Batteries

siejones

siejones

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I recently did Dudley zoo with my 350D and sigma 70-300 APO. I used a wide variety of settings on the camera as you do for the appropriate shot. These to include AISERVO e.t.c

During my day out my camera battery ran out. Fair enough I had a spare which I had (now gratefully) purchased more or less straight after the camera. Just at the end of my visit before the zoo closed I decided to try and get a few more shots in before I left. It was at this point the spare run out.

So that was 2 batteries in one day. Both full charged. This is a first for me. My G5 batteries used to last for ages and I do mean aaaggggeess. I am now wondering if I should buy a 3rd?

So my questions are:

1. Does a 3rd battery seem excessive? How many spares do you guys carry?

2. Probably an age old question on here but is it really worth buying the genuine Canon replacement or will the cheaper Ebay equivilants do? Any good/bad experiances?

I will be honest with you. My replacement battery was an Ebay equivilant. What I can't remember is wether this was the first one I had in the camera or the second and now I wonder if the charge time was less and therefore why I ran out of power. It can't have been a noticable difference or I would have immediately been aware of it.

Sorry I drone on :)
 
I bought 2 ebay batteries and although they outlasted the original when I first got them they lost capacity as they got older. Now using 7dayshop ones that seem fine so far. I always run the batteries until the camera shuts down. So far I have only had one file write corrupted and that may have been because I was a bit quick changing the battery.

I take 2 spares with me. At Duxford once I got through all 3 using IS and servo focus.
 
Have you thought about purchasing a battery grip for your 350D? Additional expense I know, but well worth it in my opinion. I have 3 batteries (2 purchased off eBay), so I've always got a fully charged spare as well as the 2 in the grip. You also have the option of using AA batteries with the supplied additional battery tray. My battery grip is branded Opteka, identical to the Canon version, but much cheaper ( it was when I bought mine anyway).

Mike
 
I have a pair of 2 for £10 batteries from 7day and they have been just fine. I have a battery grip for my camera which takes two batts and makes handling a lot better, I'd go with mikes suggestion and also get a couple more spares. At £10 for two you can't really go wrong can you?
 
Mike said:
Have you thought about purchasing a battery grip for your 350D? Additional expense I know, but well worth it in my opinion. I have 3 batteries (2 purchased off eBay), so I've always got a fully charged spare as well as the 2 in the grip. You also have the option of using AA batteries with the supplied additional battery tray. My battery grip is branded Opteka, identical to the Canon version, but much cheaper ( it was when I bought mine anyway).

Mike
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I have considered a battery grip. I have noticed these on ebay as well. The only thing that has put me off is that weight is always an issue as most of my photography is up in the mountains and every ounce counts.If it's not entirely neccesary weight then I would rather not.

On the other hand if it is a minimal weight difference between 2 batteries and the grip with 2 batteries in then I will give it some serious thought.

Other than the advantage of not changing batteries over what other reasons to get a grip (no pun intented :) ) are there?
 
As Steep as already said it makes the handling better, I've always found the 350D to be a bit to small without the grip . Also it makes it easier for shooting in portrait mode as the shutter release & buttons for AE lock, AF point selector, and aperture/exposure compensation are replicated for use in the vertical position.

Mike
 
siejones said:
Other than the advantage of not changing batteries over what other reasons to get a grip (no pun intented :) ) are there?
Click to expand...

Well you also get an additional shutter button on the grip for when the camera is turned to portrait oriention, at least that's the case with the 20D which is similar in many respects. You also get the AF lock and AF point selection buttons mirrored on the grip where they fall just right for your thumb.

The camera is much nicer and chunkier to hold with the grip attached, particularly with longer lenses - the grip slightly extends the cameras hand grip.

If you carry the AA battery insert (which weighs nowt) then in the event of a real power catastrophe, you can run on AA batteries, available just about everywhere, garages etc, and Wales on a Sunday.
 
Sorry Mike, we ploughed the same furrow a bit there. :D
 
No worries CT, I'd forgot to mention about getting batteries in Wales on a Sunday :lol:

Mike
 
I load the battery grip with both batteries and usually only need to charge them up occasionally. I get about 1000 shots per battery at the moment with the 30D which I'm really pleased with. If I'm not using the grip then I take one battery spare as well as the one in the camera.
 
I would recommend the grip too, it really does transform the camera into a much more pleasurable item to hold.

As for batteries, I think I got my 350 spare from an eBay seller called googolpower, although I've just checked and they aren't selling any of these at the moment.

The battery itself cost me about £6 inc delivery (the cheapest I found on ebay by far), and matched the Canon battery. I used to put both in the grip and never ever ran out of juice. Which said it all for me :)
 
Another vote here for the battery grip on the 350. I'm still waiting for my batteries to run out! I got a set of 2500 mah NiMH's (AA's) and although the charge state on the camera says flat they are still going strong. I think however the false reading is more to do with it not being the genuine Canon grip though.
 
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