Battery Span

canon400d

I have a 40D with a battery grip. I shoot raw and I am going on a long shoot next week and I would like to know roughly how many shots am I likely to get out of the two fully charged batteries. I appreciate it amounts to the number of shots I take but I would just like some idea. Or should I go to the expense and buy another two. This is the first long shoot I will be attending and I don't know when the next one will be so if I have to buy another two batteries they will be rarely used and would they deteriate by not using them.
Regards
Bob

cmason

canon400d wrote:

I have a 40D with a battery grip. I shoot raw and I am going on a long shoot next week and I would like to know roughly how many shots am I likely to get out of the two fully charged batteries. I appreciate it amounts to the number of shots I take but I would just like some idea. Or should I go to the expense and buy another two. This is the first long shoot I will be attending and I don't know when the next one will be so if I have to buy another two batteries they will be rarely used and would they deteriate by not using them.
Regards
Bob

Well, for reference I shot 300+ images, half were family portraits with off camera flash, over a 3 day weekend. I have one battery and didnt need to charge it. I think the biggest issue is using the on board flash, and the screen, which i rarely do.

pyry

I'd say at least 500 shots, and less if you use the internal flash, and slightly less with IS, depends on how much chimping you do as well. The guideline numbers are in the manual. I use two batteries at a time and two good ones go on forever.

This is for batteries in good condition, old and worn ones can flat line at any point. I have 3 made by GP all good, a fading one by Canon and a half dead Lenmar and I've discarded a Canon and an off-brand one. Two years seems to be the approximate life expectancy for the kind of use I put them through, less if the quality isn't there.

canon400d

pyry wrote:

I'd say at least 500 shots, and less if you use the internal flash, and slightly less with IS, depends on how much chimping you do as well. The guideline numbers are in the manual. I use two batteries at a time and two good ones go on forever.

This is for batteries in good condition, old and worn ones can flat line at any point. I have 3 made by GP all good, a fading one by Canon and a half dead Lenmar and I've discarded a Canon and an off-brand one. Two years seems to be the approximate life expectancy for the kind of use I put them through, less if the quality isn't there.

Thanks for the replies that is very useful indeed. I shouldnt be using the flash so I think from what you have told me I should be ok.
Regards
Bob

pathfinder

Longer shutter speeds - 10 - 20 - 30 seconds - are harder on battery consumption also.

erson83

I charge my batteries maybe once a week with regular use. I do a weekend gig...be it a wedding or other event, and senior shoots throughout the week. I have done all day horse shows without a blink. If its the canon brand grip, you can go all day without a problem

Scott_Quier

I shoot weddings using 2 gripped 30D cameras. Shutter speeds are rarely slower than 1/30s and ISO is usually something like 400 or 800 and no built-in flash (typically use either by 580EX or PocketWizards).

I have shot, on my main camera, something like 1200 - 1500 on a pair of Sterlingtek batteries and still had charge left over.