- Friday 09 October 2020
- 0 Comments
Read the original review here.
Hähnel ProCube 2 review – Make charging easy
Photographers are absolutely gearfreaks. That's what's in us. Preferably we want to have the latest camera, we buy another camera bag and we have a drawer full of accessories. Now you may not get excited in the field of battery charging, but Hähnel is changing that with the Hähnel ProCube 2.
Hähnel ProCube 2
Do you recognize the problem of having multiple chargers? Or does it take a long time to charge your batteries? With the ProCube 2, this is a thing of the past. The Hähnel ProCube 2 offers a user-friendly and easy way to charge.
Let's start with the benefits of the ProCube 2:
Charge 2 batteries at the same time
Charge AA batteries for, for example, your flash
Charge USB devices like your smartphone or tablet
Has a handy LCD screen to read status
To be used in the car through the adapter
Includes adapters for use abroad
That's a lot of benefits! Many photographers have multiple batteries with them, because many batteries do not last all day. If you have to charge those batteries one by one, you'll be half a day away. Now it is possible to charge two batteries at the same time and that saves a lot of time.
The ability to charge AA batteries is also incredibly useful, especially if you have a flash. Often you have a separate charger for your AA batteries. That is no longer necessary with the included plate. With the ProCube 2 you can also charge your smartphone or tablet via the USB input at the back and that is always nice.
What's in the box
First of all, you will find a small box containing the instructions and handy key to be able to change the different battery plates. Did you lose that key? Then a simple paper clip will also be satisfactory. You will also find a box containing the power adapter. On this you can place the usual EU adapter, but also a UK or USA adapter. This also makes charging abroad possible. Finally, you'll find a 12V adapter. The 12V adapter ensures that you can also use your ProCube 2 in the car. Super convenient! Are you on your way to location to photograph, but is your battery dead? Just charge them on the go! It saves you a lot of stress and effort. Finally, you will of course find the charger with the supplied battery plates.
How the ProCube 2 works
The charger is a small square box. You place the power adapter in the back of the box and plug the power adapter into the socket. You can start loading now! First, grab the right battery plate that fits your type of battery. If this is already in there, you don't have to do anything. If it is not in it, place the included key in the hole at the back and you can change the battery plate. Want to charge AA batteries? Simply place the AA plate on top of the ProCube. By means of magnets, it sticks itself.
Charging smartphone or tablet is possible due to the built-in USB port. Please note that when charging batteries, the ProCube ensures that the batteries are full first. After that, the ProCube will charge your smartphone or tablet.
How does the ProCube 2 perform?
On paper this looks like a fantastic product, but how well does the ProCube 2 load? And is this charger faster than my original Nikon charger?
I took two dead batteries. One battery I charged with the ProCube 2 and the other I charged with my original Nikon charger. The result: the Hähnel ProCube 2 had previously finished charging. It was close to about 1 hour. With the ProCube you can pick up two batteries at the same time, so I converted a time gain of about 2 hours. The ProCube personally gives me a huge time saving and I am very happy with that.
An LCD screen is what most chargers don't have. The only indication you often have is a flashing or red light. The light stops flashing or turns green when the battery is full. The great thing about this LCD screen is that you can see exactly how full your batteries are. The charger indicates it as a percentage and that is very pleasant to look at. If you need to get focused, you'd do well to turn the ProCube a quarter turn so you don't get distracted by the increasing percentage.
If you charge two batteries, you'll see the status of both batteries. This way you always know where you stand and how long it will take.
Conclusion
The ProCube 2 definitely makes charging easier and faster. There's no doubt about that. It gives you insight through the LCD screen and it reduces stress, as you can charge both at home and on the go. The charger is quite small and compact, but no smaller than many other charger. Nevertheless, the ProCube 2 is in sight of the desk and my original battery charger is stored in the drawer. That's thanks to the design.
Are you looking for a convenient and fast charger for your camera battery and AA batteries and want to be able to charge flexibly? Then I can definitely recommend the Hahnel ProCube 2! Hahnel offers the ProCube 2 for Nikon, Sony, Canon, Panasonic, Fujifilm and Olympus.
