Z9 Battery Use Where No Access to Power for Multiple Days

[BillW]

I am testing the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD 45W (97 WH capacity) and its ability to charge an EN EL 18d (36 WH capacity). It's the battery recommended by Nikon for hte Z9.

With the Anker battery fully charged to 100%, I attached it with a USB-C cable to an MH-33. Put on an EN EL 18d battery that had been used down to 14% (as shown by the Z9 battery menu). The Anker charged the EN EL 18d back to 100% (both as shown by the green lights on the MH-33 and by the Z9 battery menu) and went from displaying 100% power (10 small lights) to 70% power (7 small lights). So relatively efficient, it would seem, although I do not have a digital readout of the remaining power on the Anker.

I suspect that this means I could charge a second EN EL 18d back from 10-20% to full with the Anker. I will wait a couple of days and try another battery on it.

Finished testing charging EN EL 18ds with the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD 45W (97 WH capacity). Used the MH-33 batter charger attached to the power bank with an Anker USB-C braided power cord. Done inside at around 65 F.

On Wednesday or Thursday, I charged one EN EL 18d from 14% to 100%, both as measured by the battery menu in the Z9.

On Saturday, I charged a second EN EL 18d from 8% to 100%, both as measured by the battery menu in the Z9.

After the second battery was charged, the power block was at something less than 10% power (the last light of the 10 lights was on for a while and then started to flash). So I think the power bank was getting pretty close to shutting off, but it did manage to fully charge the second EN EL 18d.

The power bank has 97 WH of capacity and was at 100% when I started. It added 31 WH to the first battery (31 = 36 x (100% –14%), rounded off). It added 33 WH to the second battery (33 = 36 x (100%-8%), rounded off). So the 97 WH power bank added 64 WH to two EN EL 18d batteries and was itself close to depleted. Since I generally do not run my batteries down to 0%, I conclude that I could likely charge 2 EN EL 18d batteries from the power bank on my trip if they were discharged to 15% or so.

It’s also the case that I would likely get more energy from the power bank if I used it to run the camera directly, using the appropriate cable. In that case, I could use all of the 97 WH of the power bank and not lose some to the inefficiency of charging other batteries. Assuming the power bank was at 5% when the second battery was fully charged, the power bank used 92 WH of energy (92 = 97 x (100% - 5%), rounded off) to provided 64 WH (31 WH + 33 WH) of energy to the two EN EL 18ds. Approximately 69% efficiency (69% = 64/92). Even with this loss of efficiency, if I can manage it, I’d prefer to just use the batteries after charging them with the bank. It seems more convenient/easier.

Note, these numbers are not as precise as they would be in good lab testing. But I think close enough for my purposes.

 

[BillW]

One other test. I put a fully charged EN EL 18d battery in my Z9 (showed 100% in the Z9 battery menu) and turned on the camera with the standby timer set to infinity. I looked at it periodically. The battery went from 100% to 14% in about 7 hours.

Yesterday, I put a fully charged EN EL 18d battery in my Z9 (again checked charge in the Z9 battery menu) and turned on the camera. I turned the GPS on (and turned off the GPS standby timer) and turned the camera’s regular standby timer to infinity. I checked the camera periodically. It seemed to be finding and updating my position each time I looked. After 6 1/2 hours, the battery had run down to 8% and I stopped the test.

In each case, the camera was in airplane mode. Inside. Temp around 65 F. The display was set to EVF priority. So the EVF was on whenever I looked at the camera, but may have turned off at other times.

With no GPS, it was using battery power at a rate of around 12% per hour (12% = (100%-14%) / 7, rounded off).

With the GPS, it was using battery power at a rate of around 14% per hour (14% = (100%-8%) /6.5, rounded off).

I will have to check this in the field when it is a bit warmer here in Minnesota, but the GPS used less battery power than I expected.

 

[John Navitsky]

yah, i haven’t found it worth worrying about the gps

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

One other test. I put a fully charged EN EL 18d battery in my Z9 (showed 100% in the Z9 battery menu) and turned on the camera with the standby timer set to infinity. I looked at it periodically. The battery went from 100% to 14% in about 7 hours.

Yesterday, I put a fully charged EN EL 18d battery in my Z9 (again checked charge in the Z9 battery menu) and turned on the camera. I turned the GPS on (and turned off the GPS standby timer) and turned the camera’s regular standby timer to infinity. I checked the camera periodically. It seemed to be finding and updating my position each time I looked. After 6 1/2 hours, the battery had run down to 8% and I stopped the test.

In each case, the camera was in airplane mode. Inside. Temp around 65 F. The display was set to EVF priority. So the EVF was on whenever I looked at the camera, but may have turned off at other times.

With no GPS, it was using battery power at a rate of around 12% per hour (12% = (100%-14%) / 7, rounded off).

With the GPS, it was using battery power at a rate of around 14% per hour (14% = (100%-8%) /6.5, rounded off).

I will have to check this in the field when it is a bit warmer here in Minnesota, but the GPS used less battery power than I expected.

Question I have is how old are your batteries and how many times have you charged them. I wonder if your test results would differ if new vs old.

 

[BillW]

Question I have is how old are your batteries and how many times have you charged them. I wonder if your test results would differ if new vs old.

My batteries are all fairly new and are all Nikon EN EL 18ds, which came out with the Z9. I got my Z9 in January 2022 and bought 2 extra batteries around the same time. Bought two more last month for my Grand Canyon trip this spring. Not sure how many times I have charged them — all seem to show as new in my Z9’s battery menu. I have taken something over 100K photos with the Z9 at this point.

 

[cchuck]

Bill,

I think you've done an excellent job of testing your portable power solutions. And thanks for doing so, because I have that Anker power pack and you answered several questions I hadn't even thought about asking. With your five batteries and the Anker, it looks like you have the equivalent of 8-9 batteries, depending on how often you use the Anker to power the camera vs. charging batteries. I hope you will share some of your photos on this site! Safe travels.
-Chuck

 

[BillW]

Bill,

I think you've done an excellent job of testing your portable power solutions. And thanks for doing so, because I have that Anker power pack and you answered several questions I hadn't even thought about asking. With your five batteries and the Anker, it looks like you have the equivalent of 8-9 batteries, depending on how often you use the Anker to power the camera vs. charging batteries. I hope you will share some of your photos on this site! Safe travels.
-Chuck

Thanks Chuck

 

[Dhelton]

Finished testing charging EN EL 18ds with the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD 45W (97 WH capacity). Used the MH-33 batter charger attached to the power bank with an Anker USB-C braided power cord. Done inside at around 65 F.

On Wednesday or Thursday, I charged one EN EL 18d from 14% to 100%, both as measured by the battery menu in the Z9.

On Saturday, I charged a second EN EL 18d from 8% to 100%, both as measured by the battery menu in the Z9.

After the second battery was charged, the power block was at something less than 10% power (the last light of the 10 lights was on for a while and then started to flash). So I think the power bank was getting pretty close to shutting off, but it did manage to fully charge the second EN EL 18d.

The power bank has 97 WH of capacity and was at 100% when I started. It added 31 WH to the first battery (31 = 36 x (100% –14%), rounded off). It added 33 WH to the second battery (33 = 36 x (100%-8%), rounded off). So the 97 WH power bank added 64 WH to two EN EL 18d batteries and was itself close to depleted. Since I generally do not run my batteries down to 0%, I conclude that I could likely charge 2 EN EL 18d batteries from the power bank on my trip if they were discharged to 15% or so.

It’s also the case that I would likely get more energy from the power bank if I used it to run the camera directly, using the appropriate cable. In that case, I could use all of the 97 WH of the power bank and not lose some to the inefficiency of charging other batteries. Assuming the power bank was at 5% when the second battery was fully charged, the power bank used 92 WH of energy (92 = 97 x (100% - 5%), rounded off) to provided 64 WH (31 WH + 33 WH) of energy to the two EN EL 18ds. Approximately 69% efficiency (69% = 64/92). Even with this loss of efficiency, if I can manage it, I’d prefer to just use the batteries after charging them with the bank. It seems more convenient/easier.

Note, these numbers are not as precise as they would be in good lab testing. But I think close enough for my purposes.

Would you mind posting links to the Anker powerbank you used and the USB-C cord? I have a similar issue with a trip coming up and can't decide on a powerbank but want one that others have tested and shown to work with the Z-9. I've looked up the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD 45W and I can't prices that have a large range, making me thing there are subtle differences between them. Are there more powerful portable power banks by Anker that also work with the Z9 that would be worth the extra cost? Or no?

 

[BillW]

Would you mind posting links to the Anker powerbank you used and the USB-C cord? I have a similar issue with a trip coming up and can't decide on a powerbank but want one that others have tested and shown to work with the Z-9. I've looked up the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD 45W and I can't prices that have a large range, making me thing there are subtle differences between them. Are there more powerful portable power banks by Anker that also work with the Z9 that would be worth the extra cost? Or no?

I used the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD 45W (97 WH capacity). I think I bought it on Amazon. I chose it because Nikon approved that model for use with the Z9. If memory serves, I bought it on Amazon. I use either Apple or Belkin USB-C to USB-C power cables. Traveling this week.

Nikon has an approved powerbank list on its website, listing them by camera.

I might be willing to use other powerbanks to charge batteries for the Z9. But I would be inclined only to use a Nikon approved powerbank if I was planning to attach it to my camera.

 

[Dhelton]

Well I ended up buying the Anker 747 Powercore Elite III and i was able to bring two brand new EL18d batteries from 14% to 100% in about 2.5 hours by connecting the Nikon battery charger to the Anker powerbank. I then charged another new battery from 14% to 44% before the Anker ran out of juice. I was also able to connect the powerbank to the camera directly and power the battery in camera. Strangely, I couldn't use the Anker USB-C cord that the powerbank came with. However, I tried two or three other USB-C to USB-C non-Anker cords and they all worked fine.

 

[John Navitsky]

yah, the U in USB is a bit of a joke

 

[MikePapple]

Well I ended up buying the Anker 747 Powercore Elite III and i was able to bring two brand new EL18d batteries from 14% to 100% in about 2.5 hours by connecting the Nikon battery charger to the Anker powerbank. I then charged another new battery from 14% to 44% before the Anker ran out of juice. I was also able to connect the powerbank to the camera directly and power the battery in camera. Strangely, I couldn't use the Anker USB-C cord that the powerbank came with. However, I tried two or three other USB-C to USB-C non-Anker cords and they all worked fine.

You get what you pay for. I use OWC Thunderbolt 4 cables for computer to SSD's, camera, hard disk raid etc. When I travel I take one with me.

 

[Nikondale]

I carry two charged Z batteries and a power pack with a solar charger.

 

[steigw]

Well I ended up buying the Anker 747 Powercore Elite III and i was able to bring two brand new EL18d batteries from 14% to 100% in about 2.5 hours by connecting the Nikon battery charger to the Anker powerbank. I then charged another new battery from 14% to 44% before the Anker ran out of juice. I was also able to connect the powerbank to the camera directly and power the battery in camera. Strangely, I couldn't use the Anker USB-C cord that the powerbank came with. However, I tried two or three other USB-C to USB-C non-Anker cords and they all worked fine.

Do you know if the Anker 747 Power Bank (PowerCore 26K for Laptop) is the same model as what you purchased? Or at least compatible? I can't explicitly find that they state it is a PD device like they did with earlier models.

 

[BillW]

I got back from the Grand Canyon earlier this month. It was a great trip. 12 days on the Colorado river, 11 nights camping.

I took my Z9 with 7 fully charged EN-EL 18d batteries. I took over 4,000 photos with the Z9 and used 5 of the batteries. I did not run any of them down to zero, but switched when they had around 10-20% power left. The last battery of the 5 batteries I used was at 26% when we left the river. I turned off the GPS; generally did not use VR/IBIS when shooting from a tripod (which was most of the time); and set the standby timer to 30 seconds in case I put the camera away without turning it off. I limited my chimping in the first few days, but did more chimping later in the trip as I saw that battery usage was going well. Shot a few video clips, but not many. Not much burst shooting (other than when photographing a few lizards), but did some focus stacks and brackets. Did some longer exposures at night of the Milky Way over the canyon.

Really 10 1/2 half days of photography on the river and in the canyon, as I did not shoot the Z9 much on our takeout day (we were off the water before lunch). I had hoped that I would get roughly 2 days from a battery in the Z9 under these conditions and that basically proved to be the case on average. (Note, I get a lot more shots per battery with my Z9 in my typical wildlife shooting — often with lots of bursts.)

I used a Nikon AW1 (older Nikon 1 interchangeable lens camera with a 1 inch sensor designed for snorkeling and shallower diving) while in our rafts. I had 6 batteries for that and ran out early on day 11. Charged a couple of batteries up for it using the Anker power block that I brought along. Did not end up needing the power block for my Z9 batteries. Did not end up using my Z7II and its EN-EL 15 batteries.

Several people had solar chargers along on the trip and found them useful. This was partly because we had several campsites where we made camp around lunchtime (as we planned to do afternoon/evening photography nearby), so there was plenty of direct sunlight to take advantage of. Less useful when we made camp in late afternoon, as the campsites were often in shadows then.

All in all, a fun and successful trip.