[PentaxPZ]

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Right here goes...

I see lots of canon, nikon and stuff with big add on battery packs...
I just got a used Canon EOS, but you can take battery door off and use a big add on...

Now here may be the dumb bit...

Why cant Pentax make one of these battery packs for the K100D?
I mean I went to the fair last nite and took 100 pictures and it killed the battery!
four dead AAs!

So why cant we have a big add on?
I mean AAs are ok and I carry 20 with me when I have the cam, but wouldn't a big add on be good?

Come on all you base model owners, what do you think?

[Ash]

Having an extra set or 2 of freshly recharged AAs was the only way I'd be sure not to run out of power with the K100D. And as my AAs aged, the number of shots I could take kept decreasing. Not much could be done about that other than buying new AAs. So I'd agree - a battery pack would be handy, but then doesn't the 3rd party battery grip do this for the K100D?

[pentagor]

There are two different "battery grips" for K100D. The first one is from Ansmann I think, wich in fact does not have a battery inside. It is just for extra shutter release button when shooting in portrait mode. The second one is some Asian stuff, which does have the battery but no shutter release button.

[eman]

Check the thread "Love the K20 grip", someone posted a ebay link for a 3rd party K100 power grip.

Anyways here is the link :Ownuser Vertical Battery Grip for Pentax K100D D-BG1 - eBay (item 160245291315 end time Jun-04-08 09:29:13 PDT)

[PentaxPZ]

well ash I am new to this so can you show me or send me a link to this battery grip?
sound good, searched the net for one...
where is it?

sorry too late....
you lot posted as I was typing....

[nakey]

Speaking from an *ist DS here, so i dunno if the K100D's Battery life is any better or worse (as i've been told, the K200D is better)

100 shots? that sounds like Alkaline batteries to me. a good set of rechargables (and i emphasise, Good set. Sanyo's are the ones i've had the best luck with) will last a fair while. the Sanyo ones i've got are 2700mAH. they will do a lot of shots, but don't leave them in your camera as they'll self drain. Sanyo Eneloops won't self drain, but have less power so you'll get less shots

A good quality charger for those is important. Not the 11H overnight charger that you get from the supermarkets. A good one that will sense the charge in a battery, not just appoximate it by time

Finally, look at Lithium batteries. the Lithium AA batteries tend to last me a fair while. How long is "a fair while"? i've done a good 950 shots over the last 2 weeks or so (850 in one day). Camera still shows full charge. and, at least locally, the cost of a 4 pack of Energiser AA Lithiums is about the same price as 1 CRV3 (and you need 2 of them to operate the camera). i normally do about 4-5K shots a year, and i normally only need 4 or so packs of AA Lithiums to last me that year.

As for Battery grips or battery packs, there's a few unofficial ones for the K100D. one i've seen has a 2000Mah rechargable battery, and one that takes 12AAs or 6 CRV3s. If you filled that with Lithium AAs, you probably wouldn't need to change batteries in the camera's lifetime....

And if you're game, nothing's stopping you from making a small waist mounted battery pack...

EDIT: i've been told that rechargables aren't recommended, but i've not had any problems with them. I'd stay away from the rechargable CRV3 batteries as they tend to be 3.6V rather than 3V (i think Uniross makes 3V CRV3 Li-ion batteries). Stick to good quality AAs, and you shouldn't have problems

EDIT2: I guess i'm doing better than most people, reading a manual for a camera i don't have :P Both the K100D and K200D manual says that they don't recommend the use of Nickel Manganese (Ni-Mn) batteries. It's perfectly happy with Nickel Metahydride (Ni-MH) batteries. Page 26 & 37 for the K100D & K200D respectively

[volosong]

...
I mean I went to the fair last night and took 100 pictures and it killed the battery!
four dead AAs!
...
I mean AAs are ok and I carry 20 with me when I have the cam...

Just taking a guess here, but I suspect you are not using the proper batteries. You should get at least 600-700 exposures on a good, new set of Energizer Lithium e2 batteries. Alkaline batteries don't last long. My guess is that you are using alkaline batteries. If so, I'm surprised you even got 100 exposures. Usually, alkaline batteries die after 70-80 shots. You should not have to carry more than a single set of batteries for backup; not five extra sets!

People have raved about the Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries, and if you are of a mind to be environmentally conscious, then that would be the way to go. They are available from a variety of sources for a pretty decent price. I have some, but usually just use the Energizer lithiums.

Do you use the review screen a lot? That might be another reason for poor battery performance. I have mine set to not display an image after exposure. If I want to review an image, then I just use the review button.

[volosong]

Speaking from an *ist DS here, so i dunno if the K100D's Battery life is any better or worse (as i've been told, the K200D is better)

100 shots? that sounds like Alkaline batteries to me....

Nakey beat me to the post. We are thinking along the same lines. I have a Ds as well as a K100D (among other Pentax digitals). I have not noticed much difference in battery life between the two AA cameras. Pretty close. The K100D might be a little longer, but not much.

As nakey says, go with Energizer Lithium e2 for disposable or Sanyo eneloop for rechargable. And, as he says, get a good charger. You can buy the Sanyo as a kit that includes the charger.

You will not need a battery pack/grip if you use the proper batteries. The target market for which the K100D was designed for do not normally require battery grips, so you won't see one from Pentax.

[rfortson]

On my K100D, I got 400-600 shots on a set of NiMH rechargable AA's. If I used CRV3 lithiums (non-rechargable), I'd get 1300-1400 shots on a set.

The worst I ever got was about 400 shots on a set of rechargables, and that was because the camera sat around for a few days. With the newer hybrid NiMH batteries, they don't self-discharge nearly as bad, so they'll last longer sitting around. You'll still get the same number of shots.

If you were in fact using rechargables and you only got 100 shots, it's either that the batteries self-discharged (sat around for several days/weeks before use) or one or more of the batteries is going bad.

[nakey]

If so, I'm surprised you even got 100 exposures. Usually, alkaline batteries die after 70-80 shots.

I normally get up to 120 with alkalines. Just stay away from the flash, and JPEG rather than RAW and you're good to go.

People have raved about the Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries, and if you are of a mind to be environmentally conscious, then that would be the way to go. They are available from a variety of sources for a pretty decent price. I have some, but usually just use the Energizer lithiums

the eneloops ones (and all low discharge NiMH batteries) are great, partially because you're not filling the earth with disposable batteries; and partially because of their self-discharge rate, or more properly the lack of it. the disadvantage is their capacity. they're lower than standard NiMH batteries.

Though it's rare that i use something that's not Sanyo 2700, Energiser 2500 or energiser Lithiums in my camera

[Adam67]

As many have mentioned....use Sanyo Eneloops or Lithium AA's...I'd stay away from the alkalines.

Eneloops ~ 500+ shots (rechargeable)
Lithium AA's ~ 1000+ (not reusable)

I use the eneloops in my K200D

[axl]

well, before you invest into any kind of battery grip, get propper batteries.
I have Energizers 2500 mAh rechargables, and they are great. Uniross Hybrio are not too bad, but what works best are Energizers Lithium. They have fabulous endurance, but to be honest I am yet to try CR-3V from the same manufacturer (they are reportedly better).
As for the grips, I believe guys above answered it ...
BR

[Mike Cash]

Let me guess......100 shots.......each of which used the built-in flash?

[PentaxPZ]

OK guys...

Yes it was alkaline batteries!
100 batteries for £15 at maplin!

Yes the preview screen is on, time to turn it off I think!
ok time to go and get some eneloops then!
oh and no flash used!

As for the battery grip...
I like the idea especially as it is easyer to hold sideways with a battery grip.
Plus the fact I am partially disabled and its difficult to hold it side with its grip.

does anybody know how these bolt on battery packs connect to the camera?
Do you remove the battery door and it connects to the terminals?

And I would have thought if I used MF not AF that will make the battery last longer....

[nakey]

OK guys...

Yes it was alkaline batteries!
100 batteries for £15 at maplin!

there's your problem.

Yes the preview screen is on, time to turn it off I think!

won't need to with good batteries. I've got mine displaying a preview after every shot. And i'm still getting upwards of 1000 shots on Energiser Lithium

As for the battery grip...
I like the idea especially as it is easyer to hold sideways with a battery grip.
Plus the fact I am partially disabled and its difficult to hold it side with its grip.

does anybody know how these bolt on battery packs connect to the camera?

Do you remove the battery door and it connects to the terminals?

Grip screws to base of camera using tripod mount, connects to power using the power connector on the side. you can leave the batteries in the camera, i believe.

i don't believe you can take the door off the battery cover. I know that with the K10D, K20D and K200D, the genuine one connects to a connector underneath the camera.

And I would have thought if I used MF not AF that will make the battery last longer....

We're talking the difference between 119 shots with it on, and 120 with it off. it makes little difference. more so if you use good Lithium/rechargable batteries


EDIT: Dicain makes vertical shutter grips (no battery) for the K100D. i dunno where you can get them from though...