Camera Battery Operation in Paris

Have you checked the owners manual? For my stuff it's just the adapter for the plug, not a voltage converter, that's required. You can likely find the manual online if you don't have it; there may be a simpler way to know that someone will mention here.

Voltage in Europe is 220, compared to 110 in the USA. Your battery charger should list a range of acceptable voltage, usually in very small print on the appliance itself. If the range covers 110-220 or 240, then you only need a plug adaptor. See also http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/electric-adapters-converters.

patrick,

As previously mentioned, the voltage supplied at outlets in Paris (and elsewhere in Europe) is 220 VAC. You may or may not need a Voltage Converter, but you most certainly will need a Plug Adaptor.

You'll need to check the charger for your Camera, looking specificially for the words Input Voltage. If this states "Input 100-240 VAC, 50~60 Hz.", then all you will need is the two pin European Plug Adaptor (the model shown is for appliances without a ground pin, which is probably the case with your camera charger). I'd suggest packing at least two Plug Adaptors as they're small and easy to misplace.

My camera manual says that I can use my rapid charger where the voltage supply is in the range of 100v to 240v. This is my fifth trip to Europe and my second to Paris. I've only used this camera once before, in Ireland in 2007, and I didn't have any problems there.

Patrick,
But you did use a plug adapter in Ireland, right, when you used your rapid charger?
Same thing in France, except you'll need to buy a different kind of plug adapter for France, since their outlets are different than Ireland or here.

Thanks, Kent. I was assuming that the adapter I used in Ireland would work. If I didn't have the information you just provided, it would have been a disaster.

Glad to help.
You can order a French plug adapter at Rick's store, or buy it at a travel store.
I think it's, like, a $5 item.
Usually they sell them at airports, but I wouldn't wait until then.
And they're hard to find at stores at your Europe destinations (since the locals don't need them).

Easiest is to go to Amazon and browse the many varieties and permutations of plug adapters. I bought some 2 in 1s and 3 in 1s and was glad for all the outlets, you could also buy a small outlet strip.

Also good to have these things in your carryon for use at the airport and/or on trains. Many airlines now have outlets at your seat, they usually accept any type of plug.

Hi Patrick, the adapters are on sale on this site for $1 each -- http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=126&id=24.

Get two adapters (especially at a buck each) in case you leave one in an outlet somewhere, or want to recharge two devices.

patrick,

The Plug Adaptor I provided the link for in my first reply is the correct one for France.

Thanks for the link, Ken. The adapter shown only has two "plugs." Is that right - 2 for 2 in Paris?

Patrick

patrick,

The Plug Adaptor shown is the model for ungrounded appliances, and will fit most outlets in continental Europe. This model appears to have the smaller 3.8 mm pins rather than the larger 4.8 mm which are common in the Schuko models used in Germany, so should work in most places.

If any of the devices you'll be travelling with has a ground pin, a different Plug Adaptor is used. Based on the fact that you're only travelling with a Camera charger, the ungrounded model should be fine.

Ken and Donna,

The link to Rick Steves' store says that my camera needs to have a built-in volt converter (110v-220) or I have to buy a voltage converter. Is this true, that I have to purchase two items? Or is the plug converter enough?

Patrick

see your own answer from the 12th. You said that your charger does 100-240. You said that you used it in Ireland and had no problems. The electricity in France is the same as in Ireland. Only the shape of the plug is different.

You have previously been told that all you need is the right shape adapter, and where to get it. That's what you need. You do not need anything else.

patrick,

What Nigel said.

"My camera manual says that I can use my rapid charger where the voltage supply is in the range of 100v to 240v."

You can easily verify this by having a look at the nameplate label on your camera charger, which should be on the back or the bottom. Look for words Input Voltage. This should say something like "Input 100 -240 VAC, 50~60 Hz." If that's the case, all you'll need is the inexpensive Plug Adaptors mentioned in previous replies.

Unfortunately, the wording on the RS site is ambiguous in some ways, so it's great that you decided get some clarification here on the Forum. The term "built-in volt converter" perhaps isn't the best one to use, as people with a non-technical background may not know what that means.

Have a look at THIS website which has a photo towards the bottom of what a typical camera nameplate looks like.