Digital Camera Magazine Repost                                      More Power to You! By Arthur H. Bleich, Contributing Editor

Conclusion

All NiMH batteries and packs aren’t created equal and some will definitely leave you in the lurch, usually just when that “Kodak Moment” comes along. Packs, especially, can be downright unhealthy for your digicam if they put out too much voltage, and you won’t feel too perky either if you inadvertently short an unfused pack and it starts to smoke. However, all NiMH batteries and packs do get warm –even hot– while charging. That’s normal.

Among the batteries tested, two brands stood out above the rest. On the lower capacity end, at 1300 mAh, standard Quest NiMH batteries were the clear price/performance leaders. On the higher capacity end, at 1450 mAh the Kodak NiMHs gave consistently long run times– more than any other brand. Surprisingly. the much-touted GP batteries didn’t do very well at all, ending up in last place.

In the battery pack tests, the Digipower DPS 4000 was a huge disappointment. It timed out sooner than a set of any of the top three battery brands– and cost more. For about 25% less you can get a top-of-the-line Maha charger and a set of four Quests   that will give you almost 15% more capacity than the DPS 4000. A much better pack in that price category would be the Bescor X-2 DC  which, although a bit heavier than other packs, will easily outlast the DPS 4000 and all brands of tested AAs by about 30%–125%.

If it’s “Tim-The-Toolman” power you crave, the Unity ProPower 2.45 is the hands-down winner. It outlasted all other NiMH packs tested– in some cases by nearly 3:1. Extremely compact in design and amazingly lightweight considering the punch it packs, the ProPower 2.45 comes in a soft genuine leather case that exudes a heady aroma. Its voltage output is steady as a rock , it’s safe to use with any digicam on the market, and it’s one of the few packs that’s internally fused for safety. The Unity ProPower 2.45 is such a perfectly engineered NiMH battery pack, it could become a legend in its own time.

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