Opinions on this camera?

[BobMcSwain]

(I'm sure you know this, but just in case....) Go to walmart or Costco or... and buy 2500 mAh or higher rechargeable batteries and a recharger.

I shoot professionally and I can't tell you how much I have saved by having rechargeables. Even before I began my photo biz, I used rechargeables in my point and shoot. It will cost you about $30-40 for 8 batteries and a recharger.

The rechargers come in several varieties: overnight, 1 hour, and quick (15 min). The quick chargers tend to stress the chemistry of the batteries and decrease the life of the batteries. However, it sure is nice to be able to recharge them in no time (say ... like... when you had forgotten you had a shoot in 30 minutes....LOL)

I use them in my Nikon SB-800 flash. I can shoot an entire wedding and reception with on 1 set of 4 - 2500 mAh batteries.

Note there is a new technology available in rechargeables. They have a very long discharge cycle when not used. Most NiMH batteries need to be recharged before each use. This new type can sit in your camera bag for months and are still fresh. The major problem is that they come in higher mAh ratings.

Bob

[Karen39]

Hmmm, I use all nimh rechargeables and was told to use this kind only in my flash? I have a Speedlight 580EX II flash. I shot a wedding last Saturday and they lasted the entire time.

[BobMcSwain]

Hi, Karen!

Yes, NiMH is the type of battery, and mAh is the "power" rating. The larger the mAh number, the longer they will power your device.

There is a new NiMH type that comes factory charged. I have found no markings to distinguish between the 2 other than the new type are being labeled "pre-charged" or something similar.

Unless specifically stated in the device's instruction manual, I would use rechargeables in any application.

Bob