Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger review - essential for power users?

Amateur Photographer verdict

For photographers and videographers who get through multiple batteries in a day, the Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger could be a godsend. It works reliably and charges two batteries in 3 hours.

Pros

Great Design
Useful digital Info display
Fast charging speeds for two batteries

Cons

No advantage over in-camera charging for a single battery
Alternative colour options would be good

With a conscious eye on the environment, most manufacturers aren’t including battery chargers with their cameras, instead relying on in-camera USB charging. This is a brilliant initiative for most photographers who can shoot hundreds of images on a single charge. Still, an external charger is a must for heavy users, particularly videographers who need multiple batteries each day. Coming to the rescue is the Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger.

Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger at a glance:

£139 charger and two batteries
£69.99 Charger Only
QC 3.0 and PD 3.0 compatible
Digital charge display
USB-C power input
SD Card storage slot
13 x 5 x 11 cm, 300g

This device enables 18W fast charging of two batteries, with versions currently available for the most popular Sony, Canon and Fujifilm cameras. It charges via an included USB-C cable and features a display showing the current status of each battery. A magnetic snap-close lid keeps batteries securely in place, and there is even a slot to store an SD card. The idea is that you keep your batteries securely in the case, and when you need it, just unplug the charger and put it in your camera bag.

The charger case can either be purchased separately or with a pair of Llano-branded batteries. I tested the NP-FZ100 version for the latest Sony cameras and found that the batteries’ performances matched my expectations of proprietary Sony batteries.

Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger key features:

LCD screen: Pressing the button on the front of the charger activates the charge display screen. Even when the charger isn’t plugged in, the screen can display the current charging percentage of inserted batteries. When charging, the display highlights green.
Included Batteries: The two Llano-branded FZ100 batteries have the same 7.2V output as Sony ones, but 120mAh greater capacity—2400mAh compared to 2280mAh. In practice, this should make little, if any, difference to the number of shots or video duration that can be captured.
SD Card Slot: A single SD card storage slot means you can always keep a spare card handy with your batteries.
USB-C input: The device accepts power from USB-C mains chargers or powerbanks.

Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger with batteries and SD card — The device can be used to store two batteries and an SD card. Credit: Richard Sibley

The device is compatible with the QC 3.0 (Quick Charge 3.0) and PD 3.0 (Power Delivery 3.0) specifications. This means you will need a USB-C mains charger or a battery pack with an output greater than 18W to get the maximum potential input of 9V at 2A. Both batteries are charged simultaneously, with an output of 8.4V at 1.5A when charging a single battery, or 8.4V at 1A to two batteries. I found that a single battery charged in around two hours. When both batteries were being charged simultaneously, together they took around 3 hours.

There are a few things to note about charging, which will be applicable for most contemporary cameras. The majority now have the same QC 3.0 and PD 3.0 capability for charging in-camera, so if you are charging a single battery, the Llano charger shouldn’t be any faster. However, it will be quicker than the USB adapter Sony supplies with its cameras, which only outputs at the standard USB 5A 1.5A.

Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger with batteries — The charger can be bought either on its own, or with a pair of Llano-branded batteries. Credit: Richard Sibley

Also, the charger only has + and – terminals. As a third-party charger, Llano can’t use the ‘C’ or communication terminal found on Sony batteries, which allows Sony cameras and chargers to receive data from the battery, such as power level and temperature. However, the Llano charger has ‘comprehensive protection measures, from heat optimisation to short circuit prevention’, which should protect the batteries.

I have been using the charger for a few weeks now, charging brand-new and older Sony FZ100 batteries and the included Llano-branded batteries. I have had no issues with charge times or battery life during this time. In fact, the charger has become one of my favourite accessories, with a regular place on my desk and in my camera bag. Overall, there really isn’t much to dislike about the Llano Fast Camera Charger.

Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger status button — Pressing a button on the front shows the batteries’ charge status. Credit: Richard Sibley

Camera / battery brand compatibility

Llano currently offers this dual battery charger in versions for Canon (LP-E6, LP-E17 and NB-13L), Fujifilm (NP-W126) and Sony (NP-FW50 and NP-FZ1000). It’s also recently released versions with a built-in 12,400mAh USB-C PD powerbank, allowing easy battery charging on the move with no need for an external power supply. These cost around £90-£100.

Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger : Our Verdict

From the large digital charge display to the soft finish of the exterior, the Llano Fast Dual Camera Battery Charger is a charger that you want to have out on show. It looks very different to the basic industrial designs of most battery chargers. With the ability to charge two batteries using QC 3.0 and PD 3.0 protocols, it is a great purchase for photographers and videographers who to eat through their batteries.