AA batteries

[Paulpp]

I am still having problems using AA batteries in the HLD4 and e-mailed Olympus today. Their response is not to use alkaline batteries as they are not compatable with the E3. I was however using AA-R6 Memorex zinc batteries without success. Have e-mailed Olympus again and will see what they say. Has anyone had any luck with this and if so with which batteries?

[OlyFlyer]

Re: AA batteries

Are you sure you asked the right question? Or maybe you misundrstood the answer or they misunderstood your question? The HLD-4 supposed to work with Alkaline, but not with rechargable NiMh type. NiMh having 1.2V per battery and Alkaline 1.5V is I think the problem, what you need is 1.5V batteries.

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

Thanks for the quick response - the text of the Olympus e-mail is -

"Avoid using alkaline batteries, as they are not properly compatible with the E-3.
Thank you for your e-mail.
Kind regards,
Mikko"

so now I am even more confused! Have you got alkaline batteries to work?

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

.... meant to add that the Memorex ones I tries were 1.5v, said to be heavy duty.

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

This is the latest response from Olympus
"Dear Paul,

Try updating the camera's firmware. This you can do with Olympus Master 2 (if you have not yet installed it, download a free copy from http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...wareMaster.asp).
As for the chemistry of the batteries, I must take back my recommendation against alkaline batteries. While not compatible with many cameras, they are compatible with the HLD-4 battery grip. Alkaline and lithium are the recommended chemistries as per the manual of the battery grip. I apologize for the confusion.
Thank you for your e-mail.
Kind regards,
Mikko"

Have rechecked and I have v1.1 firmware.
Just been out and bought 6 new AA alkaline batteries with the same problem. Camera switches on and immediately shows no battery power as soon as you try and focus. Shutter locked up. Camera switches itself off and then on again.

Has anyone had any success before I e-mail Olympus again?

[Melaka]

Re: AA batteries

I've been banging on about this problem on various threads ever since I got the HLD-4. There have been several posts complaining it doesn't work with AAs and I can't get it to work with the LBH-1 either. As the LBH is a direct replacement for the BLM you'd expect both camera and grip to work with it. Mine doesn't. When I spoke to Watford some weeks ago they said they didn't recommend using AAs. However the manual is quite clear that they should work. That's why my kit is with Olympus at the moment and has been for a month with no sign of a return date. I think Olympus have a problem and aren't prepared to admit it.

I should contact them again if I were you. If users don't complain politely and forcefully things will never get better.

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

Have both e-mailed them agaiin and written to Watford - will post any reply received.
Would still be interested to hear if anyone has been successful.

[Guest]

Re: AA batteries

Have you tried cleaning the contacts on the part that goes into the camera and where the AA holder goes into the battery compartment? When I got my HLD-4 I was disappointed that neither my BLM-1's or my AA's had any real life but it was a different story when I cleaned the contacts - seems the electronics in the grip are very sensitive to the slightest thing/ the connections are perhaps not as good as they might be.

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

Thanks - will try cleaning the contacts but have no problems with usual batteries - only AA's.

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

Interesting in that I have cleaned the contacts and now the battery charge indicator shows full charge all the time, but on pressing the shutter the top screen and viewfinder goes blank, but then reverts to normal showing a full charge. Even more interesting if I change the mode from A (my normal mode) to any other mode it always reverts to A when the top screen/viewfinder comes back on.
Wierd or what

[Guest]

Re: AA batteries

It may be my imagination but it seems that the E3 stores its current settings on closedown instead of at the time you set them. So when the camera crashes through no/insufficient battery, you are back to the state when you last closed down properly. Someone might put me right on this, but this seems to be the case - I find it difficult to remember to switch off when taking the grip off (to put camera on a tripod) and then find my settings nothing like where they were.
As a result, I tend to use the camera either with grip or without - but not make changes during the day. One day I'll get my head around My mode and Custom Resets, but at the moment I'd sooner shoot my way.

[Paulpp]

Re: AA batteries

Had another e-mail from Olympus as follows -
"Dear Paul,
I need further information. Are you using the batteries in an HLD-4 battery grip or the LBH-1 Li-ion battery holder? Alkaline batteries should work in the HLD-4, while they will definitely not work with the LBH-1. If your use of the batteries is conformant to specifications (i.e., alkaline in HLD-4 or CR 123A in LBH-1), you should have the camera serviced.
Thank you for your e-mail.
Kind regards,
Mikko"

I remain unconvinced given the problems many seem to have and am anxious that I would be without the camera for an extended period whilst Olympus service it.

I know that Ian is going to raise this issue with Olympus for a definitive answer and I will probably wait until that is available.

Have yet to hear than anyone has had success with AA's - unless you know better, in which case whether before or after any service would be useful info.

[Ian]

Re: AA batteries

Had another e-mail from Olympus as follows -
"Dear Paul,
I need further information. Are you using the batteries in an HLD-4 battery grip or the LBH-1 Li-ion battery holder? Alkaline batteries should work in the HLD-4, while they will definitely not work with the LBH-1. If your use of the batteries is conformant to specifications (i.e., alkaline in HLD-4 or CR 123A in LBH-1), you should have the camera serviced.
Thank you for your e-mail.
Kind regards,
Mikko"

I remain unconvinced given the problems many seem to have and am anxious that I would be without the camera for an extended period whilst Olympus service it.

I know that Ian is going to raise this issue with Olympus for a definitive answer and I will probably wait until that is available.

Have yet to hear than anyone has had success with AA's - unless you know better, in which case whether before or after any service would be useful info.

Melaka has had his camera sent for service to resolve this very issue, but he's been without the camera for longer than expected as a part is required from Japan. I hope he will be able to share us his experiences once his camera is returned to him.

Ian

[Melaka]

Re: AA batteries

I'm happy to share them now, or at least the latest episode! The repair tracking website still shows the expected repair date as last Wednesday.

Firstly the email Paulpp recieved shows how little the chap at Olympus knows about the subject. You can't fit AAs into an LBH-1, it only takes CR123s which are shorter and fatter.

As of this morning my E3 is still with Olympus - over four weeks since I posted it. They told me last Thursday the spares were due from Japan that day. They haven't arrived and after several emails I was eventually told this morning they were due for delivery today and that I might get the camera back next week. I think this is part of a 'tell the customer what he wants to hear' campaign rather than any serious attempt to be helpful.

I have found Watford to be useless and unhelpful. I posted my letter to Mr Handa - MD Europe - in Hamburg this afternoon and will be interested to see what he makes of my complaints.

[DerekW]

Re: AA batteries

It is unbelievable that Olympus do not have a stock of spare parts for the E-3 in Portugal so that repairs can be promptly carried out.

It is penny pinching/incompetence of an order that that only British Leyland in it's heyday could exceed