Disappointed in Number of pictures taken with Nikon D5100

[Jeff1966]

What kind of battery is it? IMO, any brand can have a dud occasionally.

How many shots does your backup battery last? What kind is it?

It's with the Nikon battery that came with the camera. It's a Nikon EN-EL14, the spare battery is a Digipower, but both batteries have the same result, 178 is the most pictures I've taken on a full charge and I rarely use the LiveView except to view pictures not take them. I wanted a camera with a viewfinder because of the glare. So I always use the viewfinder. Thanks!

 

[CaptainNapalm]

Read the manual about how they figure the number of shots per charge. I'll bet you're doing something radically different, like using LiveView 95% of the time.

Even with live view used for 100% of shots, you should still be able to squeeze out at least 300 shots on a full charge.

 

[manaheim]

Are you looking at your pictures on the LCD a lot? That will run the battery down quickly.

 

[Jeff1966]

Even with live view used for 100% of shots, you should still be able to squeeze out at least 300 shots on a full charge.[/QUOTE]

That's what I would think too and who doesn't take a picture and then view it in the monitor unless it's sports. And according to the manual you should be able to take 2200 shots in continuous mode, which I rarely use, but that seems kinda backwards, it seems like it would be using more battery power to shoot in continuous mode than single shots.

 

[manaheim]

Very few people look at every shot when taken. Some do it early on, but ideally... you shouldn't have to.

And honestly, I don't know if you CAN get 1/2 the shots with live view running. That LCD seriously burns a TON of power. Think of a smart phone. Keep it in your pocket all day and regardless of how busy it is, you'll have a lot of battery left at the end of the day. Take it out and play solitaire for even an hour? hooo boy.

 

[astroNikon]

On page 17 of your manual

before shooting, turn teh camera on and check the battery level and number of exposures remaining in the information display or viewfinder (if the monitor is turned off, press the Info button to view the information display; if the monitor does not turn on, the battery is exhausted and must be recharged).

on the top left is a battery indicator. Of course a fully enclosed battery icon is fullcharges, then partially discharged, low battery, and if it blinks it is exhausted.

 

[Tony S]

Charge your battery to full, then put it in the camera and leave the live view or some other feature on until it shuts down because of a low batter. Now charge the battery to full again. Sometimes the metering on newer electronics using batteries can be reset to actually read a the batteries correctly using this method. It had nothing to do with battery life or memory (which with Li-Ion batteries is a non issue), but the way the camera reads the battery power.

 

[PaulWog]

Here's some pointers from a D5200 user (I haven't read the other responses so hopefully I don't double-up):

1) Live-view drains your battery more quickly. It also causes the VR on any lens to work constantly (draining more battery and possibly reducing the life-span of the VR in the lens). Live-view also usually takes a little longer to focus, draining more battery with each focus. If you have set your camera to continual focus, then even more battery drainage will occur since the camera in live-view will constantly refocus.
2) I have set my camera up to RAW-only. If you set it up with JPEG and RAW, it will likely take up more processing power, and it'll use up more battery power with each shot.
3) I use single-point focusing. I don't know if this saves battery for me, but that's what I do. Also, don't use the built-in flash, that'll really drain your battery.
4) If you leave your camera on continually, it'll drain the battery. Turn it off when you're not using it, it turns on extremely fast so there's no worry about missing a shot (unless if you're in the midst of shooting continually).
5) If you're constantly focusing your lens and not taking a shot, you'll also end up draining the battery. Just because you don't click on the shutter doesn't mean you haven't used up battery power.
6) Auto mode is a battery drainer. It uses more processing power, pops the flash up when you often don't need it, etc. The only excuse for having a DSLR in auto is if you have a prime lens and you have it set to a quick aperture, otherwise I'd just be using a point-and-shoot with built-in flash. I find DSLR's in auto mode with basic zoom lenses don't really edge out the competition (decent point-and-shoot cameras). You need to take advantage of what the DSLR has to offer and manage the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed; you also need to understand how to use flash, and/or (preferably AND) have a prime lens or a quick zoom lens (f1.8-f2.8 are great apertures to have as an option).

 

[mikeyidaho]

My sister shoots her d3200 only in auto and she doesn't get many shots either. A major factor I believe is that in auto the pop up flash is used a large portion of the time which is a huge drain, and making the camera do all the thinking might be detrimental compare to a manual or semi manual mode.

Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2

 

[KmH]

Look at your D5100 users manual - page 160 - Custom Settings menu c2: Auto Off Timers for the rear LCD (including live view), exposure meter, viewfinder, and information display stay on.

Using the built-in flash can indeed be a huge battery drain and lens VR also uses battery power.

Lens VR should normally be tuned off, and only turned on when shutter speed is less than 1/focal length of the lens or 1/500.

 

[Solarflare]

Sounds to me like the OP is using a lot of flash.

Or at least thats the last problem I can think of, given the fact he had the same problem even with fully charged batteries from Nikon.

I get my 500+ shots out of my D5100, always, no problem.

 

[manaheim]

Sounds to me like the OP is using a lot of flash.

Or at least thats the last problem I can think of, given the fact he had the same problem even with fully charged batteries from Nikon.

I get my 500+ shots out of my D5100, always, no problem.

Ohhhhhhh yeah. That too. Live view and flash. What do you want to bet the camera is set on Auto? That pops up the flash constantly.

 

[TheLost]

Do you take a few shots... put the camera away... then a week or two later take more shots... then put the camera away... then a month later take a few shots... repeat? All while leaving the camera on?

 

[mrbadwrench]

I bet its flash if youre in auto mode, because I use manual mode with the stock lens on auto focus and VR and i use live view once in a while and i get 800+ shots easy, I never use flash.

 

[cbarnard7]

I have a d5100 and normally shoot in RAW:
no-live view
no flash (I shoot landscapes mostly)
no long exposure (1/8sec in usually the longest)
I turn off my camera if I know I won't use it for another 5 minutes or more.
I check about every 3rd or 4th picture for sharpness (I only check the first if I'm bracketing)

and I normally get at least 500-600 pictures on a single charge with no problem.

Like others have said, if you're shooting in auto mode I'm sure your flash is constantly popping up. Also, check how long you're keeping the camera on (don't leave it on the whole time if you're not constantly shooting) and watch your live view. If you're doing all of the above things then it sounds like your battery is a dud!