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Would prefer AA batteries

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Christopher Glaeser

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I have two daughters in college and I'm trying to keep the number of battery types and chargers they need in the dorm to a minimum. Can you recommend any compact digicams that use AA batteries?

Best,
Christopher
 
Increasingly fewer digicams use AA's as they add to the bulk of the camera. Also generic lithium batteries (spares) are very cheap nowadays.
 
To actually answer the OP:

I too prefer AA batteries, but the number of cameras using them is becoming less. Canon still have a few models in their compact range that take AA's, the Powershot A490 & 495, the Powershot SX120 and the Powershot A1100 & A2100 models all take AA cells. I'm not sure if those are all current models.
Fuji and Nikon also produce compacts that use AA cells.
--
hifly said:
Photographers feel guilty that all they do for a living is press a button. - Andy Warhol
Click to expand...
 
For me, Li-Ion batteries are much more practical. I have my old P&S which runs on AA and that's the only thing I hate about it :).
I suggest you read this before deciding: http://nordicgroup.us/battery/#Overview
 
Frankly I would prefer AAs as well, but the problem is that in order to get a cam with decent flash recharge time it seems you need 4 AAs. My A710is was a great camera - except for the flash recharging. Took forever. By the time you stick 4 AA batteries in a digicam it gets pretty big and heavy, I would think even more so if you're looking for something convenient for your child to have handy.
 
Christopher Glaeser said:
I have two daughters in college and I'm trying to keep the number of battery types and chargers they need in the dorm to a minimum.
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My daughter visited us for the month of July and she forgot to pack the battery charger for her Canon SD890. She visited for very special occasions including her class reunion and getting together with friends she hadn't seen for years.

Fortunately, I still have my SD700 that uses the same charger. If she had visited someone or someplace else, she would have been out of luck.

I own three Canon digital cameras and each one uses a different charger, so when I travel I need to take all three. It can be a pain.

AA batteries have some disadvantages as others pointed out, but they are readily available even if you leave your charger back in the dorm. If I were you, I'd be looking for the same.

As an aside, I let my daughter use my s90 for the reunion and associated activities. She's a Full Auto mode user only (the SmartAuto is very effective). I doubt I'll be seeing much of my s90 any more.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb

My Canon s90 BLOG: http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/canon-s90/canon-s90-first-impressions/
 
I have been using a Kodak Z915 for the last couple weeks that uses 2 AA batteries. It is also lightweight and easy to carry around. Although, considered a budget camera (right around $100), it works surprisingly well for a cam in that price range. It has 10X optical zoom, and 5 X digital zoom, for a total zoom capability of 50X.

It takes very good quality images, and also has an in stitch panoramic option allowing you to take 3 pics side by side, and the cam will stitch them together and make one wide pic out of them. Look at some of the pics on Amazon.com for this cam, and read some of the reviews. My own experience has been that this is a great value for the price it is selling for at this time.
 
If you get a Canon camera, I highly recommend getting one with Smart Auto if your daughters are primarily point and shooters, such as the PowerShot A1100 and SX120 IS. They also have newest Digic 4 processor.

All other things being equal, I'd get the one with the lowest megapixel count (ie. 10mp instead of 12 or 14mp). Images in low light may have slightly less noise with a lower megapixel camera.

You can compare Canon cameras the their website. I believe many of the A series cameras use AA batteries.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras
--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb

My Canon s90 BLOG: http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/canon-s90/canon-s90-first-impressions/
 
gail said:
I own three Canon digital cameras and each one uses a different charger, so when I travel I need to take all three. It can be a pain.
Click to expand...
A good question is why do you need to travel with 3 different cameras?
Member said:
AA batteries have some disadvantages as others pointed out, but they are readily available even if you leave your charger back in the dorm. If I were you, I'd be looking for the same.
Click to expand...
AAs are convenient, but are generally dont last as long as li-ion batteries that are smaller. AAs are very old technology The battery style of say the Canon 5D2 is similar in size to 2 AAs, yet I read that people often get 1800 photos per charge. Good luck getting anywhere near that with 2 AA batteries.
 
RedFox88 said:
A good question is why do you need to travel with 3 different cameras?
Click to expand...
Different cameras for different needs: XSi DSLR, s90 - carry at all times; my third will be replaced with a SuperZoom but none have tickled my fancy yet. Hoping for a bit better high ISO performance and improved electronic viewfinder.
RedFox88 said:
AAs are convenient, but are generally dont last as long as li-ion batteries that are smaller.
Click to expand...
Depends on your shooting style.

I've taken some of my best photos in Paris with the old Canon s2 superzoom, which uses four AA batteries. If the batteries ran low, I could have picked up replacements almost anywhere.

Li-ion batteries are very good but may not fit the needs of everyone. I think the OP has a valid point about why he wants AA's.

Inform, yes, but don't try to talk someone out of it.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb

My Canon s90 BLOG: http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/canon-s90/canon-s90-first-impressions/
 
I used to hate cameras that used AA batteries until the precharged AA's came out. Since the precharged style doesn't self discharge as rapidly I can finally expect my camera to turn on after a month of sitting.

Anyway that random thought aside -- it's not that small but I think the Canon SX20IS uses them.

Another option is the growing number of cameras that can be charged directly by a USB port. I think some of the Samsungs will do this. They use a propriatery cable but you can use any USB power supply or a computer.
 
I too prefer AA's. I have a Canon SX1 IS and an old S5. I use the li-Ion long lasting AAs and they hold up well (8x more power).
 
Christopher Glaeser said:
I have two daughters in college and I'm trying to keep the number of battery types and chargers they need in the dorm to a minimum. Can you recommend any compact digicams that use AA batteries?
Click to expand...
AA's might be right for your daughters, but for me they're too bulky. For any occasion where I may be taking important pics I always have a fully charged extra battery with me.

The newer more compact Li-ion batteries are just the ticket for carrying in my pocket. I wouldn't buy a compact camera with AAs.

--
Don
http://www.pbase.com/dond
 
When I owned my a650, I noticed one day that it was about half again heavier when loaded with 4 aas than empty. I really don't miss them after switching to the smaller and lighter li ion for the g11.
JR
--
Nikon F
Argus C44R (gorgeous)
Fuji S100fs
Canon A20, A80, A710, A650, G11
Collections: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25863948@N07/collections/

 
Good point. OP wanted recommendations of cameras that use AA batteries. Lets don't try and talk him or her out of it! Thats what they want.
gail said:
RedFox88 said:
A good question is why do you need to travel with 3 different cameras?
Click to expand...
Different cameras for different needs: XSi DSLR, s90 - carry at all times; my third will be replaced with a SuperZoom but none have tickled my fancy yet. Hoping for a bit better high ISO performance and improved electronic viewfinder.
Member said:
AAs are convenient, but are generally dont last as long as li-ion batteries that are smaller.
Click to expand...
Depends on your shooting style.

I've taken some of my best photos in Paris with the old Canon s2 superzoom, which uses four AA batteries. If the batteries ran low, I could have picked up replacements almost anywhere.

Li-ion batteries are very good but may not fit the needs of everyone. I think the OP has a valid point about why he wants AA's.

Inform, yes, but don't try to talk someone out of it.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb

My Canon s90 BLOG: http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/canon-s90/canon-s90-first-impressions/
Click to expand...
--
Matt
 
RedFox88 said:
RedFox88 said:
AA batteries have some disadvantages as others pointed out, but they are readily available even if you leave your charger back in the dorm. If I were you, I'd be looking for the same.
Click to expand...
AAs are convenient, but are generally dont last as long as li-ion batteries that are smaller. AAs are very old technology
Click to expand...
And sometimes AA batteries last longer than Li-Ion batteries. It all depends on the camera, how well it has been designed and how it is used. My first camera that used AA batteries (Fuji) was good for up to 1,000 shots. My next (Canon A620) is rated by Canon at 1200 shots from alkalines and 1500 shots per charge from NiMH AA batteries.

RedFox88 said:
The battery style of say the Canon 5D2 is similar in size to 2 AAs, yet I read that people often get 1800 photos per charge. Good luck getting anywhere near that with 2 AA batteries.
Click to expand...
But the 5D-II is an enormous camera and the kind of compact digicam that the OP wants to get, if it used Li-Ion batteries, they would be far smaller than the 5D-II's battery and the battery life would be much less. Additionally, the 5D-II uses an optical viewfinder, not a power hungry LCD display for framing shots. Most compact digicams get far fewer than 1,800 shots per charge. Most fall within the 250 to 500 shots/charge range, easily met or bettered by some cameras that use AA batteries.

Canon's little A1100 IS is rated at over 350 shots/charge from a pair of AA NiMH batteries (700 if the optical viewfinder is used). Canon says that its Li-Ion peer (the SD1200 IS) is rated at 260 shots/charge (also 700 shots if its viewfinder is used). Slight edge for the AA-using A1100 IS. Nikon's L21 is rated at just under 300 shots from alkalines, 500 shots/charge from NiMH and 780 shots from a pair of lithium (non-rechargeable) AA batteries. Nikon's L6 got 400, 540 and 1,000 shots (respectively) from the same pair of AA batteries. My little Panasonic LZ8 didn't get great life from alkalines, but it's good for 470 shots/charge from NiMH AA batteries. Canon's S90 (a very nice little camera) uses NB-6L Li-Ion batteries and Canon rates it at 220 shots/charge. Fuji's F70EXR, F80EXR and F200EXR use Li-Ion batteries and these cameras are rated at only 230 shots/charge. The main advantage Li-Ion batteries have is that they can be thinner than AA batteries and weigh less than AA batteries for the same battery capacity. But a pair of AA batteries can fit in some very small cameras, the extra weight is usually negligible, and battery life (as mentioned above) is often as good or better than battery life in comparable cameras that use Li-Ion batteries.
 
Billx08 said:
The main advantage Li-Ion batteries have is that they can be thinner than AA batteries and weigh less than AA batteries for the same battery capacity.
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This is the point.

A camera designed for Li-Ion vs. the same camera designed for the same capacity AA batteries will always be lighter and smaller.

--
Don
http://www.pbase.com/dond
 
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