Why is everyone going nuts for Eneloops? They're only 2000mah = weaksauce

Who cares if they can hold their power longer, just charge your stuff the day before you have to shoot. Only takes 30 minutes or less for most batteries anyways...

Is there a better eneloop with higher mah?

People are going nuts because they don't lose their charge so quickly. However, I'm with you on the belief that it's better to charge your batteries the day before the shoot and take advantage of the extra capacity of regular NiMH. 30 minute charges kill batteries fast though. It's better to use a 1 hour or longer charger.

I've got a couple sets of AAs but I mostly use 4x Sony batts in my 550EX and they last a long time. Fully charged, I shot an entire wedding (probably close to 500 FLASH shots). This batteries are over a year old, so they are "broken in".

I've got other batteries charged up if I need to swap, the long charge time doesn't bother me.

Because we can just grab a flash out of the case at a moments notice if something comes up unexpectedly.

Going nuts??

More convenient for the casual user??

I just have sets of AA ready. Has worked for me so far.

They're for different purposes, really. I have a set of 2100 mAh low-discharge batteries that I use in my film camera body and a 430EX that's used as a slave occasionally. It'd be annoying replacing their batteries every time I use them, because I just use them a little bit and then put them back up typically. Then I have a couple sets of 2700 mAh normal rechargeables that I use for my primary 580EX flash, since it gets a lot of use each weekend. It's perfectly fine replacing its batteries for each outing, because I very much want it at full power.

Because our local Circuit City had 8-packs on clearance for $4. Otherwise, I agree on all other points.

For items that get daily use they aren't the best. However, for items that get occasional or rare use they are great.

I use them in my 430EX and both my and my wife's P&S's. It nice to be able to pick up a P&S after the batteries have been in a month and they still have nearly a full charge!

Because for me personally they work better. When I use then in CP-E3, they work better then normal NiMH batteries. From this what I heard about Eneloop, they should do much worse in flash then normal NiMH batteries, but in reality they actually work better... they charge flash faster then 2500mAh Sanyo rechargeables I was using before. And if they last a bit less, it's really not problem for me. Extra pack of batteries is always in my bag, when I put flash in there.

I also find my flash recycle times are faster with eneloops as opposed to the batteries I was using before. Now I haven't done any actual time measurements or anything like that but I seemed to notice a difference when I switched to eneloops.

Plus The Source was clearing them out in Canada at crazy prices there for a while.

Kurt

i was wondering this also. ive just got a 580ex mk2 and i was going to get some 2700mAh rechargables (named brand) but everyone is raving about eneloops.

personally i make sure everything is charged before an event so theyd be no use to me then?

Say topping takes half an hour? Then topping off 3 or 4 sets of batteries before each event would take you 2 hours.

I see a point for the eneloops...

I got my eneloops months ago. I charged them all when I got them. I have only had to re-charge one set of AAs since I bought them. My Energizers would have been dead months ago.

René Damkot wrote in post #6099515
Say topping takes half an hour? Then topping off 3 or 4 sets of batteries before each event would take you 2 hours

I use two chargers that hold eight batteries each, and generally leave two or three sets of batteries in them on trickle charge at any given moment.

I was shooting in 40 degree weather. One flash was useless about two shots after I turned it on. That had generic rechargables. The Eneloops kept firing the whole time.