New Video: Mirrorless Shooters - Critical Advice About Battery Life

[Steve]

If you're a mirrorless shooter, you no doubt have noticed that battery life isn't quite the same as what we had with our DLSRs. In this video, I'll cover better ways to measure battery life with our mirrorless cameras and show you how to leverage that information into realistic decisions about your power requirements in the field. In addition, I'll also share my top eight tips for prolonging battery life in your mirrorless camera. It's a must-see for every mirrorless shooter.

 

[Viathelens]

Steve, I came to this same thing after shooting hummers off the porch, using a more seat-of-the-pants approach, so it was interesting to see you saying the Z8 only lasts about two hours, same thing I found. I have nine batteries so no problem.

 

[coachjohn57]

Steve, I’m not a video shooter, but I do appreciate all the time and effort you put into your education of photographers on here, both through your e-books and your videos. Thank you.

 

[SNEDDERS6666]

First class Steve, EVF priority for me , excellent

 

[RichF]

If you're a mirrorless shooter, you no doubt have noticed that battery life isn't quite the same as what we had with our DLSRs. In this video, I'll cover better ways to measure battery life with our mirrorless cameras and show you how to leverage that information into realistic decisions about your power requirements in the field. In addition, I'll also share my top eight tips for prolonging battery life in your mirrorless camera. It's a must-see for every mirrorless shooter.

film? What is film? why did you need to turn the crank? I remember those days and the sound of the autorewind motor. Perhaps today's ML camera should make the autorewind sound when the card is full or nearly full.

 

[RichF]

Great video. Tips are helpful. Need to make a small cheat sheet to keep in my camera bag.

 

[Patrick M]

Thanks @Steve

 

[JAS]

Short, sweet, helpful and well done again!

 

[jfredrick]

Great tips Steve! I very rarely need more than 1 battery. Limiting use of the rear LCD, turning camera on/off often, and short photo excursions makes a one battery experience commonplace for me.

 

[JulieE]

Steve, this video is very timely for me. In the last month I think I've charged my Z8 battery more than I charged my D500 battery in its lifetime. I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. Thanks as always for your practical advice.

 

[Patrick M]

If you're a mirrorless shooter, you no doubt have noticed that battery life isn't quite the same as what we had with our DLSRs. In this video, I'll cover better ways to measure battery life with our mirrorless cameras and show you how to leverage that information into realistic decisions about your power requirements in the field. In addition, I'll also share my top eight tips for prolonging battery life in your mirrorless camera. It's a must-see for every mirrorless shooter.

this is such an old topic really, This is an image I took off my Z6 to show how battery management can help in a very similar discussion more than 2 years ago! ... I do pretty much all that you suggest in the video.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[Calson]

I was not attracted to the Sony A1 as it uses batteries the size of the Nikon EN-EL15 with about a third the life of the EN-EL18 size batteries. I can shoot all day with a single battery in the Z9, but do carry a spare as a backup. This is true for me when shooting stills but not when shooting video where I carry two spare batteries and an Anker power bank and use an external monitor powered by its own NP-F550 battery.

With my D1x I needed to carry a Quantum battery pack on my belt to keep the camera going through a wedding and as result I got in the habit of turning the camera off when not shooting and this has been a habit that I have found difficult to break.

 

[Steve]

I was not attracted to the Sony A1 as it uses batteries the size of the Nikon EN-EL15 with about a third the life of the EN-EL18 size batteries. I can shoot all day with a single battery in the Z9, but do carry a spare as a backup. This is true for me when shooting stills but not when shooting video where I carry two spare batteries and an Anker power bank and use an external monitor powered by its own NP-F550 battery.

With my D1x I needed to carry a Quantum battery pack on my belt to keep the camera going through a wedding and as result I got in the habit of turning the camera off when not shooting and this has been a habit that I have found difficult to break.

Actually, the Sony a1 battery goes nearly 3 hours, the Z9 goes about 4 hours 20 minutes. So, while it's not a match, it's closer than 1/3rd the life. In fact, if you use a grip with the Sony and have 2 batteries, it easily outlasts the Z9. I think it's as much about power management in the camera as it is the raw capacity of a given battery.

 

[RichF]

Speaking of batteries and film days, I remember that I could do a 2-3 week trip to Africa and only use 1-2 sets of Lithium batteries in my high end Canon and Nikons bodies.

 

[Howard5252]

Steve, will not using the touch screen mode save some battery life?

 

[Steve]

Steve, will not using the touch screen mode save some battery life?

I don't know - if it does, I would think it would be minimal. Of course, running the rear LCD all the time would have an impact.

 

[arbitrage]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for including that first segment with the 5000+ shots and 93% left. I'm always telling people this when they start quoting number of shots they are getting on a battery...some are worried they have too few shots. some are bragging how many shots they got to disprove the EPA numbers.

This is a great video through and through. I hope people will have mastered the 4s battery change and stop worrying about batteries after watching this video. I don't know why people worry so much about this.

 

[John Navitsky]

I remember those days and the sound of the autorewind motor.

wait, you had an autowinder?! fancy!

 

[Steve]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for including that first segment with the 5000+ shots and 93% left. I'm always telling people this when they start quoting number of shots they are getting on a battery...some are worried they have too few shots. some are bragging how many shots they got to disprove the EPA numbers.

This is a great video through and through. I hope people will have mastered the 4s battery change and stop worrying about batteries after watching this video. I don't know why people worry so much about this.

I was in the same boat having the same conversations over and over so I made the video mainly to just get it off my chest

I too don't know what the big deal about changing the battery is.

 

[PilotJimL]

If you're a mirrorless shooter, you no doubt have noticed that battery life isn't quite the same as what we had with our DLSRs. In this video, I'll cover better ways to measure battery life with our mirrorless cameras and show you how to leverage that information into realistic decisions about your power requirements in the field. In addition, I'll also share my top eight tips for prolonging battery life in your mirrorless camera. It's a must-see for every mirrorless shooter.

We keep saying "DSLR' and "mirrorless" cameras. My iPhone is mirrorless. A point-and-shoot is mirrorless. Why don't we use the logical equivalent to "DSLR"... "DSLM?" Digital Single Lens Mirrorless describes our avid photographer's gear.

 

[Fishboy1952]

Great video Steve! Moving from DSLR to mirrorless has involved some changes, especially with respects to battery life. Battery status is one of the first things I check when heading out. Great tips Steve! Thanks again!

 

[Rookie Roy]

Thanks Steve! Clears up some questions I had on batteries. I was wondering if having the camera set to make a shutter sound instead of silent uses much battery?

 

[Tom-Neth]

Another great and really very helpful video Steve. Thanks for making and showing it.

 

[ChrisM]

A great video, and I guess it can not be stated enough times that changing a battery is so incredibly easy, that battery life should not even be a item of consideration when comparing cameras, yet battery life is so often made out to be as if is is a real big thing.
All it takes, is the tiniest amount of forward planning and consideration, to make sure you have enough batteries charged and in easily accesible places.

I read the argument that "my battery might be depleted in the middle of a once in a lifetime prolonged burst, costing me thé shot", and I cannot grasp that one would not check now and then and replace the battery timely when it is convenient (although I see it coming that some may say there is nó convenient moment to change a battery )

Perhaps it is just human nature, here in western europe there are public fast chargers literally everywhere, and still the main argument not to buy a new electric car now, is the fear of being stranded with an empty battery....

 

[Steve]

Thanks Steve! Clears up some questions I had on batteries. I was wondering if having the camera set to make a shutter sound instead of silent uses much battery?

I would doubt it has much if any measurable impact. Tiny speakers just don't drink that much juice.