Originally posted by johnmflores Any thoughts to strapping a solar charger to your pack?
Lithium Ion AAs are featherweight.
Maybe a K-r with lithium ion AAs, WR lenses, and a ziploc bag for the camera? That may be the lightest option.
I've experimented with two solar panels so far for backpacking. The larger of the two, the Goal Zero Nomad 7, was only able to charge 4 AAAs every two to three days. The main problem is that I'm predominately in locations with heavy tree cover, and since I'm moving all day, the panel never sits out in direct sunlight for an extended period of time.
I just massed two of my eneloop AA (NiMH) batteries and they came out to 52 g for the pair, so that's 5.5 oz for a full set of six. That's pretty close to what I estimated two camera batteries to be. So it'd be heavier once you take into account the grip. If I got more than twice the battery life, it may have been worth it.
I need to be able to shoot no matter the conditions; waiting for the rain to stop isn't an option. I'm not so sure about taking a DSLR in a bag, especially one that would get dirty and scratched up.
I've gone back and relooked at using a battery grip. It looks like a pack of six AAs and the grip would be about 1.5 oz more than two regular batteries. This may be worth it if I can actually get 6000 pictures off of a pack. I may also be able to charge them in the field off of a solar panel if they last that long.
I've been estimating product masses off of dubious information. If anyone has a kitchen scale, I'd love some accurate measurements of the standard battery and the grip.
Last edited by MagnificentMath; 11-21-2011 at 09:41 PM.
Reason: Updated info on battery grip