Phase One 645 Battery Management/Meter is HORRIBLE

[ngophotographer]

Well, this is coming off of a ruined day of photography due to the battery management in the Phase One 645 Camera [Not the DB, but the camera body].  So...there might be a little emotion...

I'm also hoping this saves someone else the aggravation of what I went through.

Yesterday, I went to do some photography on the Coast.  At home in a 72 degree house, I checked the battery on the Phase One 645. The battery meter said full-- left it on 20-30 seconds no problem.  Turned the camera off.

Get to my location (65-67 degrees), set up, turned the camera on-- still shows full; take 3-4 dial-in shots--- battery meter shows full.  Go to take the shot with mirror lock-up; the meter drops to 1/2 half-full; as I'm taking the shot; the camera locks with "batt low" message.  Turn off mirror lock-up, hoping to get the shot.  Nope, doesn't work  

From MichaelR's review:
The Phase One camera body uses six AA cells...I did not have the camera long enough to discover what the battery life with regular alkaline batteries is, though Phase One claims about 3,000 captures at room temperature.

3,000 captures??  Not in the real world!  For this much money can't they build REAL battery meter circuitry?  Right now, I wish I hadn't traded my Hassie version of the DB-- at least my 501CM never failed at sea level or 11,000 feet; 110 degrees or 25 degrees.

The Phase One back I use has never had a battery problem.  I start with a full battery and shoot most of the morning; it shows half full by lunch.  I shoot a little in the afternoon and may have to change the battery for last light--- and this is at 25-40 degrees!!

Yes, I should have had backup batteries (because of Murphy's Law)--- but with all my other cameras--- I can get off several shots (at least) when the camera goes to half full; even with the original EOS 1D!  I didn't expect it to die instantly  Full-->Half-->Bye-Bye in less than 20 seconds.

Hopefully this saves someone else lost opportunity.

NGOphotographer

[Henry Goh]

I suspect the camera may be faulty, at least electrical-wise and so it drains quickly.  It has happened with Nikons and also Canons.

Hope you can get it resolved otherwise it'll always nag you on location shoots.

[Frank Doorhof]

Depends on the batteries.
When I worked with the 645AFD/II I got great results when I charged my batteries till the morning I need to use the camera, the whole day it would shoot.
Next day the batteries would die within a few minutes.

The 645AFD/III seems a bit better but not much.

The solution for me is to charge the batteries the day before the shoot and I use Recyco's from GP they hold their charge several weeks, for the 645AFD/III several days (app 1 week, while my 2700's will die within 2 days)

Another solution on holiday is Duracels (non rechargables) they will run for 1-2 weeks, over 5000 shots.

As soon as I switch to rechargables I know it's one day at best.

[amsp]

Yeah, this is not normal behavior. I have an AFD first generation and I can easily take several thousand frames on a set of batteries, and the meter does not behave erratic like that. Return it to your dealer asap.

[Guy Mancuso]

The best rechargeable batteries i have found that actually hold there charge longer than anything I have tried are the Sanyo eneloop. Been using them in my Phase body with no major issues and they can sit around for awhile and not lose there charge. I use them in my Metz 54 also. For backup batteries for the Phase Body I have a set Energizer lithium batteries because there very light weight.

http://www.eneloopusa.com/eneloop.html

[kdphotography]

Since intially shooting with the original Mamiya 645AF and now with the Phase 645, I have found the best battery for me has been the Energizer AA Lithium batteries.  They are lightweight and last much longer.  Normal heavy duty batteries (Duracell and Energizers) just don't seem to last.

[Frank Doorhof]

@Guy,
Seeing their description they are the same as the GP's I use.

[Guy Mancuso]

They hold there charge fairly well compared to others. Seem to work well too. But they are different for some reason also and not sure why that is because they say Nickel metal Hydrides. I have done a lot of shooting on a charge

[ngophotographer]

Thanks for the comments.  I'm going to try rechargeables and see how well they work.

I was using Sony Alkalines.  What really annoyed me was the meter performance.  I'll try a set a rechargables and see what happens.

If I get "the quick drain" or "meter not reporting", I'll send it it.

Thanks again,

NGOphotographer

[Guy Mancuso]

Yes if you get a complete sudden drop off than something maybe wrong. I will go down to a point where it will steadily go than it won't take a shot but it is a steady decline on the meter. Seriously try those batteries i mentioned. There awesome with portable flash because the flash may not be used a lot but will be ready when you are since they hold there charge so long and there not that expensive either.

[snickgrr]

Guy,
Thanks for the heads up on those batteries.  I read a great review on them and ordered some.
http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/sanyo_eneloop.html

[clawery]

Since intially shooting with the original Mamiya 645AF and now with the Phase 645, I have found the best battery for me has been the Energizer AA Lithium batteries.  They are lightweight and last much longer.  Normal heavy duty batteries (Duracell and Energizers) just don't seem to last.

I'll have to agree with Ken.  I have heard from several shooters that the Energizer Ultimate Lithiums are great.  They claim to last 8X longer, but I have heard at least 2X - 4X longer.  They also claim to work in extreme temperatures (-40degrees - 140 degrees).

Chris Lawery
Sales Manager
chris@captureintegration.com
Capture Integration, Phase One Dealer of the Year

877-217-9870 | National  Atlanta / Miami
404-234-5195 | Cell  
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[Jack Flesher]

FWIW, I find the new AFD3 body eats AA's about 2x as fast as the AFD2 body did.  It was such an obvious difference, I went to rechargeables too. (I got less than a full day of studio shooting with regular Energizers in the AFD3 body!)  Without any real reason, I chose Lenmar NIMH 2500 MA and their 15 minute charger -- charges 4 AA's in 15 minutes.  The charger came with 4 batteries for $39, and a pack of 10 more of the same batteries was $19 I think.  Too soon to tell much since I'm still working on the first set after the first charge, but I can tell you the first set has so far lasted at least 2x as long as the Alkaline Energizers I was using before, and my battery indicator is still showing "full"...

[mcfoto]

Hi
For the Mamiya body just buy an extra battery holder. I use the AFDII & get over 2000 shots even using Ikea batteries.
Denis

[dougpetersonci]

http://www.captureintegration.com/phase-one/phase-one-645/

We have a link to the user manual there which shows custom function #7 as "battery type".
   -  setting 0 is alkaline
   -  setting 1 is rechargeable

This only affects the battery monitor bar, not the performance. It's very possible that a mismatch here caused the problem your describing (though still possible that there is something wrong with the body). With the proper setting on CF#7 and good batteries the P1 body has both good battery performance and decently good battery monitor bar, as attested to by others on this thread.

Doug Peterson,  Head of Technical Services
Capture Integration, Phase One Dealer
Personal Portfolio

[dougpetersonci]

While I'm on the thread it bears noting that for most rechargeable technologies it is a bad idea to:
 - store long periods of time with little or no charge
 - store for any length of time with no charge in a hot environment

So don't run the batteries to empty and then keep them in your shooting bag in the hot sun all day.

That will help keep that pair of rechargeable usable longer.

Doug Peterson,  Head of Technical Services
Capture Integration, Phase One Dealer
Personal Portfolio

[Guy Mancuso]

http://www.captureintegration.com/phase-one/phase-one-645/

We have a link to the user manual there which shows custom function #7 as "battery type".
   -  setting 0 is alkaline
   -  setting 1 is rechargeable

This only affects the battery monitor bar, not the performance. It's very possible that a mismatch here caused the problem your describing (though still possible that there is something wrong with the body). With the proper setting on CF#7 and good batteries the P1 body has both good battery performance and decently good battery monitor bar, as attested to by others on this thread.

Doug Peterson,  Head of Technical Services
Capture Integration, Phase One Dealer
Personal Portfolio

Learn something new everyday . Did not know this was there . Thanks bud

[Jack Flesher]

Learn something new everyday . Did not know this was there . Thanks bud

Uh yes you did --- I told you about it in Florida!

,

[ngophotographer]

Jack -- thanks for the note about the AFDIII battery life compared to the AFDII.

Unfortunately, this doesn't take Mamiya off the hook for creating bad technology and Phase One for using it!

All the work arounds, get rechargeables, have a spare battery holder, doesn't mitigate the fact that the battery meter circuitry is brain dead.  Going from "full" to "half-full" and then shutting down during one exposure is inexcusable.

The camera body cannot be relied on in the field.

I will do some more testing, but I'm really sorry that I did the back switch.  I will update on whether the system can be trusted in the field.

NGOphotographer

[snickgrr]

J

The camera body cannot be relied on in the field.

I
NGOphotographer

Why don't you just take some extra batteries and not worry too much about the battery meter?