Game camera batteries. Rechargeable, lithium nicad etc
 

I'm looking at different battery options for my game cameras. Mostly AA size. I also use cellular cameras for security so reliability is also a factor. Of course they are outside so cold and hot conditions are an issue. Is it beneficial to use rechargeable, nickel cadmium, lithium ion? Are there other choices? What is the cost and availability?
Does anyone have any educated/experienced advise to share?

Lithium Energizer AA are the only option for winter use. Cold has no effect on them.

Alkaline batteries are water based and will die in the cold super fast, but can be used in the summer no problem.

Rechargeables are a PITA.

This is an excellent website which discusses this exact topic.trailcampro.com

They also have reviews on almost all of the game cameras you can imagine. They also discuss in detail and have tested the differences between batteries.


In short, Lithium are the best by far, and the most expensive. They keep a consistant power level to your camera from 100% until they are dead. depending on the camera, you can get close to 1 year on a set of batteries. Best thing I have done to extend life, is use Lithium in the winter on cams, pull them for alkaline or recharageble in the summer.

AS alkaline batteries drain over time they put out less and less power. meaning your flash deminishes as the batteries lose power, also shutter speeds can slow.

ON a side note..

I am not sure why trail cam companies havent caught onto the external battery game.

There are hundreds of rechargeable external batteries people use daily for phones and other gizmos. I am sure they could easily add a usb port inside the camera housing to use with say a 20000MAH external rechargeable battery. they are about the same size as an 8 or 12 AA battery compartment.

Seems to me this would be a better way to control the voltage to keep it at 1.4-1.5 v rather then rely on AA batteries which drop quickly to 1.2v

And talk about easy to replace when you are out in the field.

Lithiums are good, but $4 ea, and toss them when they get down to 1.5 V, can be pricey. (1.8V new)
Sanyo / Panasonic eneloop AA rechargeables is the way to go, even at -20, not too good colder tho.
I run them in 20 cams, no problems.

TBark

Hey Tbark you should read the Trailcampro page on the testing the did with batteries. You are incorrect regarding the voltages though. Just to clarify Energizer lithiums start at 1.6v... you dont toss them at 1.5 V that is the close to what they run at for the life of the battery.

I dont disagree on the price, it is hard to stomach.. Lithium are far better than any rechargeable battery to have your cams run at close the peak performance for the life of the battery, and having brighter night time picutres.. Any of the rechargeables I know about drop very quickly from 1.5 down to 1.2 volts for their charge cycle. which means your camera will be running less than peak performance on rechargeables.

This was taken directly from their site and from the test:

Lithium batteries offer some very interesting benefits. To start, lithium batteries produce 1.6 volts/cell, or as we like to say “They run hot”. Just as decreasing voltage produces weaker flash characteristics, increased voltage produces a stronger flash with brighter pictures.

We are noticing about a 10% increase in flash range when using lithium bats. In addition, starting out with the higher 1.6 voltage is like installing an auxiliary gas tank in your vehicle. Lithium batteries will increase the amount of time your camera can stay in the field, many times by multiple months."

Good info,
I'm pretty sure Eng Lithiums start out at 1.8v, mine did anyways.
I changed them at 1.50v because they were dead at 1.45v.
No matter, get the Eneloops, charge up to 1.45 and hundreds of pics til recharging needed at 1.25v.

TBark

I run lithium in my cell phone camera. They last a long time. My new Ridgetech has a 12 volt hook up! Formerly UWay cameras. Couldn't be happier with those guys

Where is a good place to get lithium batteries?

Sanyo Enloop rechargeables are the ticket. They do not self discharge like others. Get a good charger that will draw a battery right down before it recharges and batteries will give you good service. I run about 15 cameras. I have over 5 years off life out of these batteries and they are still working.

I don't recall ever seeing these Sanyo eneloop batteries. Where are they available?

Amazon.ca or costco.ca

Thanks!

They may now go by the name Panasonic Eneloops. They used to be Sanyo.
EBay is where I got mine.

TBark

Make sure you get a good battery charger for these batteries. You need one that will discharge them completly and then does a slow charge. The problem with a lot of chargers is they recharge to fast and that will heat and destroy batteries.

I run 12 v batteries on my cams, never worry about dead batteries, the cold, replacing etc. I also don't have to worry about theft and or bears.

Lithium all the way, you can find them as cheap as $2 a battery online, but a $100 solar panel with a built in 12v is the way to go if your camera is capable of it. I got 3 of the Ridgetech Summit 4 Camera's, each has a 12v external power port. I bought Moultrie 12v solar panels for them all and plan on getting them out in the bush right away. Most reviews I have read have had nothing but positive feedback and the batteries never going below 75% even in more shaded areas and cold conditions. The camera's will be sending photos daily to my phone if something walks by, so that will be the true test. With the price of solar panels these days and the way camera's are starting to put external battery ports on them and even solar panels built in, buying 12 AA lithium's is not even worth it anymore.

The 12 volt system with solar works well. The only problem is they are more apt to grow legs. You have a lot more things to be noticed.

Rechargeable sounds nice, but I worry about the temperature exposure impacting them. I stick with normal non-rechargeables.

Costco frequently has sales on both their Kirkland brand and Duracell. I usually load up when I see this. Can't have too many AA batteries around.

I use the Kirkland cheap Costco batteries for spring, summer and fall months. They are cheap and work great. I switch to the Lithium batteries around the end of October (started this for the last two seasons) and have had pretty good luck with them, still not convinced that they work past -20 consistently. Tough to prove when your cameras are not taking pictures of animals when its cold unless you are out there.

As a note to the lithiums, I used these last year, labeled each group separately with time out in the filed and total pictures taken. All were reused this year and worked again from end of October until the end of January. I did have 4 brand new lithiums in two simmons trail cameras, they each took about 6,500 pictures before they died (Simmons trail cams worked until the end of November, then started taking pictures every 10 seconds until the cameras died 5-6 days later)

The Enloops will work to about -25 and then shut down. When it warms again they start working. This is also dependant on cameras. some take less milamps to operate than others.They will work as well or better than Kirkland and Duracell you are buying. Lithium will work in a little colder tems but they will fail as well. I have had a lot of problems with Duracell leaking as they run down. I stay away from them.

I run lithium (32) in all my cameras, found the best price at London Drugs. If set on camera only mode they will last a year in my cams, much less if they are taking video.

Kirkland for the price best batteries out there! I run them all year. Just checked cams . Changed batteries in November.,one cam at grain pile had 3657 and still had half power left how can you go wrong 48 batteries for around 13 bucks :

I used to buy the blue Lithiums off Ebay. $1 a piece and lasted pretty good

What? 12v solves theft?

Lowes Canada currently has energizer lithiums on sale for $11.24 for a 4 pack until the 8th.

If you go to home depot they will Price beat it by 10% as per their policy.

Best deal going in Canada I've found atm.