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XTAR vs. Cityork vs. EBL: Rechargeable AA Battery Review for Trail Cameras
We tested XTAR's 1.5V lithium-ion battery head-to-head against Cityork and EBL NiMH batteries in a 3-week trail camera deployment — real capacity, voltage, and cold-weather results, plus answers to common Cityork and EBL battery questions.
In outdoor photography, alkaline batteries are still one of the most common power solutions. However, their high long-term cost and poor discharge performance in cold environments are hard to ignore.
Today, I’m going to introduce a true game-changer in the rechargeable battery field — the XTAR 1.5V AA CLR 4300 lithium battery.
To verify its real-world performance, I compared it against two popular NiMH batteries: Cityork 1.2V 3000mAh and EBL 1.2V 2800mAh.
Specifications
| Brand | XTAR | Cityork | EBL |
| Type | Lithium-ion | Ni- MH | Ni- MH |
| Nominal Voltage | 1.5V | 1.2V | 1.2V |
| Capacity | 2700mAh | 3000mAh | 2800mAh |
| Cycle Life | 1200+ | 500~800 | 500~800 |
| Recommended Applications | High-power devices | Low-current devices | Low-current devices |
Real-World Test
(1) Test Conditions
- Device: Trail camera with SIM card for image transmission that needs high power consumption.
- Environment: Outdoor environment with alternating daytime and nighttime shooting.
- Duration: 3 consecutive weeks of continuous use.
(2) Test Results
Power Recognition and Startup
- XTAR: The camera detected the batteries at 100% power, started quickly, and operated stably — identical to alkaline batteries.
- Cityork / EBL: Even when fully charged, the camera only recognized 60%-80% capacity.
Trail cameras typically estimate remaining power based on voltage thresholds. Since Ni-MH batteries operate around 1.2V, they are often misjudged as “low power” and shut down early. XTAR’s constant 1.5V output effectively prevents this issue, ensuring reliable operation.
Endurance and Energy Efficiency
After 3 weeks of continuous operation, the XTAR 1.5V lithium battery still displayed 100% battery level. The device operated normally and captured multiple videos without power loss or shutdown, unlike the Ni-MH batteries.
The XTAR lithium battery features higher energy density (2700mAh) and maintains stable output voltage, enabling devices to utilize energy more efficiently. In contrast, the voltage of Ni-MH batteries steadily declines during discharge, often causing premature shutdowns — meaning that even with higher rated capacity, their actual usable energy is lower.
To make the difference clearer, the figure below shows the discharge curves of four types of AA batteries.
From the chart we can see:
- XTAR AA CLR 4300: Maintains a nearly constant 1.5V output throughout most of the discharge process, dropping only near the end of capacity. This ensures stable device performance and prevents early shutdowns due to voltage sag.
- Alkaline battery: Starts at a higher voltage but drops rapidly as it discharges.
- Ni-MH battery: Starts lower (around 1.3V) and steadily declines, leading to “low battery” misreadings in voltage-sensitive devices.
Low-Temperature Performance
During night operations at around 0°C, the trail camera powered by XTAR batteries remained stable without disconnection or power loss.
Some independent reviewers have also tested the discharge performance of the XTAR 1.5V lithium battery in low-temperature environments and compared it with its performance at optimal operating temperatures.
- Red curve: 25°C discharge
- Blue curve: -15°C discharge
At -15°C, XTAR’s discharge capacity decreased from 2796mAh to 2279mAh, retaining over 80% of its performance — an excellent result for lithium batteries in cold environments. This strong low-temperature performance is attributed to XTAR’s built-in voltage regulation chip, which keeps a consistent 1.5V output and enables stable operation across a wide range of -20°C to 60°C.
For a full breakdown of how XTAR batteries perform across even more extreme winter conditions — including field tests down to -35°C — see our Winter Trail Camera Battery Guide.
FAQ
Is Cityork a good battery brand?
Cityork makes standard NiMH rechargeable batteries that are reasonably reliable for low-current devices like remote controls and toys. In our trail camera test, however, Cityork’s 1.2V nominal output was consistently misread by the camera’s voltage-based power gauge, showing only 60% capacity even when fully charged — a limitation of NiMH voltage in this specific application, not a sign of a defective or fraudulent product.
Does Cityork or EBL battery leak?
No leakage was observed during our test period. NiMH batteries as a chemistry are generally less prone to leakage than alkaline cells. The issue we found with both Cityork and EBL in trail cameras was voltage-related (inaccurate battery readings and earlier shutdowns), not a safety or leakage concern.
Is EBL a good brand for trail camera batteries?
Like Cityork, EBL produces solid NiMH batteries that work well in many household devices. In our side-by-side trail camera test, EBL showed the same 1.2V voltage limitation as Cityork — camera readouts of 80% capacity when fully charged, and voltage sag that led to earlier shutdowns compared to XTAR’s constant 1.5V lithium-ion output.
Are XTAR batteries good for trail cameras?
In this test and in independent field deployments, XTAR’s 1.5V lithium-ion batteries held 100% detected power at startup, maintained voltage through a 3-week continuous deployment, and retained over 80% capacity at -15°C. See our full real-world test database for results across additional camera models.
Conclusion
Based on the test results, the XTAR 1.5V AA CLR 4300 lithium battery is undoubtedly the ideal replacement for alkaline batteries in trail cameras, with its stable constant-voltage output, long runtime, and outstanding low-temperature performance.
By comparison, Cityork and EBL Ni-MH batteries are more suitable for low-power applications such as remote controls and toys, but struggle to provide reliable power for long-term outdoor monitoring devices.
If you’re looking for a rechargeable AA battery that combines performance, reliability, and long-term value, XTAR is the clear winner. For a complete comparison of all battery chemistries available for trail cameras, see our buying guide: Best Batteries for Trail Cameras.
