Vital to all digital cameras, and required for many film cameras — and for many accessories.
37
votes
19answers
14k views
Should I buy an original manufacturer battery, or is a generic brand OK?
I need another LP-E5 type battery for my Canon 450D. Should I buy an original Canon battery or one of the many generic brands available? There are loads of cheapos on eBay, for example.
I should add ...
29
votes
10answers
897 views
What attributes should I look for when buying batteries for a flash?
I want to buy some more rechargable batteries (AAs) for my flashes.
I suppose I mainly care about:
- Quick recycling of the flash
- Hold their charge when not in use
Although bonuses for:
- Long ...
22
votes
8answers
3k views
Can I leave the batteries in my camera?
I recently bought a Canon 1000d DSLR. I'm just an amateur and don't use my camera daily. I use it once or twice a week. Is it okay if I leave the batteries in the camera during this idle time?
14
votes
6answers
2k views
When should one turn off their DSLR?
I spent a good hour today moseying after some azure-winged magpies. We had a nice waltz across a parkland, they rarely letting me get close enough to even contemplate a shot. As such, I spent long ...
14
votes
0answers
851 views
Which AA rechargeable batteries work best for Nikon SB-600 speedlight?
I am interested what is your experience with this speedlight with regards to the type of batteries you use.
Can you recommend the batteries providing shortest recycle time and max number of flashes?
12
votes
5answers
931 views
Are there rechargeable batteries which don't discharge when idle?
This is kind of a peripheral question — not exactly about photography, but about the batteries for my camera, which uses AA batteries.
I have tried every known brand (to me) of rechargeable ...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
Will leaving my battery charger plugged in (without battery) harm the charger?
I find it convenient to just leave the charger sitting on my desk, still plugged into the wall, so that I can just pop the battery in when I need it, but I wonder if this is bad for the charger in the ...
12
votes
3answers
205 views
How can I tell when it's time to replace (not just change) my rechargeable batteries?
My camera uses AAA batteries, and I have a few sets of NiMH AAAs. I know that these are only good for a certain number of charge cycles, but how can I tell when it's time to replace them?
I've been ...
11
votes
3answers
658 views
Does a flash work well with regular alkaline batteries?
In doing research prior to purchasing my first flash for my DSLR system I have come across a wealth of information, including this post that outlined many great points in selecting the best ...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
How important is it to completely discharge my camera battery and how often should I do it?
I am not really up-to-date regarding how today's batteries should be discharged/charged to keep their life at a maximum possible level.
I have a canon 60D camera with the LP-E6 battery, but I believe ...
11
votes
4answers
279 views
Solar charging systems for camera gear
Does anyone know of any solar-powered systems with enough output to charge the average DSLR battery?
I'm considering going to somewhere rather remote and might be away from mains electricity (or ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views
What are the problems with using generic LP-E6 batteries with a 5D/7D (if any)?
I've got a 7D with the LP-E6 battery that came with it, but would like to get some spares (along with a battery grip)
With my previous camera (450D) I used generic batteries (and generic grip) and ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Does a camera tethered draw power over USB?
I plan to use my Canon 50D in a studio, tethered to a PC.
It would be great if it drew the power it needed from the USB bus rather than from the battery, so I wouldn't need to worry about changing ...
9
votes
2answers
373 views
Recommendations for off-brand battery grips for DSLRs
The Nikon- and Canon-branded battery grips are insanely expensive. What alternatives are out there, and where is the best place to buy them?
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Do “body only” DSLR cameras come with a battery?
I am a novice on photography and planning to gift a DSLR camera to someone -
Do the cameras - that claim body only products - have battery included with them?.
Can anyone confirm if below product on ...
6
votes
3answers
416 views
Why does my external flash use Ni-Cd and Ni-Mh batteries so quickly?
I've recently purchased a Canon 430EX II to use with my 550D and it's great but I'm having battery issues.
I've been trying to use 2× 800mAh Ni-Cd and 2× 2500 mAh Ni-Mh (all rechargeables, the 800mAh ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it necessary to fully drain Ni-MH batteries before recharging them?
Is it really necessary to fully drain the Ni-MH batteries before recharging them?
As a rule, I always want my speedlite batteries to be fully charged. At the end of each day when I use my flashgun, I ...
6
votes
2answers
558 views
Err 80 appears when I turn on my Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Recently when on holiday in Italy my 5DII stopped powering up. Turn the switch on and - nada. Pulling the battery and popping it back in brings the camera to life, however as soon as the camera goes ...
6
votes
2answers
942 views
Why is my new aftermarket battery grip draining power from batteries?
After reading many reviews I decided to purchase the Zeikos grip but B&H discontinued it so I decided to go with the new Vello grip instead.
I think I might have made a mistake. The grip seems ...
6
votes
1answer
334 views
Panasonic G2 rejects Lenmar battery: what should I do?
Lenmar is, to the best of my knowledge, a reputable manufacturer of aftermarket batteries.
I bought a DLPBLB13 battery as a 2nd battery for my Panasonic G2, charged it up, put it in my camera, ...
5
votes
1answer
347 views
Can I replace an 1100 mAh battery with a 1500mAh one?
I've got a Canon EOS camera that takes a BP-511 battery. The specs on the battery are 7.4V and 1100mAh. The battery is dead and I want to buy a replacement, but I'm looking at a third party battery, ...
5
votes
4answers
450 views
High-end compact camera with swivel screen and running on AA batteries
I'm looking for a new compact camera that:
has a swivel screen
is small enough to be mountable on a small tripod and,
runs on AA batteries.
good flexibility
Requirement (3) stems from the fact ...
5
votes
1answer
166 views
Do full frame camera require more power than a crop sensor camera?
I had a Canon 60D and used to get around 800 to 1000 shots on full battery charge. I've now traded my 60D to a 5D Mark II and it looks like it requires a lot more power.
Is this normal for a full ...
5
votes
2answers
517 views
What batteries are best suited to Battery grips?
I have a Battery grip that will add an extra 1fps when used with AA batteries instead of the standard Nikon camera battery. This takes 8 bateries at once
I currently use AA Energizer rechargable ...
5
votes
1answer
242 views
Will a Canon dSLR retain settings if the battery is removed for an extended period of time?
If I remove the rechargeable BP battery from my Canon EOS 50D for an extended period of time, will the internal lithium battery preserve all of my settings (including custom functions, date/time, ...
4
votes
5answers
389 views
What do camera experts do for cameras that take too much battery power?
Some camera models have very short battery span — meaning that a new battery for a particular camera model has a short life span, as it can take fewer shots per charge.
What would camera experts out ...
4
votes
3answers
243 views
Is “Active D-Lighting, NR” a necessary evil?
Are the settings "Active D-Lighting, NR" in Nikon DSLR necessary evil or should this be turned off (managed through image editor)? What is the effect of this setting on processing time and battery ...
4
votes
1answer
405 views
Canon AV-1 battery information
Does anyone know if the Canon AV-1 works without a battery, by works I mean the shutter release, I know the metering system wouldn't work without it.
4
votes
2answers
476 views
Are batteries for the Canon XXXD Rebel series interchangeable?
A friend from online recently found out he has an extra batter for an 400D XTi that he can no longer use(he sold the camera). I have a 450D XSi and I was wondering if I could use this battery. I don't ...
4
votes
1answer
190 views
What is the trade-off with Energizer-brand compatible battery packs?
The difference in price between the Canon LP-E4 battery back and the equivalent model from Energizer is significant. What, if any, are the main disadvantages to purchasing the cheaper model as opposed ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
What aftermarket batteries for Fujifilm FinePix X100?
I want to get a spare battery for my Fujifilm FinePix X100. It takes the Fuji NP-95 rechargeable battery. These are very hard to find; aftermarket brands are much more common. I'm hesitant to put an ...
4
votes
1answer
145 views
Can a bad lens contact cause false battery warnings?
I had a major problem with my Nikon D80 lately, in that after taking 1-2 pictures or just leaving it on for around half a minute, it would give me a battery warning before turning itself off. This ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
How can I fix a “Cannot communicate with battery” error on Canon 7D?
If I see the "cannot communicate with battery" error message on a Canon 7D, is there any way to fix it without sending it back to Canon?
4
votes
1answer
370 views
Uses for a dead/dying lithium-ion battery?
My DSLR, like most, uses a proprietary lithium-ion battery pack. I've got four batteries that have been used quite a lot. Only two of them can be reliably charged and used for any significant length ...
4
votes
1answer
356 views
More powerful battery for on camera flash on Canon 5dMkII
I don't shoot weddings or enough events a year to warrant forking out the money for a full Quantum flash/battery yet.
I am trying to decide if I should either go ahead and get the Quantum battery ...
4
votes
2answers
681 views
Do I have to use an official “Panasonic” spare battery in the Lumix TZ10?
Some companies claim to offer cheap batteries that work with this camera however I read on the description for the Panasonic battery:
Panasonic DMW-BCG10E ID Secured
Battery for TZ7 and ...
3
votes
5answers
3k views
Is there an alternative to AA cells for the Fujifilm HS20?
After getting into a choice between two super zooms, the Canon SX30IS or Fujifilm HS10 / HS20, I have chosen Fuji. However, it uses AA batteries. When on tour it's so painful if AA batteries go out or ...
3
votes
3answers
273 views
Does leaving the battery inside a inactive camera for a few days consume power?
Will the camera (point and shoot or DSLR) that is switch off still consume power from the battery that is not removed from the camera?
I saw on most camera manual will tell user to remove the battery ...
3
votes
3answers
761 views
What kind of batteries will provide the fastest recharge/recycle time for a flash unit like the 430EX II?
I have gotten deep into bird photography this year, and have put a lot of time and effort into learning the tricks of the trade. My latest endeavors are into bird/bif flash photography. I own a Canon ...
3
votes
3answers
135 views
Are there any ways to combat “sluggish battery syndrome”?
For anyone who has done any extensive photography in very cold weather (weather below freezing), I'm sure they have encountered "sluggish battery syndrome". This is where the camera battery, when it ...
3
votes
2answers
144 views
How to care for digital camera batteries to prolong its life?
I wonder how can one prolong the life of a digital camera battery. Some times I would go about 2~3 months without using my camera. When I try to pick up the camera again, I found battery no longer has ...
3
votes
2answers
160 views
Canon DSLR USB Chargers?
I'm wondering if there are any USB chargers available for canon DSLRs. I often head out for extended periods of time without electricity with my camera gear which always makes me nervous about when ...
3
votes
1answer
300 views
Is it better to charge my camera battery before first use?
I'm waiting for my Panasonic GH3 to arrive from B&H. When it does, is it better to charge up the battery first before using?
2
votes
3answers
156 views
Looking for a recommendation for a ultra compact/compact with zoom
that runs on either AAA or AA batteries!
I need something for a somewhat longer trip to an area in which electricity is not so readily available. I was looking at Panasonic's FS, FX and TZ series ...
2
votes
2answers
476 views
What alternative battery can I use for a Canon AV-1 film camera?
I got hold of an old Canon AV-1 film camera I want to learn how to use. But looking for a battery for it, a 4LR44, is quite hard. It must probably be because people are using dSLRs with rechargeable ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
How to choose rechargeable batteries for my Nikon superzoom camera?
I have a Nikon Coolpix L120 and looking for rechargeable batteries. The Nikon brand batteries have received only mediocre reviews.
What is important when looking for rechargeable batteries to ensure ...
2
votes
1answer
3k views
What battery do I need for a 35mm film Canon Rebel?
I have a Canon EOS Rebel 35mm film camera for my photography class and I need a battery, it didn't come with one. What battery do I need to buy?
2
votes
3answers
721 views
Does a faster speed & bigger size SD card drain battery much faster?
May I know if a Class 10 SD card can drain a camera battery much faster than a Class 4 SD card? (or is it the other way round?)
Also, will the size of the SD card affect the camera battery? (e.g. A ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
Does using multiple batteries (via grip) improve AF speed?
I want to say I read somewhere that, particularly with heavier lenses (such as the 70-200 F/2.8), having two batteries in the portrait grip would provide extra juice to the AF motor and help it ...
2
votes
2answers
81 views
How do I tell when the battery in a Konica Pop is running out?
I bought a cheap toy camera to do lomography, the konica pop. I am trying it out now with an expired fp4 film to see what I get. I am curious though as to how I will know when the battery has run out. ...
