Battery Preferences for SX size cameras

The other day I saw someone posted something about a rumored SX30 IS replacing the SX20 IS. One difference mentioned as a possibility was switching to a LiIon system. Kind of surprised me but it would make sense for Canon to have a reason to raise the price (battery, plus charger to start, and a demand for extra batteries).

Some people imply that if an SX30 IS replaces the SX20 IS, then a LiIon cell would be an improvement over the current 4xAA set-up.

One person I know was interested in an SX, but when she found out it used AA cells, that was a deal breaker for her (although she needs to keep a supply of some sort of AA cells for an EX flash she added after buying a Rebel).

Apologies if this has been gone over before...but I did use the search function and didn't find anything.

Thoughts?

One of the biggest selling points for me on the SX20 was the fact that it takes AA batteries, I don't like to have to worry about having a dead battery and missing a photo opportunity. I use Energizer Lithium AA's and after 2 months I'm still on my first set so I doubt that a LiIon would be worth it to me.

I agree with SolidRunner.......I love that my SX10 takes
AA's I have a few sets of the Rayovac Hybrid Rechargeables
and they work just great.

I have had my SX10 IS for over 1 1/2 years and one of the really great things about it is the use of AA batteries! I was on a remote lake in Canada the last week of May and I took over 1200 pictures. I changed batteries 1 time the whole week.

I have been considering going with the next camera in the SX line to get HD movies and a larger pixel count, however, proprietary batteries might be a game changes. I would not like that at all.

Using Energizer rechargeables in my SX20. Outlasts my wife's LiIon SD950 by far, &, i shoot loads more images. Def a selling point for me if they use AAs.

I use Sanyo Eneloops, they have a sale at costco

http://www.fatwallet.c​om/forums/hot-deals/1016463/

The battery costs a little more than original rechargeable but these are one of the best

hawaiiboy wrote in post #10539106
I agree with SolidRunner.......I love that my SX10 takes
AA's I have a few sets of the Rayovac Hybrid Rechargeables
and they work just great.

.

What made me think of this topic was I was in my local camera store the other day...a store that truly caters to pros..they have more different tripods and ball heads than I knew existed.

I was talking to this old timer about getting my SpeedGraphic in working order...he knows how to fix them. I saw they had the Fuji HS10 up on the shelf - I'd never seen one before, but sure looks great on paper.

I asked the guy if I could take a look at it and he handed it to me and said "you know what the best part is?" - I looked at him since I wasn't going to guess - seemed like a rhetorical question - and he saidi "it takes AA batteries". I said "yeah? That is a big plus - I have a Canon SX10 that takes them". To which he said (softly since he just works there and they don't sell Canon- "So does my Canon SX5 -another great camera".



Peace,
D.

Suncrow wrote in post #10541635
Using Energizer rechargeables in my SX20. Outlasts my wife's LiIon SD950 by far, &, i shoot loads more images. Def a selling point for me if they use AAs.

Just speculating here, the SD950 is a much more compact camera so it can't fit as big (capacity wise) of a battery as the SX20 or it's future replacement. I'm sure the 4 AA's have more capacity than the Li-Ion in the SD950 so I don't know if that would really be a fair comparison. I'm sure if they put a Li-Ion in the SX20 replacement it will be a bigger one than is in the SD950 and would last longer. That being said though, I would like to see AA's continue to be used although I will get the new SX30 (if that's what they call it) regardless of battery type as long as it is a good step forward from the SX20 instead of a step back with a CMOS sensor (if it does come with a CMOS sensor). We shall see in a few months.

Isn't it easier to replace one rechargable battery than fumbling with four separate cells? Who knows what the battery life will be if in fact Canon replaces AA with a rechargable Li-on. When I owned my S2 i liked the fact it had AA's because they could be found everywhere but a simple one rechargeable replacement would be cool with me...vote

tmwag wrote in post #10544615
Isn't it easier to replace one rechargable battery than fumbling with four separate cells? Who knows what the battery life will be if in fact Canon replaces AA with a rechargable Li-on. When I owned my S2 i liked the fact it had AA's because they could be found everywhere but a simple one rechargeable replacement would be cool with me...vote

I do agree that a Li-Ion battery is easier to replace rather than 4 AA's but the fact that AA's are everywhere is what I like. My GPS uses AA's and the other day, I forgot to charge them before going out so I stopped at a gas station and picked up some alkalines. I couldn't have done that w/ a Li-Ion battery in it. That's the biggest advantage for me for using AA's. When I go on a longer hike or something, I always pack spare alkaline AA's as a back up just in case the rechargeables run out and would do the same with the SX30 if it comes with AA's.

tmwag wrote in post #10544615
Isn't it easier to replace one rechargable battery than fumbling with four separate cells? Who knows what the battery life will be if in fact Canon replaces AA with a rechargable Li-on. When I owned my S2 i liked the fact it had AA's because they could be found everywhere but a simple one rechargeable replacement would be cool with me...vote

Read my previous post. I took over 1200 photos in a week of shooting and had to change batteries on my SX 10 IS one time during the week. That change took perhaps 3/4 of a minute and that was in a boat.

How much time and trouble could a Li-on possibly save you?

I read all the post's in this thread including yours. Maybe a new Li-on rechargeable will do better. What makes you think it won't?

tmwag wrote in post #10545277
I read all the post's in this thread including yours. Maybe a new Li-on rechargeable will do better. What makes you think it won't?

It may do better in terms of battery life, but there is no way it will do better in terms of convenience of picking up a 4-pack of AAs if you need a fresh battery.

Maybe a pack of AA's won't be available at the local quick shop in the future. What are we gonna do then?

tmwag wrote in post #10545277
I read all the post's in this thread including yours. Maybe a new Li-on rechargeable will do better. What makes you think it won't?

Computers use LiIon batteries. Do any last more than a year and a half? And what do they cost to replace?

tmwag wrote in post #10545394
Maybe a pack of AA's won't be available at the local quick shop in the future. What are we gonna do then?

Buy a new camera? Or more likely we'll all be dead by then.

Anything is possible, but AA cells have been around forever. Try finding a mercury battery for an old Pentax film camera. ..Or a NiCad for a rechargeable flashlight made 10 years ago. Maybe AA cells will disappear, but they've been around since long before LiIon and will likely be around a lot longer. They were standardized in size in 1947, but were around before that.

I've never heard of a AA (rechargeable or not - EXCEPT for the rare AA size LiIon cells that have to be ordered on line...never ever saw one for sale in a store of any kind) catching fire. Can't say the same for LiIon batteries in any size..... Fire is a known issue with LiIon cells that get over-charged.

They are already being replaced with Lithium Polymer batteries. So what will you do when the LiIon batteries are no longer available?

How long do you plan to keep a computerized plastic camera anyway? Have you seen Canon's "wonder camera"? It may not be available for a decade or more, but it will certainly be available long before AA cells disappear.

http://www.engadget.co​m …ngle-lens-perfection-vid/

(male sure to watch the video).

I guess you just like to argue. That's fine...have fun. Every issue need it's "Devil's Advocate". LOL

Peace,
D.