- How to make my digital camera batteries last longer
Are you always running out of battery power just before you take
that perfect picture with your digital camera? Here are some tips
to conserve your batteries when you are out "snapping away".
1) Turn off your digital camera when not in use. If you are in
a situation where you must snap pictures quickly, this may not
apply as turning digital cameras on and off take a few seconds,
and may cause you to miss a picture-taking opportunity. However,
if you are taking a leisurely stroll and can afford a couple of
seconds before snapping a still subject, by all means, conserve
your digital camera's energy!
2) Many digital cameras have a regular viewfinder and an LCD
viewfinder. While the digital LCD viewfinder has its benefits,
it can drain battery power. Turn it off when applicable and use
your regular viewfinder for taking pictures.
3) Don't stop after taking every photo and look at the picture
in your digital camera's playback mode. Granted, you sometimes
need to look at photos immediately after shooting them in order
to make sure your exposure is correct, the lighting is ok, etc.,
but doing this does use up your digital camera's battery power.
4) If you are using MicroDrive media, be forewarned that these
miniature hard drives may take up quite more power than Compact
Flash cards.
Use these tips and you'll save some digital camera battery power
for when you want to take that perfect picture. But, of course,
the best tip to make sure that you don't run out of power is .
. . take some extra charged batteries with you on trips!
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- Get more use out of your
old AA Ni-MH digital
camera batteries
If your digital camera only supports proprietary batteries, see
if it also supports an add-on power pack that uses AA Ni-MH batteries.
If you have many extra AA Ni-MH batteries from previous digital
cameras or other digital technology purchases, a battery pack
may be a wise investment. Though a power pack may add a little
weight to the camera and cost more than a couple of proprietary
batteries, it may save money in the long run if you have plenty
of Ni-MH's that would otherwise no longer be useful in your new
digital camera.
Please refer to your owner's manual to find out which rechargeable
battery types your particular device supports, or simply use our
search engine to find your device. It will automatically list
all of the battery types particular device supports.
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- Never Charge Incompatible
AA digital camera Batteries
Never charge incompatible AA batteries in your AA battery charger!
Do not try charging non-rechargeable batteries in a battery charger,
or NiCad batteries in a Ni-MH charger or vice-versa. Also, if you
purchase special 'fast-charging' AA Ni-MH batteries, only insert
those in the charger they were made for. Doing otherwise could result
in damage to the batteries or the charger, and in some extreme cases,
a fite could ensue.
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- What does mAh mean when
it comes to digital camera batteries
- There are several steps you can take to insure that you get maximum
performance from your battery:
- Breaking In New Batteries - new batteries come in a discharged
condition and must be fully charged before use. It is recommended
that you fully charge and discharge your new battery two to four
times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.
- Preventing the Memory Effect - Keep your battery healthy by
fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every
two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries
which do not suffer from the Memory Effect.
- Keep Your Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty
battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain
a good connection between the battery and your portable device.
- Exercise Your Battery - Do not leave your battery dormant for
long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least
once every two to three weeks. If a battery has not been used
for a long period of time, perform the new battery break in procedure
described above.
- Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for
a month or more, we recommend storing it in a clean, dry, cool
place away from heat and metal objects. Ni-Cd, Ni-MH and Li-Ion
batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to break
them in before use.
- For Notebook Users - To get maximum performance from your battery,
fully optimize the notebook's power management features prior
to use. Power management is a trade off: better power conservation
in exchange for lesser computer performance. The power management
system conserves battery power by setting the processor to run
at a slower speed, dimming the screen, spinning down the hard
drive when it's not in use and causing the machine to go into
sleep mode when inactive. Your notebook user's guide will provide
information relating to specific power management features.
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