FAQ -digital camera battery tip

SUMMARY: Don't throw away your old rechargeable AA batteries - they are recyclable.
Have your AA NiMH batteries stopped accepting a charge? If so, you may be tempted to throw them away. Instead of doing this, consider contacting your battery manufacturer, local recycling agency, or waste management center to see if they can recycle your dead battery.

SUMMARY: Remove batteries from your digital camera when not in use.
If you are not planning on using your digital camera for a while (months?), it may be wise to take your batteries out of your digital camera for storage. This reduces the chance of battery leakage and corrosion, which can seriously damage your digital camera's internals.

SUMMARY: To prevent fire, only insert similar batteries into your battery charger.
Never charge incompatible AA batteries in your AA battery charger! Do not try charging non-rechargeable batteries in a battery charger, or NiCad batteries in a NiMH charger or vice-versa. Also, if you purchase special 'fast-charging' AA NiMH batteries, only insert those in the charger they were made for. Doing otherwise could result in damage to the batteries or the charger, and in some extreme cases, a fire could ensue.

SUMMARY: Bring along extra batteries if you plan on taking photos in the cold winter months.
If you plan on taking digital photos in colder weather, such as right after a snowstorm, note that batteries may hold their power for shorter periods of time than in warmer weather. You may either want to bring extra batteries during your photo shoot or look for digital camera batteries specially rated to handle colder temperatures.

Why does this occur? Check out the following website:

Why do Batteries Discharge More Quickly in Cold Weather? - http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/blbattery.htm

SUMMARY: To charge digital camera batteries outside of your native country may require a small added investment.
If your digital photography takes you overseas, realize that your battery chargers may not work due to varying plug types and voltage levels depending on the country. For example, in the United States the voltage is usually 120V and two plug types are used, but the United Kingdom uses different plug types and voltages ranging from 220-240V. For more information, one resource you can read is Steve Kropla's Help for World Travelers at http://kropla.com/electric.htm

Proprietary batteries may require special chargers made by the manufacturer or international adapters and voltage converters.

For rechargeable AA NiMH batteries you can purchase battery chargers at most digital camera stores and online shops that support a variety of plug and voltage specifications (these may be called "international battery chargers" or "travel battery chargers"). Note that these will cost more than your garden-variety chargers but can be well worth the price.

SUMMARY: Water can corrode batteries, damaging them and possibly your digital camera.
If it is raining, or if you are near an area of running water such as a waterfall, be extremely careful when changing out your digital camera battery or batteries. Get a safe distance away from the water or water vapor before you do so. Water can corrode your battery or batteries, possibly causing leakage, and this can damage your digital camera as well if you insert the wet batteries.