If I'm out in the rain or dusty condions then changing batteries can be an extra risk. If I have the camera in an UW cover then it is a postive PITA to have to extract it to change batteries as often you have to keep cameras "awake" as when they go into deep sleep you may have to power them off/on - and that may not be easy or possible!
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Why is battery life an issue for you?
- Thread starter Trevor Carpenter
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khunstuart
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I couldn't agree more. I think battery life is very good and if you're worried about losing that vital shot then change the battery way before it goes less than half way.In fact, I consider MFT battery life to be quite good. Not as good as my FF DSLRs, but pretty good none the less. I always have a second fully charged battery with me and only rarely do I need to change to the second battery.
If you really want to talk about poor battery life, think GoPro.
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The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'
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It's so easy to carry spares as they are so small and compatible ones so cheap. I use both original and compatible and can't notice any real difference.
If I go out for the day I rarely change the battery and if I do then never need to change it again during the day so two batteries last a day.
Managing and understanding your battery capacity depending on your usage should become second nature. If you don't understand your gear, the problem lies with you, not the gear.There is no justification regarding running out of power. It's like going hiking on an extensive trip, you have to be able to determine from the outset what level of supplies you need.
It's the same when I go off-road into the mountains for up to four days, I need to know how much fuel I'll likely be using, and know where and if fuel will be available should it be required. I can't complain that the fuel tank wasn't large enough when I well know it's capacity and how it will vary when driving in low range on rough tracks, compared to highway cruising.
And if all else fails, change to a system that suit your needs, or live with the compromises that every system brings to the table.
It's the same when I go off-road into the mountains for up to four days, I need to know how much fuel I'll likely be using, and know where and if fuel will be available should it be required. I can't complain that the fuel tank wasn't large enough when I well know it's capacity and how it will vary when driving in low range on rough tracks, compared to highway cruising.
And if all else fails, change to a system that suit your needs, or live with the compromises that every system brings to the table.
joergzielosko
Forum Enthusiast
... at least on my E-M1. Even compared to the cheapest smartphones displaying battery level in percent, the status display of our flagship camera is a joke.
Full, half-full, empty
Full, half-full, empty
Brian Wadie
Forum Pro
my experience is the same as yours, even when using adapted lenses such as the Canon EF - L series with the added drain of the heavy lens assemblies and OIS
(mind you, I still carry three spare batteries, just in case
)
(mind you, I still carry three spare batteries, just in case
)
Tell you a secret Trev, I only ever need one battery, but I always carry a spare anyway. The reason is a simple one, I rarely take more than 50 shots in a day. I have hit around 75-100, but that's very rare.
When I see comments in here about how many some take in a day, I actually smile and think, man no way would I want to go through, delete and edit that many images from just one day !!
All the best Trevor, one battery does me just fine.
Danny.
When I see comments in here about how many some take in a day, I actually smile and think, man no way would I want to go through, delete and edit that many images from just one day !!
All the best Trevor, one battery does me just fine.
Danny.
Colin K. Work
Senior Member
Brian Wadie
Forum Pro
S
speedync
Guest
Now why would I want to do that ;-)You need to head to the race track when the motorcycles are racing, with a longish lens, & see how many shots you take in a dayI agree though, it's a pita sifting through them all. I'd be utterly rapt if I could only take 50-100 & get a nice selection of keepers of the bikes that interest me.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/130646821@N03/
I like water
All the best.
Danny.
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speedync
Guest
Can't follow your link bloke. Country I'm currently in sees fit to block flickr, google, fb & plenty others. Seen your powerboat shots before though. Good stuff. I'd have to take more than 1 battery though
paul cool
Senior Member
That works for you ok ,but what happens when your camera is mounted in something or on a tripod ,like in my case with gh2 it was mounted on a mono pod and the gh2 battery door was covered ?
Also I might be shooting video on a 3 axis gimbal or on a rig ,not always convienent and it still takes time to swap out battery and this could be the critical point ,bigger battery less stress .
I also use my sets especially at events .
Also I might be shooting video on a 3 axis gimbal or on a rig ,not always convienent and it still takes time to swap out battery and this could be the critical point ,bigger battery less stress .
I also use my sets especially at events .
Trevor Carpenter
Forum Pro
Thanks for all the sensible and rational replies. I do now understand both sides of the argument much better. Next time I see a post moaning about battery life I won't mumble under my breath "why don't they just carry a spare battery".
khunstuart
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Spot on.
Having just spent 4 days in Cambodia where some people are having to dig a hole in the garden for a call of nature you are dead right.
Our mirrorless cameras are much smaller and lighter and this is one of the main reasons we like them. Having to carry one or two tiny cheap batteries is hardly worth worrying about.
A small camera doesn't have much room for a big battery its simple. Do you want a bigger camera - No (if you do then by a DSLR.
It's simply it's a trade off.
On my travels I carry a GX-8, GX-7 and GM-1 all of them using different batteries and I carry two spare of each. Even that's no big deal.
I never take more than a few hundred shots on any single occasion, so battery life isn't an issue per se. It has happened that I take the camera with me without checking that the battery is charged and without bringing a spare. That's pretty annoying, but my fault rather than the camera's.
My two OM-1 cameras don't require a battery at all to operate. The meter doesn't work, but other than that it's all mechanical.
My two OM-1 cameras don't require a battery at all to operate. The meter doesn't work, but other than that it's all mechanical.
The Problem is not, what theoretically can be achieved with one battery charge (between 150 and 1000 images on a typical mirrorless). The problem is that capacity is hardly predictable and that in reality everyone's discipline to always have a charged spare battery with you, doesn't exist. Too often, one forgets to charge or doesn't have a spare battery available. Or the battery runs down in the wrong moment.
So longer battery life, simply reduces the likelihood to be in a situation without battery capacity.
Furthermore, industry currently moves in the wrong direction towards even shorter battery life. So, the complaints do also aim at this wrong direction: professional cameras with battery life of less than 300 images per charge (CIPA) aren't acceptable.
If Panasonic can manage to reach a CIPA value of 500 images per charge with the GH4, other vendors should be able to achieve the same, at least in their flagship models.
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Thomas
So longer battery life, simply reduces the likelihood to be in a situation without battery capacity.
Furthermore, industry currently moves in the wrong direction towards even shorter battery life. So, the complaints do also aim at this wrong direction: professional cameras with battery life of less than 300 images per charge (CIPA) aren't acceptable.
If Panasonic can manage to reach a CIPA value of 500 images per charge with the GH4, other vendors should be able to achieve the same, at least in their flagship models.
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Thomas
jeffharris
Forum Pro
Do you have a link to the one you have? This would be a great solution. Then I could charge from anything that has a USB port.
What about battery compatibility? How do you get them to fit correctly? Is it a similar solution to the Watson chargers with swappable and specific battery sleds for each battery type?
Colin K. Work
Senior Member
I think it is pretty predictable, just not in terms of shots taken. My experience is that pretty much regardless how I use it, my EM-1 gives 2 -2.5 hours per battery. If (as I do) you leave you're camera switched on, you can have a pretty fair idea when a battery change is required.
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