UKC

Hi there,

I'm off to America in a few weeks will be working in a location with limited power and plug available and then I'm off climbing in Yosemite.

Is there any way of running my Nikon D3100 using batteries (AAA or AA or similar) or if not is there a method of charging it via USB and a small solar charger ?

any other ideas ?

Pete.

In reply to Petarghh:

Take spare batteries. AA's are a non starter and solar charging is going to be unreliable and slow. Just take your charger (swap the figure 8 wire for an american one) and a handful of cheap 3rd party batteries. Then just charge them all up when you next get to a socket.

In reply to Petarghh:

If you have a car you could get an inverter and use that to drive your normal charger. Halfords have low power models from about 30-40 quid.

In reply to Richard Carter: Seconded, though check each of your third party batteries before you go!

In reply to Petarghh: You can buy 3rd party battery grips for between £20 and £30 from ebay and they hold 2 batteries.

In reply to Petarghh: I was going to suggest Solar charger but I think they are quite expensive and if they're not reliable then maybe its not worth it...I've never used one.

I got >1,800 shutter releases off of one battery on one charge last summer whilst on a trip (on a D3100), turn all power saving stuff on, do minimal preview, LCD off etc. etc. and sleep with the battery in your bag!

Car charger is a good idea. Find a toilet/cafe/other public place with a socket you can charge it up occasionally would be my other thought.

The MH-24 charger that comes with the 3100 is actually an american charger I believe, the little snap on bit you attach on purchase is an adapter from 2 pin to 3 pin...although I'm not sure it does anything transistor wise with the voltage. One of my chargers has lost the UK Snap on bit and I've just attached a US-UK adapter to it and it works perfectly...but I've never tested it the other way so it may need an adapter anyway. Perhaps not very useful but interesting nontheless!

In reply to David Ponting:

Never had a problem with 7DayShop in all the years I've used them. Although their batteries are very expensive and only last 4/5 years.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_3&products_i...



Seeing as you can get a couple of thousand shots per battery then you'd probably do well with 5 or so.

In reply to Petarghh: Thanks for all the info, I'll probably pick up a couple of extra batteries !

Cheers.

In reply to Petarghh:

Remember you can save power by reducing use of the monitor / display and turning off VR Mode if you use VR lenses.

In reply to Henry Iddon: Noted, thanks. I think all my settings are on full so will have to look into reducing them to save battery.

Does turning off VR give a noticeable difference when taking pictures ?

Pete.