Batteries

[fergyjohn]

Have just received my Oly 5050, have been using it around the house just getting used to it. Will hopefully get it wet just after Xmas.
Question? In regards to batteries, it stated in the book I was reading that you should make sure that the batteries are FULLY discharged before charging them again. This insures that you get maximum life out of them.

"What is the easiest and best way to fully discharge the batteries"
Hope this isn't a silly question.

 

[Dee]

One way is to use them until the camera gives you the low battery message. Another is to use a smart charger that either automatically conditions or will allow you to manually condition the batteries. This will fully drain them before charging.

Most of the good chargers now do this and there's not much worry about your batteries getting a memory like they used to.

To learn more than you thought you didn't know about batteries, check out dpFWIW articles on batteries.

 

[teamheatwave]

We bought the c5050 and the PT015 and used it extensively during our trip to Mexico last month.

Originally I had planned on using the Gold Peak 1800mAh NIMH AA batteries which I was using in my Olympus E-10 but at the last minute decided to splurge and buy 48 of the Lenmar 2300mAh NIMH batteries.

The Lenamar batteries worked even better than we had hoped. Doing several dives a day and doing both still and video clips, they went above and beyond expectations.

The GP 1800s were getting old I think the rapid 1 hour charger was damaging them because of the high heat. The Lenmar charger is a much cooler charger and although a little longer time a better system.

The batteries were ballpark $7 for a 4 pack. which works out to $1.75 each. The charger I thinks was about $29 for the charger, an ac and dc power supply and a set of (4) batteries.

I have been using them daily for other purposes and so far so good.

 

[fergyjohn]

Thanks Dee,

Very informative, I am now an expert on AA batteries.

 

[ssra30]

I might be wrong here but my understanding is that with NiMH batteries, you don't actually have to drain the charge before recharging them. This is more important with Nicad and lithium type batteries. Slow rather than fast charging will keep the battery longer but I think we are talking here about several hundred charges vs a thousand charge or something like that (by the time I charge that many times, hopefully there will be something significantly better than my 2200 mAh NiMH batteries out). However slow charge will get you much closer to 100% capacity rather than 90% capacity with fast charging.
With 2200 mAh batteries for my C5050, I can easily do 2 dives and usually also adequate for 3 dives but I change the batteries after 2 dives since I would most likely need to change or download my pics after 2 dives anyway.

 

[gfisher4792]

Hi all,

Everyone here is correct as far as charging NiMH batteries. NiMH do not need to be fully discharged before recharging them, which is true of lithium batteries. Most photogs (esp. digital) recommend NiMH for longer life and ease of recharge (there are nice chargers out there that do fast recharge without stressing the batteries too much). During my quest for finding the best setup for my digital camera, I found these 2 websites to be very useful:

http://www.dpreview.com/
http://www.dcresource.com/

Hope these help anybody looking!

 

[Dee]

ssra's is correct. I should have emphasized conditioning the batteries vs draining them. I think they get drained when you condition them periodically but it's not necessary with NiMH batteries.

I've been using PowerX 2200 for almost a year, can't wait to try the newer ones! I consistantly get 2 full dives, using the flash (either stand alone or to trigger a strobe) and leaving the monitor on all the time. I've still got plenty of power left for viewing the pics and for downloading. I have gotten 3 dives in but it was touch and go at the end!

Fergyjohn....that site explained everything to me!