Why do my alkaline batteries run down so quickly when used in a digital camera (or other electronic device)?
Alkaline batteries were not designed to meet the very high power demands of today’s electronic devices. Alkaline batteries have a high rated capacity, but they can only deliver their full capacity if the power is used slowly. (See chart). Electronic devices such as digital cameras place a high power drain on batteries, so it is much better to use rechargeable NiMH or NiCd batteries for these type of devices. Lithium batteries also work well in high drain applications but they are expensive and are not designed to be recharged.
Alkaline batteries were not designed to meet the very high power demands of today’s electronic devices. Alkaline batteries have a high rated capacity, but they can only deliver their full capacity if the power is used slowly. (See alkaline drain chart). Electronic devices such as digital cameras place a high power drain on batteries, so it is much better to use rechargeable NiMH or NiCd batteries for these type of devices. Lithium ion rechargeable camera batteries also work well in high drain applications like digital cameras but can be more expensive.
