NiMH batteries improved with new long-life types

Rechargeable AA batteries make sound economic sense, but their rapid self-discharge rate in storage means that they're often dead at the time you most need them. But Sanyo's Eneloop cells represent an exciting new breed of long-life NiMH batteries which could change everything.

The limited storage life of conventional NiMH cells doesn't matter much if you use your camera a lot because the batteries are constantly being charged and used. But if you only use the camera infrequently, you may find that even though the batteries were fully-charged when you put it away, they've run out when you come to use it again.

It's even more of a problem for photographers who like to carry spares. By the time they get to need them, the spares are probably as dead as the batteries in the camera.

Here's a chart from Sanyo showing the difference between an Eneloop battery and one of the company's conventional NiMH cells. The key point is that an Eneloop battery kept in your camera bag as a spare will still be good after months of storage.