Does any camera charge by a USB cable? (5V)

An interesting requirement. I am not aware of any that would do that. I also
do not think that there will be one coming either since the USB cable is
designed for something different.

"John Faughnan" wrote in message
om...
I'd like to buy a camera to take on my business travel. It has to be
smaller than my G2. I'd like 4 megapixel and 3x zoom, compact size,
reliability and ruggedness. All typical requirements.

But I have one atypical requirement.

I'd like to charge it via a standard mini-B USB cable (5V in). That
way I don't have to carry yet another charger. (My goal is that all my
peripherals eventually charge from my laptop -- phone, PDA, iPod,
camera).

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

Thanks!

john

PS. I rather like the Canon S400 (cheaper now that the 5 mpixel model
is out!), but of course it won't charge via USB.

meta: jfaughnan, jgfaughnan, USB, charger, adapter, adaptor, battery,
laptop, camera, digital camera

"John Faughnan" wrote in message
om...
I'd like to buy a camera to take on my business travel. It has to be
smaller than my G2. I'd like 4 megapixel and 3x zoom, compact size,
reliability and ruggedness. All typical requirements.

But I have one atypical requirement.

I'd like to charge it via a standard mini-B USB cable (5V in). That
way I don't have to carry yet another charger. (My goal is that all my
peripherals eventually charge from my laptop -- phone, PDA, iPod,
camera).

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

I've seen a Phillips key ring camera that is said to charge via a USB
connection (not so much a cable - it looks like you just remove the
protection cap from the camera's USB plug, and plug the camera into a
USB socket. But the only one of your other criteria that it
satisfisfies is being smaller than a G2. Just 1.3MP, and no mention (or
likelihood) of a zoom. Maybe next year.

--
Apteryx
Treat anger like gold. Spend it wisely or not at all.

In article , John
Faughnan wrote:

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

Interesting idea, but I've never seen it on a retail camera. One big
issue would be the power available from a USB port. A USB port will
supply no more than 500MA at 5V; this may not be enough to charge most
cameras, at least not in a reasonable period of time.

Also, one would be building circuity into the camera that would be
useful to very few people; this adds cost, to little marketing
advantage. Companies HATE that...

"John Faughnan" wrote in message
om...
I'd like to buy a camera to take on my business travel. It has to be
smaller than my G2. I'd like 4 megapixel and 3x zoom, compact size,
reliability and ruggedness. All typical requirements.

But I have one atypical requirement.

I'd like to charge it via a standard mini-B USB cable (5V in). That
way I don't have to carry yet another charger. (My goal is that all my
peripherals eventually charge from my laptop -- phone, PDA, iPod,
camera).

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

Well you can buy AA USB chargers, but two of those will be bigger than a
charger, and you want to avoid AA powered cameras anyway.

The problem is that the chargers that come with cameras are high current, to
charge quickly, at a high rate.

And the smaller digital cameras often charge the battery externally only,
unlike the G2, so just a cable won't do you any good. The best camera for
travel is the Canon S500. At least the charger is very compact, and has no
cables.

I run into the same problem as you. Sometimes chargers take up a lot of my
luggage space!

"John Faughnan" wrote in message
om...
I'd like to buy a camera to take on my business travel. It has to be
smaller than my G2. I'd like 4 megapixel and 3x zoom, compact size,
reliability and ruggedness. All typical requirements.

But I have one atypical requirement.

I'd like to charge it via a standard mini-B USB cable (5V in). That
way I don't have to carry yet another charger. (My goal is that all my
peripherals eventually charge from my laptop -- phone, PDA, iPod,
camera).

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

Well you can buy AA USB chargers, but two of those will be bigger than a
charger, and you want to avoid AA powered cameras anyway.

The problem is that the chargers that come with cameras are high current, to
charge quickly, at a high rate.

And the smaller digital cameras often charge the battery externally only,
unlike the G2, so just a cable won't do you any good. The best camera for
travel is the Canon S500. At least the charger is very compact, and has no
cables.

I run into the same problem as you. Sometimes chargers take up a lot of my
luggage space!

"John Faughnan" wrote in message
om...
I'd like to buy a camera to take on my business travel. It has to be
smaller than my G2. I'd like 4 megapixel and 3x zoom, compact size,
reliability and ruggedness. All typical requirements.

But I have one atypical requirement.

I'd like to charge it via a standard mini-B USB cable (5V in). That
way I don't have to carry yet another charger. (My goal is that all my
peripherals eventually charge from my laptop -- phone, PDA, iPod,
camera).

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

Also see: www.national.com/appbriefs/files/AppBrief101.pdf

Charging a single cell Li-Ion battery via USB is quite possible. I think
that no one does it because the low current would mean a long recharge time.
Since the charging circuitry for Li-Ion is always inside the camera (if
in-camera charging is done), you can't do an add-on cable that will work.

Steve Scharf states, flatly:


Well you can buy AA USB chargers, but two of those will be bigger than a
charger, and you want to avoid AA powered cameras anyway.

I'm sure there's a reason for the second half of your statement. I can't figure
it out, though. My *istD is currently on its first set of batteries and past
the 300 pix mark. There seems to be no lack of power, keeping a few extras
charged doesn't hurt, and if I run down, I can hit the corner store, any store
or darned near, and get a set of alkalines that will run things for close to 80
shots, or some lithium CRV3s that will run the camera for 500 or so shots.

Charlie Self
"When you appeal to force, there's one thing you must never do - lose." Dwight
D. Eisenhower

Steven M. Scharf wrote:
"John Faughnan" wrote in message
om...

I'd like to buy a camera to take on my business travel. It has to be
smaller than my G2. I'd like 4 megapixel and 3x zoom, compact size,
reliability and ruggedness. All typical requirements.

But I have one atypical requirement.

I'd like to charge it via a standard mini-B USB cable (5V in). That
way I don't have to carry yet another charger. (My goal is that all my
peripherals eventually charge from my laptop -- phone, PDA, iPod,
camera).

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?


Well you can buy AA USB chargers, but two of those will be bigger than a
charger, and you want to avoid AA powered cameras anyway.


You are and others are quite free to avoikd AA powered cameras if you so
wish. Personally, having good luck with my A40 I'll stick with them
Dave Cohen

The problem is that the chargers that come with cameras are high current, to
charge quickly, at a high rate.

And the smaller digital cameras often charge the battery externally only,
unlike the G2, so just a cable won't do you any good. The best camera for
travel is the Canon S500. At least the charger is very compact, and has no
cables.

I run into the same problem as you. Sometimes chargers take up a lot of my
luggage space!

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:05:02 -0400, Scott Schuckert hath writ:
In article , John
Faughnan wrote:

Does anyone make a camera that will charge via a USB cable?

Interesting idea, but I've never seen it on a retail camera.

Well, my LogiTech Pocket Digital _only_ charges through a USB cable. :-)

Jonesy

In article ,
Allodoxaphobia wrote:

Well, my LogiTech Pocket Digital _only_ charges through a USB cable. :-)

Funny, that doesn't come up when I google "digital camera" GRIN Let's
try "electronic party favor..."