Digicam battery question

[Dustin_B]

Has anyone had any success with putting a charger for a Digicam battery pack in a bounce box and charging it in town? It sounds like a pain in the butt to charge your battery pack. I'm torn as the digicam I really want has a rechargeable battery pack (Canon). My second choice is a digicam that takes 2 AAs (Nikon) which of course would be much simpler but the one with the battery pack is lighter, more compact, and I'm use to Canons. To complicate the matter, I want to spend as little time as possible in town so I guess all this leads me to getting the digicam that takes AAs. (in case you are wondering the decision is between a Canon Powershot SD790 IS and a Nikon Coolpix L18). Thanks in advance for any input.
Dustin

[BigToe]

I'm looking at a replacement for my aged Canon Elph (with proprietary battery) and have decided to go with an AA battery model to get the flexibility of rechargeables or disposables. Most times I'll use NiMh rechargeables but on the trail I'll use Li-ion for the lightweight and long lasting charge. Then if I need a charge I can at least buy alkalines anywhere. I loved the Elph but always had to plan to put a spare charged battery in my mail drop. I like the feeling of having one less thing tying me to a mail drop. I'm just about settled on the Canon A1000is, about $135 at Amazon.

[oops56]

To save battery life turn off auto flash.

[buz]

I had always been a digi cam user of cameras with prop. batteries. Thought they worked great, and just always bought a spare battery with initial camera purchase. Last camera, grudginly went with AA style camera (canon brand). have been really impressed with the L ion battery life. Man they last a long time, and are light weight. Little spendy, but they last a long time. If you go that route, just buy 4 pack l-ion batts, and bring the spares along. Don't weigh much, and when the first pair gives out, no looking for the next set.

[Dustin_B]

Thanks for the responses. Bigtoe - I hadn't looked into that model as it didn't turn up in my search for 'ultra-compacts' but it is virtually the same size as the Nikon I was looking at. This one has quickly jumped to the top of my list. Thanks for bringing that one up.

Any other specific models that take AAs that people have had luck with would be appreciated.

[BlackRock]

How about going with one of the Solio solar chargers? A couple of my buddies have them and have used them for weeks on end to charge batteries for their camera, ipod and cell phone. The lightest one weighs 156 grams from the product page which isn't too much extra to carry.

http://store.solio.com/s.nl/it.A/id.80/.f?sc=7&category=109


They aren't cheap at 80 bucks but I don't see any other way to easily keep everything electronic you have charged.

[BigToe]

I've wanted a Solio for quite a while preferably the magnesium model (spendy). Last year I built a home brew USB level charger from solar panels removed from landscape lights - it worked pretty well and charged my MP3 player and cell phone just fine.

However, I don't believe solar chargers are practical for the AT because of the "long green tunnel" scenario. How much sunlight will you practically get in a day, and is it enough to get a charge into the electronic beasties?

[bigcranky]

I just carry the charger and top up my camera battery whenever I get the chance. (It's polite to ask first before plugging in at a cafe/gas station/etc.)

[Powder River]

For an elph, the charger is very light. Just carry it. If you bounce it, you'll never have it when you need it and will miss pictures because you couldn't charge a battery.

[desertrat]

Am here in Arizona and just hiked 25 days in the Grand Canyon where sun is not a problem found keeping the solio positioned just right to get it charged was a pain in the rear. Took it back to rei for a refund and bought a IGO battery charger and tips for the IPOD and phone. Much lighter than the solio and no sun worries a pair of standard AA's charges the Ipod and phone with no problem in about the same time as a wall charger.