Display battery charge level in T6i viewfinder

[vic6]

I can see the battery charge level on the LCD screen of my EOS Rebel T6i, but don't see it when I look through the viewfinder. I am real old school using Canon film SLRs for the last 46 years and can't compose well using the LCD screen so I hardly ever use it.

Is there a setting that allows me to display the battery charge level within the viewfinder? I am using the original Canon LPE-17 battery pack that was supplied with the camera.

Thanks

[diverhank]

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@vic6 wrote:

Is there a setting that allows me to display the battery charge level within the viewfinder? I am using the original Canon LPE-17 battery pack that was supplied with the camera.

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I'm afraid that is not possible.  There isn't an option to display the battery info on the viewfinder.

[vic6]

Thanks diverhank, it's been driving me nuts. All the other digital cameras with viewfinders that I have used have displayed the remaining battery charge level in both the viewfinder and LCD screen.

In my opinion this is a big mistake by Canon.I compose and shoot through the viewfinder and rarely shoot using the LCD screen.

Since I won't be able to see the remaining battery charge when I shoot through the viewfinder I guess I won't miss much by using Wasabi batteries at $32 for a pair of batteries with a charger, instead of Canon batteries at $58 for one battery at Amazon's current prices. - - - - neither battery will give me the information I want where I want it.

[RobertTheFat]

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@vic6 wrote:

Thanks @diverhank, it's been driving me nuts. All the other digital cameras with viewfinders that I have used have displayed the remaining battery charge level in both the viewfinder and LCD screen.

In my opinion this is a big mistake by Canon.I compose and shoot through the viewfinder and rarely shoot using the LCD screen.

Since I won't be able to see the remaining battery charge when I shoot through the viewfinder I guess I won't miss much by using Wasabi batteries at $32 for a pair of batteries with a charger, instead of Canon batteries at $58 for one battery at Amazon's current prices. - - - - neither battery will give me the information I want where I want it.

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Batteries and memory cards are two pieces of equipment where it doesn't make sense to scrimp. Buy the most reliable brand available, regardless of price.

If you're purely a landscape or architecture photographer, you're good to go with almost any battery, because stopping to change out a failed battery is usually no big deal. But if you're an event photographer or a photojournalist, you could find it very embarrassing if your battery quits at an inconvenient time.

[Waddizzle]

"Batteries and memory cards are two pieces of equipment where it doesn't make sense to scrimp. Buy the most reliable brand available, regardless of price."  

Agreed.  I do not think it is worth any perceived savings to use third party batteries.  One, most of them do not last as long, meaning they do not hold as long of a charge, deliver as much current, or survive as many recharge/discharge cycles as Canon batteries.  Two, some do not "talk" to the camera properly, meaning that many Canon batteries have smarts built into them that report to the camera how much charge they have left. 

Finally, and what is most important, IMHO, is that most third party batteries are simply not as well made, which means you run the risk of them leaking their contents, and destroying your camera in the process.  This type of risk is most acute if you are someone like me, who mostly uses their camera outdoors during the warmer months, which means one of my cameras can sit idle for 2-3 months out of the year.  Of course, I remove the batteries

[vic6]

Thanks for your comments and concerns about third party batteries.

I always take the batteries out of my camera unless I am shooting that day. Have done this since my first Canon A-1.

I have two Canon batteries for my camera. I will only buy the Wasabi batteries as back up. I don't anticipate using them much if at all, but if I am out on a multi-day canoe trip I feel better having those backup batteries. Being retired and with considerably less discretionary income than I have had in the past saving money on back up batteries seems prudent.

[diverhank]

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@vic6 wrote:

I have two Canon batteries for my camera. I will only buy the Wasabi batteries as back up. I don't anticipate using them much if at all, but if I am out on a multi-day canoe trip I feel better having those backup batteries. Being retired and with considerably less discretionary income than I have had in the past saving money on back up batteries seems prudent.

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I agree with you.  I also use Wasabi batteries as back-ups.  They don't last as long as the Canon's but considering that I have had to use a back up battery only 3 times in the past 5 years and I shoot literally several times a week  (all 3 times at airshow where rapid fires of thousands of pictures were done), it is hard to justify getting Canon batteries.

I've been lucky...my non-OEM batteries gave me no problems so far.