Battery Problems

[nyyphan]

I've had my Minolta Maxxium 5 for just over a year now, and I'm going to have to change my batteries, again. This weekend we were driving up the pass to take pictures of the snowstorm and just as we headed up, I took one picture (picture 7 on the roll) and all of a sudden the film rewound and the indicator was flashing that the battery needed replaced. Of course I had my digital as a backup and I'm glad I did: on the way down we saw a bighorn ram in the snow as well as a black bear foraging for food.

My question to the masters is this: is this type of replacement normal or do you have any tips or hints that I could use to save on my battery life? Most of my shots are outdoors and I usually have the flash off or on auto, and I'm not one to leave the camera on for a long time unless I'm taking several shots in a row.

 

[mooker]

I am by no means a master (heck, look at how a number of posts I've had! :lmao But do you ever leave your camera in the car, or in an area where the temperature can get VERY hot or cold? I know that heat will drain a battery fast, so that might be something to consider.

Also, I don't know what type of battery it is. If it's an older rechargable like a Nickel-Cadmium, they can develop "charge cycles" where if it's used to being charged slightly and used slightly, it will shorten the battery charge life. Good luck!

 

[nyyphan]

I can't recall exactly what type of battery it takes, but its not a normal AA or AAA. Also, the batteries tend to be a bit expensive, around $10 apiece. I normally don't leave the camera exposed to the conditions and, like I said, its shut off if I'm not lined up to take a picture. There have been a few times where I've taken longer to take a picture due to the auto-focus not getting set right or "thinking" for awhile before focusing, but nothing really excessive that (at least to me) would kill a battery off so quickly.

 

[JEazy]

Well, you said you were taking pictures of a snowstorm, and being cold drains batteries like crazy. Keep your camera warm, maybe tucked in your jacket, when your not shooting.

 

[jwkwd]

I can't help you much either. Having the camera rewind in mid-roll because the bettery is low, would be quite the P.I.T.A.

 

[Rob]

It was probably the temperature. Batteries die in the cold, and if your camera's reaction to low battery is to do annoying things like auto-rewind, then you may need to keep the body warmer.

Rob

 

[nyyphan]

I wasnt standing directly in a snowstorm taking pictures. I was about 4-5 miles away from the snow, stepped out of the warm car, grabbed the camera, and was out of the car for not even a minute, enough to line up the shot and take it. I highly doubt the cold could have drained the batteries in that quick of time. If that were the case, it should have happened last winter, shortly after I had just changed the batteries the first time. I went on a seven mile hike in the snow with the camera in my backpack and it survived that and lasted 10 months until just last week.

 

[Rob]

Sounds like it was probably just bad luck then. FWIW, cold can drain batteries pretty quickly, but as you say, it shouldn't do so for just one quick shot. I always carry spare batteries - too many years doing weddings to trust any electronic technology!!

Rob

 

[lorrir]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. Here is what I know about batteries. Hope it helps you.

In real estate they say "location, location, location. In my world I say "batteries, batteries, batteries". I have the large grip on my Canon 10D that hold two batteries. I have 5 sets of batteries, marked A, B, C.... I never split them up I always keep the sets together. I change out my batteries EVERY time I pick up my camera, change my card, change my batteries. I have a house charger and a car charger and that's only my camera, I haven't even gotten to my flash yet.

Get caught just once with out battery power and you will miss the photo of your life. I know I did.

Sign me... battery woman.