speedlight batteries

Ganton Gunner

Ganton Gunner

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ok I am after some advice on Batteries for my speedlights.
I have until now been using some energiser 2000mah batteries I had but they are getting tired.
I have seen the Duracell 2500Mah and the Energiser 2300Mah batteries.
any recommendations on which ones i should use ?
 
I use the Duracell 2500 - I have half a dozen sets on the go and have never had a problem.
 
Not had any problems with eneloop ones.
 
Eneloop Pro or one of the equivalents sold under other brands but made in the same factory (apparently any Low Self Discharge battery labelled 'Made in Japan' comes from the FDK Takasaki factory that makes the Eneloop branded batteries and will have 'Eneloop' internals).

https://eneloop101.com/batteries/rewrapped-batteries/

I have Japan-made black Fujitsu 2450mAh AAs (I think they're up to 2550mAh now). If I were buying today, I'd probably go for the current Ikea Ladda 2450mAh on price. Check the packaging to make sure they haven't changed supplier (if it's not made in Japan it's probably something else).

https://gizmodo.com/are-ikeas-7-rechargeable-batteries-actually-pricey-ene-1823204061/amp
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/47233
 
Eneloop!
 
Retune said:
Eneloop Pro or one of the equivalents sold under other brands but made in the same factory (apparently any Low Self Discharge battery labelled 'Made in Japan' comes from the FDK Takasaki factory that makes the Eneloop branded batteries and will have 'Eneloop' internals).

https://eneloop101.com/batteries/rewrapped-batteries/

I have Japan-made black Fujitsu 2450mAh AAs (I think they're up to 2550mAh now). If I were buying today, I'd probably go for the current Ikea Ladda 2450mAh on price. Check the packaging to make sure they haven't changed supplier (if it's not made in Japan it's probably something else).

https://gizmodo.com/are-ikeas-7-rechargeable-batteries-actually-pricey-ene-1823204061/amp
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/47233
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unfortunately for me Ikea is 80 miles away :(
 
Eneloop. Amazon.

These NiMH batteries perform miles better than alkalines, particularly with faster flash recycle times and they keep recycling faster right to the end (y)
 
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I bought some enerloop pros for my speed lights, I was surprised how good they are.

I would never use anything else now!

T
 
I've used energised, duracell and eneloops.
Wouldn't use anything but eneloops now.
 
never had problems with enegiser, Duracell or eneloop. I get whatever is on sale
 
ok thanks for the advice everyone.
in the end i got 6 packs of the duracell 2500mah for £37 on a offer on Ebay which works out about £6 a pack of 4 so couldn't beat the value.
 
According to the eneloop101 site, some Duracells have 'Eneloop' internals (look out for 'made in Japan' again), but the problem with ebay is the risk of buying fakes, so check carefully and test when you get them. The 'Ikealoops' would cost about the same as the ebay Duracells for that quantity, including delivery.
 
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Retune said:
According to the eneloop101 site, some Duracells have 'Eneloop' internals (look out for 'made in Japan' again), but the problem with ebay is the risk of buying fakes, so check carefully and test when you get them. The 'Ikealoops' would cost about the same for that quantity, including delivery.
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the only worry I had there was you said check the packaging before buying them to check not changed.
I cant do that ordering online so that made me think was too much of a gamble.
 
I've been using IKEA's own brand this year for weddings. One set lasts me the full day (speeches and dancing). If you Google them, there's a lot of talk that are rebranded Eneloops. Whatever they are though, they are fantastic for £5.50.
 
Ganton Gunner said:
the only worry I had there was you said check the packaging before buying them to check not changed.
I cant do that ordering online so that made me think was too much of a gamble.
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Perhaps I was being too cautious, but there's always a chance that a company selling something under its own branding could change supplier (it seems that Amazon and probably Duracell have multiple battery suppliers, though I haven't heard this about Ikea). Panasonic bought the brand but not the factory when it acquired Sanyo, so even genuine batteries sold under the Eneloop brand in various markets come from more than one place (the original factory in Japan, now owned by Fujitsu, and a Chinese supplier). However, I think the Eneloop Pro range are all from Japan, and the Ikea 2450mAh range are reportedly the same as these. Mail order stuff can always be returned, of course.
 
The thing is, genuine Eneloops are the best rechargeable NiMH batteries. Of the numerous reputable reports I've read, some others are very similar in performance, others are cheaper, but nothing betters them.

I don't think there is any guarantee of getting real Eneloops under any other brand. They might be, but even if they come from the same factory, they may not be 100% to the Eneloop recipe because Sanyo/Panasonic/Fujitsu wants to keep it exclusive, or the third party buyer needs to hit a lower price point. Ikea, Amazon and other third party brands may switch suppliers at any time.
 
HoppyUK said:
The thing is, genuine Eneloops are the best rechargeable NiMH batteries. Of the numerous reputable reports I've read, some others are very similar in performance, others are cheaper, but nothing betters them.

I don't think there is any guarantee of getting real Eneloops under any other brand. They might be, but even if they come from the same factory, they may not be 100% to the Eneloop recipe because Sanyo/Panasonic/Fujitsu wants to keep it exclusive, or the third party buyer needs to hit a lower price point. Ikea, Amazon and other third party brands may switch suppliers at any time.
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According to some tests, Japanese Eneloops perform better than Chinese Eneloops with the same product code:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nese-Vs-Chinese-Eneloop-Cycle-Testing-Results

Since other tests show identical performance between (e.g.) Eneloop Pro and Ikea Ladda 2450mAh, both from Japan (there is apparently only one factory that makes this type of battery in the country), then you might conceivably do better with an off-brand. Nothing is guaranteed (so check packaging and perform your own tests), but with prices well under the premium you pay for Eneloop, I think it's worth a bit of experimenting, and buying a batch of batteries you are happy with.
 
Well you can lead a horse to water............
 
Retune said:
According to some tests, Japanese Eneloops perform better than Chinese Eneloops with the same product code:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nese-Vs-Chinese-Eneloop-Cycle-Testing-Results

Since other tests show identical performance between (e.g.) Eneloop Pro and Ikea Ladda 2450mAh, both from Japan (there is apparently only one factory that makes this type of battery in the country), then you might conceivably do better with an off-brand. Nothing is guaranteed (so check packaging and perform your own tests), but with prices well under the premium you pay for Eneloop, I think it's worth a bit of experimenting, and buying a batch of batteries you are happy with.
Click to expand...

I'm not doubting the evidence of those tests, but they're from nearly five years ago. Ikea could have changed supplier three times since then. Or not. Who knows.
 
One of the Ikea vs Eneloop Pro comparisons is much more recent than that, from late 2017:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jeo_hv-8bHI


Of course they might have changed their supplier, but probably not if they are still labelled 'made in Japan', since according to the battery geeks (who take this stuff as seriously as some of us do raw processors and MTF charts!) there is only one (Fujitsu) factory making low self discharge NiMH batteries in Japan. You pays your money and you takes your choice, but personally I'd need a compelling reason to spend more than double on Eneloop Pro.
 
Eneloops for me also. I even use them in the Xbox controllers and they last ages. I'll happily pay more for something built in Japan over China where possible, even if it's just on principle.
 
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