Camera Storage Without Batteries Installed (Page 3): The best answer I could get says that EEPROM data will last 20 years ....see the article at...

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

The best answer I could get says that EEPROM data will last 20 years ....see the article at https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/16183/data-retention-on-a-microcontroller.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

lamontcranston wrote:

Simple question. How long will a Sony or a Nikon retain it's internal settings if it is stored without the batteries being installed in it? I ask because I have a couple of cameras that may not be used for months and I think it may be a good idea to store them with the batteries removed but I would hate for them to lose all of their internal settings.

Cameras are like computers, they have a ROM (chip) where settings are stored. it does not need a battery to retain its memory, therefore will retain forever. ROMs can be write once read many, or write many, read many. Cameras are write many, read many. When you turn on the camera it boots up like a computer and reads the settings.....

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

lamontcranston wrote:

Simple question. How long will a Sony or a Nikon retain it's internal settings if it is stored without the batteries being installed in it? I ask because I have a couple of cameras that may not be used for months and I think it may be a good idea to store them with the batteries removed but I would hate for them to lose all of their internal settings.

Depends upon the camera. I have Sony and Olympus bodies and it seems like hours is all it takes. And then the hassle of resetting the various settings that I like.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I just received this email from Nikon Tech Support regarding the internal battery. It's a secret!

"Question details:

Internal battery replacement
Created: 03/24/2018 by Email | Reference #: 02414174
Response from David M.
Hello Mr. XXXX,

Thank you for contacting Nikon.

The number of charging cycles for the internal batteries are not published information. The batteries are charged everytime you charge the cameras external batter and replace it in the camera. You'll notice the internal battery is starting to fail or has failed if your camera no longer holds settings like the date, time and other information from setup. You can have the camera evaluated by a technician by following the procedure at the link below...."

lamontcranston

DaveO wrote:

I just received this email from Nikon Tech Support... (show quote)

Good info. Thanks DaveO. I wonder what they would charge to replace the internal battery? On second thought, I probably don't want to know.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

lamontcranston wrote:

Good info. Thanks DaveO. I wonder what they would charge to replace the internal battery? On second thought, I probably don't want to know.

My cameras never get stored and I doubt I'll ever have to be concerned. Maybe someone on the forum has gone through the expense, but it's probably quite rare as it's more than likely just a capacitor.

BebuLamar

lamontcranston wrote:

That makes sense. When setting up a new camera, time/date are the first things you enter. Thanks.

I'm wondering how long the saved settings will remain intact with no battery installed?

I am quite sure that all settings are saved in flash memory which doesn't require power. The only thing that does need power is the clock because the clock isn't memory but it's frequency generator and counter. I wouldn't worry about losing settings or even time. I would be more worry about the internal battery if left discharged may go bad and won't hold a charge later.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

BebuLamar wrote:

I am quite sure that all settings are saved in flash memory which doesn't require power. The only thing that does need power is the clock because the clock isn't memory but it's frequency generator and counter. I wouldn't worry about losing settings or even time. I would be more worry about the internal battery if left discharged may go bad and won't hold a charge later.

How many dslrs have internal batteries?

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

BebuLamar wrote:

I am quite sure that all settings are saved in flash memory which doesn't require power. The only thing that does need power is the clock because the clock isn't memory but it's frequency generator and counter. I wouldn't worry about losing settings or even time. I would be more worry about the internal battery if left discharged may go bad and won't hold a charge later.

I can assure you that with my Olympus bodies, all the button mapping goes away when the battery has been removed for a long enough period of time. And it is a pain to reset everything up again. This is not stored in flash memory.

junglejim1949 Loc: Sacramento,CA

I take the batteries (enoloop) out of my speedlight 430 if I am not going to use the flash for awhile. My question is, can I store them in the charger without any consequences?
Thanks,
Jim