Memory effect

For years, digital camera battery manufacturers said this didn’t exist but people who actually used NiCads knew otherwise. If you had a battery that would last 4 hours but frequently only used it for 1 hour before recharging, it could “remember” that and eventually would only work for 1 hour.

The reason for this was very complicated but the solution was simple - just discharge the cell before recharging. In fact doing this a few times could remove the “memory” from a battery with this fault.

This is not quite so much of a problem with other battery technologies and some intelligent chargers will automatically “recycle” all batteries thus eliminating the problem altogether.

Save money on Batteries

Standard cells (AA and AAA)

If your camera uses standard size cells, then you have a few more options available to you. The first is to use Alkali batteries available in local shops. Don’t use ordinary batteries, they may be cheaper, but they won’t last very long and you will have saved nothing.

Digital cameras are generally very power-hungry and if you only use batteries bought at your local high street you will end up spending a small fortune - at least much more than you need to.  If your camera can’t use rechargeable batteries, you can still buy brand name alkali batteries from specialist suppliers that are up to 75% cheaper than the high street, especially if you buy in bulk.

Rechargeable batteries

Most cameras can use these and the more photographs you take, then the more cost effective they are. As a rough guide, if you go through 3 or 4 alkali sets a year, then a charger and 2 sets of rechargeable cells will cost about the same. The next year and thereafter you will save money because you will only be paying for the electricity to charge them.

It used to be the case that all rechargeable batteries were Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) but now Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) is also available, and quite different. NiCad is the cheaper of the two and, if you already have a charger, this will actually be your cheapest option.

If you don’t have a charger, then it’s worth looking at NiMH cells because, even though they are more expensive, they are probably better value. They will last longer in your camera and can be recharged much faster than NiCads.

Chargers

The cheapest option usually, is a kit with batteries and a charger, these are also good because you know that the batteries and charger are well matched, which is important. Heat is generated in the charging process and if a battery is charged too quickly or too long it could overheat or even explode. Some chargers have built in protection against this.

You can save even more by replacing all the batteries you use with rechargeables, in which case you would need a charger that accepts different sizes. An “intelligent” charger is the only type that can accept both NiMH and NiCad and ensures all your cells get their maximum charge. These are by far the best type and they normally cost more. If you find one going cheap, it will be a genuine bargain.

Next page - Best Value