Battery draining scenarios...

OK - I'm sure this may have been addressed in the past, but here goes.

I'm currently maintaining the NX300, NX30 and NX500.  I always keep batteries inside of the cameras and I noticed that with these Samsung models, even when not being used, they drain the battery - usually within a few weeks time-frame.  I've gone through the menu several times over to see if I left anything on (i.e. IS, Wifi/Bluetooth, etc) and also ensured that they were off.

But even with all of this, I can put new batteries in the cameras and within two weeks they are at half or a quarter power.

So what am I missing, or is this par for the course with these cameras?

I would never keep batteries in cameras for prolonged periods of time. Even if they don't drain, there is always a possibility of battery swelling and becoming stuck or damaging the camera.

That said, these cameras do not turn off when you turn them off, they go in deep sleep so they can wake up fast. When storing for longer time you could pop the battery out and back in after powering off - this will definitely power the camera down. Any discharge is then due to the battery itself (every battery has some non-ideal internal resistance).

I don't know about other models, but my NX5 is very good about not discharging it's battery when "off".

From experience with other equipment this symptom can be an initial indication of a failing battery.

To prove (or disprove) this concept, you could try, with a freshly recharged battery, taking very many pictures (or continuous video) and compare your results with the manufacturer's quoted figures. Bear in mind that these figures are possibly only valid for OEM batteries.

Good luck

kypfer wrote:

I don't know about other models, but my NX5 is very good about not discharging it's battery when "off".

From experience with other equipment this symptom can be an initial indication of a failing battery.

To prove (or disprove) this concept, you could try, with a freshly recharged battery, taking very many pictures (or continuous video) and compare your results with the manufacturer's quoted figures. Bear in mind that these figures are possibly only valid for OEM batteries.

Good luck

It's difficult to accurately guage the nx500 battery level though as the indicator is pretty runbish compared to the NX1 which uses a percentage. Having said that I do think the nx500 is better at not discharging the battery compared to the NX1.

Also, I'm guilty of keeping the batteries inside the cameras when I know I shouldn't. I appreciate the risk of the battery swelling but would imagine this risk is small given the amount of phones we have now with sealed in batteries.

markyboy81 wrote:

It's difficult to accurately guage the nx500 battery level though as the indicator is pretty runbish compared to the NX1 which uses a percentage. Having said that I do think the nx500 is better at not discharging the battery compared to the NX1.

Also, I'm guilty of keeping the batteries inside the cameras when I know I shouldn't. I appreciate the risk of the battery swelling but would imagine this risk is small given the amount of phones we have now with sealed in batteries.

No need to "accurately gauge" anything, just run it flat and count how many minutes of video or how many exposures were made! Somewhere, probably in the camera handbook, there'll be an official estimate of how many pictures or how much video one can expect to get from a fully charged battery.

When comparing the risk of batteries swelling you need to compare "like with like".

A 'phone with a sealed in battery is just that, there's no facility for removing that battery and fitting another, so if it swells a bit probably no big deal, maybe a dent in the case.

If the removeable battery in your camera swells it is no longer removeable, so can't be replaced and quite possibly can't be recharged either, so camera becomes unusable and possibly economically irrepairable. Taking the batteries out is a lot cheaper, even if it does mean you need to reset the time and date next time you want to use the camera

Ben Herrmann wrote:

OK - I'm sure this may have been addressed in the past, but here goes.

I'm currently maintaining the NX300, NX30 and NX500. I always keep batteries inside of the cameras and I noticed that with these Samsung models, even when not being used, they drain the battery - usually within a few weeks time-frame. I've gone through the menu several times over to see if I left anything on (i.e. IS, Wifi/Bluetooth, etc) and also ensured that they were off.

But even with all of this, I can put new batteries in the cameras and within two weeks they are at half or a quarter power.

So what am I missing, or is this par for the course with these cameras?

Mine's the lowly NX3000, but I can't help feel there was a connection between allowing the battery to run flat - and the camera's habit, since then, of losing the date/time setting every time I remove the battery.

Of 20 something digitals, it's one of only two to have thrown such a fault - and regrettably quick in doing so, within 4 years of purchase (April 2015)...

Perhaps the main battery is used to power the clock, or maybe to top up the system that does that?

Peter

...good points.  The issue(s) I have is (are) that all of my other brand cameras - whether it be Fuji X, Canon EOS M, or Micro 43 - do not have that battery drain when batteries are left in the camera.  It only occurs with my Samsung cameras.  Hey, but if it is what it is, then so be it.  I just have to periodically check them.

Isola Verde wrote:

Mine's the lowly NX3000, but I can't help feel there was a connection between allowing the battery to run flat - and the camera's habit, since then, of losing the date/time setting every time I remove the battery.

Of 20 something digitals, it's one of only two to have thrown such a fault - and regrettably quick in doing so, within 4 years of purchase (April 2015)...

Perhaps the main battery is used to power the clock, or maybe to top up the system that does that?

Peter

Could it be that the backup circuit that keeps the clock running has gone faulty and that's what's draining your battery, continuously drawing from the main battery to try to charge a faulty battery/capacitor? Probably never know for sure

Isola Verde wrote:

Ben Herrmann wrote:

OK - I'm sure this may have been addressed in the past, but here goes.

I'm currently maintaining the NX300, NX30 and NX500. I always keep batteries inside of the cameras and I noticed that with these Samsung models, even when not being used, they drain the battery - usually within a few weeks time-frame. I've gone through the menu several times over to see if I left anything on (i.e. IS, Wifi/Bluetooth, etc) and also ensured that they were off.

But even with all of this, I can put new batteries in the cameras and within two weeks they are at half or a quarter power.

So what am I missing, or is this par for the course with these cameras?

Mine's the lowly NX3000, but I can't help feel there was a connection between allowing the battery to run flat - and the camera's habit, since then, of losing the date/time setting every time I remove the battery.

Of 20 something digitals, it's one of only two to have thrown such a fault - and regrettably quick in doing so, within 4 years of purchase (April 2015)...

Perhaps the main battery is used to power the clock, or maybe to top up the system that does that?

Peter

It gives me great pleasure to say that - after several months of repeatedly charging the battery "in camera", and leaving it "on" occasionally - the date/time system is now again retaining its setting while I swap batteries.

So I'll now either be using the NX3000 more often, or selling it with a clear conscience!

If only my sad little Oly PM1 could be similarly revived....

Peter

kypfer wrote:

I don't know about other models, but my NX5 is very good about not discharging it's battery when "off".

NX500 is worse with this issue. In my experience, NX300 doesn't drain too much battery in sleep/off mode.

otto k wrote:

That said, these cameras do not turn off when you turn them off, they go in deep sleep so they can wake up fast. When storing for longer time you could pop the battery out and back in after powering off - this will definitely power the camera down. Any discharge is then due to the battery itself (every battery has some non-ideal internal resistance).

Excellent; this totally makes sense!

thatfour wrote:

I have two batteries swollen up inside the nx500 and have to use knife to wedge out the batteries that are opening a crack in two parts

Were they non-OEM/unoriginal batteries?