Powershot A520 Problem

Hi, I brought a Canon Powershot A520 camera with printer package for my wife just over a year ago, it was only taken out of its box once to be tested when brought and worked fine with the batteries that came with it, but then remained boxed up until recently and now there seems to be a problem with it registering the batteries, as we keep getting the error message "Please replace the batteries", then the camera shuts down about 10 seconds later. Weve tried several different brands of batteries from known brands to cheaper ones but still the same thing, has anyone encountered this problem before?

I'll see if I get the same problem with my A520 when using alkalynes. I've had to go to the Eneloop batteries to get any type of reasonable battery performance out of my A520 but it seems to be holding up fine now.

Thanks for the reply, hopefully it is something like that, be a shame to have to throw it, its in brand new condition. I just tryed some new batteries again in the hope that it might have changed, but no joy. When turned on I press the "display" button to bring up the display and it worked fine for maybe 20 seconds, but then the screen goes black and it shuts down, couldnt get the display back after that, most strange.

First, clean your battery contacts to be sure there is no surface corrosion causing a voltage drop. Then check out the recall at Canon. Even though the recall is for the A530-540, check the pictures on the Canon page to make sure your battery door spring isn't incorrectly formed.

Also, you may want to check out how I fixed short digital camera battery life with Sanyo eneloops at my review.

Checked for surface corrosion, absolutly nothing, also checked the pictures out and the camera is fine, I guess that leaves trying those eneloops out, thanks.