David Pogue's Digital Photography: The Missing Manual

Battery

In many ways, digital cameras have arrived. They're not like cellphones, which still drop calls, or computers, which still crash and freeze. Digital cameras are reliable, high quality, and generally extremely rewarding.

Except for battery life.

Thanks to that screen on the back, digital cameras plow through battery charges like Kleenex. The battery capacity, not the memory card, is usually what determines how long your photo shoot lasts. When the juice is gone, your session is over.

Here's what you'll find as you shop for various cameras:

• Proprietary, built-in rechargeable. Most small cameras come with a "brick" battery: a dark gray, lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

  The problem with proprietary batteries is that you can't replace them when you're on the road. If you're only three hours into your day at Disney World when the battery dies, that's just tough—your shooting session is over. You can't exactly duck into a drugstore to buy a new one.

  Sometimes, you have to recharge the battery by plugging in the camera. That's a drag, because you can't shoot while the charging is going on.

  Other times, you can recharge the battery in a separate battery charger that plugs into the wall. That's a better system, because you can buy a second battery (usually for $50 or so) and keep one in the charger at all times.

• AA-size batteries. A few cameras accept two or four AA batteries and may even come with a set of alkalines to get you started.

  If you learn nothing else from this chapter, however, ...