cungerecht

I am loving my new Nikon D500 but am finding my batteries aren't lasting long. I take a lot of sports photos and tonight had to exchange 3 batteries in 90 minutes. Am I missing a setting that will help save my batteries?

pmackd Loc: Alameda CA

Make sure that all aspects of Snapbridge are turned off. Look up in manual.

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

I'd say something was seriously wrong there. I also have the D500, just returned from two weeks in Europe, took several thousand pics using 3 batteries. (I wasn't able to recharge any because I lost a piece of my charger.)

A battery for a D500 should last for close to 1000 shots per charge under normal use.

cungerecht

Thanks - I will call Nikon on Monday morning. With the D7100 I could shoot an entire football game and only use 1 bar on the battery.

CO

Nikon has a battery exchange program for the D500. The EN EL-15 Li-ion01 battery has a short battery life when used with the D500. The new version of the battery is the Li-ion20. Nikon will exchange any Li-ion01 batteries you have for the new Li-ion20. Check the labels on the back of the batteries you have. Here is the Nikon website for the battery exchange:

https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/ni/NI_article?articleNo=000004779&configured=1&lang=en_US

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

The battery that came with the camera or other versions of the batteries. I can take 1000 images before replacing the batteries in my D500

CO

All D500 cameras have been shipped with the Li-ion20 battery. The reduced battery life has occurred when using the Li-ion01 battery. Nikon D500 owners can exchange all of the Li-ion01 batteries they already have for the newer Li-ion20.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Thanks for that info, but the link isn't working right now. A message says to try again later! Do you know if a 20 battery is reverse compatible with a D7000?

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

I also use a D500 with Nikon battery grip for sports, recently shot a soccer tourni for two days over 3,000 shots without a recharge. But yes the D500 is a hog on power....turn off previews, chimp when needed, and shut off anything else you don't use/need, If your using zooms with focus limiter switches, use them. No need to draw power going though the entire zoom range if not needed.

Saycheeze Loc: Ct

Yes you can use the 20 anywhere you used the 01. Also make sure airplane mode is turned on. If yours is off that would explain poor battery life

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

B&H is selling them as compatible for whatever that's worth. I have shot four or five hundred pics in a day without changing batteries, so I saw no need to spend an extra $10 on a battery that I'd most likely be re-charging nightly anyway. I successfully use the EN-EL15 in our 7100,500 and 810 and used them extensively on day long photo shoots. If I was to do a lot of Live View use, yes, the batteries get sucked up much more quickly.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

I was using my D500 to shoot the eclipse in live-view and within a short time (less than an hour and a half) went through 3 fully charged batteries missing the final total cover of the eclipse and only taking 77 shots.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I wonder how people with other cameras fared with their Live View battery use under similar circumstances?

CO

Yes, It's the same EN EL-15 battery but they changed its circuitry a little when it went from the 01 to the 20 version. I was able to get back on the article for the battery exchange by using Google. This is it:


To owners of the Nikon D500 digital SLR camera

Thank you for choosing Nikon for your photographic needs.

We have received reports indicating that when a fully charged, earlier generation of the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15 is used with the Nikon D500 digital SLR camera, the maximum number of shots possible is low (battery life is short). It was also reported that the amount of charge remaining, displayed by the D500's Battery info option, is significantly less than that displayed by the Battery info function of other model cameras using the EN-EL15 battery.

The later version of the EN-EL15 batteries supplied with the Nikon D500 have been tested in accordance with CIPA standards, and do support the maximum number of shots possible (battery life) indicated in brochures and other documentation. However, when some EN-EL15 batteries, either purchased separately or supplied with another model of camera, are used with the D500, those batteries may not be capable of the maximum number of shots possible (battery life) indicated in D500 documentation.*

The electric discharge characteristics of the EN-EL15 rechargeable battery have been modified without changing battery capacity. If you have purchased a D500, the modified battery is included. If you have additional, EN-EL15 batteries, Nikon will replace them free of charge.

In order for this offer to be fulfilled, a copy of the D500 sales receipt must be provided.

* The maximum number of shots possible with (battery life) , and the remaining charge displayed for, a particular battery may differ slightly by camera model due to the fact that the amount of power consumed and the systems used to display remaining charge differ with each model of digital camera.

Identifying eligible batteries:

EN-EL15 rechargeable Li-ion batteries with Li-ion01 printed on the back of the battery are eligible for replacement. (see image below, top)
EN-EL15 batteries with Li-ion20 printed on the back of the battery are the same post-modification batteries as those supplied with the D500, and do not require nor are they eligible for replacement. (see image below, bottom)

If you have purchased a D500 and own EN-EL15 Li-ion01 batteries that are eligible for replacement, please contact Nikon. We will replace the EN-EL15 Li-ion01-type battery (ies) with an EN-EL15 Li-ion20 -type battery (ies). Nikon will also pay all shipping costs.

Please contact Nikon Service Relations at 1-800-645-6687 from Monday -Friday from 9:00am - 8:00pm EST for details, Click Here for online assistance.

Once again, thank you for choosing Nikon for your photographic needs.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

CO, thank you for your efforts! Very helpful!