Digital photography has been a fantastic development, particularly for the amateur photographer. One of the biggest benefits of many digital cameras is that rather than using a special battery, typically only available from photography suppliers at great cost, your camera now comes with a rechargeable battery pack.
However, whilst it's easy enough to get your camera up and running again, there are ways to ensure your rechargeable camera battery not only keeps going for longer between charges, but also has a long life span.
Right from the start it is wisest to follow the instructions given. When you first charge up the battery, it is most important that you leave it on charge for the time specified. It's hard to be patient when you have a new gadget that you're longing to use. But sit tight and let it charge for the correct amount of time. This initial charge can act as a catalyst in switching on the battery's power - leave it for less and you could end up with a shorter battery life.
However, don't worry about the old 'battery memory' chestnut. It wasn't a myth, but it only applied to the old rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium (or Ni-Cad) batteries which suffered from crystal formation during charging and use. The crystals eventually block the battery from charging or discharging, but this is not an issue with the Lithium batteries that come as standard in cameras these days.
The old advice was to fully discharge your battery before charging, but that doesn't apply to the Lithium battery. In fact, charging little and often is a good idea. Unless you use your camera every day, you might not need to charge it that often, but it would be crazy to let it die mid-shot before you remember. Not only will you probably lose the shot you just took, but you'll also be stuck without a useable camera until you've given it a good 8 hours of charge at home.
Remember that shooting video uses up more power (and memory) than still photography, so if you're about to film a special event ensure your power is topped up and your memory is high.
If you find your camera frequently runs out of juice, you might want to tweak the settings. A simple change such as using power-save mode can be a big energy saver. Your LCD display uses a lot of power, so having a short shot-preview cuts power use, as does minimising the time you spend scrolling through shots or replaying videos. The settings to make these changes should be easy to find in your camera's menu, and if not, dig out the manual.
If you've got a duff battery - and it happens even with the best of brands - replacements can be bought online or in photography shops. There's no need to discard a good camera simply because the battery is not offering you maximum use. Many reputable photography suppliers can even offer you reliable compatible camera batteries at a fraction of the cost of the original item. These can be great use as a back up, although many people report getting longer use out of the compatibles than they did from the real thing!
Who knows what camera manufacturers are up to with that one - maybe they hope you'll upgrade your camera when the battery dies. Maybe they pour all their research money into the cameras themselves and neglect the power pack.
Whatever the case, there's no need to ditch your favourite camera just because you neglected to care for the battery, or the battery is letting you down. Just make sure you look after your new battery to get good value for your money.
You want to choose a camera that has a battery that is easy to find and cheap to buy. This is especially important before you buy any camera, whether it is for you or it is a gift.
What Kind Of Batteries Does The Camera Take?
You need to know what kind of camera batteries any camera takes. Does the camera take a brand-specific camera battery or does it take a general size of battery?
For example, a lot of traditional automatic cameras run on AA or AAA batteries. They only need that size. They don't need a specific brand.
These kinds also can be disposable or rechargeable. These batteries are also incredibly common and are sold just about everywhere.
How Easy Is It To Find More Batteries?
Even though your camera might not be brand specific, you still need to know how easy it will be to get replacement camera batteries. You might have to go to specific electronic stores if the camera battery size is rare, or unusual. If this doesn't bother you, then keep in mind whenever you go on a vacation, you need to bring spare camera batteries in case the stores where you are don't carry your camera's size.
How Expensive Are The Batteries?
Sometimes the camera battery costs more than a camera is worth. Keep in mind how often you are going to use this camera. The more you use your camera, the more you will have to change the battery.
You could opt for rechargeable batteries, but not all sizes of camera batteries will recharge. Most li-ion (lithium-ion) will, though.
If you don't use your camera all that much, then perhaps the camera battery cost will be a moot issue. One good trick to keep you up to date with your camera battery needs, without spending a penny, is to ask for them as a gift on your birthday or gift giving occasions.
Another Good Question To Ask: How Heavy Are the Batteries?
If you plan on doing a lot of travel or on location shooting, a heavy camera battery is a nuisance. You need as light a battery as possible. If you only plan on using the camera around your home or on special occasions and don't need to pack and unpack it, then you do not need to worry about how heavy the battery is.
How Long Can The Camera Go On One Set Of Batteries?
You never really seem to get an answer as to how long a camera lasts on one battery until you actually use it. For this reason, always see if you can get a warranty on your camera.
A lot of the battery's use depends on what camera functions you use and how often. Most batteries will tell you an estimated time of use, and try to find the maximum time for your buck.
I hope that I helped clear some of the confusion surrounding cameras and batteries. As you can see it is important to also consider the battery within the camera when you are purchasing a camera. If you don't pay attention you could end up with a battery that is very hard to find, is too expensive, or too heavy.
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Both Abbi M Rouse & Madison Greene are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Abbi M Rouse has sinced written about articles on various topics from Personal Desktop. When you need more information on camera batteries, visit http://www.7dayshop.com. We carry a massive range of kit for the amateur and professional photographer, including a. Abbi M Rouse's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Abbi M Rouse to your Favourites.
Madison Greene has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Environment and Disease & illness. Madison Greene's favorite hobby is photography. But, to her, there is nothing more annoying than when the batteries in her laptop or camera lose power and she can't find a store that carries them. Madison has made it easy to find. Madison Greene's top article generates over 110000 views. Bookmark Madison Greene to your Favourites.