Does using sync to fire strobes shorten battery life on 30D?

[TMR Design]

I've been using one of the new SterlingTek 2000mAh in my 30D and this evening the battery died and it's charging. On this last charge I almost exclusively shot with the camera sending sync to strobes and I got ~1,100 shots on the one charge. Although that's a very good number I seem to recall that the standard Canon battery that came with the camera gave me 1800+ shots but at that time I was not using any sutdio gear or strobes.

I'm wondering if the camera uses any more juice when firing sync. I would have expected the new batter to outlast the other battery by a lot and the only thing that's different is the fact that I'm shooting more in the studio with strobes.

[Mark_Cohran]

I've been using one of the new SterlingTek 2000mAh in my 30D and this evening the battery died and it's charging. On this last charge I almost exclusively shot with the camera sending sync to strobes and I got ~1,100 shots on the one charge. Although that's a very good number I seem to recall that the standard Canon battery that came with the camera gave me 1800+ shots but at that time I was not using any sutdio gear or strobes.

I'm wondering if the camera uses any more juice when firing sync. I would have expected the new batter to outlast the other battery by a lot and the only thing that's different is the fact that I'm shooting more in the studio with strobes.

All synching does is close a circuit. It shouldn't put any significant drain on the battery whatsoever.

Mark

[TMR Design]

That's what I thought Mark. So I don't understand why a full charge on the 2000mAh SterlingTek battery only got me ~1100 shots. What other factors determine battery life? Doesn't that number seem low to you?

[steve maec]

If you need more try a grip with 2 battries.

[TMR Design]

If you need more try a grip with 2 battries.



This is not about needing more. I am drawing the comparison between the 2 batteries and wondering why the number was lower than expected. I don't need more life and I have 2 spare batteries at all time. I Just want to understand about the life of the battery.

[Mark_Cohran]

The only things that should affect battery life are:

1. Load on the battery: That's obvious. The larger the load, the faster the drain.
2. Temperature: Cold saps battery life in that is slows down the chemical reactions that create the free electrons.
3. Age: Over time the chemicals break down and lose their ability to charge and retain a charge. From Wikepedia: A unique drawback of the Li-ion battery is that its life span is dependent upon aging from time of manufacturing (shelf life) regardless of whether it was charged, and not just on the number of charge/discharge cycles. So an older battery will not last as long as a new battery due solely to its age, unlike other batteries Is it possible you were sold a set of old batteries?


Mark

[TMR Design]

The only things that should affect battery life are:

1. Load on the battery: That's obvious. The larger the load, the faster the drain.
2. Temperature: Cold saps battery life in that is slows down the chemical reactions that create the free electrons.
3. Age: Over time the chemicals break down and lose their ability to charge and retain a charge. From Wikepedia: A unique drawback of the Li-ion battery is that its life span is dependent upon aging from time of manufacturing (shelf life) regardless of whether it was charged, and not just on the number of charge/discharge cycles. So an older battery will not last as long as a new battery due solely to its age, unlike other batteries Is it possible you were sold a set of old batteries?


Mark

I suppose anything is possible Mark. There's no way for me to know that. I won't complain about 1100 shots on one charge but as I originally said, I just thought it was odd the have drained a 2000mAh battery with 1100 shots and the original Canon battery gave me 1800 + shots.

[Mark_Cohran]

I suppose anything is possible Mark. There's no way for me to know that. I won't complain about 1100 shots on one charge but as I originally said, I just thought it was odd the have drained a 2000mAh battery with 1100 shots and the original Canon battery gave me 1800 + shots.

I agree, but you've also got to consider the amount of time it took you to take those shots. LiON batteries have, I think, about a 5% per day self-discharge rate. So if if took you longer to shoot those 1100 shots with the Sterling batteries, that might be your answer.

Mark

[TMR Design]

I agree, but you've also got to consider the amount of time it took you to take those shots. LiON batteries have, I think, about a 5% per day self-discharge rate. So if if took you longer to shoot those 1100 shots with the Sterling batteries, that might be your answer.

Mark


Ahhhh I did not know that. That could easily be the reason. It has definitely taken me longer to shoot those 1100 than it did when I first got the camera and was outside shooting in the nicer waether every day. I've been working on my home studio and there have been says that I did not shoot and some that I did very little.

[Mark_Cohran]

Ahhhh I did not know that. That could easily be the reason. It has definitely taken me longer to shoot those 1100 than it did when I first got the camera and was outside shooting in the nicer waether every day. I've been working on my home studio and there have been says that I did not shoot and some that I did very little.

Well, I went back and checked, and my numbers were off. The self-discharge for LiON is 5% per month, not per day (which is much better than NiMH, BTW, which have about a 30% per month self-discharge). So, depending on the time, it could still make a difference if you really drug out those 1100 shots.

Mark