Rechargeable AA Batteries

hark

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I want to add some rechargeable AA batteries but am looking at something more powerful than the original Eneloop AA batteries. Panasonic Eneloop makes the Eneloop Pro, and there is another company that is rated well called Powerex Pro. No doubt I'll need a new charger for them, too. Between these two, does one of them last longer for flash units?

I realize the choices below aren't comparable in prices since one comes with 4 batteries and the other with 8. Posting the links so people can see which ones I'm asking about. Any comments good/bad between them?

Eneloop Pro: https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-K-...pID=51GQ9r-gSDL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Powerex Pro: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...x_mh_c800s8aapro_mh_c800s_with_8_powerex.html
 

PapaST

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I can only imagine the Pro versions for both are more reliable. I've dealt with the PowerEx and Eneloops (but not the pro versions). My experience with both in comparison is the PowerEx batteries did not hold a charge nearly as well sitting on the shelf. The PowerEx rated higher in MaH but didn't seem to have a longer lasting run than the lower Eneloops (I think those were 2100 or 2200 vs 2700 of the PowerEx). And overall on my PowerEx charger I seemed to get more errors from the charger when charging the PowerEx batteries.
 

hark

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I can only imagine the Pro versions for both are more reliable. I've dealt with the PowerEx and Eneloops (but not the pro versions). My experience with both in comparison is the PowerEx batteries did not hold a charge nearly as well sitting on the shelf. The PowerEx rated higher in MaH but didn't seem to have a longer lasting run than the lower Eneloops (I think those were 2100 or 2200 vs 2700 of the PowerEx). And overall on my PowerEx charger I seemed to get more errors from the charger when charging the PowerEx batteries.

Thank you! That is good to know. :)

Here's another question for anyone...just how much better are the pro rechargeable batteries vs. the regular Eneloops? Since I need additional batteries, is it even worth upgrading to the pro versions? Or is it okay to just keep more regular rechargeable ones on hand? At the moment I don't have a big need for pro ones, but since I have to buy additional batteries, just trying to weigh my options. Most use is for flash. And I anticipate doing more with off-camera flash in the next year.
 

Fred Kingston

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I have a set of the Black Eneloops you listed, and many many regular Eneloops... I've not noticed a significant difference in longevity using them in my SB-600 and SB-910... or any other devices... I won't waste money or time on buying more... The regular Eneloops are fine... I almost never run batteries down, nor plan any kind of shoot that pushes the batteries to the limit... 2 or 3 chargers sit on my desk at all times, so I just swap out batteries every time I get done using a device, regardless of how much I may or may not have used it...
 

nzswift

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I have Eneloop Pro batteries and have no complaints what so ever.
They can use the Eneloop charger. Power my flashes and hold their charge for ages
 

Danno

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Cindy, If you have a quality charger you should not have to replace it with the new batteries. I have a LaCrosse that I use and it works great. I use both the standard Eneloop and the pro version... I got the pro's on sale on Amazon. I am sure that there is a difference in life but it has not been significant. They both charge to capacity in the LaCrosse charger. I always use the slow charge.

I will say the quality of the charger is important. I had some used Eneloops that I received when I bought a speed light and they had no life left in them. I ran them through the recondition cycle on the charger over a 3 or 4 day period and they are like new now.
 

hark

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Cindy, If you have a quality charger you should not have to replace it with the new batteries. I have a LaCrosse that I use and it works great. I use both the standard Eneloop and the pro version... I got the pro's on sale on Amazon. I am sure that there is a difference in life but it has not been significant. They both charge to capacity in the LaCrosse charger. I always use the slow charge.

I will say the quality of the charger is important. I had some used Eneloops that I received when I bought a speed light and they had no life left in them. I ran them through the recondition cycle on the charger over a 3 or 4 day period and they are like new now.

Thanks, Dan. I will look into the LaCrosse charger. I know they are a good company from other items we use of theirs. :) I didn't know they made a charger though.


That's right. Throw a wrench into the discussion. :loyal: Eneloop vs. IKEA. Lol. More choices. ;)

Something I read elsewhere said the Amazon rechargeable batteries are Eneloop, but there isn't anything definitive. I'm contemplating just sticking with the regular Eneloops. One thing I don't want to do is to overheat my flash units by firing too quickly so recycle time may not be such a huge factor for me. Thanks for all the info.
 

singlerosa_RIP

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I've used the regular Eneloops for years in my 3 SB-800s and SB-500 and see no need to change. I recharge with this Watson unit. Allows you to drain and fully recharge the battery.

Watson_aa8lcd_8_Bay_Rapid_Charger_for_1346363451000_761843.jpg
 

hark

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I appreciate all the info and am leaning towards the Powerex MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger after reading reviews from a variety of web sites on all the different brands.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._MH_C9000_WizardOne_Charger_Analyzer_for.html

The La Crosse BC1000 looks good, too, but the La Crosse BC700-CBP has Amazon reviews of smoking.

Am going to stick with the regular Eneloop batteries. From what I've read, the Pro versions of rechargeable batteries can't be charged as many times as the regular versions so for me, the value will be better with the regular ones. Thanks again for all the comments. It's been helpful. I didn't know they made chargers that discharged batteries and listed all the bells and whistles of info about each battery. ;) Here I've just been using a regular Eneloop charger. Plus I still have one Sanyo Eneloop charger that requires batteries be charged in pairs. ::what:: But mostly I've been using a Panasonic Eneloop charger that allows single batteries to be charged. Will be nice to upgrade to a charger with more features. :)
 
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spb_stan

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Are you not getting enough flash cycles out of a charge. If so, battery current rating might not make any difference. If you are not getting 350-500 flashes from a set of you might be causing full dumps. Even a small increase in fixed ISO can double your battery life in a session,
I regularly take 500 flash shots with SB-900s in events and don't have to replace batteries. I have used both the Eneloop Pro and regular do not see much if any difference in SB900s or Yongnuo flash units( 6 of them in my bag).
Regarding chargers, after getting the tech application notes for the OEM version of the Eneloops I tried my lab bench programmable power supply to see about faster charging but seeing the current limiting controller built into each battery, I found I only saved about 8-10 minute from zero charge to full charge when compared to my cheapy 8 bay charger. Overall, battery tech has progressed so far ahead of just a few years ago that a set fully charged should not need replacing or recharging for any all day event or wedding.. For those needed full dumps,a tandem bracket for two or more flash heads is a better solution than getting the expensive optional tethered battery pack for the SB-9x0 series. Full dumps are hard on the temperature rise time getting very shot on SB910s and 900s. I have never had one overheat but talking to wedding photogs in high ceiling churches it is reported it is common for temp shut down. Moving to ISO 200 from 100 should resolve that, or using a little larger aperture....(if the place is that big, getting back a little increase the depth of field so a larger aperture keeps all the subjects in focus), but controlling light dispersion will have more effect for the good and extend battery life.
The biggest improvement in flash power to the desired place it getting an assistant with a light pole and flash mounted on it. Amazing difference in light control, and exposure consistency even in full manual exposure as most event shooting uses.

Regarding life of Eneloops, I have 12 sets of and them all perform the same, no dropoff noticed on the oldest batteries, white or black, they are all really good and hold a hard longer than any others I have tested.
 

hark

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Are you not getting enough flash cycles out of a charge. If so, battery current rating might not make any difference. If you are not getting 350-500 flashes from a set of you might be causing full dumps. Even a small increase in fixed ISO can double your battery life in a session.

I need to buy more rechargeable batteries and wondered if the pro versions would offer me any advantages with how I currently use them. Since I don't want to take shots in quick succession (so as not to overheat my flash units), the regular ones appear to fit the bill. Thanks for your input, Stan.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
As long as you do not use full power, seldom needed, modern flash units will not overheat. By opening the aperture a little and increasing ISO you can allow the flash to remain fully charged without any recycle time. Most of my shooting is with a D800 which is not a fast frame rate but I can easily shoot at its maximum speed of 4 frames per second without the discharge flyback capacitor discharging. If the ready light on the flash goes off between shots it means it is working harder than needed so will heat up, take longer between shots and drain the batteries faster.
Good luck with the flash, one of the most versatile accessories in all photography.
 

wade7575

Senior Member
One battery that has not been mentioned are the Duracell rechargeable's and I have been using them for a very long time and I have not had any problem with them at all.

I use a Powerex MH-C9000 and the Duracell green top rechargeable's and I have found them to be a lot better then any other battery I have used,I have found that these battery's are also a lot more consistent to their rating most times I have gotten them they are not very many milliamp's apart from each other unlike other brands I have used that were as much as 250 mah apart from each other.

I just discharge my Duracell's first with the built in discharge feature and then just charge them at 800 to 1000 mah charge rate,I find I gotten more charge cycles threw my Duracell's without any sign's of them degrading or giving me any problems at all.

I know from being into RC car's when I was younger and using nimh battery's that discharging them each time before charging them back up help's a lot,I also find you can charge a battery at 1000 mah with the Powerex charger and the battery's are not very warm when fully charged.

Anyone reading this and hasn't tried the Duracell green top I highly recommend them.

http://www.mahaenergy.com/mh-c9000/


https://www.amazon.ca/Duracell-Rech...2753&sr=1-4&keywords=duracell+aa+rechargeable
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
The main advantage with the Eneloops is their very low self-discharge rate. If you not recharge often, so the batteries sit for a while, normal batteries lose their charge gradually. The Eneloops will retain their charge for weeks on the shelf.
 

wade7575

Senior Member
I have not compared that aspect of the Duracell's with any other brand but what I can say is I have left mine sitting in device's and they still had lot's of charge left in them.
I know a friend who has a Neewer Flash that takes 4 AA's and he use's the Duracell green top's and he left his battery's in his flash for a year and he said he got around 30 or more flash's and the flash still worked,he didn't use the flash until it was dead either he just discharged like I taught him to do and charged his battery's back up.

The main advantage with the Eneloops is their very low self-discharge rate. If you not recharge often, so the batteries sit for a while, normal batteries lose their charge gradually. The Eneloops will retain their charge for weeks on the shelf.
 
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