Digital Camera Battery Life

The lifespan of batteries for digital cameras does not tend to be long. The sheer amount of electronics that are used to take pictures, video, or even sound will quickly drain batteries. There are a few things a person can do to slow down that drain, and prevent the frustration of missing a perfect shot because of low batteries.

When in search of more information regarding a digital camera, battery life is not necessarily the first thing a person considers. Whether rechargeable batteries or disposable batteries are used, it is an undeniable fact that these will be replaced fairly often.

Energizer and Duracell have both recently produced new forms of alkaline batteries. These are quite expensive and can last a little longer than the more traditional batteries, but still don't hold up well under the high load conditions supplied by a digital camera. Studies have shown that for the most part, these batteries are not particularly effective for increasing battery life, particularly when the additional cost is considered.

The average non-rechargeable battery carries a 1.5 output voltage. This is approximately 20% higher than the 1.2 output voltage presented by most rechargeable batteries. One would need to determine whether the obvious benefit of not having to replace batteries ( and decreasing what goes into a landfill), would be sufficient to offset the difference in output. This might be an occasion where investing in duplicates in rechargeable batteries could be a good idea, thus preventing an incident of not having adequate batteries.

The inexpensive dry cell battery is almost completely unsuited for use in a digital camera. Its stores are quickly depleted, and need to be replaced. This might be a viable option for rare use of your digital camera, and its use might be appropriate for emergency use, when other batteries are used or unavailable.

Two or three sets of rechargeable batteries are commonly required for an extended session of photography, and twice that for alkaline batteries. Long term, most avid photographers have determined that the best option for fulfilling their needs involves the use of rechargeable batteries. This, of course, is only the opinion of many, and is not necessarily the right solution for everyone.