Camera On Or Off?
Oct 17, 2021 15:43:01 #
zug55 wrote:
Yep. It always happens here when everything that needed to be said on a topic has been said.
Oct 17, 2021 15:56:34 #
Good discussion. Seems a Conon -- my trusty 80D -- uses so little juice when on that my habit of off-and-on is not necessary. Thanks!
Oct 17, 2021 16:02:12 #
Longshadow wrote:
Electrons move slower in the cold???
Maybe. At least atoms and molecules do. All motions stops at Kelvin 0 degrees.
Oct 17, 2021 16:32:59 #
I have inadvertently left the camera on (also an 80D) and put it back in the bag. Taken it out days later and the battery isn't discharged. It seems to use so little energy when sleeping it is as good as off.
Oct 17, 2021 16:37:07 #
amfoto1
Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
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 think it depends upon the camera...
Most cameras can be set to go to sleep when not in use, which saves power the same as actually turning them off. Many do this by default. I change my cameras' settings to have them go into sleep mode as quickly as possible to conserve power. That's no problem with modern models because they wake back up instantly with the tap on any of several buttons. (Years ago I had digital cameras that took several seconds to wake up and missed shots waiting for them, so had to extend the sleep delay and that in turn caused faster power drain.)
But some cameras have easily bumped controls that awaken them. It probably also matters exactly how you carry them. (I've had cameras in the past that I had to carry "backward" on a shoulder strap, to keep from bumping and accidentally changing a mode dial. Fortunately, newer models got a locking button to prevent that.)
Or... a camera may even have motion detectors that will keep them awake whenever you're moving around with them.
In either of those cases, when not actually using you may want to turn off at the switch to conserve battery power.
P.S. I also recall that some cameras with GPS or WiFi would keep one of those systems active even in sleep mode, draining the battery faster. It was one or the other of those features. I forget which because I use neither.
A battery saving option I use on my cameras is turning off automatic playback. Instead I just call up an occasional image myself, when I want to check it. Besides saving the battery by doing this, another reason to turn it off is playing back each image automatically encourages "chimping", another thing that can lead to missed shot opportunities.
Oct 17, 2021 16:39:44 #
R.G. wrote:
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.
From what I've seen, mirrorless cameras use less battery power when the LCD is active. The tiny viewfinder uses more current than the LCD. Weird.
Oct 17, 2021 16:50:55 #
revhen wrote:
Maybe. At least atoms and molecules do. All motions stops at Kelvin 0 degrees.
This is true, but I'm not out in 0°K shooting then.....
.1 seconds to shot is fine for me. Like I said, by the time I get the camera up to my eye it's ready. Cold or no cold.
I seriously doubt that there would be any difference in startup speed at -10°F.
Oct 17, 2021 16:55:04 #
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"?
I completely understood the analogy. The on/off switch on my camera is very much like a selector switch on some rifles. In fact, I kind of use it the same way. I have an Oly OMD EM1m2. See a target (subject), activate the selector switch (turn camera on), come up on target (point camera at subject) finger on trigger (put finger on shutter release button) then firm smooth press (press the shutter release smoothly so as to not jerk the camera).
Further, various shooting positions (such as braced, barricaded over an object or even using a support such as a tripod/bipod/monopod is the same concept. Breathing control and proper stance? All the same.
I suppose we could also talk about red dot sites for cameras (made by Oly) and firearms too!
Oct 17, 2021 17:07:02 #
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 have Canon EOS series. 1D Mk. II, 5D Mk. III, 6D and 60 D. The 1D has Ni-MH battery packs, the others have Li-Ion. When I am out there doing Street or hunting for funny dogs or cute cats on the prawl, I ALWAYS have the switch in ON position! I have even forgotten to switch it off when back home, but the battery did not die fast.
Talking about batteries, I noticed once that my battery, Li-Ion, died quicker than Fido munched the Sunday steak he stole. It was 10 degs. F outside! I had two freshly charged batteries with me on a car race. The battery died within 15 minutes. I thought that it was defective. I put in my second battery. It died after 15 min. too. I realized that the very low temperature was to blame. I took battery #1, put it in a plastic bag and put the package in my very warm armpit. It sat there in the warm hairy environment for 20 minutes and heated up again. It worked like a charm! I just swapped the two batteries between my armpit and my Canon (I swapped armpit too). They could take all photo shoots the entire day!
Oct 17, 2021 17:30:06 #
Oct 17, 2021 17:32:13 #
Oct 17, 2021 17:56:01 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
Longshadow wrote:
Electrons move slower in the cold???
Yes they do. Physical fact.
But that isn’t the issue here.
Oct 17, 2021 18:23:23 #
IDguy wrote:
Yes they do. Physical fact.
But that isn’t the issue here.
But that isn’t the issue here.
Hahaha...Something you or I would notice?
Neither is cameras "starting up slower" in colder weather.....
Oct 17, 2021 18:34:32 #
Oct 17, 2021 18:35:26 #
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