Anyone noticing a significant battery drain when not using the camera? at DVinfo.net

Brent Ethington · December 18th, 2007, 09:11 PM

I've noticed that with the stock battery, the battery loses 20-30 minutes of charge overnight when the camera is in the OFF position. I had over an hour left of battery on Friday and went to pick up the camera tonight and found the battery completely dead. I haven't noticed this kind of drain on any of my other cameras.

Anyone else noticed this with the PMW-EX1? I'm wondering if it's an issue with the camera, the battery, or just the nature of the PMW-EX1...

Bill Heslip · December 18th, 2007, 09:21 PM

Same here. My new SOP is to remove the battery when not in use (not an easy habit to start after all these years). Never an issue with any camera I've ever owned, but not a big deal.

Brent Ethington · December 18th, 2007, 09:24 PM

Thanks Bill. Yeah, I was thinking about doing that as well. Only concern was how long the backup battery would last (the manual doesn't say) as I'd hate to lose the camera settings.

Serena Steuart · December 18th, 2007, 09:39 PM

Bob reported the same experience. Possibly I have just now, but hadn't adequately noted how much charge was remaining last night (battery now on charge). Somewhere in the manual (but now I can't find where) it tells not to leave a battery charged more than x% if to be stored for more than 24 hours. Maybe this is a means of ensuring that!

Steven Thomas · December 18th, 2007, 09:43 PM

Yes, I have noticed.

Winston Ashley · December 19th, 2007, 12:07 AM

I'm in! Left he battery in last night and it started up 30% less.

Brian Cassar · December 19th, 2007, 04:33 AM

Same here! I've noticed this strange occurrance. This means that even in a shoot, some battery usage is happening even whilst the camera is off. Or else these new batteries are not capable of storing power for a long period of time.

Simon Wyndham · December 19th, 2007, 05:26 AM

Yes, I've noticed this, and it is really getting on my nerves!

I'm not sure if it is the camera or the battery that has the issue. I've noticed this sort of draining going on when I've charged a battery and taken it off the charger and left it for a couple of days. Perhaps someone else can try this and let me know what happens to theirs.

Steven Thomas · December 19th, 2007, 06:14 AM

I'm not sure if i've seen this with the battery removed from the camera. For sure with it in.

Piotr Wozniacki · December 19th, 2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

I'm not sure if i've seen this with the battery removed from the camera. For sure with it in.

And this is very important to resolve, as we'd like to know whether its the camera draining current, or the battery not holding its charge...

Bob Grant · December 19th, 2007, 08:06 AM

Left on the camera I've flattened a battery in a few days. Off the camera they seem to be holding charge just fine, that's going by the indicator in the battery. Keep in mind it may take a few cycles of the battery for it to reach full capacity so don't panic too soon about battery life. It also seems that glorious LCD screen uses a lot of power.

But still, the discharging on the camera is interesting. There maybe a good explaination for it. The camera seems to do some housekeeping after you turn it off. All Sony cameras do drain the battery to some extent if you leave the battery on. The internal clock battery is recharged by the battery but there is some leakage even when the clock battery is fully charged. Certainly nowhere near as dramatic as what's happening with the EX1 though.

Chuck Wall · December 19th, 2007, 08:12 AM

Same problem here, battery holds charge when not mounted on camera.

Chuck

Simon Wyndham · December 19th, 2007, 08:19 AM

I'm going to try mine again. Reason I mentioned it was because I once charged it up and took it off the charger, but didn't have a chance to use it for a few days. When I put it on the camera it was dead. I'll try again though.

Steven Thomas · December 19th, 2007, 08:43 AM

I noticed the JVC HD100 does the same thing, just not quite as bad.
I'd say leaving the IDX battery in this camera for over a week it will almost exhaust the battery.
The EX1 one will completely exhaust the battery from full to nothing in 3 days.

Greg Boston · December 19th, 2007, 08:48 AM

My F350 will do it to any battery I leave attached for a few days. It's not the battery chemistry either, because I have NiCad, NMH, and LiIon batteries, all Anton Bauers.

-gb-

December 18th, 2007, 09:11 PM	#1
Brent Ethington Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: WA Posts: 180	Anyone noticing a significant battery drain when not using the camera? I've noticed that with the stock battery, the battery loses 20-30 minutes of charge overnight when the camera is in the OFF position. I had over an hour left of battery on Friday and went to pick up the camera tonight and found the battery completely dead. I haven't noticed this kind of drain on any of my other cameras. Anyone else noticed this with the PMW-EX1? I'm wondering if it's an issue with the camera, the battery, or just the nature of the PMW-EX1...

December 18th, 2007, 09:21 PM	#2
Bill Heslip Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Southeast USA Posts: 129	Same here. My new SOP is to remove the battery when not in use (not an easy habit to start after all these years). Never an issue with any camera I've ever owned, but not a big deal.

December 18th, 2007, 09:24 PM	#3
Brent Ethington Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: WA Posts: 180	Thanks Bill. Yeah, I was thinking about doing that as well. Only concern was how long the backup battery would last (the manual doesn't say) as I'd hate to lose the camera settings.

December 18th, 2007, 09:39 PM	#4
Serena Steuart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Studio Alnitak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 640 Images: 3	Bob reported the same experience. Possibly I have just now, but hadn't adequately noted how much charge was remaining last night (battery now on charge). Somewhere in the manual (but now I can't find where) it tells not to leave a battery charged more than x% if to be stored for more than 24 hours. Maybe this is a means of ensuring that!

December 18th, 2007, 09:43 PM	#5
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Yes, I have noticed.

December 19th, 2007, 12:07 AM	#6
Winston Ashley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 81	I'm in! Left he battery in last night and it started up 30% less.

December 19th, 2007, 04:33 AM	#7
Brian Cassar Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Malta Posts: 306	Same here! I've noticed this strange occurrance. This means that even in a shoot, some battery usage is happening even whilst the camera is off. Or else these new batteries are not capable of storing power for a long period of time.

December 19th, 2007, 05:26 AM	#8
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	Yes, I've noticed this, and it is really getting on my nerves! I'm not sure if it is the camera or the battery that has the issue. I've noticed this sort of draining going on when I've charged a battery and taken it off the charger and left it for a couple of days. Perhaps someone else can try this and let me know what happens to theirs.

December 19th, 2007, 06:14 AM	#9
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I'm not sure if i've seen this with the battery removed from the camera. For sure with it in.

December 19th, 2007, 08:06 AM	#11
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Left on the camera I've flattened a battery in a few days. Off the camera they seem to be holding charge just fine, that's going by the indicator in the battery. Keep in mind it may take a few cycles of the battery for it to reach full capacity so don't panic too soon about battery life. It also seems that glorious LCD screen uses a lot of power. But still, the discharging on the camera is interesting. There maybe a good explaination for it. The camera seems to do some housekeeping after you turn it off. All Sony cameras do drain the battery to some extent if you leave the battery on. The internal clock battery is recharged by the battery but there is some leakage even when the clock battery is fully charged. Certainly nowhere near as dramatic as what's happening with the EX1 though.

December 19th, 2007, 08:12 AM	#12
Chuck Wall Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 111	Same problem here, battery holds charge when not mounted on camera. Chuck

December 19th, 2007, 08:19 AM	#13
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	I'm going to try mine again. Reason I mentioned it was because I once charged it up and took it off the charger, but didn't have a chance to use it for a few days. When I put it on the camera it was dead. I'll try again though.

December 19th, 2007, 08:43 AM	#14
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I noticed the JVC HD100 does the same thing, just not quite as bad. I'd say leaving the IDX battery in this camera for over a week it will almost exhaust the battery. The EX1 one will completely exhaust the battery from full to nothing in 3 days.

December 19th, 2007, 08:48 AM	#15
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	My F350 will do it to any battery I leave attached for a few days. It's not the battery chemistry either, because I have NiCad, NMH, and LiIon batteries, all Anton Bauers. -gb-