Battery choice for k200d ?

tried it today with the rechargeables i have but they dont last more than 5 mins , have had to buy some lithiums on the way home at a bp garage 4.99. going to have to sort it somehow.

The highest capacity battery is not allways delivering what it says on the label...
I got a couple of el-cheapo 2200 mAh nimh batteries but they last a lot shorter then a couple of high quality 1800 mAh batteries.
Mostly the cheapest batteries have the highest capacity printed on them which says enough for me...

To be honest I am finding the K200d a lot more power-hungry than my old DL2, although even alkaline batteries are atill giving me a lot more than 5 mins so I am not sure what is going on with your nihm batteries.

Have taken other forum members advice and ordered a main brand ultra-low discharge rechargeable. Eneloop seems to be the brand of choice. These are a lower mAh rating than the nimh batteries I have but should hold their charge a lot better over time and last a lot longer. I didn't know about these batteries till I came on this forum so thanks, fellow Pentaxians!

does anyone know if the d-g3 battery grip balances power between it and the camera or is it either or ?
regards, tim.

Down to what you set in the menu
Will go for the grip,camera or whatever has the most juice

That was a very good price for Lithiums from a garage

Cheers
Rich

On my K100D Super, I use two sets of Energizer 2500mah and one set of UniRoss 2700 (which came with the rapid charger I bought).

Performance wise the UniRoss blows the Energizers out of the water.
When I'll require new batteries, I know what I'll be getting.

Regards
Adrian

Have to agree there. I use Uniross multi-use 2100mAh batteries. While away travelling I found they would last me a good 2-3 days before needing a charge, and that's taking a lot of photos. I do have the battery grip as well though, so maybe having 8 batteries on the go, it's understandable why it lasts so long.
What annoyed me most about standard Energiser rechargeables was their inability to hold a charge, even after a relatively short amount of time. Fine if you want to take them straight out of the charger and put them in the camera - if you want to keep some spares, or have them in the camera bag for a few days, then I found them frustratingly short lived.

I dont think there is a lot to choose between Sanyo Eneloop and Uniross Hybrio batteries, IMO nothing can touch them.

Regards

Chris

K200D

As stated elsewhere another of my hobbies is radio controlled model aircraft. We use a lot or rechargeable batteries and Vapextech are getting a very good reputation.

thanks for that, ive had a quick look at the link you gave, they seem remarkably cheap is there a catch ? for that price will try some,
thanks, tim.

I think you should invest in a good charger, makes a world of difference

Been using one of these for ages http://www.tantronics.co.uk/acatalog/Ansmann_DigiSpeed_4_a.html and although I have got lazy and use Lithiums most of the time a good charger is vital if you want to go down the rechargeable AA route

Bought the battery grip (BG-3) today from wilkinson cameras in preston it was on special offer £49.99 , at least it will double the present capacity .going to try some 2900 types in the grip and leave the lithiums in the camera , thanks for everyones input.

Glad you got it sorted. Does the camera look ok with the grip, does it add much weight etc?

Me, I got a couple of packs of RecYko batteries, they seem to be doing the job!

Yeah it looks ok a bit more weight but also offers a better grip ,(ive got big hands) though her indoors hasnt tried or seen it yet! have also ordered some vapextech 2900 rechargeables as reccomended by oggy. will let you know how these shape up when they arrive.

The capacity doesn't matter as much as the shelf life. 2100 mAh is adequate. Some rechargeables (like Eneloop) keep their charge much longer than others, these are the ones to look for. Myself, I use two sets of rechargeables that will retain 80% charge after one year.

Edit: My present batteries are the Varta Ready2Use 2100 mAh, stated storage ability: 80% remains after 1 year on the shelf.