What Battery for DF camera?

[Jwoo]

I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of the various battery options for the DF camera.
Should I get the 10k lithium battery which would last many shots but expensive?
or
AA lithium batteries which are cheap but not as long lasting?

Any insight is much appreciated.

 

[kdphotography]

Get both.

The Phase brand or EJJI lithium battery is what you want to use day-in and day-out. Very doubtful you'd ever use up an entire battery at one sitting. Be aware that the Phase and EJJI batteries are not interchangeable with the same charger. In other words, get either one and stick with that brand; if you later pick up another battery, it needs to be the same brand in order to work in your charger.

Keep one battery carriage loaded with Energizer Lithium AAs in your pack. Lightweight for on location back-up.

ken

 

[Jwoo]

Thanks for the great advice.
Is it true that the camera will lock up when battery is exhausted and can only be reset with a trip to the service centre?

 

[GrahamWelland]

Thanks for the great advice.
Is it true that the camera will lock up when battery is exhausted and can only be reset with a trip to the service centre?

No. That's never been my experience at all.

The worst case was with earlier versions of the firmware where the camera may start locking up as the battery gets low and the MFDB and body seem to start mis-communicating properly. You will probably learn to know the dreaded 'thunk' sound when the shutter is released as it is different to that of a normal shutter release. It would happen particularly if you had mirror up or auto-MUP enabled and used the shutter timer or cable release to fire a shot.

The worst case scenario would be that you might need to eject and replace the batteries in the body and/or power down and remove the MFDB and remount it. However, it never ever locked up to the degree that you mentioned.

Upgrade to the latest DF and MFDB firmware versions. This is important.

Get yourself the best batteries you can (Enloops for example) or better yet either the new Phase One battery or the EJII battery. Since I've had my EJII battery I've seldom had to charge it at all in 12 months plus my lock up problems have essentially stopped happening. I bought a kit with two batteries but to be honest I could have saved money and just got one because these things are like the energizer bunny and just don't die for months.

The EJII battery was probably the best investment in my DF camera I've made, if only because it saved me from throwing it off a cliff at some point.

 

[Jwoo]

Sorry, I a little new here. I know of the lithium EJII battery. But what is the 'new Phaseone battery'?

 

[GrahamWelland]

No problem - phase one announced a new battery with the DF+ that looks suspiciously like the ejii but has a different charger fitting apparently. You can buy it from your phase one dealer as an official vs third party accessory.

There may be other differences but any phase one dealer should be able to help.

 

[Jwoo]

Thanks alot Graham! Will check with my dealer.