If you’re taking photos with an SLR camera, you can save quite a bit of power by using an optical lens to take your photos instead of relying on the LCD screen and live view.
However, in case you use a compact camera without an optical viewfinder, the above method is impossible. In this case, you will also need to pay attention to the risk of parallax error – that is, the captured image does not display all of what we see in the viewfinder (like taking pictures of people). The photo is missing the legs, head…). This error is caused by the image on the viewfinder not matching the image that the camera’s sensor and lens recognize. Note, parallax errors almost do not appear on SLR cameras.
What you need to do is carefully read the user manual of the camera you are using to clearly understand the aperture and coverage of the viewfinder. That will help you know whether the lens captures the correct range of images for its aperture.
Remember to preserve the battery carefully
If you’re traveling to a cold climate, keep your camera batteries warm by putting them in your bag or backpack. By doing so, your battery will last longer. Some professional flashers even carry thermal bags to cover the outside of the camera, with the sole purpose of keeping the battery warm. However, this method only helps increase the camera’s performance in general, but cannot prolong battery life.
In case your camera is left alone for a long time, remove the battery and store it in a separate place, because the battery can still slowly drain while still in the camera body.
Take advantage of power saving mode
Can’t completely turn off the LCD screen? Or don’t want to turn off the screen but still want to save battery? Typically, today’s cameras have built-in battery saving options, so you don’t need to turn off the screen and can still use the camera for a long time. The modes are quite diverse, from sleep mode – automatically turning off the device after a period of time – to choosing the brightness for the LCD screen.
Automatic LCD screen brightness adjustment modes will drain the battery faster than if you choose a fixed brightness mode for the device. The reason is because when in automatic mode, the screen will continuously adjust the brightness corresponding to the ambient light conditions.
In addition, you should also turn off the screen as soon as you finish taking photos, this also contributes to extending battery life.
Turn off unnecessary features
Some features that are quite popular with users like image stabilization (IS) actually consume a lot of battery. In cases of outdoor photography, or when taking photos using a tripod, turning off the IS feature will help you save battery life and take more photos.
Similarly, the autofocus (AF) feature also drains the camera battery quickly, especially in low light situations, making it more difficult for the camera body and lens to focus. Instead of using AF, you can turn it off and focus manually. This way, your battery will definitely last longer and you’ll also take more pictures.
If you don’t know how to focus manually, try switching to single-point AF mode (or similar). In this mode, the camera will only look for a single point to focus on, instead of several points across the frame. In addition, when taking photos, some people have the habit of pressing half of the shutter button for the camera to take, this is completely unnecessary and should be avoided. Only do so when you are ready to take the photo.
If your SLR camera has a GPS or Wifi connection, turn it off when not in use. Some cameras have a mode to automatically detect GPS signals even when the camera is turned off. Therefore, read the user manual carefully to learn how to completely turn off GPS mode to protect battery life.
Invest in a spare battery
Buying an extra battery in case is also an extremely effective way to help you feel secure and not run out of battery unexpectedly when on the road. However, one thing to remember is that before buying a new battery, you need to carefully check the compatibility. Currently, among camera manufacturers, Panasonic is the manufacturer that does not allow third-party batteries to be installed in its cameras.
Some SLRs and interchangeable lens cameras have the advantage of using external batteries because they are compatible with battery docks, so you can safely attach additional batteries to the camera.
Turn off flash when taking photos
Using flash when taking photos will definitely consume a lot of your battery. Therefore, in good lighting conditions and when flash is not needed, turn it off via the in-camera menu. In case of using an SLR or ILC camera, you can consider using an external flash unit.
Avoid taking long exposures and recording videos
Exposure techniques when taking photos will definitely cause the battery to drain faster. Because the shutter will have to continuously open for a long time, not to mention the camera must also perform many different tasks at the same time to serve the exposure technique.
In addition, leaving the camera’s light sensitivity at a high level or taking photos continuously will cause the camera to handle many tasks at once, thereby causing the battery to drain faster. Similarly, when using the camera to record movies, especially recording full HD videos with high frame rate settings, it also shortens battery life.
Finally, if the camera battery is almost completely drained and you still want to take a few more shots, turn it off for a few minutes, then turn it back on. Doing so will restore the battery and you can take a few more photos before the camera turns off completely.
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