It is always a great idea to have good knowledge of your camera equipment, whether you’re an amateur or a professional photographer. This will help you to always be prepared for any photo session, and you won’t be caught off-guard by something like a dead battery.
One question I often get asked is how long a Canon battery lasts.
A fully charged Canon battery will last for about 850 shots or between 8 to 11 hours of use per charge depending on how you use the camera. Frequent use of the camera flash or electronic viewfinder will have a significant impact on how long the battery will hold its charge. The lifespan of a Canon battery is anything between 3 to 5 years or 300 to 500 charge cycles, and this depends on how you use the camera and how well you take care of the battery.
Table of Contents
What Affects The Battery Life Of A Canon Battery?
As mentioned previously, how you use your Canon camera will directly affect how long a battery will hold its charge. Let’s have a look at the things that can drain the battery quicker.
Electronic Viewfinder
When it comes to mirrorless cameras, you don’t have a choice but to use the electronic viewfinder because they don’t have optical viewfinders. But, certain DSLR cameras have both optical and electronic viewfinders.
Frequent use of an electronic viewfinder will drain the battery quicker, so use the optical viewfinder instead to get the most to save some battery life.
Flash
Certain lighting conditions require the use of a camera flash for the photo to be exposed properly, but this can drain your Canon battery quicker. If possible, try to use other light sources to get a good exposure.
Wireless Connections
Certain Canon cameras allow you to connect to the internet or other devices via a wireless connection like Bluetooth. Having these wireless connections active when using your camera can drain the battery quicker. Be sure to turn these off when not using them.
Image Stabilization
Certain lenses and Canon cameras have image stabilization, and having this on can drain the battery quicker than usual. If you don’t need image stabilization, turn it off to save some battery power.
Keeping The Camera Switched On
This might be a no-brainer, but keeping the camera switched on when not using it will drain the battery. When you’re not using the camera, even between shots, rather switch it off to save battery power.
How To Take Good Care Of A Canon Battery
Your camera’s battery is a very important part of the camera. Without it, you won’t be able to use your camera at all. It is therefore very important that you take good care of your camera’s battery.
Let’s have a look at a few ways that you can take care of your Canon battery so that you can get the most out of it and make it last longer.
Don’t Charge The Battery Overnight
Charging a Canon battery overnight is not recommended as this will affect its lifespan negatively. Rather charge it for as long as it needs for a full charge, which is usually around 2 hours, then take it out of the charger.
Keep It Away From Extreme Temperatures
Camera equipment, in general, does not do well with extreme hot or cold temperatures, and a camera battery is no different. When you store your Canon battery, make sure to store it at room temperature.
Don’t Drain It Completely
Most people think that you should drain a Canon camera completely before charging it. This is not true, and you should avoid draining it completely to increase its lifespan.
How Long Does A Canon Battery Take To Charge?
The time it takes to charge a Canon battery will vary depending on the ambient room temperate and the remaining battery capacity. Generally speaking, a full drained Canon battery will take approximately 2 hours to fully charge when charged at room temperature (23°C / 73°F).
When charged in colder temperatures, it can take up to 4 hours to charge the battery.
Conclusion
As you can see, a Canon battery will last up to 850 shots or 8 to 11 hours on a single charge. This is not bad considering that this should be enough for most photoshoots.
The lifespan of a Canon battery is anything between 3 to 5 years, depending on how well you look after the battery.
