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Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Six Years of AA Battery Pentax DSLRs

After six years of AA battery driven Pentax DSLRs, since the *ist D, I have plenty of NiMH batteries and chargers in my home! They are of different makes and models, to name a few, those includes Mitshibishi, Panasonic, Sony, Sanyo, GP, Super and so on.. And, I just wonder how much money and time I had been wasted in sourcing a better AA rechargeable solution.

I own four models amongst those AA Pentax DSLRs, namely, the *ist D, *ist DS, K100D and now the K-m. Out of my original expectation, my 7th Pentax SLR body is not the K-7, but the K-m, despite that I was one of the first people who pre-ordered! :-(

Now, thanks to Pentax and their infamous battery issue, my house is still full of those Ni-MH batteries so that I can save the Earth and protect the environment so much! ;-) Anyway, these batteries are useful to me as I have so many remote controls in my home (dozens of - I'm a gadgetaholic, I admit) and also there are just too many other small devices and toys that need AA batteries..

What I want to mention in this blog entry is about the best and the worst Ni-MH batteries and models I ever bought and own. Maybe I mention about the best chargers first, they are those made by Panasonic, highly recommended. Another tips of mine for selecting chargers is that do NOT buy "quick" chargers that charge too fast (say, 15 minutes or something). Those chargers do NO GOOD to the batteries, nor the charging quality is really good. Cooling fan actually doesn't help much. The cooling fan can blow away the heat *outside* the batteries. But how can they get the heat *inside* the batteries Away?

Well, the worst battery I have ever owned is the Sanyo 2500 mAh NiMH (early model, which Sanyo advertised heavily everywhere and claimed to be the highest capacity NiMH created and made ever!), which IMHO is just a Piece Of Junk. In fact, this battery has been "crowned" as "King of Self-Discharge" by photohobbists locally in my city, which it will discharge to nothing usable just after one to two days it has no power at all after that. Really POJ or maybe even just a POS! Indeed, this name of "King of Self-Discharge" is really so exact and is best describing this ever crappy Sanyo rechargeable model, which was with only 100% hype, and solely.

What is the best battery then? Eneloop? Nope.. It is usable but not the best battery I own. Lately, I have found and bought four new Camelion AlwaysReady new-type LSD (Low Self-Discharge) NiMHs and I do find a difference.

When used in my K-m, the AlwaysReady show clearly that it is just superior to the Eneloop. It is more powerful and my K-m is now ever strongest (the motor torque is different, as that can be heard obviously). As what Camelion claims, the AlwaysReady recovers much faster after high drain, or even "short circuit", whereas the Eneloop does recover slower according to my own experiences. With freshly charged batteries, after high drain (say, put the K-m into the Continuous Hi frame mode for five shots), the Eneloop will show "half-depleted" momentarily but the AlwaysReady is still able to maintain its power level, with a green battery symbol. If the batteries are already shown as "half-depleted", further draining the Eneloops will make my K-m shut-down. In contrast, with AlwaysReady, it can still sustain the power until it cuts off very transitionally, but not suddenly (unlike the Eneloop). Even when the battery symbol has just become red (empty), the AlwaysReady can still do a few more shots before the batteries "die", which has never been possible with the Eneloop.

So, the Camelion AlwaysReady is what I highly recommend for all Pentax users with our AA battery driven DSLRs. Finally, there is a better solution to the problem, although it is not offered by Pentax! Combined with Pana's chargers (not too "quick" but reasonable in charging time, say, two hours something), the best result can be obtained. I do not recommend Camelion or those common GP chargers that are widely available though, as I have recently read cases of explosion of both on local press and in another local photo forum. Panasonic is the brand that I mostly trust, with best performance, reliability and safety (although their offers are usually not that cheap).

Comments (21)

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I am also a Pentax DSLR AA battery user. I found that if you keep the battery in the charger until the last moment you left home, or re-charge the battery again just before you left home (regardless it is an eneloop charged lately), the AA will last much longer.

The panasonic charger seems to be the ones packaged with EVOLTA. I don't see them around even in HK.

Camelion's AlwaysReady also performs well in cold weather. I have a set of AlwaysReady and a set of GP Recyko, the Recyko failed to startup the K200D under -10C.
1 reply · active 414 weeks ago
Thanks for the additional information! It's really impressive when the Recyko fails but the AlwaysReady works.

Btw, Camelion does claim in their product page (provided above) that the AwaysReady is designed for extreme temperatures, although I am a bit susceptible as NiMHs are not famous to be good for working under cold temperature.
Jan *cannot login's avatar

Jan *cannot login · 805 weeks ago

Thank you, I will try these in my K-m, but what type?? (2700mAH, 2500 mAH)
Jan.
1 reply · active 805 weeks ago
All LSD NiMH battery models by different makes rated at only from 2000 to 2100 mAh in the specs but they do last longer owing to their superior ability to keep the operating voltage. So get LSD type only, despite other conventional models do have a higher rating (but they are not suitable to be used in voltage sensitive devices like those Pentax DSLRs).
sorry to say , but the Camelion battery uses Sanyo's NiHM system, that means low self discharge... exactly the same process as the Eneloops
2 replies · active 801 weeks ago
No matter what rumours say about the OEM or the "same" process in use, I do find differences. My Eneloops weren't give me full performance in my K100D when they were new. So, not even for the K-m now.
I wish to amend that my Camelions (AlwaysReady) were made in China whilst all of my Eneloops (different versions for sales in Japan, USA and Hong Kong) were made in Japan. So, they are different, obviously.
I just discovered someone actually uses NiZn rechargable battery in K-m/K2000D from the comments of K-x. Wonder if it is available in HK... :D
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Pentax-Kx-12172

http://www.slashgear.com/quantaray-super-z-rechar...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel-zinc_battery
It said it is not new, just not too many application as 1.5V and 1.2V batteries
1 reply · active 804 weeks ago
Hayami, thanks much for the useful information and links. I haven't seen one in HK so far, though. But I shall look for it later.

Btw, this guy has tried it and he measured the newly charged no-load voltage of his NiZn at 1.73V, which might be a bit too high initially:-

<a href="http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?fo..." target="_blank">http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?fo...

And, I am also concerned about the self-discharge rate of the NiZn, which I have not much idea about.
Hi Rice,

Did you read in the paper about the guy whose Camelion batteries EXPLODED in his camera? It is in the SCMP today, so I guess it is in the Chinese press too... Blew the battery door off!

I have a lot (maybe nearly 100!!!) Eneloops, but am looking for a good charger in HK for them. I currently have a Sanyo 1 hour charger (doesn't seem to fully charge them) and a Sanyo 15 minute charger (charges them very well, but makes the batteries very hot and makes me worry that I am reducing their lifespan).

Any suggestions for the best charger available in HK would be most appreciated.

I just ordered a K-x to replace my K100D today, so am very happy!

Thanks!

Fred.
1 reply · active 797 weeks ago
The exploded Camelion was a 2600mAh model, not the LSD type. It exploded after had been put into a Samsung DC which was left aside before the explosion took place, which just looks somehow mysterious to me for the case anyway.

As for NiMH AA battery charger, I recommend Panasonic ones. Mine is a "2-hour" model, which is good enough.
In the SCMP (City section, page 3) it shows a picture of the exploded batteries next to a 7.1MP Olympus.

Maybe there are several cases of exploding Camelions?

Thanks for the advice regarding the Panny charger. I'll go and get one.
1 reply · active 797 weeks ago
I think we are referring to the same photo that published for the same case. I was just mistaken to see the brand plate as the Oly and Samsung look similar (I re-read the newspapers and found that its the 7.1MP Oly).

Besides, my Pana charger was expense when I bought it for about seven years ago, but it is very good and reliable.
When bought my Canon camera an year ago I got 2 Camelion alwaysready 2100mah AA batteries and its BC-1001B charger along with camera (as supplementary).
Just after 4 months of use i had this problem- I recharged the batteries for same 12hrs (for the 27th time of Recharge cycle) and put it in my canon but could hardy take 70HD stots of 3mb each! (after 15-20 shots it starts showing low battery signal and then the batt is drained completely. When the pack was new i cud take around 200-230HD snaps easily.
presently today i could take just 10 snaps.

These is follow-
I charge the batteries for approx 12 hrs.
No power fluctuation in my locality.
There is no plug point in my home broken or defective (wer is insert the charge).
Have never dropped the batteries down.
Using temperatures from 25deg to 35deg and storing at 20 to 30deg.

I thought it could be camera's fault and so i tested with my friend's sony battery (pretty new) and i was able to take at least 220 HD snaps!
I am disappointed with Camelion as i came to know that the culprit is camelion battery.

The battery doest have any dent or a scratch on its body. Only its outer label cover is peeled off a little (like scratch) on -ve side edge.
What could be the problem? Strange!!

Anyways i currently use Eneloops and i am much satisfied with it. I cud easily take 250 HD snaps (2 to 4 mb each) + 7 video of 640x480 (or 3 HD wide screen videos) OR atleast 600 normal shutter SCN snaps (of 300kb to 800kb each).
3 replies · active 647 weeks ago
The main cause of your problem is not of your Camelion batteries, but the charger you used. Use only *Intelligent* Chargers, the bundled one you got is a timer unit. I am almost sure that your new Eneloops will become the same after some time later.

Btw, those LSD (Low Self-Discharge) type NiMHs are not good for recharging when they are not fully drained, e.g., when used in digital cameras. In this case, strong memory effect would be built up and hence eventually the battery capacity will be very low.
Mr Ricehigh,
Both Camelion alwaysready 2100mah AA batteries and its BC-1001B charger came in single sealed pack (Not separate) and the pack came in named as "Only to be sold as Canon bundled pack"..

My Eneloops with its Charger both came in a single sealed pack (To make u sure once again), and both my Charger and Eneloops are working great. Yr ago with eneloop is was able to take 320HD photos + 550 LD photos + 2 HD (of 3-5 min) vids. Its been an yr now and i am still able to take 300HD +500 LD photos + 2 HD (3-4 min) vids. I now have 2 pairs of Eneloops (2nd pair bought 7 months ago). I charge them both pairs in the same charger, i have dropped the batteries atleast 4 times, dropped charger one time and all 4 eneloops are perfectly normal (same 800 mixed shots).

By the way the thing u said "NiMHs are not good for recharging when they are not fully drained" and "strong memory effect would be built up and hence eventually the battery capacity will be very low". I hope u r wrong.
your logic comes up true here only with NiCD batteries not NiMH. Till now i would have recharged my eneloops for more than 25 times when they wer half used/half drained, the capacity of the batteries have not dropped a little to my knowledge...

I hope those Camelion are old batteries or wer defective..

just 3 days ago i have bought an another pair of Camelions for Rs.300 ($5.6). I bought them to test weather atleast these will work good..
It is know on how good these new batteries perform when compared to my previous cheated ones...
If these new ones perform just like Eneloops, then my previous once are faulty and i have been cheated.. If these too are crap alike previous once. Then i will complaint to the Camelion company about their faulty batteries.. (My BC-1001B is perfectly fine, because am been charging and using 2 camelion Nicd 800mah batteries for past almost 6 months and both batteries are great)..

Lets hope the best...
For more information about chargers and some basic technical information, see my previous review:-

http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2010/05/aa-battery-c...
I've been researching battery solutions for a week now for my Pentax ist-D SLR (refer to my rant comment on this post for details http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2010/07/overclocking...). All I can say is this:

I SHOULD NOT (nor should any non-pro consumer) HAVE TO BE DOING THIS.

If the product I want (camera) is distributed through a commercial big-box shop (Circuit City at the time), then it would be considered CONSUMER-level and should be EASY to use. It should not require loading up on endless amounts of scientific data about which particular battery clocks better and whether to use NiMH, Lithium, CV-something, or use brands I have never heard of (Camelion? eneloop? huh?) that as far as I know cannot be found at any of the stores where I normally buy batteries (W*lM*rt). It should be a simple matter of consumer buys expensive camera, consumer follows procedures outlined in manual, consumer experiences at least 10-15 years of pleasure from said item WITHOUT ALL THE HULLABALOO.

I am NOT a professional photographer. I am at best a hobbyist but as a former graphic designer, I am particular about resolution and quality so I invested in something a little better than a sure shot (the digital equivalent of an Instamatic). I use my camera to photograph the fiber arts and paintings that I sell online, and to document my process, and document life. I DON'T NEED TO HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT BATTERY CLOCKING SPEEDS TO DO THIS. NOR SHOULD I.

I bought my ist-D based on familiarity with the Pentax name and prior ownership of a K-1000 film camera that gave me a good 25 years of easy use up until it was stolen. I had no idea I was making such a grave error replacing it with the ist-D, and that my camera would be considered "obsolete" within six years of purchase, and rendered unusable BECAUSE OF A STINKING BATTERY ISSUE THE COMPANY BUILT INTO THEIR PRODUCT and that either nobody at Circuit City knew about or bothered to warn me about. And Pentax Tech Support wasn't any help at all.

Mad? Me? Heh. Mad doesn't begin to cover it. /end rant
1 reply · active 685 weeks ago
Michael A.'s avatar

Michael A. · 685 weeks ago

It's been researched long ago for old ist*D. Eneloop from Amazon works nice, but most any NiMH works with my not too picky ist*D. Stop harassing yourself with nonsense...
SIGH. You're right. But I feel better having vented. I'll go hunt down some NiMHs and see if that fixes things. Any brands I should avoid at all costs? Just to narrow the field and save pennies.
1 reply · active 685 weeks ago
Michael A.'s avatar

Michael A. · 685 weeks ago

I would stick to Powerex or Eneloop. Both are MIJapan (at least those I have). While in Europe for 10 days (late 2008), the Powerex 2700 in ist*D lasted easily 12 GB of pictures (6MP all in RAW) and wouldn't die. Didn't even get to use the charger I dragged with me... Eneloop lasts much longer in camera without usage and seem best choice for new bodies. They don't discharge on their own, very little. Choice is yours, but I would avoid the rest to be on "predictable" side...

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