60D Dead Battery

Just got a new 60D and started playing with it. Took about a 100 shots, the battery was still showing as fully charged. I left it overnight with the switch on. Normally the camera falls asleep in 30 sec, the same as in my XSi. Tonight, 24 hours later, the battery was completely dead, the camera would not even blink. I put the battery in the charger, and the blinking indicator shows it as completely discharged. I do not think it is a normal behavior. Did I do something wrong? Or is it a bad battery?

It sounds to me more like the camera is still pulling some current from the battery when in the auto power-off state, enough to discharge it in 24 hours. (1800mAh capacity, 24 hours, would be 75 mA drain, seems awfully high for "sleep mode".)

It doesn't sound like a battery problem (assuming it doesn't do this also when the camera is switched off.). Mine is set to the default (and shortest setting) of 1 minute, and I haven't tried leaving it on for a long time but I think I will. I'm curious to see what happens.

Lbsimon wrote in post #12429795
I put the battery in the charger, and the blinking indicator shows it as completely discharged. I do not think it is a normal behavior. Did I do something wrong? Or is it a bad battery?

Did you keep the battery in the charger till it was fully charged?

Lbsimon wrote in post #12429795
I do not think it is a normal behavior.

I agree. I leave cameras on (in sleep mode) for days with no discernible drain on the battery.

tmwag wrote in post #12430205
Did you keep the battery in the charger till it was fully charged?

Yes, charged until the green light came on, then immediately moved it to the camera (a new camera, I was inpatient to start shooting), and left in there.

I never turn off my 60D and the battery is always there for me. N

Lbsimon wrote in post #12430451
Yes, charged until the green light came on, then immediately moved it to the camera (a new camera, I was inpatient to start shooting), and left in there.

Your first post doesn't indicate you even charged the battery prior to using the camera. New batteries need to be fully charged. You should be able to return if the battery is faulty

Edit: B&H has a good return policy

lar55 wrote in post #12429909
It sounds to me more like the camera is still pulling some current from the battery when in the auto power-off state, enough to discharge it in 24 hours. (1800mAh capacity, 24 hours, would be 75 mA drain, seems awfully high for "sleep mode".)

What I do not know - did not realize right away - is whether the battery discharged in 24 hours, or maybe in just a couple of hours, without me noticing that, and that would increase the current considerably! But even 75 mA drain is way too high for a sleep mode.

I sent a message to B&H, asking them if they had any insight. The reply: "If you leave the camera on, the battery will drain". Doh!!

tmwag wrote in post #12430555
Your first post doesn't indicate you even charged the battery prior to using the camera. New batteries need to be fully charged. You should be able to return if the battery is faulty

Yes, I took the new battery from the box and fully charged it, until the charger light changed to green.

I believe it takes two or three charge/discharge cycles for a new battery to reach optimum condition. Even so, 100 shots and sleep mode should not flatten the battery in 24 hours. I can only suggest you re-charge and see if the phenomenon repeats. If it does, I'd be looking for an exchange on the body.

ETA - Or, more sensibly, a battery exchange in the first instance.

I would make sure the displays turn off wherever you store it after your set amount of time.

I just tested mine for about 18 hours with the switch "on" and auto power-off set to 1 minute. I used the menu to get a reading on the battery. After 18 hours the battery was still at 49%, same as when I started. So I take it all back... what you are seeing is not correct, and your 60D should not use any significant power when in auto power off. (As others have posted in this thread.)

I'm trying to think of reasons that might explain your abbreviated battery life - like, how many of your hundred shots used flash? How much did you use Live View? Errr . . . that's it.

was the camera just sitting somewhere, or in your bag? I had my 40D battery drain out recently for no reason, but the camera was on and in my bag. My guess is that something pressed on a button and prevented it from turning off. Never happened since or before.
Of course there's a slight chance that your battery is damaged, if it happens again I'd contact b&h for a replacement battery (canon only, I'd stay away from knock off brand or no-names)
I just got a 2nd battery and a grip (not canon) to make shooting with models easier and more comfortable on my hands. With the two batteries, it takes a long time to drain it all.

Thanks all. I will check the battery tonight to see if the discharge happens again.