Camcorder batteries

This has happened to everyone, myself included. You are on location, ready to make the best video of your life, when suddenly, your camcorder battery dies! How can that be, when you have only shot about five minutes of footage, and you charged the battery all of last night? Let's look at the gremlins that ruin camcorder batteries.

Two big problems!

1. We never fully discharge the battery! If your new battery will record for one hour, don't shoot for ten minutes and then recharge it! If you recharge a battery before it needs it, the battery develops a "memory", which means it holds a charge for less time. A one hour battery becomes a 45 minute battery, then a 30 minute battery, than finally a 10 minute battery. The solution is simple: discharge that battery until it won't run the camcorder, then recharge it fully.

2. Don't overcharge the battery! If the manual says to charge the battery for three hours, we usually charge it overnight, "just to be safe". Again, don't do it! Check the manual, and charge for only the time required.

A good tip!

Buy a spare battery. Sounds simple, but the reason most of us abuse our camcorder batteries is because we are in a hurry to start taping again. If you keep a fully charged spare battery, we have the luxury of fully discharging our main battery, and properly recharging it.