Steve2014 Loc: Washington state

I use two Sony cameras and both seem to have the same issue. I can put in a freshly charged battery, use less than half of its charge, put it away and it will be dead the next day, or so near dead I can only take a half dozen pictures. I always turn them off when I put them away, and turn them off between shots when I am hiking. If I take the battery out when I put it away it doesn't lose any charge. Do many DSL cameras have a constant drain when turned off? Since these have a physical switch, not a push button, I am perplexed. My little Olympus Pn'S can go months without draining the AA cells it runs on and it uses a press on/off button.

Dave327 Loc: Duluth, GA. USA

I’m a Canon guy with 2 bodies and never had that problem. The only function that drains the batteries faster is WI-FI. Sounds like even when switched off there is some kind of electrical drain in your Sony (obviously).

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

USUALLY the only thing using power when off is the clock keep-alive circuitry and the on/off circuitry.

I have a Sony H1 with a "push-on" button. I check the batteries once a month. Last time they needed charging was the middle of September. The H1 only likes Lion batteries, as when it is on the alkalines cannot handle the drain I suppose.
My wife has a Sony S-60, same thing, hers uses alkalines. (Both use AA batteries.)
Have you tried a different battery type? Alkaline vs. Lion?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I am unfamiliar with your equipment, so cannot provide you with a "for sure" answer. But I can tell you how I would go about doing an initial diagnosis. I am presuming that the behavior in both cameras is the same. If so, next time you put your cameras away with partially charged batteries, note the condition of both batteries, turn one off, and leave one turned on. When you come back the next day (or whenever) note the condition of both batteries again. My idea here is that despite the physical switch, the cameras may not be powering off for some reason. Just need to either verify or disprove that.

While this is going on, check your manual to see if there is some sort of "Sleep" mode that they may be going into rather than turning off like you would expect, or if there is some sort of background mode they can be placed in to allow wireless file transfer. Do these cameras have any Bluetooth functionality? Bluetooth has historically been a big battery drainer in all sorts of devices.

I know that all of the Nikon DSLRs that I have owned actually sleep rather than powering completely off, even though they all have a positive action toggle-style switch as well. They maintain the clock/calendar from the camera battery (although there is a backup that will provide power for a while when the main battery is removed), and they maintain very limited functionality of the top display (cards installed, shots remaining, etc.), but those functions drain the battery much, much slower than what you are describing.

In any case, let us knowo what you find. This is very interesting behavior.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

If your cameras have a WiFi or Bluetooth connect, trying turning them off or going into airplane mode.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Don't know which 2 Canon bodies you have but the 7D Mark II always has a slight but constant drain because of the intelligent viewfinder which is always powered. All you have to do to prove it with that body is look through the viewfinder with the batteries inserted and again with the batteries removed.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

Steve,
Based only on what you wrote here, you may very well be premature in extrapolating from your anecdotal experience with Sony products to that being a general problem with Sony. (No, I am not a Sony employee or have any financial relationship with the company other than, I suppose, indirectly via some mutual funds I own.)

I own the following Sony ILCs: A100, A55, A65, two a6000s, and now an a7 mk II. Ialso use batteries for these cameras made by: Sony, Patona, RAV, & perhaps another brand.

I have never had a battery experience like you described. To help solve your problem, it would be wise for you to disclose the model of each Sony camera as well as which battery you’re using in them, including their respective brands.

This should help you find a solution.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Does your camera have GPS capability? Do you have it turned on? Some cameras, such as some Canons, even with the camera turned off the GPS stays active and can drain the battery overnight. You have to go into the menu and shut off the GPS to prevent that.

Steve2014 Loc: Washington state

The cameras are an A77II and an A350. While reading responses I remembered that when the battery is inserted the lens reacts with a very slight sound like the focus motor "burps".
Regarding the batteries, one is a Sony and the other two are Wasabi. I charge them with a Sony charger.

Bill_de Loc: US

If you Google the issue you will find you are not alone. I read quite a few posts but found no solution. I came away with the feeling that it is not all A cameras, but those that have the problem are feeling no love from Sony.

If I was you I would sift through what is out there. You may come up with a solution. Maybe one or more of our Sony users here will point you in the right direction ... maybe to Canon. {Just Kidding}

--

elf

I never put the camera away with the battery installed.

MDI Mainer

I have a similar issue with my old a230 which I keep in the car at all times in case I come upon an unexpected photo opp (fully charged battery is completely discharged after about two weeks in moderate weather, sooner in the cold), but no problem with my newer Sony models (which use a larger battery). So I figure it has something to do with the older camera or battery technology, but that would not explain the issue with the a77II.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

I think this may be the culprit.

miked46 Loc: Winter Springs, Florida

I always pull batteries, I never, ever leave in a camera, even overnight