Hahnel has introduced a new DSLR charger and battery specially designed to be compatible for the newest entries in the Sony Alpha range of cameras; the ProCube2, an upgrade from its original ProCube, and the NP-FZ100 battery.
The ProCube2 for Sony
Sony’s A7 III is supplied with a cable for charging the battery in-camera, but that’s going to be of little help for charging a spare while you’re out and about shooting. The Sony BC QZ1 is available, but it can only charge one battery at a time, whereas the more affordable ProCube2 for Sony from Hahnel can charge two.
The ProCube2 for Sony uses interchangeable plates that adapt it to suit different batteries. In addition to the plates for charging two Sony FZ100 batteries - or indeed the Hahnel HL-XZ100s - the ProCube2 for Sony comes with plates for the Sony NP-BX1 and FW50 batteries, as well as for four AA batteries. The plates simply click in and out of place, so there’s no fiddling with cables or pins.
It takes around two hours to charge a single FZ100 battery, or three hours to charge two, with an LCD display showing the battery power. This display has an mAh reading, a new feature on the ProCube2, where it shows how much capacity has been added during charging, to help photographers gauge how many photos they can take with the added charge. In addition to the international mains connections, a 12-volt car charger is supplied to help photographers on the move.
The Sony-compatible HL-XZ100 battery
In addition to its DSLR chargers for cameras, Hahnel has also specialised in producing compatible batteries for a number of manufacturers. Its latest addition, the HL-XZ100, is designed especially for Sony’s latest Alpha cameras.
Sony introduced the NP-FZ100 battery with the A9 model, and it has subsequently been used in both the A7R III and A7 III models. This was widely appreciated as it has nearly double the life of the battery used in its second-generation models. Nevertheless, if you’re shooting all day, or you have a trip away from home, you’re more than likely to need a spare or two. At the FZ100 fairly steep price point, having an alternative in the Hahnel HL-XZ100 is a welcome relief.
Like the Sony battery, the HL-XZ100 is a 7.2-volt battery, but it supplies 14.4Wh at 2000mAh. That compares to 16.4Wh and 2280mAh with the Sony battery. In normal use, however, with variation in the number of shots, the shooting rate and the amount of reviewing, it’s virtually impossible to distinguish between the two batteries.
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The Hahnel battery fits neatly in the Sony cameras, and locks in exactly the same way as the Sony originals, to make for maximum ease of use for Sony owners.
A confirmed quality budget alternative
The new Hahnel HL-XZ100 and ProCube2 for Sony both received five-star reviews in the latest issue of Digital Photographer magazine, so they provide great quality and value for photographers looking for a more affordable way to stay powered up during their shoots.
Find out more about Hahnel and its offerings for photographers, please visit their site.
