Things We Love: A Nitecore Battery Charger?

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I never fancied myself a passionate lover of a battery charger. That is, until I tried the Nitecore FX1 Dual-Slot USB Travel Charger for FUJIFILM NP-W126 & NP-W126S Batteries. Am I kidding you? No. Seriously, I really, really like, maybe love, this camera battery charger. Why and how did this charger win my heart? Four words: It is freaking cool!

Battery chargers usually come with a new camera except for some USB-charging only cameras. We use them and often do not give them a second thought—until we travel. I don’t know if I am alone in this, but even the small and lightweight battery charger seems like a burden to pack—especially with a long and thick power cord. Also, OEM camera battery chargers (and batteries) seem like they could be a bit, er, overpriced so that when you need a second or a spare, it puts a dent in your Payboo account.

Enter the Nitecore USB camera battery chargers.

  • The Nitecore is lighter (2.1 oz vs. 6.4 oz) and smaller than the perfectly adequate stock FUJIFILM BC-W126S Battery Charger.
  • The Nitecore (at press time) is less expensive than the FUJIFILM charger.
  • The Nitecore charges via a built-in USB cable that is integral to the unit—not via a separate cord.
  • The Nitecore can charge two batteries at once while the FUJIFILM charger only handles one at a time.
  • The Nitecore charger gives you a super-cool LED readout of the battery’s status, charging current, battery voltage, battery temperature, and charged volume while the battery is on the charger. The FUJIFILM charger gives you a green LED to tell you the battery is charging.

The Nitecore charger is lighter, stronger, has a nerd-alert feature set, and more. What is not to love?

I have only used the Nitecore for FUJIFILM batteries, but there are models available for Nikon (and Nikon), Sony, Canon, and Leica.

The “Things We Love” series articles are written by B&H Photo Video Pro Audio staff to talk about products and items that we love. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and do not represent product endorsements from B&H Photo Video Pro Audio.

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