On-the-go charger for DSLR?

[Leary Blaine]

Anyone have experience with an on-the-go type charger for DSLR's ... you know, a sort of "big battery" you can take along to charge your camera's smaller battery 4 or 5 times before needing to be replenished at a wall outlet?

I'll be doing some touring with a new Nikon D5100 (both on and off the Duc), and I want some portable power. One person recommended the "iGo Charge Anywhere" (Charge Anywhere - Mobile Devices at iGo, Inc.), but it doesn't seem to be targeted specifically toward DSLRs (or cameras at all, for that matter).

Many thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

[AggieRider]

You really have to be gone a long while or shooting a lot of photos with flash to need mutliple charges. My recommendation would be to just buy a second battery. I took my D90, with the vertical grip and two batteries, to Italy for a week and shot every single day and never had to recharge. Ritz Camera has a wall/car charger for Nikon batteries if you have a cigarette charger on your bike. I believe it is a Quantaray charger.

[lwp411]

I obviously don't know all your needs but I'd be with AggieRider's view....I have the D200 and the vertical grip for it. The vertical grip holds 2 batteries so I have twice the life to start with. I use my camera a lot and have never been in a situation where I've drained both fully (flashes yes, camera body, no). The grip also comes with an adapter to let you use AA's in a pinch.
That said, the grip does make the camera larger and heavier but I actually prefer that...if a grip like that is available for the 5100 it could be an option

[SS904]

I've never run a camera dead on batteries and that's with shooting several thousand images at a time during events. I have two batteries for my 1D3 and can get more than 2500 shots out of each one. My 40D just keeps shooting. I charge its' battery just for the hell of it when I think to. If I was going on a trip, I think I'd just bring a fully charged second battery along. No idea what the life expectancy is for your camera's batteries, but the trend for newer cams seems to be pretty much forever... Just minimize "chimping" your shots, and you'll most likely be fine. A battery grip isn’t bad idea too, as mentioned, but they tend to be bulky especially if you're on the bike and need to pack light.

Edit: Considering newer cams offer video now, if you intend to make use of that feature it will be more of a drain on the battery. I see an ST in your avatar. Maybe just adapt a cigarette lighter powered charger to fit your ST’s 12V outlet and let the thing charge in a tail bag or your pocket while riding.

[Bill_Anderson]

I once considered getting Canon's charger which will plug into a car's cigarette lighter for my 7D. Then I priced one. YIKES!!!!! I could buy two batteries for the price of the charger.

I always carry a second battery when shooting and just bring the wall charger along when traveling. It does not take up much space. The only time I have been caught with two low batteries is when I forgot to charge the low one after I returned home from a day of shooting.

[MTScott2]

Yeah they last a long time,
When I bought my Canon 60D they had a gimmic where you pay a pretty hefty fee and change your battery every year ...
Second battery should do it ,

[AggieRider]

The D5000 does not have a battery grip, so you will just have to pocket the second battery. The Quantaray charger was around $40 at Ritz Camera. As long as you are going to see a power outlet at least once a week, I don't see you running out of batteries.

[Leary Blaine]

Thx for the replies. I've already got a second battery and the wall charger. Will take both along. We're heading into the African bush and don't know how many days it'll be between access to electricity, let alone having the proper adapters, etc. We're staying in tents, treehouses, etc.

BTW, anybody know exactly which type of receptacles they have in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe?