Poll: What Batteries Are You Using?

A while back we did a piece about how to manage your batteries on location. It turned out we left an important bit out of the equation.

We left the actual batteries :) So this is what this poll is about. What batteries go into your strobe? We wanna hear in the comments.

While this question may seem trivial, there is a huge difference in some aspects of the batteries you use:

• Capacity? How many full pops can you get from a single charge?
• Cycle Time? Is the battery built for high drainage over short periods of time
• Self Discharge: Will the battery stay “ready” after charged, or slowly drain itself to death?
• Heat? How hot does it get when used?
• Cost?

Tell us which battery you use (Eneloop, Duracell, …) , why (“wanted super quick recycle”) and if you are happy with them.

If you are wondering what batteries you want next, there are two great resources for this information: SLR Lounge just did a comprehensive comparison between a few brands of batteries (see the highlights in the vid below).

The other great resource (which is also a great resource for strobing in general) is chapter 16 in Syl Arena’s Speedliter’s Handbook.

Don’t be shy, tell us everything about your strobe batteries in the comments.

I’ll go first: I just switched from “regular” Eneloops to their XX brand and could not be happier. Their recycle faster, got a higher capacity (2500 vs. 2000), and they still keep charge.

[Batteries photograph by Matthias Rhomberg]