The mystery became less mysterious upon closer examination. The "fully charged" 2nd battery was actually a 3rd battery that had not been fully charged. It's so hard to tell these things apart--they're all black and the same size and shape! Sorry for the alarm, but my original post was bunk.

As I use numerous batteries during my wedding/reception shoots, I just stuff the charged battery in a sandwich bag to identify it as charged. May not seem like much, but in the typical rush that happens during these events, nice to know the battery you just grabbed is good....

Good tip; thanks Mark.

Many batteries have a little switch that when moved reveals a red dot. This dot is meant to indicate either charged or discharged.

Unfortunately the canon BP-style batteries don't have that feature....

Many third party batteries do. The Lenmar batteries I have for the XL1 do have this feature.

Another tip is to have a rubber band (a tough one, not those wimpy little ones) around charged batteries.

I see the rubber band and "upwrap" it as new when I'm rushing. If it doesn't have a rubber band...it's been used and abused!

Murph

Same experience here with Lenmar batts: they work great.

Question for Rick Bravo or anyone else who might know the answer...
 

Hi, perhaps I should have post this in the support forum so feel free to move it.

I would really want to know where to find the "Canon Battery adapter" that Rick Bravo use to modify his GlideCam V-8 Sled.

Look to this adaptor on the two last pics of the Rick's Web site:

http://home.mindspring.com/~ricks-pi...pedglidecamv8/

Please help me to find this thing!

It looks like a battery charger he has adapted for use on the Glidecam.

Yeah, you are probably right Jeff, thanks!

I could take an inexpensive third party charger and dismantle it to make my adapter.

Jean-Phillippe

Actually it looks like the monitor power adapter from nebtek...they offer a lcd monitor series that uses canon batteries. You can also buy the adapter separately here.

http://www.nebtek.com/poweropt.html


Barry

Thank you very much Barry!

That's exactly what I need!

Jean,
 

Sorry I haven't been checking lately, I'm delivering my daughter to the Universtiy of Florida for her first session and just now got her computer up and running.

Barry is correct. The adapter is made by nebtek and it is made specifically to use a Canon battery on a variety of items. This one came attached to the monitor shown. I had it removed and place on the bottom of the GlideCam for better balance.

They also make one for SONY batteries.

Regards, RB

P.S.
Thanks for the heads-up, Hugh!

3rd party battery chargers
 

Has anyone used a third party battery charger for their canon batteries? Like the ones that are being sold on ebay and claim to charge in an hour.