AA (Eneloop pro) vs original Nikon battery for grip

Kellynikon

What are your experiences for using AA batteries instead of a second Nikon battery?

I'm debating which one to use, some real world experiences would help

PB_PM

Enloop batteries, even the non-pro ones are great in the grip. I would usually get 1200 shots per set in the D300 or D700. I haven't used them in the D800 or newer bodies (since I don't have a grip for it), but I can only assume you would get even more shots, since they are more power efficient.

Pistnbroke

I always use a battery within the camera even though I have a grip fitted ..have had too many contact problems with grips and dont trust them

Ironheart

Eneloops are NiMH (nickel metal hydride) technology. Nikon batteries are Li-ion (lithium-ion) technology. The power to weight ratio of Li-ion is at least double that of NiMH. For weight savings Li-ion is the only way to fly. Forget Alkaline, might as well carry a lead-acid car battery :-)

PB_PM

Eneloops are NiMH (nickel metal hydride) technology. Nikon batteries are Li-ion (lithium-ion) technology. The power to weight ratio of Li-ion is at least double that of NiMH. For weight savings Li-ion is the only way to fly. Forget Alkaline, might as well carry a lead-acid car battery :-)

That extra weight was a real blessing when packing around super telephoto F2.8 lenses, and helps to balance out the kit. It all depends what you are doing. Nothing wrong with NiMH batteries, at least no modern ones like the Eneloops, which no longer suffer from the memory effects of earlier types.

The other benefit is that they tend to last longer than the stock Li-ion batteries, and hold a charge better in cold weather.

Ironheart

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that you should never use them or that sometimes trade offs are necessary. Hell, alkalines are better than having no batteries at all. I use a ton of eneloops in my speedlights. Love-em.

haroldp

In the old days (when sensors were carved from wood), amateur cameras used proprietary Li-ion batteries and all pro camera (Nikon N90, F100, F4 etc and Canon equivalents) used only AA's because of universal availability.

Now that rechargeable AA's with good properties (like eneloops) are available, I would like to see pro and pro aspiration cameras go that route.

I will gladly carry an extra half ounce and fewer chargers and battery types, and have the option of buying alkalines when desperate.

And yes eneloops of any type are excellent, I use them exclusively in flashes.

Be aware that alkaline AA are 1.5 volt and Nimh are 1.2 volt.

... H

funtagraph

I used to use envelops in the grips, but charging 6 or 8 AA cells is a bit more cumbersome than just change one EN-EL15. I found the battery display unreliable, no matter which setting I used for the eneloops and slightly better with the Li-Ion batteries from Nikon. Now I keep a set of lightweight Lithium-AA cells ready in the battery holder, just in case. The eneloops went to the LED-light and flashes.

haroldp

Li-Ion batteries typically are 'chipped' to regulate charging (else they catch fire), which is why they probably work better with charge level displays than Nimh batteries.

I would still like AA as the main battery in all of my cameras. I have a graveyard or battery types and chargers at home for cameras I no longer use (or have).

... H

PB_PM

I would still like AA as the main battery in all of my cameras. I have a graveyard or battery types and chargers at home for cameras I no longer use (or have).

Maybe it's a good time to do some research and find a safe place to those old electronics and batteries recycled?