1.2v NiMH Batteries for trail cameras?

On a different thread, it was suggested that a person ought to be using rechargable NiMH batteries on game cameras. But most game cam manuals say NO! They are 1.2 volt vs. 1.5 volts for AA alkaline or lithiums. Yet literature from outfits like Panosonic say they will work universally in almost any device......and that includes trail cameras?

So what is the skinny? Yes or no?

Didn't work in mine.

I buy raovac 48 packs.
I get 1000s of pics before the need changing.

i ran rechargables for years. then i got smart and went with 12v battery in a waterproof box. go for a year or better.i settled on browning cameras.found out after a while the battery boxes corroded to where they didn't work anymore. plugged in a 12 volt and they came back to life. stealth cam makes a power cord, but i'm making my own now.harbor freight for the boxes.batteries where ever i can get the best deal.

I run cameras year round. I can get almost 15 months out of Energizer lithium batteries.

My Browning’s run about 6 months on regular alkaline batteries...and that’s anywhere from 900-1700 pics a week.

I run Panasonic Eneloop lithium ions in all my Browning cameras. Done so for the last 2 years. They last longer than any alkaline, period. Late last December I refreshed all the cameras with new batts and left them. I pulled the cameras in late May, all but one were still recording to my 32 GB SD cards. Unreal! Can recharge over 2,000 times. Buy a 4 bay Nitecore charger and don't look back.

If you do have a trail camera warranty claim, do NOT tell them you used lithiums. These companies have deals set up with Duracell exclusive and may not honor your claim.

Joe, where can you buy those batteries at?

I bought the Panosonic Eneloop Pro, which is still a NiMH battery and 1.2 volts. Not sure there is a rechargable 1.5v lithium battery.

Cameras are working, but battery indicator shows only half charge on fully charged batteries.

I'm also burning through batteries faster, as most of my cameras are set to take video....and mostly at night.

Looks to me like if you install 4 of the 1.5v batteries, they become a 6 volt. Seems to me that these cameras should then offer an external power source hookup......in which case you could hook it up to....or even mount it.....on a 6 volt solar battery hookup like is done with some electric fence chargers.

I bought my batts on Amazon. $38 for 16 batteries you can recharge 2100 times! Yes, HayDay, the battery indicator sometimes says they might be only half charged, disregard. They will last. Just change them out with freshly charged batts when you pull SD cards. A good routine to get into.

https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-BK...mp;sprefix=panasonic+eneloop&sr=8-12

This simply isn’t true.

I've been using Eneloop rechargables for several years for everything that needs AA or AAA batteries. They work just fine. My trail cams never show a full charge with Eneloop batteries but Stealthcam even says that will happen if you use rechargables but they also say go right ahead and use them.

Anyone use a camera that takes the 18650 batteries? I've got headlights that use them so I've got a charger already. I was just wondering about battery life before having to charge. My headlights use them up pretty fast but they are super bright.

I was told this directly from a service tech at Browning cameras. The "contract with Duracell" part was related to me from a friend who manages a retail sporting goods store. I cannot verify if that is a certainty.

You sure the tech didn't say rechargeable, not lithium? Browning specifically recommends using either lithium or alkaline, but says not to use rechargeable because they don't provide the correct voltage.
This is the exact quote from their site:


It's not even legal for a camera company to not honor warranty work based on battery brand, I think your friend probably misunderstood something.

AA lithium are the way to go