Taking a trip to the Grand Canyon, need some advice

[Jeff Canes]

From the start, I have been a little puzzled about the lack of electric on this trip, because it’s like 4 or 5 days from Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell to Hoover Dam at Lake Mead, have you check with the trip planer about where you will be staying and if there will have any power

 

[summers_enemy]

I get the feeling the poster is going to be :| camping for all 3 weeks! :|

 

[hobbes28]

Another alternative for battery power is this battery holder that will hold 3 CR123 camera batteries if you were to get into a pinch. It's always a good thing to have because sometimes you can get close to a camera/tourist shop when you can't get to electricity.

 

[midget patrol]

From the start, I have been a little puzzled about the lack of electric on this trip, because it’s like 4 or 5 days from Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell to Hoover Dam at Lake Mead, have you check with the trip planer about where you will be staying and if there will have any power

I'm taking a river trip. It's three weeks long. We put in above the canyon and raft and camp our way down through it for three weeks. It's going to be a huge amount of fun, but alas, no power lines down there. We don't come out until we actually take out at the end of the trip.

I just found this, which would solve my battery problem by letting me use AA's. Of course, I could always just spring for a few generic EN-EL3's as posted above. What do you think of this product?:
http://www.merkuryinnovations.com/products/bgn50.html

 

[clarinetJWD]

check on eBay for additional EN-EL3 batteries. You can easily find an extra one for the cost of the three Li-ion batteries needed for the adaptor. Any EN-EL3 will do, but go for higher mAh, as they last longer.

As for the storage device, read reviews on that particular one. While in general they are wonderful for this purpose, some of them tend to corrupt the image files. I know you'll have a blast! I was recently rafting the Chattooga river and had the time of my life

 

[usndoc]

I have a battery grip for my D200 that is similar to the one you are looking at. The MB-200 is Nikon branded. The good part is that it includes a holder for AA batteries. It works. The e EN-EL3e batteries will do about 600 RAW each. Then I switch out to the AA pack. I haver not ran the AA's long enough to find out the life span yet. But, it is good to know that I have it.

I would recommend that you consider that battery pack an option for your D50 but check into the Nikon for it first.

For the PSD, I went the Hyperdrive HD-80 route. It is a wonderful tool. I shot a wedding this weekend and took over 600 RAW photos. I dumped each 1 gig card into the hyperdrive and kept shooting, formatting the card each time. No problems at all. The HD-80 will be going to Vegas in a couple months. I figure I can probably fill it up in a weeks time.

 

[midget patrol]

I have a battery grip for my D200 that is similar to the one you are looking at. The MB-200 is Nikon branded. The good part is that it includes a holder for AA batteries. It works. The e EN-EL3e batteries will do about 600 RAW each. Then I switch out to the AA pack. I haver not ran the AA's long enough to find out the life span yet. But, it is good to know that I have it.

I would recommend that you consider that battery pack an option for your D50 but check into the Nikon for it first.

For the PSD, I went the Hyperdrive HD-80 route. It is a wonderful tool. I shot a wedding this weekend and took over 600 RAW photos. I dumped each 1 gig card into the hyperdrive and kept shooting, formatting the card each time. No problems at all. The HD-80 will be going to Vegas in a couple months. I figure I can probably fill it up in a weeks time.

Unfortunately, Nikon doesn't have a battery pack for the D50.

What's the battery on your Hyperdrive HD-80 like? How many backups?

 

[usndoc]

Unfortunately, Nikon doesn't have a battery pack for the D50.

Bummer... That is why I ditched my KM 5d.

What's the battery on your Hyperdrive HD-80 like? How many backups?

I dumped 20 1 gig cards into it this weekend on 1 set of batteries and the charge indicator still showed a full charge. I was using 2500mah ni-cad AA's that had been charged the morning of the wedding. So far I am pleased with it. I try to keep plenty of extra batteries around just in case.

 

[JJP]

Man i'm jealous lol, I get the feeling that your questions have been answered already, but have fun and be sure to post the pictures for us to see when you get back!

 

[juno444444]

Hi, I'm a photography student and I've been researching a bit on solar power (www.findportablesolarpower.com). If you are still looking for this you can check my site - but also, does anyone have any advice or experience with portable solar power devices? For cameras etc. It would be helpful.

 

[midget patrol]

Hi, I'm a photography student and I've been researching a bit on solar power (www.findportablesolarpower.com). If you are still looking for this you can check my site - but also, does anyone have any advice or experience with portable solar power devices? For cameras etc. It would be helpful.

Actually, I've been BACK from this trip for over a month.

 

[juno444444]

That's ok! I did lots of research meanwhile... now I'm back on my photo extension course...

 

[mcktheknf]

Has anyone mentioned turning off the auto focus to conserve battery life? My d70 seems to run forever (even when the battery is dead) when I am focusing manualy.