Comments on: How to Conserve Battery Power When It’s Almost Gone

By: Rajev

Rajev — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:49:07 +0000

The comments were as useful as the article. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experience with dead batteries. I got to learn a lot from this article. Keeping the batteries warm for increasing their life, licking the terminals to squeeze some extra power out of them, rubbing them for 20 secs to warm them up, and shaking the battries (not the camera LOL!), switching it on after it has turned off to get a few (5) extra shots, and lastly, begging the camera to switch on (this might seem riduculous to most, but it has been my personal experience, if you love your machines, they help you and listen to you under dire circumstances, be it cameras, mobikes or cars or anything) were extremely useful tips from experience.

By: Mark Newman in Iowa

Mark Newman in Iowa — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:39:21 +0000

I liked this article, Peter, and will probably use two of these tips (maybe turn off review, but certainly turn off auto focus, a great suggestion).

But I’d also like to add an incredible tip: While on assignment in the past, and again today, actually, my battery died (Cannon Digital camera with a big lens attached, it’s our backup camera so I don’t know the model). Anyhow, I needed a couple more pics of this Model T car and so I tried my desperation measure: I turned the camera off. Then I turned it back on. I took one photo and it died again. I turned it off then on again and got two more photos! I think I got five pics that way, and that’s not bad for a “dead” battery; I worry it’s not great for the battery, but like I said, I was desperate. And it works.

Mark
Reporter (and emergency backup photographer!)

By: Christopher Wren

Christopher Wren — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:17:15 +0000

Here’s a tip for lithium-ion batteries – keep them away from the cold. If they get too cold, they run out faster. Also if your battery dies, you can usually squeeze a few more shots out of it if you just shake it real hard! I’ve gotten as many as 20-30 more shots out of my 20D by shaking the battery (NOT the camera).

By: ricardolumpas

ricardolumpas — Sun, 31 May 2009 09:49:47 +0000

Peter, thank you so much.

This is very helpful for people like me who do not have battery grip and spare batteries.

By: Will

Will — Sun, 31 May 2009 07:27:03 +0000

Option 2: make sure you use a camera that takes AA batteries (such as the Pentax K200d), or, even better, get some film action going on and use the sunny 16 rule for metering – that way you don’t need any batteries at all!

By: Jeff Kolodny

Jeff Kolodny — Sun, 31 May 2009 03:11:37 +0000

"Ten minutes later, with the entire contents of your luggage spread out upon the bed and nightstand you are gripped by the unspeakably horrible realization that, gasp!, you forget to pack your camera’s battery charger." Hahahaha this really happened to me! Oh my gawd! How stupid I was on a nature trip, having those bulky battery grips and extra batteries, and still not knowingly the extra batteries are only half-charged. Miami Wedding Photographer

By: peter k

peter k — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:14:50 +0000

Excelent advices both in the article and in the comments, so thank you all guys! I have to tell you that I keep the photo gear at all times concentrated in the backpack. I might leave home some T-shirts or pairs of socks, but is almost impossible to forget the charger or the 50mm f1.7, as I always put them back after using them. I preffer to carry with me the havy burden of the backpack all the time, only to do not even think that I might have forgotten some important gear.

By: E. Serrano

E. Serrano — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:10:03 +0000

That’s a good piece of advice!

I’ve also found that removing the battery pack from inside the camera usually helps increasing battery duration. But don’t do that between shots if you do not want to get nuts.

Take also into account that in hot environments your batteries would last longer, while cold places drain battery power quickly. This doesn’t mean that you should place your camera in a hot place (which could damage other components). Just keep an eye on your battery meter when shooting pictures of snow!

By: rob

rob — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:00:51 +0000

Josh glad you got over the bummed out, my Fuji takes 4 AA batteries and it was the reason I bought it.

By: JPM8JPM

JPM8JPM — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:17:17 +0000

TNX FOR THE TIP. I RECENTLY BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY PACK JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT WHEN I GO OUT OF TOWN