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Powershot A1400 battery questions

Started Dec 18, 2013 | Questions
Walterand Jozef New Member • Posts: 5
Powershot A1400 battery questions

Hi, I'm a new Canon Powershot A1400 owner, it's a lovely camera, I really like it and have already had some great pictures with it, my question is about the batteries that came with it.  There were 2xNiMH AA size batteries which I put in, after every shot it displays a message something like "recharging batteries" can't remember the exact words. So my questions are: does the camera have a built in charger?  How long should I expect them to last taking maybe 4-5 photos a day? Are they able to be charged in a conventional battery charger or do they eventually use up and have to be replaced? Can I then use ordinary rechargeable AA batteries and charger or do I have to stick to NiMH ones. I'd be very grateful for plain English replies, I've been looking at the online manual but can't find out what I want to know. Thanks very much for reading this.

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Canon PowerShot A1400
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waterwingz
waterwingz Regular Member • Posts: 243
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions

There were 2xNiMH AA size batteries which I put in, after every shot it displays a message something like "recharging batteries" can't remember the exact words.

That usually means that the batteries needed to be recharged first.

So my questions are: does the camera have a built in charger?

No. And the camera only comes from Canon with two regular (disposable) Alkaline AA batteries.

How long should I expect them to last taking maybe 4-5 photos a day?

According to this Canon Website for A1400 you should get between around 150 shots with standard AA batteries (not rechargeable) and more thatn 500 shots with NiMH batteries.

Are they able to be charged in a conventional battery charger or do they eventually use up and have to be replaced?

You really need a charger designed to handle NiMH batteries. They will last a long time (years) before they need to be replaced.

Can I then use ordinary rechargeable AA batteries and charger or do I have to stick to NiMH ones.

Yes, you can use regular AA batteries. They won't last as long though.

I'd be very grateful for plain English replies, I've been looking at the online manual but can't find out what I want to know. Thanks very much for reading this.

I hope this helps then.

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Canon PowerShot G16
OP Walterand Jozef New Member • Posts: 5
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions

Thanks very much Waterwingz, yes your reply has helped. The batteries that came with the camera are Panasonic LR6 AA industrial alkaline, I'm assuming they'll last a good while yet then but are not rechargeable, they certainly have already lasted longer than ordinary AA ones did in my previous camera. Thanks again.

JohnG10 Junior Member • Posts: 25
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions

Welcome!

My 2 cents;

Use the rechargeable AA batteries you already own. If you have access to a good source of cheap AA non-rechargeable batteries it might be easiest to use those as spares. My prediction is that you will get the photography bug and soon be buying more cameras that use proprietary batteries. So there is no point in building a big inventory of rechargeable AAs that will sit idle in few years. That's what happened to me after a string of Canon A series cameras and an SX100. No regrets about that but maybe my experience will save you a little money.

OP Walterand Jozef New Member • Posts: 5
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions

Thank you JohnG10, much appreciate your advice, I must admit it's a lovely camera, much better than our previous one which was just a cheapie, not sure about getting the bug as a bit long in the tooth but we do like taking pics of home and garden and our two cats.

CameraCarl Veteran Member • Posts: 9,197
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions
1

I've found that some brands of rechargeable batteries don't seem to work in the camera.  Even when I put in freshly charged batteries, I still got a message to recharge or replace batteries.  I bought a pair of Eneloop batteries with a charger from Amazon.  The batteries work well, seem to last for days, and don't run down when left in the camera.  Some types of NiMH batteries discharge even when not in use but the new generation of batteries like Eneloop don't.

OP Walterand Jozef New Member • Posts: 5
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions

Even batteries have got complicated now, it used to be either disposable or rechargeable and that was it, now there's these NiMH and Eneloop which I've never heard of before until reading your post CameraCarl. Mind you, our last camera the recharged batts didn't seem to last for long even fully charged so I think you're right. I'm off to google Eneloop now.:-)

.

waterwingz
waterwingz Regular Member • Posts: 243
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions
1

Walterand Jozef wrote:

Even batteries have got complicated now, it used to be either disposable or rechargeable and that was it, now there's these NiMH and Eneloop which I've never heard of before until reading your post CameraCarl. Mind you, our last camera the recharged batts didn't seem to last for long even fully charged so I think you're right. I'm off to google Eneloop now.:-)

.

I'd highly recommend Eneloops. Nothing worse than reaching for your camera and finding out that the batteries have drained on their own. Eneloops do not do that - its the only thing I use in my A1200 cameras.

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Canon PowerShot G16
OP Walterand Jozef New Member • Posts: 5
Re: Powershot A1400 battery questions

Thank you, everyone, very much for all your help and advice. I've been reading up about Enerloops and I think they are definitely the way to go.

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