AA NiMh rechargeables confusion - 1.2v vs 1.5v

[Negotiator]

I want to get a couple of batteries to power my (not yet owned) digital camera (most likely it'll be Canon A720IS or Canon A570IS). Looking around, NiMh batteries are getting the best reviews for this kind of usage.

However, the standard AA batteries are 1.5v, while ALL of the NiMh rechargeable batteries I've seen so far are 1.2v. I got a reason to believe that those batteries will work fine in the camera, but is it even possible to find 1.5v NiMh rechargeable batteries? Would it make any difference for the camera - either for how long the charge will last or how fast flash recycle will be?

Thanks.

[l69norm]

... Would it make any difference for the camera - either for how long the charge will last or how fast flash recycle will be.. .

The amount of current a battery can deliver (lower internal resistance or impedance = better) is more important than the voltage. Digital cameras draw a lot of current. NiMH/lithium batteries have a lower internal impedance, so they allow more current to flow. You can easily get 200-300 shots from a set of NiMH batteries, even though they are only 1.2 VDC

Alkaline batteries have a higher internal impedance, so even though they have a higher voltage (1.5VDC) they can't supply the same level of current. Even though the camera might think they are "dead", they may still have a lot of charge left in them. That's why they only last for a few shots (20 shots) in a digital camera, yet those same "dead" batteries still work fine in a flashlight. There are special oxy-alkaline formula batteries (Duracell Ultra, Eveready E2, etc) with lower internal impedance that can deliver more current and these will last longer in a digital camera (80-100 shots)

[woof]

The battery material type determines the voltage. This all alkaline are 1.5 volts, all NiMH and NiCADs are 1.2 etc. You can't get a 1.5 volt NiMH.

Some devices will support both alkaline 1.5 volt and rechargeable NiCad or NimH lower 1.2 volt batteries. Other devices can't handle the lower voltage.

How do you know if your camera can use the lower voltage rechargeables? It's called the owners manual. Read it. If they don't mention rechargeable batteries at all then you almost certainly can't use them.

[ryan_lau100]

i had a problem using my nimh with my old bp-50 battery grip for the canon elan2e film camera. everytime i would throw in nimh in the mirror would lock up. for some reason i needed 4x1.5v batteries for it to work. to figure out if this was true i threw in 4 normal alkelines and voila it worked. so there is a difference however in this day and age and after going through so many digicams i can pretty much gurantee the big names ie canon will all work on the nimh batteries. worse comes to worse you can pick up cheapo alkeline rechargeables but i cant see that beeing the case.

[Pete_Coach]

I want to get a couple of batteries to power my (not yet owned) digital camera (most likely it'll be Canon A720IS or Canon A570IS). Looking around, NiMh batteries are getting the best reviews for this kind of usage.

However, the standard AA batteries are 1.5v, while ALL of the NiMh rechargeable batteries I've seen so far are 1.2v. I got a reason to believe that those batteries will work fine in the camera, but is it even possible to find 1.5v NiMh rechargeable batteries? Would it make any difference for the camera - either for how long the charge will last or how fast flash recycle will be?

Thanks.

Good lessons on batteries from the other posters but in my opinion, just use the normal AA batteries for most of the time. Or at least have several in your camera bag for when you forgot to charge the NiMh. If you are a normal camera user, it sits around most of the time and in accordance with Murphy's Law, when you go to use the camera, the charge is out of your NiMh's. I eventually just used the AA exclusively. The flash cycle will be the same using either battery.
If you travel, AA batteries are available all over the world and in those times you need new batteries, you can get them.

[willy]

Good lessons on batteries from the other posters but in my opinion, just use the normal AA batteries for most of the time. Or at least have several in your camera bag for when you forgot to charge the NiMh. If you are a normal camera user, it sits around most of the time and in accordance with Murphy's Law, when you go to use the camera, the charge is out of your NiMh's. I eventually just used the AA exclusively. The flash cycle will be the same using either battery.
If you travel, AA batteries are available all over the world and in those times you need new batteries, you can get them.
If you use Eneloop (or all similar LSD batteries), you don't suffer the same problem. And it will save you a loooooooot of $$$ .... Alkaline AA is terrible for digital camera in all ways (technologically, environmentally & financially) ...

[toalan]

Most electronics can not use batteries directly, the batteries connect to a voltage regulator to make sure you have a constant 5v, 3.3v or whatever voltage the electronics need to run.

The operating input voltage range would be determined by the design of the power circuit.

I would think that the older the electronics the less likely they are able to use 1.2v batteries.

[ryan_lau100]

Most electronics can not use batteries directly, the batteries connect to a voltage regulator to make sure you have a constant 5v, 3.3v or whatever voltage the electronics need to run.

The operating input voltage range would be determined by the design of the power circuit.

I would think that the older the electronics the less likely they are able to use 1.2v batteries.

im guessing thats why my older canon battery grip doesnt work with my eneloops

[ryan_lau100]

If you use Eneloop (or all similar LSD batteries), you don't suffer the same problem. And it will save you a loooooooot of $$$ .... Alkaline AA is terrible for digital camera in all ways (technologically, environmentally & financially) ...

+1

live by those things...

they keep a charge FOREVER compared to other nimh batteries i own

[KorruptioN]

i had a problem using my nimh with my old bp-50 battery grip for the canon elan2e film camera. everytime i would throw in nimh in the mirror would lock up. for some reason i needed 4x1.5v batteries for it to work. to figure out if this was true i threw in 4 normal alkelines and voila it worked. so there is a difference however in this day and age and after going through so many digicams i can pretty much gurantee the big names ie canon will all work on the nimh batteries. worse comes to worse you can pick up cheapo alkeline rechargeables but i cant see that beeing the case.

I tried Sanyo Eneloops NiMH batteries in one of my old Minolta flashes. I could not control its power output with these batteries - they fired full blast no matter what setting I selected. It works just fine with Alkalines so I bought a 48-pack from Costco and they're working great.