When you dig into your camera bag, you’ll find all the essentials: camera, lens, memory card, and battery. With more photographers moving to mirrorless cameras, we’ve also been using more batteries. When my main camera was a Nikon D850, I could shoot about 1,800 shots on a full charge. I’m using a Nikon Z7 II as my main camera, and unfortunately, I’m only getting about 400 shots on a single battery charge. I’m charging and buying batteries more than ever. Enter the Hahnel Pro Cube 2 charger, a game-changer in battery charging.
Introduce
The Hahnel Pro Cube 2 Charger is a breakthrough product in the field of battery charging. It is a dual battery charger with replaceable battery plates that can charge AA batteries. If you are not familiar with Hahnel, it is a 65-year-old company that specializes in making quality photography accessories for your camera. Hahnel offers a wide range of accessories, including battery chargers, batteries, flash triggers, and speedlights.
Construction quality
When it comes to gear, quality is always important. It’s an investment; we don’t want to replace any of our gear every few years. The build quality of the Hahnel Pro Cube 2 charger is what you’d expect; it’s made of plastic and metal. But don’t let that fool you. The overall build quality is very good, weighing in at around a pound. You can confidently pack it in your luggage or camera bag without worrying about its durability. I threw it in my camera bag and put it on for over 3,000 miles on my recent Route 66 trip, and it held up like a champ, even sliding off the dashboard of my SUV a few times.
Featured
The Hahnel Pro Cube charger is packed with extremely powerful features for a battery charger.
Wireless replaceable charging pads: I own the original Pro Cube and I don’t like wired charging pads, so replacing them is a bit of a hassle. The Pro Cube 2 now has wireless replaceable charging pads, which makes swapping out charging pads a breeze. The Nikon-compatible version comes with the EN-EL15 and EN-EL14 charging pads, which let me charge the Nikon Z7 II, Z6 II, and Z30, which are the cameras I use for content creation. This is a lifesaver because I only need one charger when I travel.
Charging time 100 minutes
Charging the Nikon EN-EL15C battery with the dedicated Nikon MH25a charger takes about two hours and thirty-five minutes. When you’re in a pinch, that’s a long time to wait. According to the manufacturer, you can fully charge two batteries in the Pro Cube 2 in a hundred minutes, or one battery in an hour. In my experience, I found the charging time to be less. The best option is to charge two batteries at the same time, saving time!
Includes 12V car adapter and US/UK/Euro plug
When travelling by car, it’s great to charge your battery between stops. The Pro Cube 2 comes with a 12V car adapter, allowing you to plug it into a 12V socket for use in your car! This eliminates the need for an inverter to plug the charger into. It also comes with UK and EU plugs for travelling abroad. You should have no problem using the charger anywhere between these adapters!
Screen with data
The charger has a nice display that provides real-time data on the battery’s health and how much power has been delivered to the battery. The display also shows mAh, or milliamp hours; according to Hahnel, 300 mAh is equal to 150 shots.
Traveled with the Pro Cube 2 for a total of 10 days on the road and used it regularly in the office. Overall, the charger is very convenient when traveling, allowing me to keep fresh batteries close at hand, and the fast charger is also a must for me.
Summary
I have been traveling with the Pro Cube 2 for over ten days, using it regularly in the office, and have had experience with both the original and the updated version. Overall, the charger is very convenient for traveling, allowing me to always have fresh batteries on hand, and the quick charging is very convenient. It can be used in the car and charges two batteries at the same time, while displaying valuable data on the screen. This would be a great replacement for the charger that came with the camera. I am even considering adding another one to my collection!
What I like
- Fast charging
- 12V Car Power Converter
- Construction quality
What can be improved?
Easy Access to Swap Out the Replaceable Charging Pads: The original charging pads were wired and difficult to swap out. The updated version is now wireless, but you have to use the included key, the tip of a pen, or a paperclip to press the button to change the charging pad. This isn’t the most convenient thing to do when traveling. The key is small and easy to lose.
Final thoughts
Yes, it’s just a battery charger and not very exciting. But This charger would be a great addition. for any photographer to add to their gear at a very affordable price. It is well built and has the ability to charge the battery reliably at a fast rate!
