Wait, what? New Nikon and Olympus cameras don't come with usual chargers

Wait, what? New Nikon and Olympus cameras don't come with power adaptors

Nikon and Olympus have stopped supplying the usual power adapters with their latest cameras, in a move sure to frustrate those used to charging their kit in a familiar way. 

Both the Nikon Z7 II and the Nikon Z7 will now come without the Nikon EH-7P charger that had previously been included with the cameras, while the new Olympus PEN E-P7 comes without the Olympus BCS‑5 battery charger that had been supplied with previous PEN bodies. 

• Read more: Best mirrorless camera

All three cameras still come with a means of charging them up, of course; the Nikons continue being bundled with the Nikon Battery Charger MH-25a, enabling you to charge a battery directly from a power outlet, while the Olympus still comes with the Olympus F‑5AC with which to charge the battery in-camera via USB. 

However, in the case of the Z7s you no longer have the included option to charge your battery in-camera – and it's the opposite for the PEN, where you no longer have the option to charge the battery on its own. 

In the case of Nikon, the reason is due to the global shortage of semiconductors making it difficult to procure parts. 

"With regard to the 'main unit charging AC adapter EH-7P' (hereinafter 'EH-7P') that was included as an accessory to the 'Nikon Z7 II' and 'Nikon Z7', we are now supplying semiconductors worldwide," stated the manufacturer (as spotted by Digital Camera Watch). 

"Due to the influence of the problem, it is difficult to procure some electronic parts, so the 'Z7 II' and 'Z7' that previously came with the 'EH-7P' will be bundled sequentially from Thursday, July 1st. We have decided to end."

With Apple famously deciding to stop supplying chargers for new iPhones, is it only a matter of time before all camera manufacturers follow suit, and simply give us a USB lead to charge our gear? 

Read more:

Nikon Z7 II review
Nikon Z7 review
Olympus PEN E-P7 review
Exposure histograms on a Nikon

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

James Artaius
Editor

The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-Photo: The Nikon MagazineDigital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.