When I'm getting ready to walk out the door on a photo shoot, I make sure all the batteries in my cameras and flashes are new and the best quality. The choice is easy, I load lithium batteries, they are lighter in weight, last a lot longer and have an amazing shelf life. Unfortunately they come at a very high price, which is also why I tend to shy away from lithium batteries when it comes to purchasing for my household electronics.
When you walk into the store and are confronted with a plethora of blister packed brands, where do you start? Which battery will suit your needs and give the best value for your money?
That’s a question I ask myself every time I reach for a pack of batteries at one of those endless displays and also the reason I can hear the echo of my kids voices, “Come on dad, just pick one and let’s go…”
Fortunately for this consumer and my impatient children, Alina Tugend of the New York Times has done a great job sifting through the many battery choices — it is well worth reading.
From the Saturday New York Times:
The brand name does not matter that much if you are buying double or triple A batteries, said Bryan Noonan, vice president of Zbattery.com, a battery supplier that is worth looking at to buy lower-priced brand-name batteries. But avoid buying carbon zinc batteries, also known as heavy duty, he said. The name is a misnomer, as they do not last as long as basic alkaline.
In tests that Mr. Noonan’s company has done on C, D and 9-volt batteries, Energizer and Duracell lasted 20 percent longer than store or off-brand names, he said.
On the Web site of the CVS drugstore, four store-brand AA alkaline batteries cost $3.99, which was $1 less than the same type and quantity of Energizer batteries.
A November 2006 Consumers Report on AA batteries ranked Kirkland Signature (the Costco brand) alkaline battery as the best value for money for AA batteries, followed by Duracell Coppertop and Rite-Aid.
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Comments
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
Thanks for this. My wife's camera, a Kodak digital, eats AA batteries like they were candy. Switching to lithium has helped a lot, but sometimes they're unavailable when we're out and about, so it's nice to have some guidance.
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
I never use alkaline batteries for good reasons. They're too many warning signs posted about on camera sites regarding unwanted hazards. That leaves lithium, but then the standard for lithium came late and lithiums are known to be explosive. Canon prints a nice guide inside their manuals for detecting good from bad. I use DP. They are very expensive in the Czech Republic (140-180 kc each), but I don't regret it. What's worse: expensive battery or camera explosion? And to be very honest, I nearly had some cheap lithiums (Varta) explode in my pocket one day... So I just decided it's not worth the risk. I got off with a slight burns, but it took nearly an hour for the batteries to cool to the point where I could pack them away safely. I think I was very lucky because I could feel the batteries burning my leg and got them out of my pocket and into the dirt path very quickly. It really gave me a good scare. So I buy either DP or Philips with good seals. I isolate and wrap them carefully in plastic so they can't jostle. The 3 big Canon batteries for Rebel, I keep in small individual carrier cases and isolate each of them in my bag in another plastic bag. Maybe it's overkill, but acid burns or accidental explosion is just something to avoid. Equipment is expensive so I can appreciate Canon's stance on cheap batteries. They can't be held liable for using substandard or faulty batteries in their cameras. Equipment is so expensive that I need to review priorities. What's more important: my camera or cheap batteries. Something wrong there. Ditto shooting frogs in in a bog.
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
I love photography and very recently I jumped into digital photography with a Canon base model.
The website is what I love to run with my photographs. I plan to update it as early as possible.
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
I own Kodak C613. I always use Energizer rechargable 2500 mAh. They last up to 8 days or 1600 shots. It works perfect with them. You might try this. On the other side I have never heard for such a case where bathery has exploded.
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
Rechargeable batteries do a good job. I've always used them and am happy with performance and shelf life.
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
as a journalist and photographer too, i usually carry 1 or 2 couple rechargeble battery for reverse. Its a good idea if we have a refresh-battery charger.
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
I buy several lithium rechargeable batteries off of eBay for my Canon DSLRs. At those prices even if you get a "bad" one that wont take a charge you'll still come out way ahead.
ALWAYS have spares!
I've been digital for about 5 years now and have bought several of which none have been "bad".
Nov 11, 2007 10PM #
I have 3 or 4 sets of rechargables handy at all times. These have worked out really well for me.
Thanks for the great info!
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