I am constantly on the road, photographing sports action, landscape, or birds. I have to be sure my camera batteries are always charged and ready for action. I always have two spare batteries in my bag, in addition to the one in my camera.
As I need to charge my batteries quickly, I use the Hähnel ProCube2 for Nikon (this is available for batteries compatible with most Nikon, Canon, FujiFilm, Sony, Panasonic, or Olympus cameras)
Compatible batteries:
- Nikon : EN-EL14 | EN-EL15 | EN-EL25
- Canon : LP-E6 | LP-E8 | LP-E17 | LP-E6NH*
- FujiFilm : NP-W126S | NP-W235
- Sony : NP-BX1 | NP-FW50 | NP-FZ100
- Panasonic : DMW-BLC12 | BLF19 | BLJ31 | BLG10* & NP-W126/S
- Olympus : BLN-1 | BLS-5 | BLH-1
*LP-E6NH and BLG10 plates are available upon request. They’re not in the box.
When I am outside and want to make sure there won’t be any problems caused by cold or heat, I use Hähnel batteries, which are designed for durability.
Without battery power, you have no photos. While the majority of us use the chargers provided by the camera manufacturer, there are more complete solutions. Among them, the ProCube 2 from Hähnel provides a solution to all battery charging worries: it can charge two batteries for your camera or 4 AA batteries simultaneously.
With an innovative design, the ProCube 2 is a cube with metal outer walls, encasing a removable tray that holds your batteries. The ProCube 2 has a small screen located on the front, which reveals a large amount of information about your batteries. It indicates the charge level of the batteries as a percentage and as a gauge. It also displays the voltage that has been added to the battery in mAh.
The ProCube 2 is powered by a 12V power cable which is provided. The charger also provides a USB port on the back of the cube, which allows you to charge any compatible electronic device – such as a cell phone or a camera that uses USB charging. Thanks to its gauge and the percentage indication of the available charge, it is possible to know precisely – and at a glance – the level of charge of the battery. The ProCube 2 also shows the capacity (in mAh) of the battery being charged.
The ProCube 2 is much more versatile than the chargers usually provided by the various photo manufacturers.
I used the Hähnel Extreme Li-Ion HLX-EL15HP a/b 2000mAh 7.0V Battery (for Nikon) in addition to my Nikon batteries.
This battery is distinguished by its slightly grainy orange plastic – a colour that will make it easy to distinguish among the batteries in your camera bag. With a reinforced design, it resists the impact of a fall from up to 3m, thanks to internal silicone padding, and offers additional insulation, making it an “extreme” battery, ideal for both for hot and cold weather use.
By Jacques Dumont
