Camera On Or Off?
Oct 17, 2021 08:09:19 #
Oct 17, 2021 08:17:12 #
nimbushopper wrote:
It depends if the camera is a DSLR or mirrorless! Because of the electronic viewfinder in mirrorless they draw much more power when left on.
When my R5 mirrorless goes to sleep after a short period of inactivity (about 30 sec or less, never timed it) the viewfinder and rear display both shut down. I have accidentally left this camera, and previous Canons, powered up for several days with no usage and no noticeable battery drain.
One thing to note: Most Canon DSLRs and mirrorless go through a sensor cleaning cycle when shutting down and starting up. This uses some battery so it may be better to just leave the camera on if battery life is a concern.
Oct 17, 2021 08:30:56 #
I just keep it on...never had a problem with battery drain because of it...and more importantly...I am ready to shoot.
The other way is like going hunting...with no bullet in the chamber.
The other way is like going hunting...with no bullet in the chamber.
Oct 17, 2021 08:55:18 #
Like most things in life, it depends. When I am out wandering a trail or just looking for things to photograph I will take a photo and then actively turn the camera off. No particular reason, just habit. But when I am out with friends shooting birds at a specific area and am waiting for a bird to appear then I leave the camera ON. I realize it does not take much time to turn on the camera and power up BUT I have missed shots of an egret or other birds when my camera was turned off and then the bird approached the water to grab a fish. By the time I was ready the shot was gone. So, it depends. Either method is entirely correct and there is no wrong answer. It is personal choice for me depending on what I am shooting.
Dennis
Dennis
Oct 17, 2021 09:03:02 #
mwsilvers wrote:
Pardon my ignorance, but I have never had a "safety" on any of my cameras. I understand the concept but not how it is implemented. What camera do you have and how do you engage the "safety"?
Tongue-in-cheek, again, I see!!! We know you're not ignorant.
Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City
Oct 17, 2021 09:10:49 #
I leave it on when I'm out shooting. It goes to sleep, and I wake it up with a touch of a button. I have the LCD turned off, so that probably makes more of a difference.
Oct 17, 2021 10:19:22 #
Oct 17, 2021 10:23:12 #
jradose wrote:
Wondering which will drain the camera battery faster when taking a casual stroll with your camera. Is it better to never turn your camera off (it will go to sleep, I know), or turn the camera off until you are ready to shoot. I know, the best scenerio is to carry a spare, fully charged battery, but that doesn't answer my question.
I always leave mine on and it does go to sleep. I know that it doesn't use much power when it sleeps because i've left mine on all night and it still had power.
Oct 17, 2021 10:23:59 #
One of the advantages of using the viewfinder (if you have one) is that you can turn off the viewscreen, which will reduce the drain on the battery. If you ever found yourself with a battery that's getting low and you don't have a replacement, that would be a good tactic for eking out the remaining power as long as possible.
Oct 17, 2021 10:25:07 #
zug55
Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
Like others, I made the sobering experience that leaving the camera on for hours or even longer does not perceptively drain the battery. I use a mirrorless Sony A7 III, which means that the sensor is a constant drain on the battery. But once the camera goes dormant the drain on the battery appears to be minimal. You should be able to set the amount of time after which your camera goes dormant in the menu. I set mine at one minute.
I also find that it takes about the same amount of time for the camera to be operational, whether it is off or dormant.
My father, who was an electrical engineer, always claimed that turning on any electrical device takes some extra juice so there are no savings for turning off a device for just a short amount of time. So I generally turn off the camera when I am pretty sure that I will not take another shot for at least a few minutes. I also have stopped worrying about it. Yes, and I always carry a spare battery.
I also find that it takes about the same amount of time for the camera to be operational, whether it is off or dormant.
My father, who was an electrical engineer, always claimed that turning on any electrical device takes some extra juice so there are no savings for turning off a device for just a short amount of time. So I generally turn off the camera when I am pretty sure that I will not take another shot for at least a few minutes. I also have stopped worrying about it. Yes, and I always carry a spare battery.
Oct 17, 2021 10:34:14 #
mwsilvers wrote:
I think the majority of us just leave our cameras on while we are out for a day of shooting. Turning it off and on all the time will just wear out the switch and probably not save any battery life. Additionally, you risk missing shots if you have to take the time to keep turning your camera back on. If you are the type of shooter for whom a camera is more of an accessory, and you only use it to capture a few pictures when you are out and about, then do whatever makes you feel comfortable.
I agree 100% !!! This is what I do.
Oct 17, 2021 10:38:42 #
Oct 17, 2021 10:53:25 #
Unless I have good reason to leave the camera turned on, I always turn it off. That way I don't need to remember to turn the camera off at the end of the day. Sometimes I don't use my camera for a week or two. I would rather not have my battery completely drain during that period because I simply forgot to turn off my camera the last time I used it.
Oct 17, 2021 11:05:09 #
Practically rules, but if a specifc cameras sleep mode is like our tvs, the camera would definitely draw more power than when off, maybe not enough to be of practical concern, but more. To really save energy with tvs they need to be disconnected from the main by a switch of sometype not just off. They are kept warm to come on faster.
Oct 17, 2021 11:08:08 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
nimbushopper wrote:
It depends if the camera is a DSLR or mirrorless! Because of the electronic viewfinder in mirrorless they draw much more power when left on.
No. Nikons draw near zero power when in standby mode. The EVF turns off too.
I sometimes leave the cameras (Z6 & Z50) on because I know they draw near zero power in standby mode. But when you press the shutter button it takes a few seconds to wake up. Whereas if shut off muscle memory turns it on as I lift it so it is ready when it reaches my eye. My muscle memory is less good at pressing the shutter half way as I grab the camera. So I do both.
Thinking about this more means I need to do a little testing. Even when the camera is left on with Nikons you need to wake it up to use it so it is really just a choice of which button to use. And some Z zoom lenses require you to rotate the zoom to shoot, so you need to have it rotated to be instant on.
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