NB2L ...how long do they hold their charge?

[Richy]

Hi,

I'm off to France for 3 weeks climbing and camping. i investigated the CAnon in car battery charger, but was quoted £70 (100 Euro) so instead got a 2nd battery which i shall just charge up before i go.

Does anyone know how long the NB2L's (canon s50) batteries hold their charge for when not in use?
Or am i going to have to take my battery charger with me when i go to the bar and use their electricity?!

thanks,

Rich.

[stopbath]

I head that the batteries discharge about 3% of their charge per day just sitting around.

day 7 - 80%
day 14 - 65%
day 21 - 52%

So after three weeks, you *should* have around half charge still, but take you charger if the weight is not too much - if you run through your second set, before three weeks is up, you'll need to buy more batteries.

[Ralph Parkes]

Richy, I guess the real question is how many pictures will you take with the "initial" battery in the S50. Have you got a decent CF card (beyond the 32MB supplied with the S50). In a lot of comments through the forum, it is recommended that you take as high a resolution as possible, which means 9 pictures for the 32MB (99 for a 256MB CF). Assuming your initial battery lasts 5 day's, your second (spare) battery will also last about the same time. Are you planning to "offload" your pictures to: A) CF's, PC ?.
It might be wise to take the recharger, and the extra battery, but you have to look at your "storage" capability as well (PC, Compact Flash) for those high resolution pictures your going to take.

Have a decent holiday either way, use the S50 sparingly.

[Ralph Parkes]

Richie,
I stand corrected on the number of "large", "superfine" pictures you can take with the Canon S50 using it's 32MB CF card.
It's in fact eleven (11) not nine (9) as indicated in my earlier reply.

[chamberc]

Also, right now you can get a Lexar 512 MB CF card for only $104. I got mine last week and with that a 2 batteries I'm taking mine to Italy for about 10 days. I am of course taking the charger, but I doubt I'll take enough pics to use up both batteries. My experience with the S50 battery life has been great!