Hi does anyone know, how long is the initial charge for battery (NB-5L)of canon digital camera?

do i have to drain the battery before re-charging?

thanks so much for all your replies. all ur infos would certainly help when i get my new camera. i have a follow up question: if i used a battery that is not the original (canon) brand but just a replacement batt, would it ruin my camera or make it function less effectively? i plan to get a spare battery just in case the original batt runs out while im outdoors and have no access to power...hope someone can answer soon.

If it is a Li-ion you do not want to drain it before charging. Just put it in the Canon charger and when it is finished you should get a steady light ... it will not over charge.

Charge times very. My Nikon's take about two hours if completely flat, less if only used a little.

I charge all my Li-ion batteries just before I go out on an assignment and I carry a charger with me that I can plug into my 12v power point on my SUV

Hi Katie,

The initial charge will be 10 to 12 hours.

You can charge the battery any time. You do not have to run it dead. Subsequent charges on mine take two to three hours.

Norm

Always for initial(first off) charges, always charge it when u go to bed. So when u wake up, it generally is ready! Subsequent(further charges) generally take 2-3 hrs, depends on the camera brand! Nikon and Canon always 2-3 hrs!! You don't need to run the battery dead, just charge it any time u want to use it!