conserving a digital camera battery

El_Kabong

i hate having to pay $20 for a new one...i was hiking this weekend thru the mountains and the battery died...when it gets low would it take more power to turn on and off or to leave on but just turn off the big lcd screen?

momofglynn

Hey there...as far as your battery....once it's low it's low. Leaving it on is going to drain it but turning off the screen would prolong it. You might want to look at rechargable batteries if possible. My digital camera takes double AA's, so I made the investment in 2 sets of rechargable batteries. That way one set could be charging while I use the other. Not sure what type of camera you have however, so this may not even apply. I love taking pictures but I also try to find products that are practical. Meaning I have a 35 mm totally manual camera, cheap little watch batteries to run it that last forever! Same with my digital, no lithium or expensive batteries, regular double AA's but still decent pictures. Good luck and sorry about your mountain trip, batteries and film usually run out at the wrong time! You could always go with Polaroids???!!!

decides2dream

El_Kabong wrote:

i hate having to pay $20 for a new one...i was hiking this weekend thru the mountains and the battery died...when it gets low would it take more power to turn on and off or to leave on but just turn off the big lcd screen?

i have often wondered the same...would be surious to hear a definitive answer as well. momofglynn offers excellent advice though. i too use rechargeable batteries...and i ALWAYS take a spare set with me when i go out with the camera. sorry, no answers here....just as curious as you...

El_Kabong

thanks, you can use a certain type of aa batteries, i'll have to see what kind they were. i guess they have made improvements in rechargable batteries in the past 10 years...i tried using some for my walkmancd player and they wouldn't last long at all.

decides2dream

El_Kabong wrote:

thanks, you can use a certain type of aa batteries, i'll have to see what kind they were. i guess they have made improvements in rechargable batteries in the past 10 years...i tried using some for my walkmancd player and they wouldn't last long at all.

oh they absolutely have. the rechargeables that came with my camera are fantastic...and the camera even came with its own battery charger too...quite nice. granted they won't last forever....but they DO last a good long time.

El_Kabong

mine came w/ a pack to supposedly plug the camera into so you didn't have to use it's battery...but none of the plugs really fit...i never got around to contacting them cos i was using it for other things

i just remember as a kid buying a rechargable battery set so i didn't have to throw batteries away and they would only last maybe 3 hours at the most...i'llgo look now to see what kind mine would need.

thanks again

El_Kabong

ok, i looked it up and it turns out they have rechargable batteries to replace the crv3 ones! it'd be just under $53, not including shipping for 2 of them and the charger. that's not that bad, the charger even comes w/ a car adaptor and says it can charge it to 90% in just an hour (probably more w/ the car, tho)


http://www.greenbatteries.com/crlirebaandc.html