Battery Discontinuance: the Limiting Factor in Digital Camera Longevity?

[jerry thirsty]

<p>I was scrolling through one of my vendor wish lists today and noticed that the Konica Minolta NP-400 Li-ion battery was discontinued. The reason I cared was because it's been a good spare for my K10D (much better than the Impact branded one, which died after 2 charging cycles) and because it's always been $10 versus $40 for the Pentax branded one. So out of curiousity, I went looking to see what I could still get if one of my current batteries were to die. Surprise surprise, it's either the Pentax one or the dubious third party brands. Stashing another NP-400 for the future doesn't seem like a good option, because from what I've read the Li-ion material will break down over the course of several years (whether the battery is used or not).</p>

<p>So what are we going to do with our five or ten year old cameras when nobody is making the proprietary form factor battery we need? The only thing I can think of is an external battery pack that feeds the DC In connection. Obviously it will also require some control electonics to bring the pack voltage down to whatever weird-ass voltage the camera requires. Doesn't sound like the sort of solution many people will put up with. Or do we just resign ourselves to the fact that the camera becomes a brick whenever the battery manufacturer decides they aren't making enough profit?</p>

[michael_dimarzio]

<p>Jerry, I have always wondered why there isn't an ISO dimensioned battery,or series of batteries that make this a moot point.<br>

Like USB memory or SD cards and the like. They change get better bigger faster, but the physical interface has remained the same.</p>

[joseph_leotta]

<p>the entire Nikon Pro/am Line takes the same battery (D100, D200,D300 & D700) Dont think those batteries are going away anytime soon. In addition with the use of Grips they also can use AAA Batteries. <br>

I would bet that if you looked you could find a aftermarket battery for your camera.</p>

[tobey_bilek]

<p>I buy the battery grip for Nikons. They take AA in a special holder. When new cameras stop shipping with ELN3e or whatever it is, I will buy 3.<br>

Li batteries like to be recharged as frequently as possible, even topping off 5% used. They last longer that way. Store at 50 %<br>

Ni Cads like to do full cycles.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Welcome to the party. Batteries for laptop computers have long been the limiting factor in their continued use. I have some old ones that work just fine plugged in, but the "smart" batteries needed to use them as a portable are no longer made, by anyone, at all.</p>

<p> </p>

[dshombert]

<p>Hmm, distressing news about the NP-400. I wonder if what Jerry read about an unused battery deteriorating is really true. And, if it is, could a new battery's demise be postponed by refrigerated storage until it's ready for use? Anybody got any links to an authoritative source on this topic?</p>

[dbcooper]

<blockquote>

<p>So what are we going to do with our five or ten year old cameras when nobody is making the proprietary form factor battery we need?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>A guy at work actually uses a 10 y.o. Sony with a whopping 1.3mp resolution. It uses AA batteries and a 3.5" floppy disc for memory.</p>

[jerry thirsty]

<p>This is the first result when I google "lithium ion battery life" (most other sources I've read say much the same thing):</p>

<p>http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm</p>

<p>Most of the discussion seems to be referring to laptop batteries, but here's a couple of bullet points from the end:</p>

 

<ul>

 

<li>Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing dates. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices. <br /> </li>

<li>If you have a spare lithium-ion battery, use one to the fullest and keep the other cool by placing it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze the battery. For best results, store the battery at 40% state-of-charge.</li>

<br />

</ul>

<p>Are there any chargers for Li-ion camera batteries that report the % of charge? Presumably the plethora of contact arrangements and case sizes and shapes makes it impractical to market a high quality aftermarket charger; you're stuck with the black box that comes with your camera.</p>

[larry_myers4]

<p>If you were really determined, it wouldn't be <i>too </i>difficult to make your own battery. As long as you get the correct voltage, amperage, electrical contact location, current type, etc it should work. <br>

Also, most cameras these days have AC input ports, so you could always connect some sort of universal battery to that.</p>

[jerry thirsty]

<p>Larry,</p>

<p>That's what I was trying to say in the original post, about using an external battery pack. On my Pentax, the port where you plug in the AC adapter is labeled DC In. One downside of doing that is that the weathersealing is completely gone. But it would be fine for nice weather or indoors, assuming you could find someone to build one (or figure it out yourself). </p>

<p>I'm not much of a studio user, but certainly with just the standard AC adapter the camera could live on that way.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Some of the battery pack/vertical hold attachments do allow other batteries such as AAs to be used instead of the original battery. It's pretty expensive with alkalines, but higher quality rechargeables would allow you to soldier on, I suppose, even if the custom battery was no longer made.</p>

[larry_myers4]

<p>Jerry,<br /> I GIS'd the battery you're talking about, and it looks like it may just consist of two cells (the two cylindrical bulges on the battery) inside the plastic housing. You might be able to take the housing apart and find replacements for the cells from Radio Shack or an online specialty shop.</p>

<p>For obvious reasons, you should only attempt this if you have basic electrical/soldering experience, though.</p>

[raybrizzi]

<p>I've been swapping back and forth between the original Pentax and a Digital Concepts batteryfor a year and a half now. Both work equally well. They're 17.32 at Amazon for the DC one and 33.43 for a Pentax.</p>

[matthew_newton]

<p>Jerry's article seems pretty spot on. From everything else I have read and my limited experince with Li Ion and Li Poly batteries they have a limited shelf life no matter the use or non-use. This is true of most types of batteries with a few exceptions (Zinc Air is effectively indeffinite, or at least decades if sealed). Storage in a cool place and at partial discharge is the best way to prolong their life. Its a hassel to store your batteries partly discharged and in a refrigerator however. Cool will prolong their life no matter what though (don't store below 38-40F to be safe).</p>