Why do cameras eat up batteries when attached to your comp..

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Wed, 25 May 2005 20:03:00 -0600, in rec.photo.digital , "Sheldon"
<sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> in <W4udnejgAdjaswjfRVn-3g@comcast.com>
wrote:

>I can take lots of pics with either of my digital cameras with one charge,
>and they will also idle for a long time. Why, when you attach the camera to
>your computer, to pull images off of it or for any reason, does the camera
>go through batteries like crazy? What is there about connecting it to your
>computer?

It probably does not go to sleep if attached. It is easy to forget how
long you have it attached and end up running it for half an hour on
up.


--
Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Sheldon wrote:
> I can take lots of pics with either of my digital cameras with one
> charge, and they will also idle for a long time. Why, when you
> attach the camera to your computer, to pull images off of it or for
> any reason, does the camera go through batteries like crazy? What is
> there about connecting it to your computer?
>
> Sheldon

Use a card-reader, not the camera, to download your pictures. It avoids
issues like this, and may be much faster (look USB 2.0 hi-speed both in
your computer and the card reader).

David

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Keith Sheppard <keith.sheppard@tesco.net> wrote:

: I just have this feeling that leaving it in the camera and never ever
: moving it could be best for card longevity.

Yes and no. It is true that removing and reinstalling a card does take it
out of the physical protections afforded by the camera body. But the
contacts in the camera and on the card assume that it will be removed from
time to time and so the contacts count on this physical motion to keep the
contacts clean. And if the card is handled with all due care and used in
good quality card readers, any physical damage directly attributable to
the removal of the card will be reduced.

Your idea of not removing the card may remove the possibility of damage to
the card while out of the camera. But there is one other factor. By
inserting and removing the USB plug into the camera you run a greater risk
of damage to the plug. IMHO the contacts on the mini-USB plug seem to be
much more likely to be damaged. And if this plug is damaged the repair
would involve sending in the entire camera for repair. While a damaged
memory card would only require the replacement of the card. Which expense
would you rather pay for?

So either get a good (well known brand, not specifically expensive) card
reader, or get an external power supply for your camera so the camera can
be AC powered durring the time it is connected to the computer. My advice
is the card reader.

JMHO

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

<> Is this using a memory card, or perhaps a microdrive? I would imagine
> the latter would drain batteries at a higher rate. Otherwise, I would
> have thought transferring data around should be low-current, compared
> to lit displays, AF, zooming, etc...

It has a memory card, and I would have thought the same thing. Even my D70
goes through a charge like crazy when attached to the computer, but gives me
tons of time when just using the camera for shooting. And yes, I do know
there are a lot of advantages to using a card reader. I was just curious as
to what was depressing the battery life when hooked to a computer.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I don't know the answer either but I have noticed this doesn't just apply to
cameras but probably any battery powered device connected through a USB
port.

My MP3 player battery should last 14 hours of continuous playing but will
flatten within an hour or so of being connected to my computer. Connecting a
USB device would seem to drain any battery much quicker than normal use.

Daz

"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
news:W4udnejgAdjaswjfRVn-3g@comcast.com...
>I can take lots of pics with either of my digital cameras with one charge,
>and they will also idle for a long time. Why, when you attach the camera
>to your computer, to pull images off of it or for any reason, does the
>camera go through batteries like crazy? What is there about connecting it
>to your computer?
>
> Sheldon
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Owamanga" <owamanga(not-this-bit)@hotmail.com> wrote in message
newstue911p91ud4m09lqqrgs6n6ib5lkcnkp@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 27 May 2005 20:41:40 +0100, "Darren Cooke"
> <darren@cookemail.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
>>news:W4udnejgAdjaswjfRVn-3g@comcast.com...
>>>I can take lots of pics with either of my digital cameras with one
>>>charge,
>>>and they will also idle for a long time. Why, when you attach the camera
>>>to your computer, to pull images off of it or for any reason, does the
>>>camera go through batteries like crazy? What is there about connecting
>>>it
>>>to your computer?
>>>
>>> Sheldon
>>>
>>
>>I don't know the answer either but I have noticed this doesn't just apply
>>to
>>cameras but probably any battery powered device connected through a USB
>>port.
>>
>>My MP3 player battery should last 14 hours of continuous playing but will
>>flatten within an hour or so of being connected to my computer. Connecting
>>a
>>USB device would seem to drain any battery much quicker than normal use.
>
> It's Microsoft, stealing your electricity and using it to run the
> pumps for the massive waterfall at the Gate's mansion.
>
> Apple are the holders of secret technology that can reverse this
> process, the mini iPOD actually charges itself up using only power it
> steals from the USB port.

Using the same power it steals from my camera on a PC. Now I get it. :-)