How I'm Keeping My Camera Batteries Charged on a 15-Day Alaska Brown Bear Hunt (Before I Even Leave)

Published on travelwestproductions.com

I'll be honest with you — I haven't done this yet.

In May 2026, I'm heading to the Alaska Peninsula for a 15-day brown bear hunt with Alaska Blade Works. No roads. No outlets. No running back to the truck to charge up. Just wilderness, a tent, and whatever power I bring with me.

I've been filming hunts for a few years now, and the one thing that keeps me up at night before a trip like this isn't the weather or the footage — it's power. Specifically: will I have enough juice to keep my Canon EOS R5 Mark II running for 15 straight days in the field?

So I did the math. And I'm writing this before the hunt so you can see my thinking — and then I'll come back after and tell you whether it actually worked.

My Camera Setup

I'm running two Canon bodies on this hunt. The Canon EOS R5 Mark II is my primary — it'll be on me all day grabbing short clips, dialog segments, and anything that happens in real time. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is my secondary, used maybe a quarter as much — it'll come out for kill shots and long telephoto video where I need a second angle or reach.

Good news: both cameras use the same battery. They both run the LP-E6P — Canon's newest LP-E6 iteration, rated at 7.2V and 2,130mAh. It's the same capacity as the older LP-E6NH but with a higher continuous discharge rate of 6A, which both the R5 II and R6 III need to unlock their full feature sets. One battery system for two cameras keeps things simple in the field.

I'm bringing 6 batteries into the field. For a hunt like this, the shooting style is wildly variable day to day. Most of the time I'm grabbing short 10-second clips — an animal moving through brush, a glassing sequence, a reaction shot. Light draw, nothing crazy.

But then you have the heavy days. Day 1 dialog where everyone introduces themselves and lays out the plan — that's potentially 5 minutes of continuous rolling. A stalk sequence. And if we get on a bear, the kill shot could easily be another 5 minutes of non-stop filming. On those days I'll have an extra battery or two in my pocket ready to swap without missing a beat.

Realistically I'm planning for 2 to 3 batteries per day to account for those heavier shooting days. On lighter days I'll burn through less, which builds a buffer for the moments that matter.

6 batteries × 2,130mAh = 12,780mAh total camera battery capacity to keep topped off.

My Charging System

Here's what I'm bringing to keep everything alive:

SunJack 60W Solar Panel Kit

The SunJack 60W is a foldable ETFE monocrystalline solar panel — and it comes bundled with a separate 100W / 25,600mAh power bank. These are two distinct pieces of gear sold together as a kit, not a single unit. That matters in the field because you can leave the power bank charging in camp while the panel is deployed outside doing its thing.

The panel itself is rugged, waterproof (IP67 USB ports), and more efficient than cheaper PET panels — 95% UV permeability vs 80% on most competitors. It folds down to roughly laptop size and has built-in kickstands so I can angle it toward the sun and let it work while I'm glassing a hillside.

One thing worth knowing before you buy: the 60W rating is the panel's total output capacity — but that's not what you're getting out of the USB-C port. The USB-C port maxes out at 30W. To pull the full 60W you need to use the hardwired DC connection, which works for compatible power stations or DC-powered devices. For charging USB power banks and camera batteries in the field, you're working with 30W via USB-C. Still plenty fast, but worth knowing upfront so you're not caught off guard.

The included power bank is a serious piece of kit on its own. It outputs up to 100W via USB-C PD (using the included E-mark cable), supports Programmable Power Supply (PPS) and Power Delivery, and has 3 fast-charging ports so I can charge multiple devices simultaneously without sacrificing speed. It measures about 7" x 3" x 0.9" — fits in a jacket pocket. It'll charge my camera batteries via the Canon LC-E6 charger plugged into the USB-C port.

Anker 24,000mAh Power Bank

A second power bank as a backup and overflow. Combined with the SunJack bank, I'm carrying:

25,600mAh + 24,000mAh = 49,600mAh of stored power.

The Math (Why I'm Not Worried)

Let's break this down simply.

Daily camera battery draw: I'm budgeting 2 to 3 LP-E6P batteries per day. Light days — mostly short clips — I'll use closer to 2. Heavy days with long dialog segments, a stalk, or a kill shot, I could push 3. At 2,130mAh per battery that's roughly 4,260–6,390mAh per day.

Total stored power: 49,600mAh across both power banks.

Days of camera power without any solar recharge:

• At 2 batteries/day: 49,600 ÷ 4,260 = ~11.6 days on stored power alone

• At 3 batteries/day: 49,600 ÷ 6,390 = ~7.8 days on stored power alone

That gap is exactly why the solar matters. Even on the heaviest shooting days, the SunJack panel running through Alaska's 16+ hours of May daylight will meaningfully recharge the power bank. At a conservative real-world output of 30–40% efficiency — accounting for clouds, panel angle, and Alaska's moody weather — I'm pulling 18–24W average across a full day. That translates to roughly a partial recharge of the SunJack bank daily, extending my effective range well past the 15-day mark even on heavy shooting days.

Bottom line: Stored power alone covers light days for the entire trip. Solar covers the heavy days. Together it's a system with serious margin built in.

A Note on Cold Weather

Alaska in May means cold mornings. Lithium-ion batteries lose capacity in cold temps — typically 10–20% reduction below 32°F (0°C). The SunJack panel is rated to operate down to -4°F (-20°C), so the panel itself is fine. The power banks and camera batteries are a different story.

My plan: sleep with the power banks and camera batteries in my sleeping bag. Body heat keeps them warm overnight, so they start the day at full capacity. It sounds simple because it is — but it's one of those things that makes a real difference in the field.

What About Other Camera Systems?

I only shoot Canon, so I can speak to the LP-E6 line from personal experience. But a lot of hunters and outdoor filmmakers are running Sony, Nikon, or RED. Here's a quick reference so you can run the same math for your system.

Canon RF Line

Canon's RF lineup actually splits across two different battery systems depending on the body, so make sure you know which one you have.

LP-E6P / LP-E6NH — Full Frame Pro Bodies Cameras: R5 II, R5, R6, R6 II, R6 III, R7, R3 Capacity: 2,130mAh / 7.2V / 16Wh Notes: The LP-E6P and LP-E6NH are the same physical size and both charge via the standard LC-E6 charger. The LP-E6P is the recommended battery for the R5 II and R6 III — it unlocks the full feature set including 8K video and higher continuous shooting speeds. The LP-E6 family supports USB-C in-camera charging on compatible bodies.

Charging with the Neewer NW-P4 45W 4-Channel Charger + SunJack 100W Power Bank: The Neewer NW-P4 is a 4-slot PD 45W charger — plug it into your power bank via USB-C and it charges all 4 LP-E6P batteries simultaneously. One important note: it requires a minimum 45W PD input to operate and won't work with a 20W charger or below. The SunJack 100W power bank via USB-C handles this easily.

Here's how the numbers break down:

• 45W total ÷ 4 slots = ~11.25W per battery slot

• Each LP-E6P (16Wh) ÷ 11.25W = ~1 hour 25 minutes per battery

• Neewer's own spec confirms: all 4 batteries fully charged in ~3 hours using a 45W PD source

• Each 4-battery cycle draws ~45Wh from the power bank

• SunJack bank (~92Wh usable) ÷ 45Wh = ~2 full 4-battery cycles per bank — enough to charge all 6 batteries with power to spare

• To charge all 6: run 4 first (~3 hrs), swap in the remaining 2 (~1.5 hrs) = ~4.5 hours total, drawing ~67Wh — well within one SunJack bank

In practice: start the charger in the morning with the panel in the sun, and all 6 batteries are fully cycled before lunch. Buy direct: Canon LP-E6P | Neewer NW-P4 Charger

LP-E17 — Entry and Mid-Range RF Bodies Cameras: R8, R10, R50, R100, RP Capacity: 1,040mAh / 7.2V Notes: This is a significantly smaller battery than the LP-E6 line — roughly half the capacity. Let's put real numbers to that. If you're running an R8 on a 15-day hunt at 2 batteries per day, that's 30 batteries worth of charge you need — 30 × 1,040mAh = 31,200mAh total draw. At 3 batteries per day on heavy shooting days: 45 × 1,040mAh = 46,800mAh. With my same 49,600mAh power bank setup, you'd cover a light trip on stored power alone but the heavy days push you right to the edge — solar becomes essential, not optional. Bottom line: if you're running LP-E17 on a long hunt, bring more batteries and don't underestimate your draw. Canon rates the R8 at around 220 shots per charge under CIPA testing — in video-heavy hunting scenarios that number drops fast. The R8 does support in-camera USB-C charging via Canon's PD-E1 adapter when powered off, which helps. Buy direct: Canon LP-E17

Canon C80 (Cinema Line) Batteries: BP-A30N (standard) or BP-A60N (high capacity) Capacity: BP-A30N = 3,200mAh / 46Wh · BP-A60N = 6,400mAh / 93Wh Runtime: BP-A30N gets approximately 170 minutes (2 hours 50 minutes) shooting 4K XF-AVC H.264. The BP-A60N is double the capacity at 93Wh, so roughly 340 minutes (5 hours 40 minutes) — nearly 6 hours on a single charge. That's a serious battery for a serious camera.

The field charging problem: This is where the C80 gets complicated for remote work. The BP-A series runs at 14.4V, which means it needs Canon's AC charger (CG-A10 or CG-A20) or a DC-powered third-party charger — you cannot charge it via USB from a power bank directly. But there is a DC option worth knowing about.

The Wasabi Power Dual Charger for BP-A30/A60 accepts a DC 12-24V input, which means you can run it off a car adapter or a power bank with a DC output port. Pair it with a USB-C to DC cable from your 100W power bank and you have a viable field charging solution — with some caveats on charge time.

At 12V DC input the charger draws roughly 3A, giving you about 36W of effective charging power. Here's how the math shakes out against the 25,600mAh SunJack power bank:

• BP-A30N (46Wh): ~1.5 hours per charge

• BP-A60N (93Wh): ~2.5 to 3 hours per charge

The SunJack power bank holds roughly 92Wh of usable energy, meaning you can realistically pull one full BP-A60N charge or two BP-A30N charges from a fully topped SunJack bank before it needs solar recharging. If you're running the C80 regularly, the solar panel becomes essential and you'll want the power bank charging during daylight every chance you get.

One caveat: the Wasabi charger is listed for the older BP-A30 and BP-A60 — the "N" series is new enough that compatibility isn't guaranteed out of the box. Verify before your trip. Buy direct: Canon C80 | Canon BP-A60N

Sony Alpha Series (Past 5 Years)

Cameras: A7 III, A7 IV, A7R III, A7R IV, A7R V, A7S III, A7C, A7C II, A1, A9 III, FX3, FX30 Battery: NP-FZ100 Capacity: 2,280mAh / 7.2V Notes: Sony's NP-FZ100 is one of the most versatile batteries in the mirrorless world — it covers nearly their entire Alpha lineup from the last 5+ years. Charges via USB-C directly in-camera on most recent bodies, which is a huge field advantage. You can top off directly from a power bank without a separate charger. One thing to watch: recent Sony firmware updates have caused some third-party batteries to lose battery percentage readout. Stick with genuine Sony or verified compatible brands. Buy direct: Sony NP-FZ100

Sony FX6 (Cinema Line) Battery: BP-U series (BP-U35, BP-U60, BP-U70) Capacity: BP-U35 = ~35Wh / BP-U60 = ~56Wh / BP-U70 = ~65Wh Notes: The FX6 uses Sony's professional BP-U battery ecosystem, which is a completely different system from the NP-FZ100. These are larger, longer-lasting batteries designed for cinema workflows. The BP-U35 gets roughly 105 minutes of runtime; the BP-U60 nearly doubles that. For a 15-day hunt, I'd bring at least 4 BP-U60s and let solar keep them topped. Does not charge via USB — you need Sony's BC-U1 or BC-U2 charger, or a third-party charger with a DC input from your power bank. Buy direct: Sony BP-U Series

Nikon Z Series

Cameras: Z5, Z5 II, Z6, Z6 II, Z6 III, Z7, Z7 II, Z8, Zf Battery: EN-EL15C Capacity: 2,280mAh / 7.0V Notes: Nikon's EN-EL15C covers the majority of their Z-series mirrorless lineup. It supports USB-C in-camera charging on most current bodies (Z8, Z6 III, Zf), which means you can charge directly from a power bank without a separate charger — same field advantage as Sony. Important caveat: the Z8 and Z6 III have stricter battery compatibility standards and some third-party batteries have caused issues. Stick with genuine Nikon EN-EL15C for these bodies.

Nikon Z9 Battery: EN-EL18d Capacity: 3,300mAh / 10.8V Notes: The Z9 uses a completely different and significantly larger battery than the rest of the Z lineup. It's a flagship professional body with a flagship battery to match — runtime is exceptional. Charges via USB in-camera when powered off. If you're running a Z9 on a hunt, you're in great shape — fewer battery swaps, longer days. Buy direct: Nikon EN-EL15C | Nikon EN-EL18d

RED Cameras

RED's battery ecosystem is more complex than mirrorless systems and depends heavily on which body you're running.

RED KOMODO / KOMODO-X Battery: REDVOLT BP (6,300mAh) for KOMODO; REDVOLT MICRO-V or NANO-V (V-Lock) for KOMODO-X Notes: The KOMODO uses a BP-style battery that mounts directly to the back of the camera and can be hot-swapped. The 6,300mAh capacity is substantial — significantly more than any mirrorless battery. The KOMODO-X uses a Micro V-Lock system. Both can be charged in-camera when powered off via DC-IN. For field work, pair with a V-mount to USB-C adapter plate to charge off a power bank, or bring a dedicated 14V charger.

RED V-RAPTOR / V-RAPTOR XL Battery: REDVOLT MICRO-V (98Wh) for V-RAPTOR; High Voltage V-Lock (24-28V) for V-RAPTOR XL Notes: The V-RAPTOR uses the compact REDVOLT MICRO-V battery, co-developed with CoreSWX. The V-RAPTOR XL requires high voltage batteries — standard 14V V-Lock batteries will work but with limited power draw. For hunting or remote field work, the MICRO-V is your best option on the V-RAPTOR. Charging in the field requires a 14V charger — a standard USB power bank won't cut it directly. You'll need a power bank that outputs DC or a DC-DC converter. Buy direct: RED REDVOLT Batteries

My System at a Glance

Item Capacity Role SunJack 60W Solar Panel 60W output Daily recharge SunJack 25,600mAh Power Bank 25,600mAh Primary storage Anker 24,000mAh Power Bank 24,000mAh Backup / overflow Canon LP-E6P × 6 12,780mAh total Camera batteries Total stored power 49,600mAh 7.8–11.6 days without solar‍ ‍

The Verdict — Before the Hunt

On paper, this system is more than capable. The two power banks alone nearly cover a 15-day hunt in a worst-case scenario. The solar panel turns it into an indefinite setup as long as there's some daylight — which in Alaska in May, there's plenty of.

What I don't know yet: how the SunJack performs under real Alaska Peninsula conditions. Cloud cover, rain, wind — the peninsula is notorious for all of it. I also don't know how the cold mornings will actually affect my batteries day to day, even sleeping with them.

I'll find out in May. I'll be back with a full after-hunt breakdown — what worked, what didn't, and what I'd change before going back.

If you're heading into the field for a multi-day hunt and want to talk through your specific camera setup, reach out at travelwestproductions.com.

Brian is a freelance outdoor filmmaker and Creative Director based out of a van, currently somewhere between nowhere and the next horizon. Follow along at travelwestproductions.com.