K-5 on Lithium AAs (non-rechargeable)

Hi All,

I'm looking at keeping a set of non-rechargeable Lithium AA batteries in my bag for backup, has anyone had any experience of these in a K-5? I want to be able to leave them in there and not have to worry about remembering to charge them.

John.

I have only used them as an emergency back up - personally that is all they are good for. They weigh nearly 3 times as much as a K5 battery - so I bought 2 spare K5 batteries and have never used the AA since.

I keep one battery in the camera - another in the grip and a 3rd on a travel charger in the car - so will never run out

Carl

Hi John,

The AAs can only be used in the grip and not the body. So you would still have the original Li-Ion battery in the body and AAs on the grip.

Lithiums in my K200D keep going for a very long time. As long as you have the grip to accomodate them, I'd say it's a good idea.

I get around 1000 shots on lithium with my istD.

Best regards

Changing the standard K-5 battery is so quick and painless, why mess with four AAs, then having to fit them ensuring correct polarity?

At least two original batteries for any Pentax camera that uses Lithium battery packs and you should have no problems whatsoever.

A spare non pentax brand rechargeable K5 battery @ around £6-7 is around the same price as a set of lithium AA cells but there are other advantages in the lithium AA cells.

The lithium disposable AA cells would have a much longer shelf life. They would have a better capacity than alkaline or nickel rechargeable and the shelf life is much longer, seem to remember reading on a packet of them that a 10 year shelf life was claimed.

I think that is why johnha is interested in using them as backup power. He can put them in his bag and know they will be there if the rechargeable have died before charging is possible.
They also fit a host of other gadgets. Useful to take on holiday for example, when charging can be a problem.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Yes, it's the ability to leave them in the bag and know they'll work when needed I'm interested in. I will be buying another camera battery (or two) but I'd like a further backup option (I don't know how long the camera batteries hold charge for)?

The other reason is keeping power to the camera whilst my single battery is charging (I've had problems in the past with my Optio-S losing settings when without power whilst charging).

John.

As others have said they only work in the grip anyway.

I have three batteries for my K-5, one in the camera, one in the charger, and one in my pocket or bag. Only one is an official Pentax battery.

During my recent trip to Norway I took some 1200 photos, many at temps below freezing, but only needed to change battery twice - and one of those was because I started with a less than full battery.

gwyn - do you have any links for the non pentax ones you bought ?

Reason i ask is I bought some non pentax ones and on a recent outing, admittedly making mush use of live view, the battery showed empty (fully charged night before) after around 4 or 6 shots !!!!!

Admittedly it did carry on working but the display was up and down like a brides nighty so had no idea at what point it would genuinely die completely.

Also if anyone else can recommend any good third party ones.

Sorry for the hijack of the thread.

Yes I have four Energizer lithium batteries that live in the camera bag with my K100d.With a bit of masking tape wrapped around them to keep em together and stop them shorting out. I use Eneloops all the time but just once in a while the back ups come in handyI've had them for more than 2 years now and if I put them in the camera they register full charge. .... and the date on them is 03-2023! I bet the camera will be dead by then.... jeff ...

Hi John
I suppose It all depends how much you use the batteries, how much you use the on board flash, video, screen, just leaving the camera on etc.

I had 3 batteries with my K10 and found that 2 would have been plenty, almost all of the time. Even going away on holidays I found two plenty but I always took the charger with me and usually mains was availible.

When I bought the K5 I did get a second battery to allow me to charge one whilst the other was running the camera but I haven't had a problem so far. I recently got myself a copy grip, mainly so I can use AA batteries if unable to charge the camera batteries.

AA batteries have so many more options for charging, solar, car etc. Plus the various disposable cell options. I haven't actually tried out the disposable lithium cells in it yet though, just haven't had the need to yet.(They are a bit pricey just to try it out.) When I have used them in other cameras, they have proved very much longer lived than Nickel rechargeable cells, and they don't mind the cold.

I have an Innov8 from SRS and a Jupio from a Dutch shop. I have used both makes in the K20D too.

I also did about 5 minutes of videoing while away (one lot of just over 3 minutes, one just under the 2 minutes) all on the same charge of battery.

I don't use Live View and I don't review every photo I take - that is switched off and I only check if it is a critical photo, so that lengthens the life of my batteries. I did use the on camera flash when I needed to, since I didn't take my flash unit with me.

I use it almost every other day. and have realised that the battery in the body can last for a month and I live in Sunny and humd Singapore.

Hi Bob,

I usually shoot with the rear LCD off and don't use the flash much. My expectation is that if I needed use use the Lithiums it would be a stopgap only until I could recharge, so I'd aim to reduce power use to the minimum.

As you say they're not cheap to try out, especially as I've only seen them in packs of four, and you need six!