Imagine it is Christmas morning. The kids storm the living room, you reach for the camera and the battery is dead. Or consider your son’s future graduation day. The procession enters, you reach for the camera and the battery is already dead. Perhaps one day you will see a purple unicorn in the forest. You reach for the…well, you get the idea.
A dead battery can ruin your day in an instant. And it is an inevitable occurrence. Your camera can not always be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Eventually, the battery will wear down. Hopefully, this doesn’t happen at an inopportune time such as the scenarios above; but, as we all know, sometimes hoping doesn’t cut it. Luckily, there are steps you can take to ensure that your camera’s battery doesn’t run out before that critical moment.
1. Store Safely
Remember to keep the battery clean and free of dust and in a safe place to avoid being damaged when not in use. Consider keeping the original casing of the battery for storage purposes. This will help keep the battery contacts free from dust and grime.
2. Watch The Thermometer
Also, keep the battery at the right temperature. If it gets too cold, it will lose its charge much more quickly. When not in use, store batteries in a room of the house that stays at a reasonable temperature. Don’t store them in the garage or in an unheated studio. Further, if you’re shooting in a cold location, transport the batteries to a warmer area during breaks and lulls.
3. When In Doubt, Recharge
Remember to charge the battery after every use. Even if the charge is still high, and even if you don’t plan to be using the camera the next morning, charge the battery anyway.
4. Use The LCD Monitor Less
Use your LCD monitor as little as possible. It goes without saying that this will save battery life, but most people are still tempted to leave it in use during any and all shooting. Rely on your optics, and line up the shot through the viewfinder whenever possible. Photographers did it this way for over 100 years. You can do it, too!
5. Don’t Press The Button
Focusing a shot gobbles up lots of battery juice: the motors that move mechanical parts such as the lenses start sucking the life out of your battery when you press the button. So don’t focus your camera until you’re ready to take the shot.
6. Turn Off the Review
Sometimes you need to review a photo you’ve just taken, but when possible, wait to peruse through your new snapshots until you get home.
7. Use Fewer Features
Refrain from using functions that you don’t need at any given moment. Examples are continuous focus and light-sensitive automatic shutter settings. Less is more in the battery world.
8. Have A Backup Plan
Carry a spare charged battery and/or a battery charger with you. Take that, battery-eating camera! Bazinga.
Guest Post By Steven Kellett is the owner of Electronics Warehouse, an ecommerce store that specializes in batteries and battery chargers.
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