Digital Camera Batteries
By Jakob Jelling, Fri Dec 9th

By Jakob Jelling http://www.snapjunky.com

Every device needs a driving force to operate, just as everyliving thing needs a heart to keep it alive! Basically electricpower does this job for any kind of devices nowadays. Similarlyfor any digital camera too, a good battery is necessary in orderto ensure an excellent performance from it as long as possible.Being such a crucial task as if searching for a good heart for ahuman being, perhaps the most tedious thing about digitalcameras is the quest for their battery consumption and therebyfinding a suitable one for any particular one. Yet a basicoverview regarding this so important component of a digitalcamera makes the ventures of the users somewhat less complicatedand makes life easier with a proper selection of the battery!

Leaving aside the ever power thirsty LCD screens and flashes,the digital themselves exhaust batteries much fasterthan film cameras, due to their state of the art electronicdesigns and intricate circuitry. Many digital run fromAA cells, around 4, and can even drain a set of alkaline cellsin less than 1 hour of working! For example, the Kodak DC120draws about 210mA during start or switch ON, but progresses toaround 1.3A with the association of the LCD fully working andcan go ahead to about 2.1A while picture taking and after it too.

With all these nightmares regarding the batteries of the digitalcameras, it is worthwhile to analyze and reveal some of theavailable batteries for the digital in an effort toexplore area of power consumption in this fantastic device.Coming to first one of these, like its great name suggests, itis the Li-ion (Lithium Ion). It is one of the latest cell typesavailable to digital camera users. This has many advantages toits credit. It is light in weight and currently available formany commercial uses and thus being so the Li-ion (Lithium Ion)battery type is becoming quite popular. This has an addedadvantage of being able to endow with more power than any of theother main cell types available. It is also free from theproblems of memory effect,

hat some battery types do have, andmaintenance is least in this type of battery. These are but realgoodies about this Li-ion (Lithium Ion) battery. Yet it has onemajor disadvantage, that is, the price is usually significantlyhigher than conventional batteries, due to its sophisticateddesign and technology.

Coming to the next one in the line, the NiMH (Nickel MetalHydride). This is a battery that is perhaps the most frequentlyunder use for not only digital cameras, but also for othersophisticated devices like laptop computers! This has theadvantage of being cheap in price due to the fact that it incurscheap manufacturing costs, and thus a choice for many users! Butthis does have the problems of memory effect, and much moremaintenance and care is required while handling this kind ofbattery. Another such battery is the NiCAD (Nickel Cadmium)Battery. This is perhaps belonging to one of the older celltypes generally available for older laptops and electronicdevices. These batteries or cells have an aptitude for handlinghigh power loads, and therefore is more frequently found inhandy power tools and devices that require more amounts power towork efficiently and perfectly. Yet again, these batteries toohave the problems of memory effect, and much more maintenanceand care is required while handling this kind of battery.

Apart from the different batteries themselves, the selectionshould be based upon the charging techniques and the differentcharges available for all these digital camera batteries. Latestbatteries come handy with charging free techniques too! So careneeds to be taken in this area also, depending upon therequirements of the user.

With all the vivid conversation regarding the hearts of thedigital cameras, their batteries, it is expected for everyperson going through the lines to have grabbed a significantamount of information in dealing with the intricacies of thepurchase, and thereby also augment the ability of the person inusing such a sophisticated device as a digital camera with aproper battery!

About the author:Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com. Visithis digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictureswith your digicam.