Best value

What makes one battery better than another is how much electricity they can store, which is called their capacity. This is a technical term and the capacity of batteries is measured in Ampere Hours (Ah), that is the number of amps it can supply over an hour.

The small batteries used in digital cameras have capacities measured in milliampere hours (mAh), and in general, the more the merrier.  A bigger mAh number means your battery should last longer before it needs recharging, it might even charge up your flashgun faster.

Exactly how long any battery will last is impossible to tell because it depends a lot more on how you use your camera than what type of battery you put in it. Servo motors (zoom and focus), flash and the LCD viewfinder probably account for about 90% of the power use by themselves. So, if you don’t zoom or flash and only use the optical viewfinder, your batteries will last hours longer.

However, without changing the way you use your camera, you can expect a relative difference between the different types. NiCads (especially old ones) will give up first, standard alkalis will last longer and NiMH (especially the newest ones) will keep going the longest.

That applies if you put in a fresh battery and use the camera until it runs out but, if you only take a few pictures every few months, then you will come across the biggest downside to rechargeable batteries. They lose their charge even when they are not being used.

If you only switch on your camera once every 6 months, you could find you have no power just when you want it. This also applies to the non-standard type cells. Although a different technology again (Lithium-Ion - Li-Ion), they are similar to NiMH in this regard.

Because of this, non-rechargeable cells may well be the longest lasting and therefore cheapest option for the very occasional photographer. There are also high power alkali and photo Lithium batteries available that will last even longer than standard alkali.

Money Saving Tip

It is very important to look at the mAh number when comparing prices. You should expect a more powerful battery to cost more. If a price is quoted without a capacity, it may not be the good value you think it is.

You can save a lot by not buying the latest, most powerful battery. As soon as a new generation of batteries appears, the previous generation drops in value, whilst still being as good as it always was.

Next page - Conclusions

Battery safety

You have to be careful with batteries because they generate heat when they are being used and charged and modern more powerful cells make more heat. In a worst case scenario, excessive heat in a confined space can cause an explosion.

Never use a battery that shows any sign of physical damage, if it leaks in your camera it could cause a lot of damage. For the same reason you should never use an ordinary cell that is not leak proof.

Never even try to charge a non rechargeable cell or put an ordinary rechargeable into a fast charger - they could explode.

Chargers are one area where cheapest may not be good enough. For your own peace of mind a charger with a thermal cut-out may be a minimum requirement.

Always dispose of dead batteries carefully and responsibly.

Save money on Batteries