After purchasing a Sony A7, the way that I shoot and do my daily routines have changed. But one thing that really kills me (and the camera) is the battery life– it’s just not the same as my Nikon D700. It runs out much more quickly. If you follow my Instagram feed you know I try to go on a photo walk every morning. Sometimes I forget to charge a battery or two though. But with some of the latest generations of cameras, there is a way around that problem. Cameras like the SonyA7 and the Samsung NX300 have something interesting in common: they share a similar micro USB plug for charging–the same plug that’s on most android phones. I recently found out that I can use a portable battery, like the Anker® Astro E5, to keep the battery alive.
Now when I forget to charge my batteries I plug-in my camera on a train or while taking a coffee break. This can all happen in my bag and the camera can stay out of sight while charging.
However, this can’t replace the for need extra batteries. Extra batteries are great for the moments when you need power right away. Having a battery charger is great for those calm breaks when you are not focused on taking pictures. You just have to remember to keep your battery packs charged. If you want to take this to a another level you can get a solar pack. On crazy long days of photography you can keep you mobile devices charged. If you are a photojournalist your always ready. Our world is becoming increasingly mobile there are even more natural disasters happening. Don’t let the lack of power prevent you from getting a shot, ever.