where there’s smoke there’s forum fire
I was messing around with my D300s menus when I saw something shocking. Under the battery info menu, it indicated that I had 7% battery left and had taken 2282 shots! Isn't the average supposed to be around 1k? I got real lucky this time I guess :^)
So how many shots do you guys usually get off a charge? Oh, and what are your charging habits? I like to deplete the battery and charge it from there. I have a spare, so with 2k+ images off a charge it doesn't cause any problem at all :^)
On my D300, I think I averaged around 900-1000. On my D90, probably only half that. I don't know if that's because I like to play around with the video a bit or it's just not as efficient as the D300 was.
I do what you do as far as charging goes.
Hmmm. I've heard from a lot of people that it's not good to deplete the battery all the way. Is that true?
Generally it's true, it tends to reduce the lifetime of the battery. I don't think it's as big a deal as many people seem to make it, though. Especially if you alternate between batteries, they really should last the lifetime of the camera. I'd just use it the way you want to.
I thought Li ion batteries don't have that problem, but that it's not good to keep them fully charged in a hot environment. I may be remembering wrong, though.
It is best to store lithium ion batteries fully charged. Over extended periods, the internal voltage can deplete itself below the minimum voltage (each battery has its own) and may not recharge. If you are going to store a battery for a long period (several months) it is best to fully charge it, and put them in the refridgerator. Lithium ion does not like heat.
That's good then. I always keep my batteries charged while they're waiting for their turn in the camera.
pabnj said:
It is best to store lithium ion batteries fully charged. Over extended periods, the internal voltage can deplete itself below the minimum voltage (each battery has its own) and may not recharge. If you are going to store a battery for a long period (several months) it is best to fully charge it, and put them in the refridgerator. Lithium ion does not like heat.
It's good if you're trying to avoid that point of no return, but fully charged Li ion batteries irreversibly lose some of their capacity, and the hotter their environment, the faster the loss. But that doesn't mean I'll change my ways. Knowing I've always got a full battery is worth having to replace them a bit earlier.
I'm still using the original batteries from my cameras from 2002! When I first use them I fully charge them before 1st time use. Then I let them drain completely and then recharge reuse but I don't let them fully discharge. Before a big shoot I top them off and I've never had any problems.
Oh and I don't just toss them around in my pocket or camera bag. I always treat them carefully and never leave them in hot temps.
You treat you're batteries with so much respect! Whenever I do a quick change I just toss the old battery into the mess of my bag, contacts UNcovered!
Well there you go. So it doesn't matter how you charge 'em if you treat them like that!
Another tip is that I have several batteries and have each marked with colored stickers. That way I know that the red battery is fully charged but the blue one is the one I just used and need to recharge.
That's too complicated! I just cross my fingers and pray I remembered to charm them :^)
I mean if I put a green sticker on one battery and a red on another then I would keep the red on the charger forever and the green in camera! If they were other colors I'd completely ignore it and use my current method. Nikon ought to put battery-level-indication lights in the EN-EL4a's.
NikoDoby said:
Well there you go. So it doesn't matter how you charge 'em if you treat them like that!Another tip is that I have several batteries and have each marked with colored stickers. That way I know that the red battery is fully charged but the blue one is the one I just used and need to recharge.
I put dots in the little plastic cover that line up with the contacts on the battery. When I take out a battery that's drained, I put the cover on it backwards, which let's me know it needs charging. Then I charge it and flip the cover around to the right way when it's charged.
jonnyapple said:
I put dots in the little plastic cover that line up with the contacts on the battery. When I take out a battery that's drained, I put the cover on it backwards, which let's me know it needs charging. Then I charge ut and flip the cover around to the right way when it's charged.
TIME CONSUMING! How can you guys have time for this? Whenever I change something—camera, lens, flash, card, battery, whatever I just toss the old one in the biggest compartment of my bag (easiest to aim at if my bag's a distance from me ;^) ) without fiddling with any caps, bags, or contact covers. I don't ever want to miss the next shot!
That's why I use the stickers! It's faster then inserting the battery to figuring out if it's fully charged or not. And I'm talking about multiple batteries not just two.
I understand perfectly! I carry like four batteries with me at a time anyway. It's easy for me to tell what's charged and what's not—if it has a cover on it and has neatly been placed in my battery pocket, then it must be charged. If it uncovered and at the bottom of my bag next to my uncapped 18-70mm, then it has definitely been depleted. You see, my system works too!
Never checked to see how much shots I can get out of a single new EL3e but I'm sure it will be less than most others with same camera body since mine has a bluetooth receiver module plugged in for my GPS which takes some power away.
Mind you I mostly run my D300 or D700 with high capacity NiMH or another EL3e via the MB-10 Grip so the extra drain is not an issue.
One thing I know for sure is that LiveView, which I often use via PC remote control, sucks power like crazy.
For recharging LiIo it is said that fully discharging them prior recharging puts more wear on them than to partially discharge and therefor charge more frequently.
Also long term storage is supposed to be at 40% charge (new batteries are usually received at that charge state) and cool for lower discharge rate (fridge is good, freezers might be too cold and cause damage)
I easily get more than 1000 shots from one battery. I usually exceed that when they're 3/4 empty. Then I swap with my spare one. I don't use the internal flash unit though, and keep the use of the screen to a minimum. However, my VR is always ON, and I'm always on Continuous AF.
Don't leave the battery charge go to zero. Should it go below that, the polarities will be reversed, and that would be the very end of its life.
lol on mY d200 I'm lucky to get 350 in RAW!! I usually have 2 with me for an event, can sometimes get about 700-800 shots. . .no flash use either. . .
On my D300, I have gotten 1500 to 2000 shots before in both RAW and JPG. Generally, slightly higher in jpg. It also seems to depend on what lens I'm using. The 70-200 usually yields slightly fewer shots than my 300F4 despite having to use the motor to focus the 300. I guess the VR on the 70-200 sucks up more battery.
On the D90, I think it's around 1000. I generally use the 70-200, the 35mm1.8 or the 12-24 on that camera. I tend to use the D90 for shorter periods of time than I use the D300 and at this time of year, not even as often.
On my D40, I get around 2,000 to 3,000 shots.
Maybe I'm being optimistic here, but I honestly don't remember the last time I charged my D40. Then again, the last time I used it was almost 4-5 months ago. And I don't have VR lenses, so it might make sense.
Hey guys, Here is a helpfull guide I found on Ion batteries. It may help those of you that just throw them in the Bag. It does make a difference.
Lithium-ion battery packs are a videographer’s dream. Extended run times mean fewer battery changes and Lithium-ion batteries are lightweight so shooters aren’t overly burdened, even if they carry a spare. But these features come at a price. Lithium-ion batteries have their own shortcomings and operating requirements. Here’s how to treat them right:
Avoid heat. Storage anywhere where the temps get above 120 degrees is very bad. Direct sunlight, closed cars, and tropical climates are all hostile environments that can lead to battery failure.
Treat them gently. Lithium-ion batteries are more likely to suffer life-threatening injuries from accidental drops and rough-handling than their predecessors. Cushion them with cardboard or foam during storage and transport. And try really hard not to drop them.
Be partial to partial-discharge. Lithium-ion batteries are not susceptible to memory-effect and will be helped, not harmed, by frequent recharging after partial use. Fully discharging a Lithium-ion battery on a regular basis will shorten its life.
Don’t store them fully-charged. Batteries that will not be used for 30 days or longer should be stored at a charge level of 40%-50%. Storing fully-charged Lithium-ion packs for extended periods will shorten their useful life.
Use them or lose them. Unlike their Ni-cad and NiMH cousins, Lithium-ion packs have a useful life of two to three years from the date of manufacture, whether or not they are used. Don’t buy spares. Order replacements when they are needed. Check the manufacturing date stamped on the pack when you receive them to be sure you are getting fresh stock.
Hope this helps. It was usefull for me.
Keith
Thanks, Keith. I had no idea about the useful life thing. Not that I've ever bought batteries I don't need, but I won't start now.
bernard said:
Don't leave the battery charge go to zero. Should it go below that, the polarities will be reversed, and that would be the very end of its life.
The camera would shut down before that and battery manufacturers usually include a deep discharge protection circuit so it is unlikely to happen unless you discharge the battery to cut off and let self discharge to the point of no return thereafter.
jonnyapple said:
Does AF using the camera scre or AF-S use more battery?
Good question, power draw might differ between AF-S lens models so there may not be an easy answer to that question.
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