BootsnAll Travel Community

So I've read through http://boards.bootsnall.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/38830007...00794416#92200794416 and http://boards.bootsnall.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/38830007...00671316#90900671316 but as the second thread is from a bit ago (I suppose one can say 2006 is "a bit" when we're talking technology? ) and I've been pouring over reviews and am leaving in UNDER 90 DAYS (!!!), I thought I'd post a bit of a straw poll.

AA batteries or not, that is the question.

My concern with rechargeables is that my RTW will include climbing kili as well as other treks where recharching is not possible and where it will be quite cold (on Kili, I'll be putting my batteries in my socks while I sleep regardless of what camera I end up with).

Does anyone have an opinion or two not noted above? If going with an AA battery digicam, I was looking at The Canon A570IS . Otherwise, I'd stick to my Canon S series cam.

Thanks in advance!
Jennifer

The best reason for having AA batteries powering your camera, in my opinion, is that you are not limited by the inherent battery life inside the camera - if you screw up and forget to charge it up the night before (which I do often with many different devices) you can have another pair of batteries on hand as a backup.

If I read your post right, you already own a camera that has an internal battery. The added benefit from getting a new one that runs on AA's isn't big enough to justify purchasing a whole new camera. If you were going to get a new camera anyways, though, I would get the AA-powered version, all other things being equal.

You do realize that you can use rechargeable AA batteries as well? We have the forerunner model of that Canon and love it. Use rechargeable AA batteries normally (best of both worlds), but if it were ever to happen that we aren't able to recharge them in time, we will simply buy disposable AA as needed. And you can get those pretty much anywhere.

My cameras are AA, as it saves having to carry the cable and associated charger. For me it doesn't make sense to take 12v step it up to 110, and then back down to whatever the camera takes. My camera and flashlights on board run on AA.

I keep looking at stuff like this to strap onto a backpack, or set in a sunny spot.
http://www.solarhome.org/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=213

Thanks for all the responses. Still mulling it over but happy to hear from the post in the Kili forum that lithium AA batteries work better in the cold than regular AA ones, and that Li-Ion work in the cold too.

Official departure date is now April 1!!