Battery Life

InaGlo

InaGlo

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Glo
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I took my cam out today with a newly charged battery. Admittedly it was cold but I wouldnt say cold enough to worry about power zapping.
Anyway, I got 20 shots off and my battery died. I was a bit surprised but thought perhaps it had started to lose charge again as it had been charged for a few weeks without use.
Then I wondered if it might have anything to to with the IS (I was using the 70-200mm 2.8)

I put another newly charged battery in this evening.
Using the 85mm 1.8 I got about 15 shots off ... battery died!!!

I have 3 batteries that I use on a rota. (2 7day shop, 1 original Canon).
I always fully charge my batteries, and only ever after a complete drain.
Anyone got any ideas? Im stumped! :shrug:
 
Strange, cold is usually better for lithium batteries, makes them last longer.
 
Thats a bit weird Glo, to say the least
I was getting at least 100 shots out of my batteries
in -15oC, I just changed them daily, just in case. but there was still "loads left"
one was canon the others were 1700Amp/hr from mpb

Is the charger working properly? can you test a battery once charged?
Or if not it sounds that "something" is draining the power
I get at least 400 shots even when using IS
 
I had this problem this weekend – I’ve had the problem before both with quality batteries and also expensive batteries - I cant figure it out - the ones that seemed flat at the weekend - I’ve charged and they seem fine - I think the problem is with chargers not the batteries, in that the charger thinks the batteries are charged when they are not.
I have three canon 1d chargers and three uniross (AA) chargers…
I know this does not really help you but you are not alone – I just carry spares
 
how old are the batteries glo, and have they been stored well over the last couple of weeks?? there is always the chance your camera is shorting inside somewhere:shrug:
 
Thanks for the responses peeps.
The Canon battery is just over a year old, the two 7day shops are slighty less.
Im kind of hoping the problem is something along the lines of what Sporty has suggested and not what Fletch's idea might be *shudder*

I was a bit wary of asking this because I know that everyone's 'average' is different, but anyway :D
...on average what is the life expectancy of our camera batteries?
 
:gag:about 6 months!!



(only joking). have no idea
 
I wouldn't rush to assume your battery is duff Glo. You say it was charged a few weeks a ago and batteries will start to lose some charge over that sort of period.
 
I would expect that the battery would get quite warm if a high current drain was causing it to be discharged very quickly.

Lenses can develop faults that will drain batteries too quickly and cause some serious body damage in the process.
A recent UK 1DMkIII user had a body which started to melt due to a fault in his 70-200/2.8 IS.
I don't like posting links to other forums but I think it's worth it here given the possible consequences (please break the link if it shouldn't be here)

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=410367

It's 240 odd posts long with more tut than you can cope with but in there are the things to look out for.

Check the link Billy (last post was 1st Dec 07). It may be something totally unrelated but I would removed the lens after a few minutes use and check if the area around the contacts feels warm (or hot !)

Bob
 
Blooooody hell Bob... now that is some scarey read!!! :eek:

Noooo not about the 70-200mm ... all those stupid people who constantly assumed/accused SUN even though the op catagorically stated it could not be so.
If TPF ever gets to the stage that we have so very many loose fingers who cant be bothered to read the op's posts, I hope to god we close it down :gag:

Seriously though, that is a very interesting read.
Probably a one in a million chance (or at least I hope it is) but certainly something for me to check out.
Ive had no problems whatsoever prior to getting the 70-200mm, so it had crossed my mind that perhaps it was something to do with the way Im using it.
Ive been shooting birds recently ... well trying to :$
Perhaps my finger has lingered on the button more than it should as Ive attempted to track them ... no more than a few seconds though.
Would such practice reduce a battery's life to under 30 shots when using an IS lens?

*Goes off to remove lens for look*
 
Glo...I've just spent about 15 minutes with a fully charged battery in my 5D with the 70-200/2.8 IS mounted. Almost continually focussing and triggering the IS (no shots taken) has left the battery indicator still showing full.

I think you need to investigate....

Bob
 
InaGlo said:
I was a bit wary of asking this because I know that everyone's 'average' is different, but anyway :D
...on average what is the life expectancy of our camera batteries?
Click to expand...

These batteries are more time limited than use limited. i.e. buy two, use one, never use the other and they'll both die in about 2 years.
 
Thanks for that PsiFox.
I have to admit that I basically just shoot until the battery dies and then swap it over.
Id always been under the impression that it was best to allow the batteries to fully drain ... as were the people I spoke to last night.
Now I know different ... thank you! :thumbs:
 
Hi Glo - i had the same issue with a non-Canon battery in the 5d. just upped and died and although the charger said it was charged, it had no juice. It was about 7 months old at the time. I think i tried to sell it to Grendel in the end ;)

But seriously, it taught me to appreciate that better batteries cost more (its what you cant see on the inside and the R&D that costs the money)

On the other hand, i gave my little sister my old Powershot Pro1 last year with the original BP511a battery and its still going strong after 4 / 5 years :shrug:

EDIT - note to self - she's over 30 now Jonny!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
My 7dayshop batteries seem to lose their charge over a few weeks if kept in the camera, if they are kept loose they seem to hold their full charge. I noticed last year that battery life was considerably lower in the cold.

I know its been said above that lithium batteries favor the cold - I found the opposite though, longer battery life in summer and less in winter. Not to the extent of only getting 20 shots off though :/
 
Hmm! Im tempted to just chuck the buggers, get a couple of new ones and just start again.
However, Im going away (leaving in the small hours) so for this to happen now is very frustrating ... I dont want to be caught out with dead batteries while Im away.
Im doing a search right now to see if theres anywhere local that sells cheapish batteries.
 
Try a different lens and see if it discharges as quickly, if it doesn't......your 70-200 is fubar

if it does......your camera is fubar





it'll never be the 3 quid battery.....thats just too spooky to imagine :runaway:
 
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