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LLANO CM4 EN-EL15 4-port charger Overview

Here is a detailed look at the LLANO 4-port battery charger that has reverse charging which is a pretty unique feature. Keep in mind that LLANO sent me this charger to try out at no cost. However, they have no say in the content of the video or this article, and they were not allowed to preview it before publication.



The LLANO 4-port EN-EL15 Nikon type battery charger is a device with quite a lot going on. It features reverse charging capabilities, a touchscreen interface, and a magnetic lid with storage for SD and Micro SD memory cards.

The charger.

Design and Exterior Features

This is a four-port charger designed with a metal exterior, which gives it a solid feel. On the front, there is a touchscreen interface. You basically tap the little fingerprint icon to wake it up and view the charging statistics. 

The front display panel showing charging status indicators. Sorry, it's difficult to see in bright lighting.

The display features two distinct icons. The top icon indicates input functionality, showing you when power is going into the device. The bottom icon represents output; it shows a battery symbol when the device is using the inserted batteries to power external devices. Each battery inserted into the device has a percent charge indicator.

On the bottom of the device, there are ventilation openings. It is important to keep these free from obstruction when charging batteries to manage heat.

The underside of the charger features ventilation slots for cooling.

One of the more interesting design choices is the magnetic cap. Obviously, you do not want to use this cap while you are actively charging batteries, but it is nice and simple to use for transport. The inside of the cap features molded spots for SD and Micro SD cards.

The interior of the magnetic cap has storage slots for SD and Micro SD memory cards.

This is a useful addition if you are going to an event. You can bring this charger loaded with batteries and a few extra memory cards just in case.


Ports and Power Specifications

The device is equipped with two different USB-C ports labeled C1 and C2. They can be used as inputs, or one of them can be used as an output.

A close-up view of the two USB-C ports, labeled IN (C1) and OUT (C2).

Input 1, C1: This port supports up to 20V at 3.25 amps with a Power Delivery (PD) charger capable of that output. In this mode you can achieve 1.5 amps per battery.

Input 2, C2: This port has a lower rating of 2 amps maximum at 5 volts. When using this lower-rated input, the charging speed drops to 1 amp, 0.5 amps, 0.4 amps, or 0.3 amps multiplied by four, depending on how many batteries you have in the device.

Output: The device can output 3 amps maximum at 5 volts. This output draws power directly from the inserted batteries, effectively turning the charger into a power bank.

To get the most functionality out of this device for charging batteries, you will want a high-quality USB charge. Specifically, you need something PD rated for 65 watts or higher.

USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) is a fast-charging technology based on the USB-C standard. Unlike standard USB chargers that supply a fixed amount of power (often 5V), PD chargers can negotiate with the connected device to deliver higher voltage and current levels (such as 9V, 15V, or 20V). This allows for significantly faster charging times for high-capacity devices like laptops, cameras, and drones, provided the cables and adapters used are also PD-compliant. Generated by Gemini Pro

LLANO states that the device fully charges all four batteries in about 2.5 hours when using 65 watts of Power Delivery. I was unable to test this specific claim as I did not have a charger of that wattage level available during testing.


Testing and Performance

I performed various tests to verify the device's flexibility. I attached a standard USB power bank to charge the batteries inside the device, and it worked just fine.

Charging the batteries inside the LLANO unit using an external USB power bank.

I also attached a 20-watt USB-C charger. With four batteries inside, they all appeared to be charging at the same time. Though with 20 watts of input there will be a clear limit compared to the maximum potential of the CM4. 

Thanks to the suggestion of a viewer, I checked the accuracy of the percentage indicator on the charger's touchscreen compared to what my camera displays. I placed a battery in the Nikon Z5 to check its internal reading. 

Comparing the battery life percentage shown on the Nikon Z5 camera screen.

The camera indicated 24% charge, while the charger indicated 22%. In another test with a different battery, the official battery read 58% in the camera, while the charger showed 59%. The readouts are pretty close and seem reliable enough for general use. 


Reverse Charging Functionality

The reverse charging feature is a highlight of this unit. I connected a phone to the charger, and it indicated that it was receiving power. I also attached a GoPro to the charger using the reverse charging mode. 

The charger powering a GoPro camera via the USB-C output port.

The charger successfully powered up the GoPro. 

I was able to charge both the generic LLANO batteries and official Nikon EN-EL15c batteries in this device without issues.


Summary

In summary, the LLANO 4-port charger seems to work as advertised. I tried various types of functionality, and sliding the batteries in was easy. Charging all four at the same time seemed to work okay, and the touchscreen is functional with its single virtual button. 

The magnetic cap placed back on the unit, keeping the battery slots dust-free.

Having the reverse charging is a really nice feature for emergency power in the field. The storage area for additional SD and micro SD cards is a nice little addition, and the magnetic cap is good for keeping the slots dust-free when the charger is in your bag or in storage. 

Check out the LLANO CM4 EN-EL15 4-port charger with reverse charging: 

This is an Amazon affiliate link, I earn from qualifying purchases! 

If you are interested in seeing more of the device, you can watch the initial unboxing live stream that I did before making the overview and this article. 


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