Photography News Issue 52

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests

Imaging kit First tests We get our hands on the latest kit and share our first impressions – so you know whether or not to add it to your wish list

Reviews by Will Cheung

Hahnel ProCube 2 £69.99

Specs

Keeping your batteries charged is so important nowadays, otherwise your expensive camera or flashgun is nothing more than a high-tech, very expensive doorstop. Your camera came with a charger so you may be wondering why you need to consider something like the Hahnel ProCube 2 charger, but it does have features your supplied charger does not. It can take two batteries simultaneously, it is also an AA battery charger, and there’s a 2.4A USB outlet to charge your phone or tablet. The ProCube 2 is available for various camera battery types so just buy the version dedicated to your camera or camera brand. In the box you get a selection of camera battery plates and you connect the plate suitable for your camera. This job takes seconds. In the previous Cube, swapping the plate meant you had to unclip the connected one and connect the new one. To be fair, it was not a difficult process nor did it take much time, but on the ProCube 2 it’s made even easier. With the supplied tool you release the existing plate, remove it and clip into place the new one – and that’s it. No fiddling with a connector is needed. With the correct plate in position to charge my batteries, I pushed them into place and plugged in the power supply. A mains plug with three adaptors and a car charger lead are supplied in the box. An LCD panel on the unit’s side displays the state of charge and once

Prices

£69.99 Availability and compatible batteries Canon – LP-E6, LP-E8, LP-E17 Nikon – EN-EL14, EN-EL15 Fujifilm/Panasonic – NP-W126 & DMW-PLC12, BLF19, BLG10 Olympus – BLN-1, BLS-5, BLH-1 Sony – NP-BX1, NP-FW50, NP- FZ100 What’s in the box ProCUBE2, 12v car lead, 1500mA mains adaptor with UK, Euro and US plugs, cable-less plates, AA charging plate Charging time Varies between 50-150mins. Fujifilm NP-W126 takes 50mins. Four AA 2500 Ni-Mh cells take 240mins LCD display Shows power on/off, battery charge status during charging, battery health check, mAh Contact Hahnel.ie

Verdict

Above This is what you get with the Fujifilm/Panasonic version, excluding the batteries: one plate for Fujifilm and three Panasonic plates. Each charging plate is embossed with the camera battery type. Left The ProCube 2 has a USB outlet for charging your phone and tablet.

100% is reached the unit cuts out automatically. If you don’t need a full charge, 15 minutes of charging gives 300mAh and that is enough to shoot 150 shots, depending on the camera. AnAA charging plate is supplied. This takes four AA cells (but not AAAs), and is a useful caddy to hold the cells when travelling. In addition to charging camera batteries and AA cells, there is also a 2.4A USB outlet to charge your tablet, bike lights or power bank. The USB outlet is available during battery charging. The ProCube 2 is a treat to use, proved reliable and works perfectly. I charged cells at home, in the car and on my travels. WC

Pros Takes two camera batteries at once, takes up to AA cells, power source options, great value, cable- less battery plate Cons You end up with plates you’ll never use, doesn’t take AAAs available for a wider selection of camera batteries and with more streamlined handling, there is much to like about the ProCube 2. Its convenience and performance make it great value for money, and perfect for home and on-the-move charging. The Hahnel ProCube 2 is a great and really useful accessory that is practical and offers something over and above what came with the camera. Now

The ProCube 2 is a treat to use, proved reliable and works perfectly