proper way to charge batteries so they don't get a memory and start discharging quickly

[lisar4]

I shoot with a 7d ii and a 5d iii.    On my past safari, I would recharge the battery between morning and afternoon shooting sessions....I noticed that after doing this a few times, the battery started draiing very quickly.  (my shooting methods did not change)

then I remembered someone had told me a long time ago, that you should always allow a battery to discharge completely before recharging.

can anyone offer any suggestions about how to properly use the batteries over multiple bodies (and multiple batteries) to get the best performance?   should the batteries be discharged completely before recharging?    Should I be rotating the batteries?

although I had plenty of spares, it was bothersome that the battery was draining so quickly towards the end of my trip.

thank you for any help!!!

and they are all canon batteries!

[RobertTheFat]

The advice you quote is for nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries, which are essentially museum pieces now. Modern NiMH and Lithium-ion batteries are supposed to be only minimally susceptible to such effects. So why you're seeing what you're seeing will require some investigation. How many batteries behave that way? Are you using GPS (a notorius power hog) on your 7D2? Do you have more than one charger, and do see a difference depending on which one you use? Was the climate at the safari site radically different from what you're used to? Were you using a battery grip (Canon or 3rd-party)?

FWIW, all the batteries I use on my 7D's and 5D3 hold their charge extremely well.

[lisar4]

thank you for the info.

I have 2 chargers - both CANON.  all my batteries are canon originals and new.

My shooting style did not change -- I did not turn on gps or anything during the trip.

The first several days of shooting, the battery didn't even go down 1/4

towards the end of the trip, the battery would be down 1/2 after the first few hours

I actually took more images in the beginning and became more selective towards the end so was shooting less images and the battery drained much faster.   Same lenses on each camera...same aperture priority 

which is why I thought it could be from charging the batteries before they were discharged (based on old info)

since I interchanged the batteries and the charges  - I did not notice which charger...but it was happening to mulitple batteries. I shot mostly with the 7d II - so that's where I noticed it.

the 7dII was brand new - I shot a few images at home before leaving...and the climate was pretty even (a bit warmer in the end but not horribly hot)

Thank you for your help

Lisa

[TTMartin]

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@lisar4 wrote:

thank you for the info.

I have 2 chargers - both CANON.  all my batteries are canon originals and new.

My shooting style did not change -- I did not turn on gps or anything during the trip.

The first several days of shooting, the battery didn't even go down 1/4

towards the end of the trip, the battery would be down 1/2 after the first few hours

I actually took more images in the beginning and became more selective towards the end so was shooting less images and the battery drained much faster.   Same lenses on each camera...same aperture priority 

which is why I thought it could be from charging the batteries before they were discharged (based on old info)

since I interchanged the batteries and the charges  - I did not notice which charger...but it was happening to mulitple batteries. I shot mostly with the 7d II - so that's where I noticed it.

the 7dII was brand new - I shot a few images at home before leaving...and the climate was pretty even (a bit warmer in the end but not horribly hot)

Thank you for your help

Lisa

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Keep in mind picking up the camera, and focusing and not taking a picture, uses the same ammount of battery as picking up the camera, focusing, and taking a picture.

So if you were more selective in actually pressing the shutter button, compared to before, this really wouldn't make any difference in your battery life. 

If you didn't pick up your camera as much and used binoculars instead this would impact your battery life. 

If you used your camera more as a telescope to view the animals even if you decided not to actually take a photo, that could explain the increased battery usage.

[lisar4]

thank you! You are probably right on that one - not taking the picture but looking at the camera. I'll keep monitoring!

[ebiggs1]

"Lithium-ion batteries are supposed to be only minimally susceptible to such effects."

I will take this even further, there is no "memory effect" to lithium batteries.  I use from 5 to 6 batteries and charge them when ever they are down enough to cause me to think they might not make a shoot.  I have had batteries in my 1 series that lasted several days of pretty constant use.  But they all get charged when I start a new shoot.  No problem.  No concern.

I suggest your 7D Mk II is hogging them with GPS.  I am not sure you can turn it off completely since I do not have one. I can ask a bud of mine with one.   It is a notorious battery hog from what I have heard.  You might want to get a battery grip for it.

I sold my 5d3 some time ago but I don't remember it draining batteries unusually fast.  But it had a grip on it.

[lisar4]

Thank you. I don't think it's a gps problem since I did not change the settings during the 2 weeks but I will check the manual. I appreciate the help

[ebiggs1]

Yes by all means check it.  You may be surprised.