Battery Management

[Nick]

I've been packing up for a trip tonight. It's a car camping & canyoneering thing so I'm almost bringing every camera I have, the first trip like that for me this year. Sitting here swapping out batteries off of chargers got me wondering how everyone else manages their batteries. Do you do it messy like me or do you have a good system. The most organized I've gotten is to carry a 'charged' baggie with bats in it and then just toss the spent batteries into a backpack pocket somewhere. But when I'm dealing with a GoPro with 6 batteries, a G5 with 5 batteries and a 60D with 4 batteries, that starts to get more difficult. I gues for backpacking it works (less stuff), but for other kinds of trips, it gets pretty complicated.

What do you guys do?

 

[Jimmy Olsen]

I've never had more than 2 batteries for any of my cameras, but if I did I'd number them sequentially with a Sharpie. Then, at the beginning of the trip, I'd start with #1. As long as I grab the next sequentially numbered battery it wouldn't matter where I put them in my bag and I'd be guaranteed to grab a fresh one. If I numbered them when I bought them it would also give me an idea of the age of the individual battery.

 

[Jammer]

I like that idea, Jimmy. I guess one could use the same technique for memory cards.

I try to limit myself to 1-2 batteries per device as well and then recharge as I go. I have a universal charger (with movable contacts) that I use to charge all my batteries. It also has a USB input so I can charge in my tent at night via a high capacity battery that I start with full and then re-charge via solar. If not backpacking, any drive time is always used for charging as well.

- Jamal

 

[gnwatts]

I carry backpacking and on jobs 2 batteries for my 5dmkii. When backpacking I never review the shots later etc. to save battery power. I have gone 2-3 days on one battery, but I don't usually make that many images when I backpack.

 

[Laura]

I was able to get my 5DMkIII battery to last 3 days on a backpacking trip, and I was using the timer for night shots on 2 of the three nights. I like the idea of marking each one with a sharpie. If you have access to your charger every 3 days or so you could probably get by with 1 set and a spare per camera.

 

[HomerJ]

Maybe you should shoot Les Stroud an email!

I've always had two batteries and never had an issue with getting low on power. Of course I haven't shot any of the multi-hour long timelapse/star trails that you do!!!

Jammer, what solar charger do you have?

 

[Jammer]

Jammer, what solar charger do you have?

I have used a Brunton SolarRoll for many years. It was kinda expensive ($240), but it has been great. However... I'm getting to the point where I actually find it too big and cumbersome despite how light it is. So, I picked up a Guide 10 Adventure Kit on a Black Friday sale and hope to test it out soon and decide which one I want to use going forward.

I also have the Lenmar PPU2400B as my general back-up/storage battery. It's 2400mah so it's fairly small, but good for a couple of camera charges at least usually.

- Jamal

 

[CarolCaver]

http://www.amazon.com/Bluecell-Purple-Luminous-Battery-Storage/dp/B0090Z3BPC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1369244487&sr=8-8&keywords=4 aa battery case
I use something like this. You don't want the ends to touch. It can drain batteries.