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Phase One Battery and Charger Question

kdphotography

Well-known member
That is the charger you want to get for the Phase battery. This is so much better than the Phase Hahnel supplied charger---it's not even close. Much better build quality. My Hahnel charger gets scratched and dinged up if I look at it too long. It still works, but the lights only work when they want to, and well, you get the idea. The Watson duo charger--:thumbs: Don't forget the single bay Watson travel charger. Nice small package. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/836074-REG/watson_c_1511_compact_ac_dc_charger_for.html (I thought I'd add that in since we're spending your money) :D

ken
 

Mgreer316

Member
Just to be clear, the Watson charger I posted will charger the black Phase batteries? I ask because when I bought my pre-owned Mamiya 645DF, it came with gray batteries and the Hahnel MC-103(?) single bay charger. It's works fine. Then I upgraded to the Credo 60 and got a black battery and the same 103 charger. Or so I thought. I now had 2 chargers with the same model number, but the charger I received with the pre-owned body wouldn't take the black battery. The slotting is different. The chargers have the sane model number and look the same but they're not. Maybe one needs an adapter plate? Anyway, now that I upgraded to the XF, the gray batteries don't fit. So neither the Credo or XF will take the gray batteries. Which means one if my chargers is now obsolete as it won't charge the black batteries. Therefore, I just wanna make sure this Watson will do the job.
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
This is what I use for my Phase XF and IQ3 100MP MFDB: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/836383-REG/watson_d_1511_duo_lcd_charger_for.html

I would suggest updating to the latest version of batteries for the XF body. The later version MFDBs also require (or recommend) later generation batteries. Earlier P series back can accept most all.

I got quite a few good older generation batteries if anyone is interested. I have plenty of the later version.

Ken
 

DougDolde

Well-known member
Is it really worth it over the one that comes with the back or XF? Mine works fine.

This is what I use for my Phase XF and IQ3 100MP MFDB: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/836383-REG/watson_d_1511_duo_lcd_charger_for.html

I would suggest updating to the latest version of batteries for the XF body. The later version MFDBs also require (or recommend) later generation batteries. Earlier P series back can accept most all.

I got quite a few good older generation batteries if anyone is interested. I have plenty of the later version.

Ken
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
If yours works, Doug---no worries. Mine "works" but one of the Hahnel bays is hesitant at times, sometimes the light gauges work, sometimes they don't, etc. It's finicky, and that's not something I need in my workflow. I still use it if needed to charge multiple sets of batteries, alongside the Watson. The Hahnel just is not the best charger---kinda frail, and you'd expect more from the company that has elephants stepping on its products to show how tough it is. :D The Watson simply is better built.

Ken
 

Mgreer316

Member
I bought a demo XF and got no charger with it. All I have at present is a single bay charger. The Hahnel twin charger is $179. Just seems too much to me for a charger. So I was looking for alternatives.
 
What an opportune thread. I was just thinking yesterday I wanted to get a backup charger given the apparent flimsiness of the supplied charger. Thanks!
 

Mgreer316

Member
I took delivery of the Watson charger a few hours ago. This thing is MILES better than the single bay Hahnel charger I have and it's $100 less than the twin bay Hahnel. So glad I did a little research for alternative solutions and I thank all who contributed to this thread.
 

fotohouse

New member
I have the Hahnel dual-charger. My research led me to these solutions as well, but I never took the leap. Haven't had any problems either.
 

Egor

Member
Haha this is a good gear thread. I have the twin Hahnel charger and 5 black batteries for 3 digital backs (2-IQ's + 1-Credo) and its always a crap shoot! Some batteries only work on the right side of the charger, some the left, sometimes the light shows percent charged, sometimes it shows nothing at all, we always keep seating and re-seating and playing musical chairs with batteries on a busy day until we are convinced it is "actually" charging.
Ken you say these clowns actually show ads with elephants trampling their chargers??? Man, we baby ours, put on a pedestal (literally) and say incantations and do whole Japanese tea ceremony before every use and the damn thing still barely works!

I think I will try this Watson dual thingie or the calumet one...anything's better than the oem Hahnel "CPS" charger!! So much time is wasted when I think about it.
Thanks for the tip!

e
 

Mgreer316

Member
The feel of the Hahnel and Watson is night and day. The Hahnel feels light, plastic, flimsy, easily breakable. The Watson feel robust and solid. Plus the Watson gives charge statistics. Honestly, IMO they're not in the same ballpark. Then taking price into consideration I can't see how Hahnel sells any of these chargers.
 

fotohouse

New member
The feel of the Hahnel and Watson is night and day. The Hahnel feels light, plastic, flimsy, easily breakable. The Watson feel robust and solid. Plus the Watson gives charge statistics. Honestly, IMO they're not in the same ballpark. Then taking price into consideration I can't see how Hahnel sells any of these chargers.
Why did you do that? Why? Now I have to purchase the Watson...just to feel the difference lol.
 

Chipcarterdc

New member
Coincidentally, I was just about to respond to this saying that the supplied Hahnel dual charger, while woefully lacking in quality, functions just fine me and that I therefore wouldn't see the point in purchasing a different one. Granted, it feels like a plastic POS and Phase should be embarrassed to be including it (as compared to the build quality of all the other components and accessories); and every time I unfold it to open it I either (1) can't get the fricking thing to open at all or (2) end up pulling the two halves apart because once it's open, they separate with the slightest pressure; but hey, as long as it works, who cares?

Then I happened to walk past my charger, which is (in theory) charging two batteries right now. For the first time, I'm now seeing the same problems reported here. On one side, the LED is lit; the other is out. The lit side doesn't show the charged percentage; the unlit side does. Tried unplugging and re-plugging everything: no change.

That's it. Just ordered the charger linked to below. Not thrilled at having to spend the extra $ in order to get a reliable charger: given the overall cost of the system, that's inexcusable.
 

Chipcarterdc

New member
Ken,

How does one identify whether you have the latest batteries for the XF as opposed to an earlier generation? Is this documented by Phase somewhere? Is there a different model number? Etc.

I would suggest updating to the latest version of batteries for the XF body.

Ken
 
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