Battery life proportional to resolution

Hello, new T4i user here. Just wondering, I know it says in the manual that the battery can last up to something like 500 pics. What if I'm shooting at a really small size? Do you that would prolong the battery life?

I suppose it's possible given that smaller image means less processing, but it probably makes a very minor difference if at all. The best thing you can do to prolong battery life is avoid live view mode and keep the LCD off as much as possible. If you shoot only in live view mode you'll be lucky to get 250 shots, as keeping the LCD and processing the image from the sensor as a live video, both chew up lots of power.

I can't see it saving anything at all and possible need a few more electrons. All of the information from the sensor still needs to be processed, interpolated, re-sized and such. Maybe the only savings would be that less data needs to be written to the CF card.

Buy a second battery.

Buy a second batter, a grip and some rechargeable AA batteries.

The single easiest way to reduce battery usage is not to chimp. You can set the review time to 0 on the Canon bodies I have. You then need to press the preview button if you want to chimp.

It's always good to have a second battery so you can have one at home charging while you're out with the camera.

Trade the T4i for a 60d and double your battery life.

mrtuckertown wrote in post #14933762
Hello, new T4i user here. Just wondering, I know it says in the manual that the battery can last up to something like 500 pics.

I don't know if I just got lucky with a freakishly long battery life or what, but on my T2i I've taken over 1,000 pictures in one day (trip to the zoo) on one battery. I would never need a spare battery or grip.

SoCalTiger wrote in post #14935013
I don't know if I just got lucky with a freakishly long battery life or what, but on my T2i I've taken over 1,000 pictures in one day (trip to the zoo) on one battery. I would never need a spare battery or grip.

This was the stock battery?

Even if shooting at a smaller JPG size did allow you to use a bit more battery per charge, it's not worth having a small size file because when you want to print that file one day, you won't be able to print very big.

Maybe someone that sees your picture on facebook or whatever site will want to buy it, but the only size you have is "small" because you wanted to get two more shots out of a battery. It's not worth it to me. Plus, why do you want to use a T4i only to shoot at the smallest size possible? May as well buy a point & shoot camera.

goldboughtrue wrote in post #14935354
Even if shooting at a smaller JPG size did allow you to use a bit more battery per charge, it's not worth having a small size file because when you want to print that file one day, you won't be able to print very big.

Maybe someone that sees your picture on facebook or whatever site will want to buy it, but the only size you have is "small" because you wanted to get two more shots out of a battery. It's not worth it to me. Plus, why do you want to use a T4i only to shoot at the smallest size possible? May as well buy a point & shoot camera.

I'm actually a videographer, trying to get into timelapse stuff.

The LCD eats up the majority of battery life.
Set your camera to "sleep" pretty quickly, turn it off if not in use, set sensor clean to manual instead of every on/off, there are ways to conserve battery power that rely less on file size. All of which are less simple and affect shooting easy/comfort than picking up a spare battery for @ $12 or so.

Time lapse stuff, you may be limited in what you can do without a grip to run 2 batteries at once more maximum time.

mrtuckertown wrote in post #14933762
Hello, new T4i user here. Just wondering, I know it says in the manual that the battery can last up to something like 500 pics. What if I'm shooting at a really small size? Do you that would prolong the battery life?

No!

Neil

I have had some experience with shooting a LOT of photographs at an event (approximately 5400) on one battery. I used a T3. There are qualifications (as others in this thread have already mentioned) to being able to do this.

Turn OFF everything that is NOT essential to TAKING the photograph. NO Display, No menu and turn off SOUNDS. Everything off. Insure that your flash is turned off and disabled too because it will cause a drain to your battery IF it simply "pops up" in a low light situation as it draws a "charge" from the battery. You will be surprised by the life of the single battery when all you do is press the shutter button.

If you are attempting time lapse photography then non of the display features or sounds will matter anyway as you will NOT be looking at the screen or actually be listening to any of the audible sounds the camera makes WHILE it is shooting for long periods of time.

Hillbille