Battery Issues

[GrammieMame]

I'm new to digital and was given a Cannon Powershot A550. The manual says I should be getting about 500 shots on a battery charge. I'm getting about 75. Camera uses 2 AA batteries; I'm using 2850 rechargeable NiMH and not getting very satisfactory performance

I'm getting ready to go to Europe and want to take my new camera, but I'm worried about the battery life. Any suggestions?

 

[SharonLowe]

I'm new to digital and was given a Cannon Powershot A550. The manual says I should be getting about 500 shots on a battery charge. I'm getting about 75. Camera uses 2 AA batteries; I'm using 2850 rechargeable NiMH and not getting very satisfactory performance

I'm getting ready to go to Europe and want to take my new camera, but I'm worried about the battery life. Any suggestions?

How old are your rechargeables? They lose power over time. I have to say we love Energizer Lithium batteries for my DD's p&s - they last a very long time and I don't feel too guilty about using them because I have a place where I can recycle them.

 

[mabas9395]

When they quote the max number of shots, that is usually assuming the best case scenario which doesn't usually apply in real life. For example, in their test, they could have taken all 500 shots in a row. But in real life we turn on the camera, wait until we see a shot we want to take, take it, look at it on the LCD, show it to someone, leave it on a while in case something good happens (cuz it takes forever to start up), take a few more shots that way, then show someone else all the shots you took that day, etc, etc. They never test it that way and report on those results.

As for suggestions, that LCD is a battery killer. Your battery life will double if you stop using your LCD to frame your shots. You should be able to turn it off. And it will probably tripple if you do that PLUS stop reviewing your shots after every one you take. Rarely do I take a shot and review it to find that I need to take another for some reason. Usually its just to admire my work.