Pregnancy - Photography

 Battery Chargers For Digital Cameras 101

In order to get the most out of your batteries, and your digital camera, you not only want to have batteries with high capacity NiMH cells, you also need to have a good-quality battery charger. Some of them can't handle the high capacity NiMH cells within the battery and significantly undercharge it. Others actually overcharge and eventually damage the batteries. Choosing the best for your digital camera will allow you to get optimum use from your batteries and your camera.

Advancements

There have been significant advancements in digital cameras over the past three years. At one time, the battery charger C-204F was believed to be the most efficient. Recent advancements in technology have improved the Maha Powerex C-204W, and results have proven to be more efficient in 'topping off' batteries. There have been a number of improvements to the Maha C-240W's, making these the most popular for digital cameras.

A unique feature with the Maha C-240W is its sophisticated algorithm, which allows it to detect alkaline batteries, which cannot be recharged. Although alkaline batteries can be used in digital they have a much shorter life, and prove to be very expensive. Although the 204F offered support for NiCd cells, the Maha Powerex C-204W only supports NiMH batteries.

Quality Testing

When testing the quality, it was found that when the quick-charging cycle was completed, many of the fast chargers were unable to completely fill the battery. In order to compensate, some chargers switch to a 'trickle off' mode once the fast charge is complete, so that the charger can 'top off' the batteries. is found to be best used when leaving the batteries to charge overnight. But even then, the C-240F was unable to charge the up to the last 5% capacity of the battery.

An important factor to consider is the amount of heat and distress the charger subjects the battery to. A battery charger that consistently overheats batteries will prematurely exhaust the batteries and shorten its life.

Tests have found that the Maha Powerex C-240W is a smart battery charger. Like the 204F, the 204W features two separate charging circuits that enable you to charge either two or four batteries simultaneously. This becomes increasingly important as many of today's digital run on two AA batteries, and in order to get the most out of your batteries, you need to charge them in the same groups they are used in. This keeps the charger from overcharging or undercharging battery cells that have diverse usage patterns.

The Maha Powerex C-240W battery charger is reasonably priced at approximately $30. Some suppliers offer the C-240W within a kit that also comes four AA Powerex cells at a discounted price. It's important to keep the quality and the price in mind when choosing battery chargers for digital cameras.