Which battery? (K-x)

emsuraine · 02-27-2011, 05:14 AM

I have been using some very cheap, very rubbish Superdrug batteries in my K-x, and somehow, i'm still surprised when they run out really quickly

what batteries are recommended for very long life?

jolepp · 02-27-2011, 05:41 AM

Welcome to the forums!

I can vouch for Sanyo Eneloops: huge difference to the generic, much higher nominal capacity nimhs with the k-x

Also, be sure use firmware 1.01 or later as it has a relevant fix.

Pest · 02-27-2011, 06:01 AM

Eneloops all the way!

mysticcowboy · 02-27-2011, 11:01 AM

Eneloops are the best if you need to keep a charge on the batteries for more than a couple of weeks. If you recharge more often than that you can use something with a larger capacity. The number you need to look at is mAh (milliampere-hour). The higher the number the more charge the batteries hold. Standard Eneloops hold 2000 mAh. Some other brands run at 2500 mAh or higher.

The problem with nickel metal hydride batteries is that they self discharge in storage. Eneloops discharge much more slowly than most, which makes them good to keep in your camera, but over a short period they don't hold as big a charge. I keep a set in an old point and shoot. I also have a set of 2500mAh Sony batteries, which give me about 20% more life in a single shoot.

Brenda Lee · 02-27-2011, 09:10 PM

I just wanted to share some information Pentax emailed me in regards to batteries. I wrote them about the battery issue with my K-x:

"Our Digital SLR’s require DC 6V battery. When the battery drops to DC5.1V, the battery low sign will show. When the battery drops down to DC4.6V, it will show empty.

The batteries most commonly produced by today’s battery manufacturer’s are as follows: The NiCad 1.3 volts, and the Ni-MH from 1.25 volts to 1.2 volts Please check what the voltage is on your batteries.

The camera requires 6 volts (4X regular AA 1.5V) to power it. If 4X Ni-MH rechargeable batteries are used, it will have only 4.8 volts (4X 1.2V). Although the voltage will increase after the Ni-MH is fully charged, in most cases, it will not exceed 1.4V. A fully charged NI-MH battery will show “battery low” after a short period of use. How short a period of time depends on which brand of battery."

KxBlaze · 02-27-2011, 10:29 PM

Eneloops BUT make sure you get a good charger. I used the Sanyo supplied charger for a while and was amazed to find out how much of a difference a good charger makes. With the Sanyo charger I was getting about 250-300 shots per charge, with an after-market individual cell charger I am now getting about 400 shots per charge.

jolepp · 02-28-2011, 01:50 AM

+1 on a per-cell charger

desubu · 03-01-2011, 11:44 AM

Looking for long-lasting rechargeable batteries for K-x. Currently using Pearstone @ 2600mAh. Hold full charge for about 5 min. Frustrating.

Looking at Delkin 2900mAh w/charger. Anyone know if these are good for use w/K-x?

Love my Pentax, just found this forum ... love it!!

desubu · 03-01-2011, 11:46 AM

What do you consider a good charger?
What rating on the Eneloops would you recommend?
Thanks.

jolepp · 03-01-2011, 12:01 PM

Mine have "typ. 2000 mAh min. 1500 mAh" on them. I have one of these for a charger and have been happy with it; the most important thing is that it charges the cells on a individual basis (it has other nice features as well

)

K57XR · 03-01-2011, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by desubu

What do you consider a good charger?

This is probably one of the best ones out there...IMO
La Crosse BC-900 Advanced Battery Charger

krotosz · 03-01-2011, 02:48 PM

Hi. the eneloop is very good like varta2. (300 pics) íbut the tradiconal battery (energizer) longer works. (400pics)

**Ex Finn.** · 03-02-2011, 03:47 AM

www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/92821-battery-k-x-other-cameras-take-aas.html

twitch · 03-02-2011, 03:52 AM

Originally posted by desubu

Looking at Delkin 2900mAh w/charger. Anyone know if these are good for use w/K-x?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buy Eneloops, in fact the higher the mAh the worse the performance in the K-x, strange but true.

glanglois · 03-02-2011, 02:22 PM

The K-X will get rather a large number of shots from good quality NiMH like Eneloop. I wouldn't chase mAHs in this case but focus on highest quality battery and good battery care, e.g., don't run the battery down completely (or close to it) and use a software-controlled charger. They sense battery conditions and apply the optimum charging current for the correct time.

In chasing battery Nirvana, a per-battery tester/charger is an absolute requirement because:

* It can charge each battery in the manner that particular battery needs.
* It can "recondition" batteries with a series of charging-discharging cycles. Some claim that NiMH does not absolutely need this and that claim is true. But the battery will benefit from it. My LaCrosse will repeat carefully-controlled discharge/recharge cycles until the battery doesn't seem to be getting any better. That's a very good thing.
* You can immediately see how the individual batteries are doing, even using the charger as a quick voltage tester for other types of batteries. I was ready to throw out a set of old AA cells until I checked and found that only one battery of the four was bad.

Good luck and remember, lithium AA have a number of drawbacks but they're invaluable when you absolutely need 1200+ shots without access to a working charger and cannot or will not carry around multiple sets of NiMH. I would not travel without one set.

02-27-2011, 05:14 AM	#1
emsuraine New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Scotland Photos: Gallery Posts: 5	Which battery? (K-x) I have been using some very cheap, very rubbish Superdrug batteries in my K-x, and somehow, i'm still surprised when they run out really quickly what batteries are recommended for very long life?

03-01-2011, 02:48 PM	#12
krotosz New Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hungary Photos: Gallery Posts: 20	battery Hi. the eneloop is very good like varta2. (300 pics) íbut the tradiconal battery (energizer) longer works. (400pics)

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02-27-2011, 05:41 AM	#2
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	Welcome to the forums! I can vouch for Sanyo Eneloops: huge difference to the generic, much higher nominal capacity nimhs with the k-x Also, be sure use firmware 1.01 or later as it has a relevant fix.

02-27-2011, 06:01 AM	#3
Pest Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: London, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 33	Eneloops all the way!

02-27-2011, 11:01 AM	#4
mysticcowboy Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: port townsend, wa Photos: Albums Posts: 968	Eneloops are the best if you need to keep a charge on the batteries for more than a couple of weeks. If you recharge more often than that you can use something with a larger capacity. The number you need to look at is mAh (milliampere-hour). The higher the number the more charge the batteries hold. Standard Eneloops hold 2000 mAh. Some other brands run at 2500 mAh or higher. The problem with nickel metal hydride batteries is that they self discharge in storage. Eneloops discharge much more slowly than most, which makes them good to keep in your camera, but over a short period they don't hold as big a charge. I keep a set in an old point and shoot. I also have a set of 2500mAh Sony batteries, which give me about 20% more life in a single shoot.

02-27-2011, 09:10 PM	#5
Brenda Lee Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NB, Canada Posts: 85	I just wanted to share some information Pentax emailed me in regards to batteries. I wrote them about the battery issue with my K-x: "Our Digital SLR’s require DC 6V battery. When the battery drops to DC5.1V, the battery low sign will show. When the battery drops down to DC4.6V, it will show empty. The batteries most commonly produced by today’s battery manufacturer’s are as follows: The NiCad 1.3 volts, and the Ni-MH from 1.25 volts to 1.2 volts Please check what the voltage is on your batteries. The camera requires 6 volts (4X regular AA 1.5V) to power it. If 4X Ni-MH rechargeable batteries are used, it will have only 4.8 volts (4X 1.2V). Although the voltage will increase after the Ni-MH is fully charged, in most cases, it will not exceed 1.4V. A fully charged NI-MH battery will show “battery low” after a short period of use. How short a period of time depends on which brand of battery."

02-27-2011, 10:29 PM	#6
KxBlaze Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,602	Eneloops BUT make sure you get a good charger. I used the Sanyo supplied charger for a while and was amazed to find out how much of a difference a good charger makes. With the Sanyo charger I was getting about 250-300 shots per charge, with an after-market individual cell charger I am now getting about 400 shots per charge.

02-28-2011, 01:50 AM	#7
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	+1 on a per-cell charger

03-01-2011, 11:44 AM	#8
desubu New Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Oregon Posts: 2	Looking for long-lasting rechargeable batteries for K-x. Currently using Pearstone @ 2600mAh. Hold full charge for about 5 min. Frustrating. Looking at Delkin 2900mAh w/charger. Anyone know if these are good for use w/K-x? Love my Pentax, just found this forum ... love it!!

03-01-2011, 11:46 AM	#9
desubu New Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Oregon Posts: 2	What do you consider a good charger? What rating on the Eneloops would you recommend? Thanks.

03-01-2011, 12:01 PM	#10
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	Mine have "typ. 2000 mAh min. 1500 mAh" on them. I have one of these for a charger and have been happy with it; the most important thing is that it charges the cells on a individual basis (it has other nice features as well )

03-01-2011, 01:22 PM	#11
K57XR Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 830	Originally posted by desubu What do you consider a good charger? This is probably one of the best ones out there...IMO La Crosse BC-900 Advanced Battery Charger

03-02-2011, 03:47 AM	#13
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/92821-battery-k-x-other-cameras-take-aas.html

03-02-2011, 03:52 AM	#14
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Originally posted by desubu Looking at Delkin 2900mAh w/charger. Anyone know if these are good for use w/K-x? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buy Eneloops, in fact the higher the mAh the worse the performance in the K-x, strange but true.

03-02-2011, 02:22 PM	#15
glanglois Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Madison, Wis., USA Posts: 1,506	The K-X will get rather a large number of shots from good quality NiMH like Eneloop. I wouldn't chase mAHs in this case but focus on highest quality battery and good battery care, e.g., don't run the battery down completely (or close to it) and use a software-controlled charger. They sense battery conditions and apply the optimum charging current for the correct time. In chasing battery Nirvana, a per-battery tester/charger is an absolute requirement because: * It can charge each battery in the manner that particular battery needs. * It can "recondition" batteries with a series of charging-discharging cycles. Some claim that NiMH does not absolutely need this and that claim is true. But the battery will benefit from it. My LaCrosse will repeat carefully-controlled discharge/recharge cycles until the battery doesn't seem to be getting any better. That's a very good thing. * You can immediately see how the individual batteries are doing, even using the charger as a quick voltage tester for other types of batteries. I was ready to throw out a set of old AA cells until I checked and found that only one battery of the four was bad. Good luck and remember, lithium AA have a number of drawbacks but they're invaluable when you absolutely need 1200+ shots without access to a working charger and cannot or will not carry around multiple sets of NiMH. I would not travel without one set.