Sanyo eneloop AA batteries

SunTsu: Can't say I'm in the least surprised! Just look at the details page for the batteries: the strapline at the top (ie the 'grab-their-attention' bit) says 3100mAh then immediately below it refers to 2900mAh. So even the makers don't know what they can do.

I have actually come across these elsewhere, which I can't find now (isn't that always the way!), and the full claim was '3100mAh, 1800mAh minimum'. Top-of-the-range names like Powerex and Sanyo usually show a drop of 100mAh between the headline value and their minimum. I think there's a bit of a clue there, don't you. Makers putting stuff out with their own name on it, makers with world-wide reputations to defend, show more modest maxima and only slightly lower minima and other brands claim the sun, the moon and the stars. Hmmmm.

This is most emphatically not any form of criticism but a genuine enquiry. I can't understand why anyone would spend so much on a top of the line flash unit and then possibly compromise the purchase with 'so-so' power cells. (Yes, I did notice that the cells came with the flash units - as I said, no criticism implied.) Just curious as to the rationale, is all.

SJRobbins: Yes they're very pretty but what with my arthritis and everything else, I just can't manage the wrist action and the gait which goes with this degree of ★bling★ any more. (Thank goodness ) However, if my keeper will let me, I might crayon on the white ones.

Yup, my experience exactly. Big name, small performance. Do you remember 'Dusty Bin' on TV? Well there you have some food for it. (For non-UK readers, it was a rather puerile TV game show featuring an anthropomorphised trash can. Hey, I did say it was puerile!)

Sjrobbins. Where did you get those batteries? I think the bling would be fun.

Whortleberry. The price with and without the free batteries was the same so I went for the obvious. I was skeptical when I placed to order but I suppose I was naive. I guess this goes to the adage, "If it's too good to be true..."

My Lacrosse charger showed a charge of 1300. Some were 1100. I guess weight is one of the indicators.

They're just the limited edition Eneloop Glitter:

http://www.eneloop.inf​o …ries/eneloop-glitter.html

Got mine from Amazon because (a) they were slightly cheaper than the white ones, and (b) they are far cooler They're the same new model Eneloops, just far more spangly

Whortleberry wrote in post #14698544
SunTsu: Can't say I'm in the least surprised! Just look at the details page for the batteries: the strapline at the top (ie the 'grab-their-attention' bit) says 3100mAh then immediately below it refers to 2900mAh. So even the makers don't know what they can do.

I have actually come across these elsewhere, which I can't find now (isn't that always the way!), and the full claim was '3100mAh, 1800mAh minimum'. Top-of-the-range names like Powerex and Sanyo usually show a drop of 100mAh between the headline value and their minimum. I think there's a bit of a clue there, don't you. Makers putting stuff out with their own name on it, makers with world-wide reputations to defend, show more modest maxima and only slightly lower minima and other brands claim the sun, the moon and the stars. Hmmmm.

This is most emphatically not any form of criticism but a genuine enquiry. I can't understand why anyone would spend so much on a top of the line flash unit and then possibly compromise the purchase with 'so-so' power cells. (Yes, I did notice that the cells came with the flash units - as I said, no criticism implied.) Just curious as to the rationale, is all.

SJRobbins: Yes they're very pretty but what with my arthritis and everything else, I just can't manage the wrist action and the gait which goes with this degree of ★bling★ any more. (Thank goodness ) However, if my keeper will let me, I might crayon on the white ones.
Yup, my experience exactly. Big name, small performance. Do you remember 'Dusty Bin' on TV? Well there you have some food for it. (For non-UK readers, it was a rather puerile TV game show featuring an anthropomorphised trash can. Hey, I did say it was puerile!)

Would I need to get a new charger for them?

Nope. I've looked at the Maha C9000, which has a terrific spec but it's the size of a brick - no damned good for travelling if you have an aversion to excess baggage charges (Yorkshireman in me, again). Have a look at the Technoline BC-700 and BC-1000 (La Crosse in the 'Colonies' :twisted - very good and still portable. I especially like the charger power pack arrangement - very neat for when we nip over the Channel visiting 'Johnny Foreigner'. Tommy at Battery Logic will sort you out very nicely.

• http://www.batterylogi​c.co.uk …line/technoline​-BL700.asp or
• http://www.batterylogi​c.co.uk …/technoline-i-charger.asp (my favourite).
  

I just use the cheap and cheerful 7DayShop 808LCD.

SJRobbins wrote in post #14700685
I just use the cheap and cheerful 7DayShop 808LCD.

Been there, done that, overheated some sets of otherwise perfectly good cells, ditched the charger. No user input so it depends on how much of a control freak you want to be. You pay, you choose: me pay, me choose sort of thing.

Whortleberry wrote in post #14700741
Been there, done that, overheated some sets of otherwise perfectly good cells, ditched the charger. No user input so it depends on how much of a control freak you want to be. You pay, you choose: me pay, me choose sort of thing.

Sure, wasn't suggesting it was better or that yours was overkill, just saying what I use Not sure I could justify almost 50quid for a battery charger.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear - not suggesting for a moment that 'mine is better than yours' in a derogatory way, far from it. Merely justifying why I went into 'overkill' mode and the advantages it had brought. Anyone who knows me will rapidly realise that I am so NOT into buying stuff for the sake of it - dealers must hate me for the number of times I've said to students/friends/etc "but, do you really need that or do you just want it? Will it add to your abilities at all or is it just the latest in male jewellery?"

Whortleberry wrote in post #14700776
Sorry, I wasn't very clear - not suggesting for a moment that 'mine is better than yours' in a derogatory way, far from it. Merely justifying why I went into 'overkill' mode and the advantages it had brought. Anyone who knows me will rapidly realise that I am so NOT into buying stuff for the sake of it - dealers must hate me for the number of times I've said to students/friends/etc "but, do you really need that or do you just want it? Will it add to your abilities at all or is it just the latest in male jewellery?"

I must admit being able to vary the charge rate is a nice feature, it is a bit of a PITA having to use the USB charging cable to charge AAAs (for my triggers) to keep the charging rate low enough not to murder them.

Yes, AAAs are particularly vulnerable when you're whacking the power in at 0.9C. They really don't like it very much. Not quite charge once and throw away but heading in that direction.

SJRobbins wrote in post #14700685
I just use the cheap and cheerful 7DayShop 808LCD.

"Cheap and Cheerful" are just a false economy, I want batteries to last a lot longer than six months of hardly using them. I don't want to go to a shoot and find that its gone flat within the hours specified. Sometimes I am paying the model as well as travel. Would you want moneys worth?

RichSoansPhotos wrote in post #14700965
"Cheap and Cheerful" are just a false economy, I want batteries to last a lot longer than six months of hardly using them. I don't want to go to a shoot and find that its gone flat within the hours specified. Sometimes I am paying the model as well as travel. Would you want moneys worth?

Erm, dude, the 808LCD is a battery charger, I use eneloop batteries as previously stated

Rich: It's the old 'weakest link' syndrome - all we can hope to do is our very best to minimise problems. When you think in terms of the price difference between 'cheap and cheerful' and 'proper (not just advertising 'puff) professional grade', it's round about what your model wants for 5 minutes of their time and probably less than that at London rates.
I've opted for Eneloops in the flash units (Eneloop XX on trial) and Eneloops again in Pixel TD-381 power packs. Pixel not because they're cheap but because for me they are actually better than the Canon ones. 8 cells inverted to 330v (I think; hard to test) gives fantastic service.

And the Technoline BC-1000 charger, as I just might have mentioned.

On the other hand, a lot of folks are lucky enough for it not to be a catastrophe if something doesn't work quite as hoped - for them the extra cost of a good charger may simply not be worth considering. But always decent batteries, they're cheap enough after all. It's always puzzled me why some people will spend vast amounts on top-of-the-range bodies, L lenses and flashguns then penny-pinch with cheap filters and batteries.

Whortleberry, I agree with you on your last comment. People often spend money on lenses and bodies but don't spend much focus or money on support or lighting.

With respect to chargers, do you think those chargers that come free with Eneloop batteries are bad? I know they charge in pairs and not individually.