whenever i put new batteries in my camera (samsung not sure what kind but im pretty sure its old haha) it says its low battery even if the batteries are brand new.. like it jst last for 10 seconds then my camera shuts off. how can i fix it =S? i use Duracell batteries... are those the cheap ones? Normal alkaline batteries just don't do it for digital cameras because of the high instantaneous current required to run a digital camera. (This includes all batteries such as "Duracell" and "Super Heavy Duty" etc) These types of batteries will appear to the camera to be flat even when they aren't because they just don't have the capacity to give the camera what it wants.
Some places still sell rechargeable Nickel Cadmium Batteries (NiCd), and these batteries cannot cut it for digital cameras. There are also rechargeable alkaline batteries and these aren't great either.
The only type of rechargeable to get is Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), and the higher capacity the better. This capacity is typically rated in milliamp hours. A medium capacity battery for a camera will have say 1600 MAH whereas a high capacity battery will have more than 2000 MAH. Some even go as high as 2600 MAH. Get the highest that you can.
One downside is that NiMH batteries go flat in the camera if you do not use them. In a camera that uses 2 batteries, this can happen in as little as a week.
My advice is get a couple of sets of high capacity NiMH rechargeable batteries (2000 MAH or higher) and use these as much as possible. Also however buy one or two sets of Lithium batteries (non rechargeable) these last a long time but are wickedly expensive. Have one set of lithiums for backup in case you need the shot but the rechargeables are all flat. Soon as you can put freshly recharged batteries in and again keep the lithiums in reserve. Unused lithium batteries will last for years.
Many cameras have a menu setting which can flatten the batteries for you prior to recharging. ONLY IF you are using NiMH batteries is this a good idea. Vendors tell you that NiMH are not prone to "memory effect" and therefore do not need to be totally flat before being recharged, but this is not true. NiMH bateries should be discharged before being recharged. If the camera can't automatically discharge them, then keep using the camera until it won't go anymore, then recharge them.
I hope this eases the pain a little. try batteries that are made for digital cameras. Meaning high capacity ones If you're using "cheap" batteries, switch to the expensive ones. If this doesn't work, try cleaning the battery contacts inside the battery compartment. Take a Q-tip, dip it in alcohol and swab them clean. Wait a few minutes to make sure the alcohol has evaporated and put the batteries back in.
If THAT doesn't work, there's something wrong with the camera. Take it to a camera shop and let them take a look at it. check the connections to the batteries slot, make sure they are making a connection Power management is critical to successful digital photography.
The LCD uses most of the power, followed by the auto-focus and zoom features. Taking the photo and saving it to the memory card uses the least.
Find a four pack of NiMH AA batteries with a charger and make sure that they are rated for at least 2300 mA-h
Managing your power use will ensure longer lasting battery life. | 