Cost-benefit ratio of AA rechargeables?
 

Harry Krause wrote:
Just wondering.

My little camera speedlight uses four AA batteries and gives me about
160 or so flashes before they need to be replaced. They're not
expensive, but I don't always have a fresh set available, and I don't
always remember to stop and buy some before I go out with my camera.

So, I've been thinking about getting four rechargeable NiMH batteries
for about $2.50 each, and a charger. Sony and others offer a
charger-battery combo for about $30.

I'm wondering how long these NiMH batteries "hold" their charge if they
are freshly charged? If it is several weeks between camera use, would I
be wanting to recharge them prior to taking the camera out to use?

Any experience?

Yep
Used them camping & on our boat for a while, but IMHO they don't hold a
charge when stored very well, and they cost a lot more.

The main benefit is if you're going to be away from stores to buy fresh
batteries, but you are going to have access to 120VAC for the charger...
a tough scenario to imagine.

Now we just keep a pack of spare batteries in a drawer on the boat, I
make it a point to only buy stuff that takes AA or D size, so we don't
have to have some of everything. It should also be a point to recycle
the dead batteries.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Cost-benefit ratio of AA rechargeables?
 

"DSK" wrote in message
...
Harry Krause wrote:
Just wondering.

My little camera speedlight uses four AA batteries and gives me about 160
or so flashes before they need to be replaced. They're not expensive, but
I don't always have a fresh set available, and I don't always remember to
stop and buy some before I go out with my camera.

So, I've been thinking about getting four rechargeable NiMH batteries for
about $2.50 each, and a charger. Sony and others offer a charger-battery
combo for about $30.

I'm wondering how long these NiMH batteries "hold" their charge if they
are freshly charged? If it is several weeks between camera use, would I
be wanting to recharge them prior to taking the camera out to use?

Any experience?

Yep
Used them camping & on our boat for a while, but IMHO they don't hold a
charge when stored very well, and they cost a lot more.

The main benefit is if you're going to be away from stores to buy fresh
batteries, but you are going to have access to 120VAC for the charger... a
tough scenario to imagine.

Now we just keep a pack of spare batteries in a drawer on the boat, I make
it a point to only buy stuff that takes AA or D size, so we don't have to
have some of everything. It should also be a point to recycle the dead
batteries.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King


I use the rechargables in my Sony DSC-60u They work great. I use a 140
watt inverter in the boat or the car for recharging them, as well as the the
cell phone and the wife's Nilon digital with the special battery. I keep a
set of standard alkaline batteries in the spare battery pack for the
handheld VHF.

Cost-benefit ratio of AA rechargeables?
 

On Tue, 11 Oct 2005 12:29:56 -0400, DSK wrote:

Harry Krause wrote:
Just wondering.

My little camera speedlight uses four AA batteries and gives me about
160 or so flashes before they need to be replaced. They're not
expensive, but I don't always have a fresh set available, and I don't
always remember to stop and buy some before I go out with my camera.

So, I've been thinking about getting four rechargeable NiMH batteries
for about $2.50 each, and a charger. Sony and others offer a
charger-battery combo for about $30.

I'm wondering how long these NiMH batteries "hold" their charge if they
are freshly charged? If it is several weeks between camera use, would I
be wanting to recharge them prior to taking the camera out to use?

Any experience?

Yep
Used them camping & on our boat for a while, but IMHO they don't hold a
charge when stored very well, and they cost a lot more.

The main benefit is if you're going to be away from stores to buy fresh
batteries, but you are going to have access to 120VAC for the charger...
a tough scenario to imagine.


A $50 200W inverter works for me (also runs laptop for navigation,
cellphone charger, cordless drill charger, TC/VCR (we watch DVDs on the
laptop)...

Got one in the camper for the same reason.

Lloyd