any opinions on batteries? I usually say quality over quantity, but this is a bit overwhelming.

 

[beatle]

Bump, any opinions?

 

[hahher]

this is like buying from priceclub 20 lbs of eggs.

if you want on cheap, i think you have 2 options to try first:

1) buy off someone who bought bulk, or try to organize a group buy

2) buy, then try to sell off extras.

both which may not be available options.

otherwise i would personally just buy 4 AA from local brick&mortar with best price. around here there's a fry's that sells em 2000mah 4AA for $9.99.

but if store is also expensive, then i would rather go with namebrand powerex. they may be more expensive (actually really expensive), but if they work for a year you'll get your money's worth. and place's like thomas or sunn, offer great service if you happen to get a bad batch.

 

[Hyperfocal]

Look for some 2000-2100 mah batteries locally.

I've had good luck with most of the name brand Nimh batteries. Look around, Sam's club has 2100mah Energizers for about $2.12 each in an 8 pack. ($16.97 iirc) Target has sales on rechargeables pretty regularly. Not always the cheapest, but not too bad.

 

[Blastman]

Go to Walmart and get some Energizer NiMh?s. They perform very well ?

http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/BATTS/BATTS.HTM

 

[0roo0roo]

stick with the rayovac ic3 charger and batteries. the usefulness of 15 minutes is worth it. and the cost difference is nothing once you break it down to per charge cost. the pain in the @ss of handling 20 cheapie batteries you don't need is not worth it. rechargables lose charge % per day, they do not store as charged batteries. 15 min makes it a last minute thing you don't have to worry about.

 

[beatle]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
stick with the rayovac ic3 charger and batteries. the usefulness of 15 minutes is worth it. and the cost difference is nothing once you break it down to per charge cost. the pain in the @ss of handling 20 cheapie batteries you don't need is not worth it. rechargables lose charge % per day, they do not store as charged batteries. 15 min makes it a last minute thing you don't have to worry about.

If I didn't already have a very nice charger, I'd probably go with the IC3s. I'm going to check Sam's out and likely pick up the 2 4 packs of Energizers. I didn't know they were rated so highly.