Eneloop Issues?

[pedalinbob]

I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-W5 which takes 2 AA bats. I use a Vanson charger (BC1-HU?).

I noticed that the camera's performance has been suffering lately. I checked the charge on the Eneloops and they are coming off the charger nicely topped off (I don't recall the voltage at the moment), and they appear to be holding their charge well.

I was at a wedding last night, and completely drained a set of bats in 61 shots. I know that camera usage can make a big difference in battery life, but I was using the camera in my usual manner.

It could be the charger or the bats...I'm just not sure. Or, maybe the camera is a battery hog...but I recall getting much more life out of my old Kodak 2500's. And, most of my shots yesterday were outdoors--no flash needed.

Anyone have any ideas as to what could be happening?

 

[Flying Turtle]

I have a similar problem with a 2AA Samsung camera, using Eneloops and other rechargeables. Sometimes it doesn't even have the juice to fully extend the lens on startup. I think it's just a matter of not really having enough voltage. It works great on lithiums. Took a two week trip with over 500 shots and never had a problem, but sometimes Eneloops won't do it after 10 shots. Too bad NiMH's aren't a slightly higher voltage. I think it would make a big difference.

Geoff

 

[pedalinbob]

Interesting!
I read somewhere that some cameras are particularly voltage sensitive. I have used lithiums in the past with good result. Darn things are pricey!

The camera came with a (pretty decent) charger and batteries, so I would think that it is designed to handle lower voltage. I love being able to use rechargeable AA's, rather than being chained to a proprietary battery pack.

I might test my old 2500's to see if there is truly a battery difference (though I am having excellent results with the Eneloops in toys, lights and radios--and read that the Eneloops do well at holding their voltage under load).

 

[Mr Happy]

It may be that your eneloops have developed higher internal resistance, or voltage sag under load. It is becoming apparent that if you leave eneloops sitting for long periods with only light use they can do that. To cure them of this malaise you need to run them through a refresh cycle on a charger with this feature, or better still run a break-in cycle on an MH-C9000.

Cameras that take two AA cells are particularly battery sensitive compared to cameras that take four cells, since to get the same power from only two cells the camera has to draw twice as much current.

 

[seaside]

Are you sure its battery?

In my case, I suspect my old olympus digital camera is becoming the battery hog. Those batteries work fine with other devices, but when i use them with this camera...

 

[pedalinbob]

My Vanson has a discharge cycle...not sure if it is a true break-in or refresh cycle.
I will try running a set through the cycle and see what happens.

I searched the net and found out that there were some issues with programming which caused problems in this model camera. Apparently, if this is the case, it can be repaired somehow.
I always thought it had unusually long shutter lag (all of the reviews stated battery life was excellent and shutter lag was minimal), but it may simply be an electronics problem.

 

[Nake]

I had a similar incident. I gave a couple AA Eneloops to my daughter to try in her camera. She said after a few pictures she got a low battery warning.

 

[cave dave]

Fake Eneloops do exist. Be suspicious of Ebay and Direct from overseas sellers.

My original early Eneloops still work great in my Sony DSC-W1 digicam. Beter than the LiIon in my new panasonic.

 

[mudman cj]

I had a similar incident. I gave a couple AA Eneloops to my daughter to try in her camera. She said after a few pictures she got a low battery warning.

I bought a Kodak camera instead of similar Li-ion cameras mainly because I wanted to use it with some Eneloops, only to learn that I could take at most 3 pictures before the voltage dropped below what the camera required. I sent it back the next day and spent a little more to get a better camera anyway. Then I had to buy a TK20 for those Eneloops or they would have suffered from high internal resistance through disuse. No, not that! :green:

 

[StefanFS]

I have an old DSC W5 (great camera with superb optics). It's actually intended to be used with two NiMH cells, it came with 2AA NiMH and a Sony charger. I use eneloops and GP Recyko in our W5 with outstanding results.

 

[lrp]

I bought a point & shoot digital camera at Wallyworld (Sanyo) that works great with 2 Eneloops, shot over 100 pics one time and around 15 of those were with flash.

 

[Turbo DV8]

I bought a Kodak camera instead of similar Li-ion cameras mainly because I wanted to use it with some Eneloops, only to learn that I could take at most 3 pictures before the voltage dropped below what the camera required.

I recently bought a Kodak too for the same reason, and had the same experience. No good on Eneloops.

I own the DSC-W5, DSC-40, DSC-9 and an HP. One thing to mention is to be sure you wipe the battery's + and - ends and the contacts in the camera. It takes only an invisible film buildup to cause the camera to read low voltage, and call a halt to the fun and games. Just the other day I used my DSC-S9 with lithiums that still measured over 1.55 volts, but it wouldn't even complete it's power up routine, flashed the low batt icon, and went nighty night. Same thing happened a few days ago with LSD Radio Shack batteries in my HP camera. Wiped the contacts on batts and cameras, and all was well again with both.

On that DSC-W5, avoid using it in very windy & dusty conditions. Mine developed dust stuck behind the sensor UV filter right after using in very windy, but not dusty, conditions, resulting in dark spots on images with a light background (sky) when zoomed in fully. I was able to clean it, but it took three hours and requires completely tearing the camera down to reach the sensor. Returning it to Sony for cleaning seems to be a crap shoot, as many come back no better than before.