7D2 battery issues - one possible solution found

[Phil Stone]

As others have reported I have been encountering a serious issue with my 7D2 battery - it doesn't hold its charge. With GPS off, preview off and no chimping, I was seeing the battery indicator down from full to 2/4 (i.e. approx. half full) after only 80 shots (RAW only). Last night I ran a test, charged the battery to full and shot video. The battery managed 18 minutes before the 7D2 shut down once the battery was discharged.

I then charged the battery to full again, discharged it shooting video (camera shut down after 25 minutes), then recharged it again. The next video session ran for 103 minutes before the 7D2 shut down.

Next I charged the battery to full again and set the 7D2 with the interval timer to shoot every 5 seconds. 42 minutes later, with 500 photos taken, the battery indicator showed 3/4 (i.e. approx. 75% full). This was more like what I was expecting.

So, it seems that rather than having an LP-E6N from a bad batch (as other have suggested) the battery just needed "conditioning" with a few charge/discharge cycles. I am not suggesting that this was a well thought out scientific test and solution but it seems to have worked. I need to get out and shoot "in the field" with the newly conditioned battery and see what happens. I will add to this thread once I have done that.

Having said this, I didn't think that Lithium-ion batteries needed conditioning.

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Phil
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7D2, 7D, 18-135 f3.5-5.6 IS STM, Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6, Metz 58AF2 flash
http://philstone.zenfolio.com/travel-photos
http://phil-stone.artistwebsites.com/

 

[davel33]

Nice to know, thanks

Dave

 

[Boomanbb]

I think it has a lot to do with the "way" you use your 7D2. Yesterday I shot a cheer competition. 52 teams, 9325 photos. 7D2 with 70-200mm f2.8L no IS, anti flicker turned on, preview turned off, back button focus and shooting large jpg. Using the older 7D battery (not the new one) I got over 5000 shots before I switched to the new 7D2 battery. I just looked at the battery info and it is showing 45% capacity with 3928 shots. This is my 3rd competition since the new camera and these results are consistent.

It would seem that there are certain things that really kill the battery. My guess is using stabilization, previewing shots, fiddling with settings and making movies all contribute to much higher battery drain.

Ben

 

[DugT]

I think it has a lot to do with the "way" you use your 7D2. Yesterday I shot a cheer competition. 52 teams, 9325 photos. 7D2 with 70-200mm f2.8L no IS, anti flicker turned on, preview turned off, back button focus and shooting large jpg. Using the older 7D battery (not the new one) I got over 5000 shots before I switched to the new 7D2 battery. I just looked at the battery info and it is showing 45% capacity with 3928 shots. This is my 3rd competition since the new camera and these results are consistent.

It would seem that there are certain things that really kill the battery. My guess is using stabilization, previewing shots, fiddling with settings and making movies all contribute to much higher battery drain.

Ben

 

[Flying Fish]

Those are amazing numbers.

FF