How many batteries to get

Hi, I was wondering how many batteries I should get for my new EM10Mk2?  I have two that I used for my EPL6 and one that I got with my EM10Mk2.  So that's a total of three batteries for two bodies.  I'll use the EM10Mk2 much more.  Are three batteries enough?  I have heard that each battery is good for 500 charge cycles, so 3 should be good for a total of 1500 charge cycles?  I also have the third party dummy battery to external power connection (either ac adapter or aa power pack).  Not sure how much I'll be using that though (I dont think that can be used with a camera grip because the battery door needs to stay open?)

I wanted to see if it really so that there is no hole for external power cord in EM10  mk II. I immediately found out that Olympus has solved this by making the battery cover is removable (https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4372552).

I think 3 batteries is a fair amount, especially if you have emergency power as well. But of course this is highly personal and depends how you are using the camera. If three batteries is not enough, you can always get more later on!

pannumon wrote:

I wanted to see if it really so that there is no hole for external power cord in EM10 mk II. I immediately found out that Olympus has solved this by making the battery cover is removable (https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4372552).

I think 3 batteries is a fair amount, especially if you have emergency power as well. But of course this is highly personal and depends how you are using the camera. If three batteries is not enough, you can always get more later on!

Thanks! I hope the removable battery cover can be reattached later!  There is a cord that extends from the dummy battery, I wonder if this can be tucked into the grip?

I was wondering if 3 is the average number of batteries most people use.

Depends on your usage and how often you might be in the situation where recharging is not possible, at least, overnight. I use Panasonics, including GM/GF models with low/small capacity batteries. For the GM/GF I prefer two spares per camera. For G series, one spare per camera is usually enough when going out for the day. When travelling, I normally take two bodies that use the same battery type.

Having a USB powered charger helps minimise situations when a mains electricity isn’t available. Power can come from a car socket or a power bank, solar even.

windmillgolfer wrote:

Depends on your usage and how often you might be in the situation where recharging is not possible, at least, overnight. I use Panasonics, including GM/GF models with low/small capacity batteries. For the GM/GF I prefer two spares per camera. For G series, one spare per camera is usually enough when going out for the day. When travelling, I normally take two bodies that use the same battery type.

Having a USB powered charger helps minimise situations when a mains electricity isn’t available. Power can come from a car socket or a power bank, solar even.

Yes I would love that!  Looking around for a solar powered charger for my camera right now.

Maybe there is a way to solar power the camera itself?  I have the external power dummy battery, all it would need is to be connected to an external solar power source!

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Yes I would love that! Looking around for a solar powered charger for my camera right now.

Maybe there is a way to solar power the camera itself? I have the external power dummy battery, all it would need is to be connected to an external solar power source!

I think, in practice, you still need a battery. You don't want your camera lose power when it is writing to the SD card. When that happens, everything in the card may be lost.

If your camera supports USB-charging, that is another thing. However, think normal power banks are not enough to power a camera. You can charge via USB (if the camera supports it), but in order to power it, you will probably need a USB PD power bank that can provide the specified amount of amperes.

windmillgolfer wrote:

Depends on your usage and how often you might be in the situation where recharging is not possible, at least, overnight. I use Panasonics, including GM/GF models with low/small capacity batteries. For the GM/GF I prefer two spares per camera. For G series, one spare per camera is usually enough when going out for the day. When travelling, I normally take two bodies that use the same battery type.

Having a USB powered charger helps minimise situations when a mains electricity isn’t available. Power can come from a car socket or a power bank, solar even.

USB charger plus USB power bank is a must have for a full day’s travel/holiday use unless you want to carry 4-5 fully charged batteries.

A small power bank and a compact USB charger for my G80/85 batteries takes up the same volume as 5 spare batteries and cost less than one genuine battery, so the choice was a no brained for me.

pannumon wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Yes I would love that! Looking around for a solar powered charger for my camera right now.

Maybe there is a way to solar power the camera itself? I have the external power dummy battery, all it would need is to be connected to an external solar power source!

I think, in practice, you still need a battery. You don't want your camera lose power when it is writing to the SD card. When that happens, everything in the card may be lost.

If your camera supports USB-charging, that is another thing. However, think normal power banks are not enough to power a camera. You can charge via USB (if the camera supports it), but in order to power it, you will probably need a USB PD power bank that can provide the specified amount of amperes.

Yes you are right.  For the third party dummy battery to external power source I went to the hardware store and got an ac connector (for mains power) and a variable voltage dc connector which will allow me to find the right voltage (I think it's 7.4 V for this camera.)  The ac connector should allow me to power the camera from an outlet without having to mess around with voltage at least?

Terminal Boy wrote:

windmillgolfer wrote:

Depends on your usage and how often you might be in the situation where recharging is not possible, at least, overnight. I use Panasonics, including GM/GF models with low/small capacity batteries. For the GM/GF I prefer two spares per camera. For G series, one spare per camera is usually enough when going out for the day. When travelling, I normally take two bodies that use the same battery type.

Having a USB powered charger helps minimise situations when a mains electricity isn’t available. Power can come from a car socket or a power bank, solar even.

USB charger plus USB power bank is a must have for a full day’s travel/holiday use unless you want to carry 4-5 fully charged batteries.

A small power bank and a compact USB charger for my G80/85 batteries takes up the same volume as 5 spare batteries and cost less than one genuine battery, so the choice was a no brained for me.

how do you connect the power bank to your camera?  so you can power your camera and take pictures just with a connection to a USB port?

I find that 1 spare helps a lot and 3 only in exceptional cases.

I ordered a USB charger in China for about €8. Together with a powerbank I can recharge a battery while shooting.  I have only really needed that setup once.

It's hard to say much about 500 cycles.  The battery can fail (no charging/ no power), it can swell (does not smoothly fit in the camera - stop using it immediately), or simply lose a small percentage in capacity.  It does not simply stop working after cycle 500.

techie takes pics wrote:

I find that 1 spare helps a lot and 3 only in exceptional cases.

I ordered a USB charger in China for about €8. Together with a powerbank I can recharge a battery while shooting. I have only really needed that setup once.

It's hard to say much about 500 cycles. The battery can fail (no charging/ no power), it can swell (does not smoothly fit in the camera - stop using it immediately), or simply lose a small percentage in capacity. It does not simply stop working after cycle 500.

the swelling effect as I understand it only happens with off brand batteries?

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Terminal Boy wrote:

windmillgolfer wrote:

Depends on your usage and how often you might be in the situation where recharging is not possible, at least, overnight. I use Panasonics, including GM/GF models with low/small capacity batteries. For the GM/GF I prefer two spares per camera. For G series, one spare per camera is usually enough when going out for the day. When travelling, I normally take two bodies that use the same battery type.

Having a USB powered charger helps minimise situations when a mains electricity isn’t available. Power can come from a car socket or a power bank, solar even.

USB charger plus USB power bank is a must have for a full day’s travel/holiday use unless you want to carry 4-5 fully charged batteries.

A small power bank and a compact USB charger for my G80/85 batteries takes up the same volume as 5 spare batteries and cost less than one genuine battery, so the choice was a no brained for me.

how do you connect the power bank to your camera? so you can power your camera and take pictures just with a connection to a USB port?

I don’t believe the G80 ( I have 2) can charge or be powered by USB. The power bank is used to power the battery charger. The G9 can charge the battery in situ, quite a hefty USB cable is provided. Not sure if the G9 can shoot while battery is being charged, suspect not,  the Adv Manual is not clear.

Pen F. I have 3 batteries.

I think it depends on how you use the camera and charge the batteries.

For every lithium battery-powered camera I have purchased, I get two aftermarket batteries, so I have three total.

For casual shooting, I just leave a battery in the camera until it is exhausted. That means I may not know the charge level when I grab a camera to go out (and aftermarket batteries may not give an accurate in-camera reading of remaining charge), so I always take at least one extra fully charged battery. When the battery in the camera dies, I swap it out and then charge it when I get home.

If I'm going to shoot some event where I may take a ton of shots and definitely don't want to run out of power, I'll probably make sure the battery in the camera is fully charged and take both fully charged spares with me. I've never exhausted three fully charged batteries in one day.

Obviously, though, if you are going on a week-long trek in the wilderness, or plan to shoot a lot of high-speed burst sequences, you may need more than three batteries, or a power brick and USB charger as others have recommended.

I've only had one battery swell. It was an aftermarket battery for my GM5, but I have read posts in this forum about OEM batteries swelling, too. I think it happens rarely, but don't expect the OEM batteries to be immune.

I have only one for each model, and they are all OEM.

OEM are very reliable and you know what you are getting. Why take a chance with off brand either bulging or not holding a full charge? Why risk your expensive gear to save a few bucks on a mystery battery?

Buying several mystery/cheapo batteries means you have more to carry and to charge, and you're never quite sure what you will get. So you buy more "for safety". Isn't it easier to carry just one that is reliable and use it wisely?

I practice good power management and have never had a battery die in the field. Never. Even for the 2017 eclipse, I only had one battery for the shot of a lifetime (actually a time lapse).

Battery manufacturing and disposal is bad for the environment. As a photographer I believe it is imperative we protect our environment.

I once went to Africa and the power surge crashed my charger.  I had 3 batteries and managed to make.  This was in the old E5 days and I had another casing that held CR3 batteries.

I went to Africa again last year with 2 EM-1ii bodies, 5 batteries and 2 chargers.  I also had an inverter for the vehicles to use with the chargers.

When you are miles from the nearest supply, you can't have too much.  With 5 batteries I can travel without the chargers.  Want to buy 2 batteries?  Looks like I won't be back to Africa for some time.

Interesting times.

...in the 3rd world (no offence).

Phil wrote:

I once went to Africa and the power surge crashed my charger. I had 3 batteries and managed to make. This was in the old E5 days and I had another casing that held CR3 batteries.

I went to Africa again last year with 2 EM-1ii bodies, 5 batteries and 2 chargers. I also had an inverter for the vehicles to use with the chargers.

You were not taking chances that second time.

I had a USB charger with me. I don't think Olympus supplies those, so it was off-market.

The advantage is that it will work on any USB port. Even in a car where you're supposed to put a USB stick with music; that port will power a charger.

I prefer that solution because it works with solar panels, cars, powerbanks and any USB port anywhere. If there is a powersurge, the USB charger will take the brunt of it. It's about the size of a battery so it fits in my camera bag. So no need for an inverter.

Funny experience. On a trip to Thailand, I had a HAM-radio with me, which worked on a 7.2V Li-Ion battery.  But I blew its charger (it needed 10 volts and I gave it 12).  I had a local shop provide me with a conversion wire with crocodile-clamps, to connect my Olympus USB charger to hook up to the radio-battery to provide power+charging regime. Worked like a charm, because a Li-Ion batteries is a Li-Ion battery.

I think three batteries is optimal for OM-D series camera if you are in the habit of clicking the shutter a lot on a long day (like me in Yosemite National Park, which is an easy day trip for me). I think two batteries is fine if you typically limit a day's shooting to several hundred pics at most.

I have a friend who is a professional photographer (many genres, shoots Canon) who is much more deliberate than I am, usually limiting himself to a dozen or two landscape shots for an entire day. In this case, one battery is more than enough for him, although he always has at least one spare. If he's shooting birds, a wedding, or an event, he will take several hundred shots and carry more batteries.

With my E-1 and E-5, I found that just one or two batteries was all I ever needed, but it wasn't all I had. I had a grip for each camera, which I used about 1/3 to 1/2 of the time. The E-1 grip had is it's own hulking battery and the E-5 grip used the same BLM-5 batteries as the camera body. For convenience, I had two more BLM-5 batteries for the E-5 grip, for a total of four. When ungripped, I usually had two batteries with me, but sometimes only one. When gripped, I sometimes had all batteries with me, and sometimes just the battery(ies) in the grip. In fifteen years, I never ran out of power, even on a long day.

With my E-M1.2, it's a different story. Because it has an EVF, two batteries is usually a must for me, even though I have turned off automatic preview on the back screen and I frequently turn off the camera between shots. Last year I added a third battery for insurance. Depending on what I am doing, I will take one, two, or three batteries with me.

Back to the E-5 and the BLM-5 battery. Quite a few times I did 1000-5000 shot sequences for time lapse or several hours of video in one day, with and without the grip, and never had less than 50% of the full charge left in the battery(ies). I shot the time lapses at medium resolution (so my computer wouldn't choke) and kept the back screen off. For tripod-mounted video, though, I used the back screen. I wasn't doing anything fancy, just simple stuff.  Still, I got good results without battery hassles.  From my archives, here is one example of a finished time lapse and one example of a finished video, both using only a portion of what I shot that day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikhvRkB5nM&t=20s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRQaH-zrW_0&t=22s .

The BLM-5 batteries were studs. Even though the BLH-1 battery in the E-M1.2 is rated at 1720 mAH and the BLM-1 at "only" 1620 mAH, I seem to drain the BLH-1 batteries quicker. I'm pretty sure the EVF is the sole culprit.

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Hi, I was wondering how many batteries I should get for my new EM10Mk2? I have two that I used for my EPL6 and one that I got with my EM10Mk2. So that's a total of three batteries for two bodies. I'll use the EM10Mk2 much more. Are three batteries enough? I have heard that each battery is good for 500 charge cycles, so 3 should be good for a total of 1500 charge cycles? I also have the third party dummy battery to external power connection (either ac adapter or aa power pack). Not sure how much I'll be using that though (I dont think that can be used with a camera grip because the battery door needs to stay open?)

A bit difficult for anyone to give you an answer when you haven't given anyone any idea on your:

1. Usage - shooting all day long while traveling? Couple of thousand frames a day?
2. Time between when you can charge batteries, every day, once a week hiking in the wilderness?
3. Type of conditions (winter, summer, Antarctica???)

I can tell you I travelled with 5 batteries for my EM10ii and many days I burned through 4 of them. But that's not really helpful to you unless you know what I was doing.