[SEL] engine pictures

[Jerry Evans]

At 06:00 PM 08/10/2008, you wrote:
>Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2008 22:36:09 +0100
>From: Listerdiesel <listerdiesel at gmail.com>
>Subject: Re: [SEL] engine pictures
>
>On 07/10/2008, Jerry Evans <jerrye at databak.co.za> wrote:
> >          2) Something very important with digital camera's is "battery
> > life". Some of them really "chew" batteries. Do not go for anything that
> > uses "proprietary" battery packs - they're expensive. Rechargeable
> > penlights (AA) work well for me. They're not expensive and you can also buy
> > normal AA batteries almost anywhere if your rechargeable batteries run
> > flat. I once bought an HP digital but returned it within the 7 day "cooling
> > off" period - darn thing only took about 15 shots per set of batteries.
> > Remember also that the more you use the zoom feature and the flash the more
> > battery power it will use up.
>
>Have to disagree strongly with that, Jerry.
>
>Sony Infolithium gives a running battery life total in the battery
>viewfinder, and if you buy the accessory dual Sony chargers, they also
>give 'battery life' and 'time to charge' figures as well.
>
>Look up Sony AC-SQ950 for the M series battery charger as an example.
>
>At Buckley & Portland we were getting 300+ shots out of one battery
>charge, and although I carried a spare battery with me, I never had to
>change it all day. We recharged each night obviously.
>
>My son on the other hand is always complaining that his Fuji always
>runs out of battery power when he is least expecting it! He has tried
>the high capacity NiMH batteries too, but gets little warning of when
>they are going to go down on him.
>
>We are biased towards Sony as we have a lot of their kit, but with
>something like 16000 images taken over the past 6 years or so, we have
>established a track record with Sony product that we think is hard to
>beat.
>
>Peter

Hi Peter,
         I never said anything bad about Sony! I have Infolithium's on my 
Sony Mini DV video camcorder - the whole Infolithium system is very good. 
Also have the digital battery readout in both the Sony and the Fuji.

         I did say that they were expensive and stick to this. Maybe I 
should say that they are expensive in South Africa - I dunno about 
elsewhere. I do have a spare for the video camera and it was darn expensive.

         My Fuji takes 4 rechargeable penlights. I use the Ni-MH type and 
can buy many of these for the price of a Sony battery. I photographed the 
tractors at Sandstone about 3 years ago with this camera and each one 
involved zooming and many also needed  forced flash. I was taking between 
1200 and 1500 pics @ 3Mpixels per day and only had 2 sets of batteries at 
the time (and some Duracells just in case). I had to change batteries 3 
times a day but by the time the 2nd set was finished the first set was 
again fully charged. (O.K. they were brand new then - I probably would not 
be able to repeat that today)


         Another advantage of using standard "off the shelf batteries" is - 
you can buy them anywhere. I went to a show last year and (stupidly) left 
my batteries at home in the charger. No problem - dash into the nearest 
supermarket and pick up some Duracells and I'm back in business - I do not 
think you can do that with a camera that takes a proprietary battery pack.

         Now, having said that, I do agree that the Sony camera's are very 
good - I just prefer my Fuji and the fact that it is very light on 
batteries. Does your sons Fuji also have a readout indicator for battery 
life? The one in my Fuji works fine and if I watch it I never run out 
unexpectedly.

Keep the revs up (or down)
Jerry Evans
Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order:
<www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/index.htm>