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Camcorder Battery
Managing Your Camcorder Battery
- Is it okay to partially charge a battery before taking it off the charger and putting it back in the camcorder?
- Yes - providing you own a newer camcorder, such as a digital camcorder. Newer camcorder manufacturers typically provide lithium ion batteries. These batteries can be partially recharged before reuse. Other batteries - especially nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries - can be damaged by only partially charging them.
- How do you know when to purchase a new camcorder battery?
- Battery manufacturers generally consider a rechargeable battery to have reached its useful life when it can provide only about half of its original consumption. For instance, if your battery could originally provide an hour's worth of power, you should replace it when it can provide only a half-hour's worth.You can save yourself a lot of trouble by purchasing an extra battery or two when you buy your camcorder. That way, you always have a backup in case the primary battery runs out of power. When purchasing batteries for your camcorder
- Camcorder batteries have different specifications on how long they last. How much recording time relates to how much battery power?
- Most professional camcorder operators tell you that the camcorder battery should be rated to operate for a period of time that's twice that of the tape. Don't assume that the battery that's provided with your camcorder is the best battery for your circumstances. A manufacturer usually provides you with a battery that's good for about an hour of camera usage. Because digital camcorder and Digital8 tape is usually 60 minutes long, you may think you have the correct battery, but chances are you don't. Most people run their camcorders in the nonrecord mode as much as they do in the record mode because you can't look through the viewfinder of a camcorder unless it's turned on. So, if you're using a 1-hour tape, you would be wise to use a 2-hour battery. Besides, a 2-hour battery is good for 2 hours only when it's new. Within a year or so, your 2-hour battery will have become a 1-hour battery due to normal aging factors. This inevitable aging is accelerated if you don't take proper care of your battery.
- When buying a new battery, what type should I consider?
- Always buy batteries that are made for your charger. And, obviously, always buy batteries that are rated for your camcorder. For example, the Canon GL1 is rated as 7.2 volts DC. Caring for your camcorder battery doesn't mean that you must have an emotional attachment. But you do need to discipline yourself to certain practices, or you'll waste money and lose valuable shooting opportunities because you'll be tending to sick batteries. Follow these basic guidelines, and your batteries should serve you well.