EOS 5D Mark IV battery drain

[Reb4370]

Question I just bought the new 5D and notice that when I pick up the camera to use it the camera battery is completely drained even if I turned it of the day before. I know it's not the battery I have the 80d as a back up camera and it works fine in their is their a setting I'm missing? Please help 

[Waddizzle]

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@Reb4370 wrote:

Question I just bought the new 5D and notice that when I pick up the camera to use it the camera battery is completely drained even if I turned it of the day before. I know it's not the battery I have the 80d as a back up camera and it works fine in their is their a setting I'm missing? Please help 

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If you have the 5D Mark IV, then you will want to check the GPS setting.  As a habit, I keep it turned off.

The GPS has 3 settings: Disabled, Active at all times, and Active only when the camera is turned on.  When I need it, I am typically in one general location.  I do not need hundreds of GPS markers on my map o top of one another.  All I really need is one or two.  I will take a couple of test shots to capture the GPS coordinates, and then turn it off again.  I can copy the GPS coordinates onto as many photos as I want in post.

[amfoto1 · Accepted solution]

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@Reb4370 wrote:

Question I just bought the new 5D and notice that when I pick up the camera to use it the camera battery is completely drained even if I turned it of the day before. I know it's not the battery I have the 80d as a back up camera and it works fine in their is their a setting I'm missing? Please help 

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Does the camera have GPS? WiFi? If so, try turning those off. I have heard they can stay active and drain the battery, even when the camera is off. (I don't use either, so can't say from personal experience).

There may be another "benefit" to turning WiFi off when it's not needed, if you ever leave the camera concealed in your car... Apparently some thieves are using devices that detect active WiFi (even a smartphone might be able to detect it) to find out if there are electronics stashed in cars, then breaking in when they find something. There was a recent article about this.

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Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2) some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & ZENFOLIO 

[shadowsports]

I never use Wi-Fi, but do use GPS on my 6D2.  I have it set to Mode 2, operate only when the camera is on.  The 5D4 works the same.  I have had zero issues with signal aquisition or excessive battery drain.  If GPS isn't important to you as Wadizzle mentioned, disable it.  I like Mode 2 myself but its a matter of personal preference.

I take hundreds of pictures  when I'm out and moving around.  I have never needed more than 2 batteries, but if you are doing a lot of sustained continious shooting, then not using GPS or WiFi as Amfoto1 suggests would improve battery performance.  I get over 900 shots easy on one battery.  I use my viewfinder most of the time, but some of my shooting is LiveView as well.  I usually take 1-2 shots for normal pictures and 2-4 if something is extraordinary or important.  Making a minor change to shutter or aperture. 

Its also important to handle your camera regularly and become familiar with its controls and settings.  This helps to minimize LCD screen time, which is one of the bigger power draws.  I also suggest you set one or more of your "Custom"  C1 or C2 controls so you can quickly switch beetween  indoor / outdoor or portrait vs. action (example) so you are not spending time fumbling or huntiing for settings.  All of this stuff just comes with familiarity.  Over time you'll probably find that your battery life increases as you become more proficient with your camera.  That's been my experience anyway.  Since we all use our cameras differently, you can use our suggestions as a guide and tailor to fit your needs. 

[tristan29photo]

In my case, GPS is in mode 2.

I have set the camera to veil after 1 minute, but the camera always stay active until its drains all the battery. 

I use my camera quite often and I often forget to switch off my camera, so that is really annoying

At thus price, this should not happen

[grayncloudy]

Another possible solution, one that worked for me with the Canon 5D and might work with later models; is that the camera has a second back up battery that many people are unaware of. It's very well hidden under the corner of the camera bottom on one end. This button battery keeps current date and time information, etc. But, it also has something to do with how your main battery's life is reported to the camera, i.e. partly charged, completely charged. If this battery dies, then it tends to report all or most of your main batteries as also being at zero and needing a recharge, except charging them doesn't change anything. I wound up buying so many batteries before I figured this out. I had like eight in my bag, a lot of weight. I'd get them all charged up to max and go out the next morning and find maybe one I could work with for an hour if I was lucky. I looked for a long time to find the bit about the second battery on the internet. 

[HDDENB]

Wow I thought something was wrong with my new camera and I checked GPS and see I have mode 1 operating. I am going out today and switched to mode 2 and I bet that solves the battery drainage issue. Thank u so much!!!