Sanyo 277265 Eneloop Power Pack with Battery Charger, 8 AA & 2 AAA Batteries Plus 4 C & 4 D Size Adapter (CostCo Kit #2) by SANYO
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Our Price: $88.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Sanyo 277265 Eneloop Power Pack with Battery Charger, 8 AA & 2 AAA Batteries Plus 4 C & 4 D Size Adapter (CostCo Kit #2)
Digital camera Review: Good value pack
Summary: 4 Stars
Good value for the convenience. Battery has good shelf life. Love that for my speedlight which I don't use all that much. Also has very good capacity. Lasts for dozens of shots, though the power used with each flash of today's advanced speedlights depends on so many factors, the number of shots will vary for your conditions. Also used in a variety of other items like Wii remotes and small toys. All great.
Charger is nice and compact. Charges fairly rapidly - don't have to leave in overnight. Charges in pairs. See NLee's thorough reviews for comments on that.
Adaptor system is more a gimmick than utilitarian. It will probably do in a pinch, but I don't plan on using it much. (BTW, it's pretty clear in the title and description that C & D cells are adaptors, but here's a note to highlight to those who haven't realized this yet with this product.)
Digital camera Review: Great Batteries! Somewhat Useful "Battery Adapters" in C & D Size Makes A Nice "Kit"!
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this brand and type of battery quite by accident, and after using this "kit" for more than 6 months, and buying more for my father-in-law (all the way in Indonesia... and getting his input on them too) I have come to the conclusion that they are the best available general use rechargeable battery, bar none! I pride myself in terms of battery knowledge, as I race 1/10th-scale Professional Cars and Trucks in NORRCA and ROAR-sanctioned events, both on road and off-road type vehicles with "05-scale" electric motors, using specially made Li-Ion Sub-C Cells that are proprietary for hobbyists and racers, and it takes a bit of "battery science and knowledge" to be successful in racing, so I've become a bit of an expert over the years (racing professionally since 1987).
We first started racing with NiCad batteries, which preceded Li-Ion Cells, and there was a vast array of equipment out to deal with NiCad batteries as they have a "memory effect" and need to be specifically and specially charged and discharged in certain ways both to get high voltage out of them, and for reliability and long-life concerns. With the advent of Li-Ion Sub-C Racing Cells we threw out the book on NiCads, and began the modern era of Li-Ion Sub-C Cells racing and a whole new "science" of getting the most out of the new cells in terms of voltage and high run time, because to race and win your cells have to be the best, both in voltage and run time. We also use NiMH batteries in racing, but principally Li-Ion for the high-end racing like I do.
With respect to "battery science" the Eneloop Cells are a bit of an enigma, but a little research gets you some knowledge, and I discovered that the Eneloop Cells are NiMH (Nickle metal-hydride) cells, which are not as efficient as Li-Ion cells, while they offer the benefits of "no memory effect" of Li-Ion Cells and the ease of charging with a variety of types of chargers, both for ease of use and fast/slow charge techniques. In addition the Eneloop Cells tend to be made in Japan, which bodes for higher quality cells than Chinese cells (in general people believe this to be a fact when it is not), or so a lot of people think and believe.
The Sanyo Eneloop AA Cells are 2000mAh cells, but they seem to be very efficient and give long run time in a variety of products ranging from cameras to pen lights to RC receiver packs (where I started using them), and a specialty use that I also found to give amazing life is using these cells in my pro flash unit for a DSLR Pentax K10D camera, a "Metz Meccablitz" flash unit which has been very "energy hungry" with respect to batteries in general...but enter the Sanyo Eneloop cells, and surprise! I have found that a 4-pack of Eneloop Cells can last for up to 150 flashes in the Meccablitz flash unit, a surprising number of flashes because this is a full-featured flash unit with a very advanced bulb system which takes a modicum of power to operate it. In addition I can leave a set of Eneloops IN the flash unit and they didn't degrade over time like traditional rechargeable batteries, which is a most commendable feature to say the least.
My wife's DSLR camera is a Pentax *ist DS, (a hand-me-down from my own uses) one of the 1st Pentax Digital SLR cameras, and it uses a four-pack of AA batteries for a power source. We have found the same thing to be true in it: we can store the camera with a 4-pack of Sanyo Eneloops for extended periods of time without penalty, ie the cells do not degrade much (perhaps 10% at most) while IN the camera, and you can enjoy full use out of a set without regard to having to remove/replace them during periods of non-use...and that set will yield an amazing number of shots in the camera also, perhaps as many as two times (2X) the yield of so-called "high powered" NiMH cells with mAh ratings as high as 2800mAh to 3000mAh, with the added benefit of non-degrading while IN the camera.
As for the AAA Eneloop Cells, they are rated at 800mAh and we find the same features in those cells as have the 2000mAh AA cells: they not only last longer than traditional NiMH cells, and have no memory effect to speak of either, but they also don't require removal during use to prolong their long cycle life. I am using one of the AAA cells in my powered Gillette razor with amazing benefits, as it seems to last for about 25+ shaves, and then I can simply recharge it and use it again, which beats the heck out of constantly replacing Alkaline cells with my razor system, a very annoying thing to have to be doing over and over again.
This "kit" called the "CostCo" kit has the 8 AA cells, 2 (two) AAA cells, the charger and the C-sized and D-sized "adapters" which allow you to use AA cells in place of C and D batteries, and the D-sized adapters are very useful while the C-sized adapters are sitting idle without ever being used yet...I just don't have many C-size batteries in the house or my work, but plenty of D-size batteries are used in flashlights and backup for radios and the like, so they do get used. As for the charger? I find it's very slow, and it only charges in pairs effectively, so within reason it is useful, but I have purchased a La Crosse Technology battery charger for my NiMH use, and also use an Energizer Quick Charger (one hour max time, 15-20 minute recharge time for a 2500mAh NiMh cell of any type, a very, very fast charger!) for the Eneloop batteries with good success.
For the $$$ this CostCo Kit is a good buy, and I can see where people buying into the Eneloop system would purchase the kit as a 1st step in their ownership of the Eneloop batteries and system, but of course buying the cells in specific sizes makes more sense once you get going with Eneloop batteries in all your NiMH battery uses. The kit does provide a charger and a good selection of the Eneloop batteries, and certainly it's a place to start. However I would recommend that people invest in a proper charger or two for extended use--ie waiting for hours and hours for the Sanyo Eneloop Charger to function is not in the cards for most people!
Overall the Eneloop batteries are a great new system that people are adopting vs standard NiMh batteries, as the cells are the only ones currently available that retain their charge over time and also have the added benefit of not having to remove them in their appliances and controllers, toys and the like during periods of non-use, a most amazing benefit and one that everybody appreciates who uses the cells. I like the 5-year Sanyo Warranty on Eneloop batteries also, as that shows that the company stands behind their product and offers the consumer a nice guarantee against failures and defective cells, which I have yet to find in my Eneloop cells. I have purchased about 20 of the Eneloop cells in AA and AAA sizes so far, and have been replacing all of my other NiMH cells with the Eneloop cells as time has gone on.
Frankly I cannot see that there is any need for traditional NiMH batteries and that the Eneloop brand will be a fantastic replacement product for standard NiMH cells. The product promises a lot and delivers a punch to standard NiMH cells that they won't soon be recovering from. This package of cells and accessories, the "CostCo" Kit is a good value with all the standard fare included to start people out on the Eneloop system including an assortment of cells, battery charger and the handy C and D size adapters. I'm giving the kit five stars for value, performance and persistency, and highly recommend it to Amazon.com buyers in the market for an alternative to standard rechargeable cells.
Wavey Davey - August 24, 2010
Digital camera Review: Great Product
Summary: 5 Stars
I have many different battery powered devices and got sick of buying batteries just to throw them away so I decided to purchase these rechargables. It was well worth it and I definitely plan on buying enough batteries for everything I own.Digital camera Review: Great batteries, but kind of false advertising
Summary: 3 Stars
I love Eneloop batteries because they last forever and hold a great charge, but this set doesn't come with C and D *batteries*, per se - it comes with these casing things that your AA battery fits into, which then fit into a C or D slot. While this is fine, I thought that the product copy was a little misleading and I thought I was getting real rechargeable C and D batteries. This is purely an FYI for those who might be left wondering exactly what you'll get with this set.Digital camera Review: Great for occasional digital camera user
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're like me and don't go through a full set of batteries every time you take some pictures with your digital camera, these batteries work great. They keep a charge when not in use, and last quite an above-average amount of time in continuous use.