Frustrated with LP-E6 car adapter

[solars]

Hey there,

I'm really frustrated. I'm going to iceland for around 3 weeks and have the following decision to make for my gear:

Option 1: Power inverter (12V -> 230V in my case)
Option 2: Bunch of car Adapters for 12V

I figured that I have a 12V (opt 2) solution for most of my gadgets (some of them are USB powered so its fine).

Then I started looking for car adapters for my LP-E6 (canon 7d) and almost got crazy: The original one is incredibly expensive.
And even if I would buy it, I have to buy original spare batteries too, because others do not load in the original charger.

So again my options are:

1. Use the inverter only because I need it for the LP-E6
2. Buy the original car adapter and spare original batteries (ridiculously expensive)
3. Buy 3rd party batteries with car adapter and do not use the original (since it doesn't load in the 3rd party charger.

Can anyone please please suggest a solution because I'm really frustrated... I hate this kind of equipment strategy, it really sucks.
What would you do?

Thanks in advance,
Christoph

[hollis_f]

Where are you spending the nights during those three weeks? Unless you're camping you shouldn't have any problems.

[solars]

Of course, I'm camping ... otherwise this question would not make any sense, sorry :)

Tent + Car

[Lowner]

One of the benefits of have a battery grip is the option of AA batteries if all else fails. AA batteries are easy to obtain and a 12v car charger for them need not cost a fortune.

For your 3 week trip I'd be packing two camera batteries and another two sets of AA's plus a charger for the AA's.

[solars]

One of the benefits of have a battery grip is the option of AA batteries if all else fails. AA batteries are easy to obtain and a 12v car charger for them need not cost a fortune.

For your 3 week trip I'd be packing two camera batteries and another two sets of AA's plus a charger for the AA's.

That's what I had in mind ... the problem remains the same though - how to charge the camera batteries then? (In car)?

[Lowner]

Simply use the special batteries until they are flat, then forget them. Run on the AA's instead after that, keeping at least one set charged and ready to go and maybe another set in the car recharging.

The in car charger need not be expensive. The AA's will run down quicker, but it's a solution that does work. I've been doing it for years, ever since I was caught at an F1 weekend in France with a flat SLR camera battery and no specialist Camera shop within 100 miles.

[oRGie]

rechargable or normal AA's for when your in the middle of nowhere and the lpe6's run dry and beg some electric outlet use when you get fed up with camp food and go have lunch or dinner in a restaurant, petrol stations etc.. The originals last so long if your carefull 2 originals will get you allmost 2000 pics :)

[solars]

Hi, thanks for your help

How long does a set of AA's roughly last in the battery grip?
I still feel somehow weird, if I have the lp-e6 but cannot charge it...
6 AA's take a while to charge..

[ed rader]

Hi, thanks for your help

How long does a set of AA's roughly last in the battery grip?
I still feel somehow weird, if I have the lp-e6 but cannot charge it...
6 AA's take a while to charge..


how long to you expect to be without AC power?

ed rader

[solars]

I don't really know, but I want to be as independent as possible from 230V (and use in-car 12V wherever possible)... thats the problem :/
I really don't understand why this 12V charger is so expensive, it's ridiculous ...

[ed rader]

I don't really know, but I want to be as independent as possible from 230V (and use in-car 12V wherever possible)... thats the problem :/
I really don't understand why this 12V charger is so expensive, it's ridiculous ...


have you considered something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-LP-E6-Battery-Charger-for-Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-II-LPE6_W0QQitemZ300387408844QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDigit al_Camera_Accessories?hash=item45f07c1bcc

ed rader

[solars]

I have, but I'm not sure if all of these/which ones work..
because some say that canon changed the chips again, and they eventually won't work ...

But it's probably worth trying it before, looking at the prices...
Does anyone know what the restrictions of these chargers are?