chikid68 Loc: Tennesse USA

Since my cameras are frequently used I keep my batteries charged and in the camera

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

For the past 14 years or so I have been leaving the batteries in my cameras so that they are ready to shoot immediately. I use my cameras a lot, but if I was going to store one for many months then maybe battery removal would be best. I understand that lithuim batteries store best at about half charge, and should never be stored drained.

twice_shooter

I leave them in... check and charge every month or two as needed.

miked46 Loc: Winter Springs, Florida

I remove them, always. I have watched other items get ruined by leaving batteries in too long. Remove them if you will not use.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

For more than a couple of weeks, I'd remove it. I keep three cameras handy, so the batteries are always in them. Ones I use less often are battery-less. I've never heard of a modern battery leaking into a camera, although I suppose it has happened.

Probably the biggest problem is picking up the camera after a few weeks and finding that the battery is dead.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

It has been said but I will repeat it once more, if you are not going to use the camera for an extended period of time, remove the battery.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

NiCd (nickel cadmium) batteries were famous for leaking if left unused for a time. Alkaline batteries also are prone to leak, especially now that they are made with reduced amounts of mercury, and especially AAA and C cells, for some reason.

Lithium ion batteries seem to present a completely different set of problems. In fourteen years, I have never known a lithium ion battery to leak any of its contents, whether left in a device or just sitting on the shelf. I have heard numerous reports of these batteries swelling when disused or old, but have never experienced that personally.

What I have witnessed on two separate occasions has been lithium batteries discharging to the point that when I attempted to charge them, the charger interpreted the excessively low voltage as indicating a failed battery and refusing to initiate the charge process. It seems that because of the hazardous nature of the electrolyte in newer batteries, the chargers are designed to be very careful to identify faults or failures in order to guard against ruptures, fires, or explosions.

In one of these two cases, I was able to trickle charge the battery and recover it enough that the charge cycle would start. The battery recovered, and I am still using it. In the other case, I was never able to recover the battery. It had to be retired and recycled.

I never worry about leaving a known high quality lithium ion battery in a camera for a few days or a couple of weeks, as long as it is not discharged. For longer than that, or if it is going to be long enough that I might lose track, I always remove the battery and charge it before putting it on the shelf.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

The batteries are out of my flashes, one digital camera, and film cameras since I don’t use them regularly. Batteries are in the two digital cameras that I do use regularly.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Who lets their camera sit so long without use?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I still have <almost> every digital camera I've ever owned. The older ones sometimes go quite a while between assignments.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I don’t keep the old ones when it get a new one that does the same things better. I am having a hard time giving up my D7200, so I’m letting my nephew “use it”.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

Ive never hear of a lithium ion leaking either.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I used to not remove it unless a long storage, that is seldom, but lately my camera seems to drain the battery when off so I take it out all the time after each use.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I have 2 DSLRs and 3 compacts/p&s, all Canons. Ages range from 2 years to 8. None have never been without a battery except when changing one already installed in each. I check them but can’t really say how often, more a function of when I use them than anything else. Never been a problem. However, that hasn’t always been the case. For a while, I owned a Sony a6000. That little beast needed constant attention. I swapped batteries in it about every couple months regardless of whether used or gathering dust. I have noticed for all the Canons that the OEM batteries definitely hold their charge longer.

stu352 Loc: MA/RI Border

I noticed that one of my old lithium batteries actually swelled up a bit, to the point where it was an interference fit onto the camera. It still worked, though I can't say it could still last as long. Imagine if one got stuck in your camera...