Solar Power Required for 5d!

captures.in.time

captures.in.time

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Hi all

I've not been on here a while as not needed much in a while... however... I'm going away more and more for weekends in more and more remote places and finding I'm running out of power in my EOS 5d. I have 2 No batteries... but always end up having to stop shooting mid sunday as no power.

Yes I could run off and buy more batteries... but I kinda think two is actually enough and it would be more usefull to have some sort of solar charger which I could use for other devices as well. I've seen allot that do phones, sat nav's, I pods etc... but was just wandering if anyone knew of one which would have enough clout and the attachment to fit the charger for a 5d battery charger. I just feel the solar option has the ultimate in flexability as opposed to an in car charger which would prob solve many of my power situations....

Any ideas???

Mark
 
Anything that is going to provide enough power is probably going to cost you an arm and a leg! So as much as you didn't want to hear it, more batteries are probably your best bet - plus they have the advantage of being guaranteed power :)
 
Buy a grip and a couple of sets of AAs to fit, buy a AA solar charger or two and hopefully you will be sorted.
 
I got the idea as i'm charging my phone battery as we speak with a dinky wee solar charger my mate got for £40! It has the capacity to do Ipods, tom toms etc... just does not come with the relavent plug to fir the charger!

M
 
A qick search didn't reveal any Solar power chargers suitable for the Canon battery. They either were desighned for 12volt batteries or recharging AA batteries.

Personally I'd go with the car charger. In fact Ive a combined mains and battery charger that I got a few years ago.
 
Warehouse Express Linky to official one: linky. Expensive so could go for a third party one.
 
Well the only other way is to get one of these and one of these you may need to adapt the leads to be compatible, but that shouldn't take long and it isn't rocket science. Should recharge a 5D battery comfortably, also charges whilst in the car too!
 
For even less ££'s you could always buy a few more batteries and an extra mains charger?
 
markelliot said:
I got the idea as i'm charging my phone battery as we speak with a dinky wee solar charger my mate got for £40! It has the capacity to do Ipods, tom toms etc... just does not come with the relavent plug to fir the charger!

M
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Should be easy enough to bodge up a way to connect the charger to the battery terminals. as long as the leads are touching the right poles of the battery there shouldn't be any problem. Try a couple of copper nails pushed through correctly spaced holes drilled through perspex (or other insulating material). Probably take a while for the solar charger to get the batteries fully charged though.

For a car charger for almost any LiIon battery pack, try CLICKING HERE
 
Nod said:
Should be easy enough to bodge up a way to connect the charger to the battery terminals. as long as the leads are touching the right poles of the battery there shouldn't be any problem. Try a couple of copper nails pushed through correctly spaced holes drilled through perspex (or other insulating material). Probably take a while for the solar charger to get the batteries fully charged though.

For a car charger for almost any LiIon battery pack, try CLICKING HERE
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So would this charge, for example, batteries for both the Canon 5D and g10?
 
jerry12953 said:
So would this charge, for example, batteries for both the Canon 5D and g10?
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Almost certainly. It'll do the batteries from my D700, D70, Oly Mju 770, Sony Ericsson k800i mobile as well as AA and AAA NiCd/NimH cells.
 
OMG... I can't believe the price of the Canon one! For an In car charger that seems truely rediculous price... I'm not sure who anyone could justify that... It's basically only a mains charger with a different plug... my god phone in car chargers aint so highly uplifted adainst there equivalent mains charger!

Another few batteries might be better... the 7 day shop ones are meant to be ok. I think I'll look at that option first!

I'm blown away at the Canon prices! Really blown away!
 
I wonder if you can buy a solar panel hat then connect it straight to the camera to trickle charge the battery as you use it.... :bonk::bang::bonk:
 
I take it these are only best used with the motor running... seems a good idea though the more i look at it!
 
markelliot said:
OMG... I can't believe the price of the Canon one! For an In car charger that seems truely rediculous price... I'm not sure who anyone could justify that... It's basically only a mains charger with a different plug... my god phone in car chargers aint so highly uplifted adainst there equivalent mains charger!

Another few batteries might be better... the 7 day shop ones are meant to be ok. I think I'll look at that option first!

I'm blown away at the Canon prices! Really blown away!
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mark,

you do realise can get this kind of setup MUCH cheaper, don't you?:thinking:

If you're looking to do this, look for a "power inverter" which converts 12v DC from your cigarette lighter, into AC, and plug your normal charger into it. You can also buy some chargers now (not canon) which must contain an inverter and plug directly into the lighter socket. Try ebay.
 
I just don't understand why you're not considering getting 2 extra batteries.
Seems a hell of a lot of hassle to buy a car charger to charge your existing 2 batteries :thinking:

2 of these for £11, I don't know why you haven't purchased already!

i have 2 and they last longer than the canon one i have.
 
foodpoison said:
I just don't understand why you're not considering getting 2 extra batteries.
Seems a hell of a lot of hassle to buy a car charger to charge your existing 2 batteries :thinking:

2 of these for £11, I don't know why you haven't purchased already!

i have 2 and they last longer than the canon one i have.
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I have one of these on order for over a month from 7 day shop... but still not arrived... just contacted them about it again today.

Think if it ever comes though buying another couple might just be the easiest answer... although im just thinking that device could be useful... thinking a kettle for starters... glen in scotland and a fresh cup of tea... sounding well worth £24!
 
I've got some cheapo ebay chargers for my 40d and 400d batteries, they came with a "figure eight" socket on one side for mains, and a dc socket and "cig lighter plug" cable on the other side.
 
jerry12953 said:
That price is outrageous!

For about 10% of that you can buy an inverter and plug your normal charger into it!
Click to expand...

I didn't say it was cheap and he hadn't indicated a price.I understood the guy was looking for a charger out there that met his needs and I was just giving him the link to let him know they exist. He might be able to buy it cheaper somewhere else.
 
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