Laptops For Less Blog

Camcorder Battery Tips – learn how to prolong battery life.

Replacement camcorder batteries can be quite pricey, typically costing $40 or more, so an understanding of the dangers of not caring for your battery properly, and knowledge of how to prolong the life of the battery might save you some cash as well as the hassle of not having enough power to capture a video you wanted to shoot. The first thing, obviously, is making sure you have the right rechargeable battery for your camcorder. This is a non-issue when you buy a new camcorder, because they always come supplied with the correct battery and recharger. However, as you use your camcorder over a period of time, you’ll begin to notice the battery takes longer to charge, and doesn’t hold its charge for as long as it used to.

At this point, some typical questions that might be going through your mind include:

Is it OK to remove a battery from the charger and put it in the camcorder before it’s fully charged?

Yes – so long as it’s a new camcorder, or digital camcorder. These come with lithium ion batteries. Older models came with nickel-cadmium [NiCad] batteries, which were susceptible to damage if only partially charged. This doesn’t apply to the newer lithium ion batteries.

Is it OK to recharge a battery before it’s fully discharged?

The same applies here – with a lithium ion battery this is OK, with a NiCad battery, it isn’t.

When is the right time to start looking for replacement camcorder batteries?

Camcorder manufacturers usually recommend that when your battery can only provide half the capacity it started out with, it has reached the end of its effective life and needs to be replaced. So, if you used to get an hour’s worth of shooting from a single charge, and you now only get half an hour, you should start thinking about a replacement.

It’s actually a very good idea to think about getting a spare battery or two when you purchase your camcorder. This way, you have a backup handy and are less likely to be embarrassed when you miss that important event you were supposed to video. There are a few things you should bear in mind when buying camcorder batteries.

Camcorder batteries have different ratings as to how long they provide power.

How much battery power do you need for the length of time you want to record?

Most professionals recommend using a battery that is rated to last twice as long as the tape [or the memory card's capacity]. It might not be the case that the battery the manufacturer provided is the best battery for your needs. It’s usual to get a battery that is good for about an hour’s worth of shooting. Digital tape is typically an hour long, so you might think you have the right battery.

However, most people run their camcorder in non-record mode as much as record mode, because you can’t use the viewfinder without the camera being turned on. So it would make sense to use a two-hour battery for a one-hour tape. Don’t forget, a two-hour battery will last for two hours only when it’s new. After about a year, your two-hour battery will have aged and will effectively become a one-hour battery. If you don’t look after your battery properly, this natural
deterioration will be accelerated.

So, what type of replacement battery should you get?

Any battery you buy should of course be fully compatible with your camcorder. You need to check the voltage specifications carefully. A Canon GL1, for example, is rated at 7.2 volts DC [Direct Current].

What do you have to do to get the maximum life out of your battery?

Here are some camcorder battery tips to help you avoid costly mistakes:

Always protect your battery from high temperatures. The number one enemy of batteries is heat. Anton/Bauer is a leading authority on video camera batteries, and they claim that exposure to excessive heat can increase your battery’s deterioration process by as much as 80 percent. Heat also slowly saps a lithium ion battery’s ability to hold its charge. If you plan to store your batteries long-term [i.e. for several weeks] between shooting sessions, store them in the fridge. Always seal them in a plastic bag, first, to avoid the [rare] possibility of a battery leakage which might contaminate food.

Never recharge a cold battery. If you take your battery out of the fridge, or out of a cold car in winter, always allow it to return to room temperature before placing it in the charger. Batteries can possibly explode if placed on a charger when too cold.

If you carry camcorder batteries loose, don’t let them jostle around. This can impact your battery’s life expectancy and performance. Also, never use any battery which shows any signs of physical damage. The battery’s external coating is designed to keep the battery acid inside. If the battery is damaged, the acid could seep out, damaging anything it comes into contact with.

Finally, consider getting a replacement battery from a supplier of compatible products, rather than the original brand replacement. LaptopsForLess.com is a reputable online merchant that stocks a wide range of replacement batteries which are fully compatible with all leading models from all leading camcorder manufacturers, at a considerable saving in price compared to the manufacturer’s own brand batteries.