As I was running outside to take a few pictures in the snow this morning I realized that my camera battery was low. With the sun shinning brightly I knew for sure my time was limited and didn’t have time to charge my battery. Typical Tennessee snow won’t last much past noon. Fortunately I was able to take a few photos before my battery was dead.
Most digital cameras come with a rechargeable battery. Read the manual. It may have very specific instructions or very vague instructions. My Casio Exilim has basically no instructions except it could take up to 180 minutes for a complete charge. It is a lithium ion battery so it makes sense it wouldn’t need any special charging conditions. Lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries have no memory. They can be charged at anytime with no negative effects. NiCad and NiMH batteries have a memory. Completely charging and discharging is the key to keeping them at peak performance. Read your manual for the best results.
After charging your battery let it cool before immediately popping it into your camera. Don’t leave your camera or battery in extreme temperatures. The heat of your car on a hot summer day will raise the self discharge rate and the cold will drain your battery even faster. Occasionally check your camera manufacturer’s website. When I bought my Nikon D50 there was a safety recall on the rechargeable battery. The last thing I wanted to do was destroy my new camera.
If your camera uses non-rechargeable batteries don’t mix battery manufacturers when putting in a new set. Mixing manufacturers can cause batteries to leak damaging your camera. And be sure to change all the batteries at one time. If you leave a weak battery in the camera it will drain the new batteries quicker.
Keeping your batteries in good working order will ensure that you won’t miss a priceless photo moment.