Do you turn your camera off after a few shots or keep it on? 300D here

If I'm running around using the camera now and then, I leave it on.
When I stove it in the bag I turn it off. Otherwise it may start taking photos due to the shutter button being inadvertently pressed. The automatic sensor cleaning is useless if it's not executed every so often as well.

The camera is in the same state asleep as it is when it is off. The only difference is that tapping the shutter brings the camera back to life.

When I'm out shooting, once it's on, it stays on. I usually turn it off, if I remember to, when I get home. When I shoot stuff at home, I usually just keep it on until I'm done. I figure it would drain the battery if it was turned on and sleeping, since there would be some kind of sensor detecting if the shutter was pressed.

I leave mine switched on all of the time.

David

tnd wrote in post #11161369
Just a general question as to how to save battery life on my 300D (yes i still use it, lol)

Should i turn off the the camera after a few shots or just keep it on?

i think the battery life is already pretty bad but anything to make it last longer would be helpful.

Everyone will tell you it's just fine to leave it on all the time, just let it go to sleep after a minute or so.

I'm not so sure.

I first had a 300D, then a 30D, now a 50D.

The 30D and 50D never get turned off and battery life while not shooting is probably many months.

But when I forgot to turn my 300D off the batteries (original and aftermarket both) would go dead in a couple of days.

It wasn't the batteries, a brand new aftermarket battery I got for the 300D is still in use occasionally in my 50D.

Was my 300D defective? I don't know. Everything else worked perfectly.

Why don't you experiment and tell us? I can't, my 300D has gone to a new home. Where it works fine, BTW.

Try this:

- charge the battery fully;
- let it sit with the switch on but in sleep mode for three days or so;
- shoot until the battery gives out;
- note the number of shots you get.

Then do the same but with the power off for the same period.

-js

EDIT: BTW, welcome to POTN!

So letting it go to sleep while the switch is still on won't drain the battery?

guitarfish wrote in post #11162649
So letting it go to sleep while the switch is still on won't drain the battery?

Not with the 30D and 50D. I never turn my 50D off. Or the old 30D.

Turning it off doesn't actually disconnect the battery, it just disables the buttons. There's still power to the camera components when the switch is off - for example, a voltmeter on the contact pins for the lens will show the same voltages on or off.

As above, though, I'm not sure about the 300D.

-js

I still have my 300D and, I think, original Canon battery, and 2 3rd party batteries. I guess I could take perform some tests, but I'm not sure how accurate it would be, due to the age and reliability of the batteries. I don't feel like buying new batteries either, since I don't really care much for this camera. Of course, I will probably have to buy a voltmeter. Since I've never really used one, any suggestions on what to get? Preferably cheap, but accurate.

You can increase battery life a bit further by turning off review so as not to have the last picture come up on the screen. Also avoid spending a lot of time metering and focusing or reviewing pictures on the screen. Turning off IS on an IS lens will save power too if it power savings is the main concern. Turning off autorotate might save a bit of power too but with the inconvenience of having to manually rotate your pictures. Use a card reader for loading pictures to the computer too. The camera won't take power from the USB so it uses the batteries.

ecub wrote in post #11166460
Of course, I will probably have to buy a voltmeter. Since I've never really used one, any suggestions on what to get? Preferably cheap, but accurate.

I have four or five of these - I carry one on my motorcycle, keep one in each toolbox, etc. The price is right!
http://www.harborfreig​ht.com …tal-multimeter-90899.html

Or, if you're a big spender, this one has a backlight:
http://www.harborfreig​ht.com …tal-multimeter-92020.html

-js

number six wrote in post #11168666
I have four or five of these - I carry one on my motorcycle, keep one in each toolbox, etc. The price is right!
http://www.harborfreig​ht.com …tal-multimeter-90899.html

Or, if you're a big spender, this one has a backlight:
http://www.harborfreig​ht.com …tal-multimeter-92020.html

-js

Thanks.

Man, the one with backlight must be the L version of multimeters, since not too many people could afford it, because the one without backlight is out of stock. I might have to scrounge around for the extra cash to go all out on the one with backlight.

keep it on
and have some battery spares

Harbor Freight has several other multimeters. Even one that measures sound level, luminance, humidity and temperature. Not sure how accurately it does any of these, though.

The mini meter has proven to be plenty accurate enough for general use.

Here are the rest: http://www.harborfreig​ht.com …ory=&q=digital+​multimeter

I turn mine on and off constantly....no particular reason, just always have.

When it goes to "sleep", part of the electronics remains powered. At a minimum, the part of the electronics that recognizes that you've just pushed a button needs to stay awake, since I seriously doubt the shutter button has a hard power-on switch built in. I have no idea, however, whether the "off" switch leaves some things powered or not, but presumably it at least leaves fewer things powered... But, if you leave your camera in the "sleep" mode, it will eventually have a dead battery, but the load by the remaining powered electronics may be inconsequential compared with the "self-discharge" of the battery's own electronics; only Canon engineers know for sure!