EN-EL3a battery discharges: I have a Nikon D80 and recently lept into the 21st century with the acquisition of a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 lens. There has been a learning curve for sure! The...

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

I have a Nikon D80 and recently lept into the 21st century with the acquisition of a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 lens. There has been a learning curve for sure! The issue I am having is that after about three shots indoors, using my SB800 speed light, the battery shows it is low, and won't display the shot on my LED display. I have to turn the camera off between shots, turn it on, focus, shoot and turn it off again. I purchased a new battery, charged it fully, and went to the next photo shoot - same thing. I charged the battery again, changed lenses to a Nikor 28-200 and proceeded to take 94 pictures, outdoors, but occasionally using the built-in flash, battery is still showing a full charge. Any help here about what is going on? I have not tried the Tamron outdoors yet, so don't know if it would cause a battery drain in that situation.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Seems that the lens is draining the power.

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

I agree, but it is the "why" that is driving me crazy! And how to fix it - assuming I can!

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

Skitch wrote:

I have a Nikon D80 and recently lept into the 21st... (show quote)

Since your new lens is draining your battery, ship the lens to me. I'll see if it drains my battery!!

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Skitch wrote:

I agree, but it is the "why" that is driving me crazy! And how to fix it - assuming I can!

I do not see how you can if it is connector related try cleaning them using alcohol and non abrasive cloth (optical glasses cloth works - no lint)

Other than that? Consider having the lens replaced.

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

Capture48, I admire your style!😝
And as a follow up to my prior (naive) post re: lens drawing power, I should add that I do not use a power zoom, but use the ring to zoom in and out, and I do not use continuous focus, only a single spot focus, and I don't use the LCD for setting up my shots, always the eye piece so I can see the rest of the action with my other eye.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Skitch -- reading your post, it appears that you changed your lens and removed your SB 800 flash, then shot outside with your 28-200 and in camera flash successfully. I would suggest trying your Tamron outside also without your SB 800. May be wrong, seem to recall a situation where a flash problem impacted camera battery performance. Costs you nothing to try. Good luck!

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

Quixdraw, thank you. After I wrote my post I had the same thought, so I will indeed give that a try to see. I am having a problem with my SB800 in that it will not zoom in conjunction with the lens, as it is locked at 14mm and I may have to send it to Nikon for repair, but using the Nikor lens indoors with the SB800 didn't drain the battery either. Curiouser and curiouser.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Seems like it never rains but it pours!

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

But at least we are not in South Carolina with flooding!

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

I am trying the cleaning of the battery contacts - that is quick and easy!

The Villages Loc: The Villages, Florida

Skitch wrote:

Quixdraw, thank you. After I wrote my post I had the same thought, so I will indeed give that a try to see. I am having a problem with my SB800 in that it will not zoom in conjunction with the lens, as it is locked at 14mm and I may have to send it to Nikon for repair, but using the Nikor lens indoors with the SB800 didn't drain the battery either. Curiouser and curiouser.

Check to see if the flash's diffuser is in place. If it is, I think it locks at the widest mm.

Skitch Loc: Las Vegas, NV

PCity,

Thank you. I have looked into that, as I don't use the built-in diffuser on the SB 800 because I read in the manual that would lock into the wide open mode, but have used a snap on diffuser that shouldn't (?) trigger the lock. I have also tried it without any diffuser with no luck, and tried the two button reset to no avail. I am going outdoors today to shoot with the Tamron, no flash, and see what happens to my battery usage, then put in the flash unit and take indoor shots to see what occurs. I love learning curves.😆

Patw28 Loc: PORT JERVIS, NY

Skitch wrote:

Quixdraw, thank you. After I wrote my post I had the same thought, so I will indeed give that a try to see. I am having a problem with my SB800 in that it will not zoom in conjunction with the lens, as it is locked at 14mm and I may have to send it to Nikon for repair, but using the Nikor lens indoors with the SB800 didn't drain the battery either. Curiouser and curiouser.

Well, you got off your own thread here, going from battery drain to flash zoom.
Anent the later: if your flash head is in any position other than straight ahead, aligned with the lens, so that the flash's light travels the exact distance as the zoomed lens, it ought NOT follow the zoom setting of the lens. If I were your flash, I would presume that if you have tilted or rotated the flash head, you're invoking bounce flash for a broader spread. (Or if any sort of flash diffuser is involved) I would then cooperate with your intent by freezing my zoom at its widest setting.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

I have a Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5 (I think)on my Canon 60D and haven't noticed any significant power draw..Recently we were out shooting speedboat races and I was using AF constant focus, Vr & Exposure Comp. We were out for about four hours, took almost 200 shots and had plenty of power left.

Have you called Tamron and asked them about the problem?