Digital camera accessories

[ShutterbugGail]

^{NOTE: This question, asked by cBuG in the Viewfinder Board, will be answered here.}

I have HP Photosmart 812 digcam, 3.92 MP (2280x1720 eff pixel count)
3x optical, 7x digital zoom
Zooming optical viewfinder
color LED backlit, 1.5" polysilicon TFT LCD  
2 AA batteries
Maximum power consumption of 2.5 A.

Question: After 4 to 6 shots with LCD on my batteries are unable to maintain display or take a minute or two to revive for next shot. I am brand new. Is this normal?

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi cBuG. Welcome to the world of digital photography!

It is very unusual to get only 4-6 shots on batteries, even using the LCD which consumes a lot of power. The HP Photosmart 812 digicam is known for having a good battery life.

My first question is what type of batteries are you using? Rechargeable NiMH AA batteries are recommended for your digicam.

If you use standard alkaline batteries, they are not the best choice (except in times when you have no other battery options) and will deplete quickly. You may be able to use AA Litihium batteries which are made for electronic devices such as digital cameras. They last a long time however their main drawback is that they are currently quite expensive.

If you are using NiMH batteries, realize that they can lose a small amount of charge even when not being used. So if you use your camera infrequently, charge the batteries a couple of hours before taking photos.

If none of these suggestions work, call HP. Your camera may be defective, or there may be a firmware upgrade available to address the problem.

If you find a solution, which I hope you do, let us know. It will help others if they run into a similar situation.


Related reading:

Digital camera batteries
http://www.digicamhelp.com/digital-camera-batteries/digital-camera-batteries.htm

What is a firmware upgrade?
http://www.digicamhelp.com/what-is-firmware-for-a-digital-camera/index.htm
 

[Charles Pitcher]

Thanks for the quick reply Shutterbug. I use NiMi batteries. I did not know they lose charge when not in use.
I have a camera dock/recharger and will start leaving camera in dock when not in use.
I intend to now contact HP customer support. Will keep the board informed.

[cBuG]

To Shutterbug:
I went to HP customer support. They had me perform a quick reset on the camera and also check for the latest firmware, which I have now.
The quick reset solved the problem. I was able to take ten test pictures with LCD on and still had battery power sufficient to continue.
Thank you so much for the great advise. I will enjoy visiting this site in the future and have put the site in my favorites list.
cBuG

[ShutterbugGail]

That's interesting about the quick reset button. Glad that it worked so easily! Don't forget to follow the instructions precisely when you upgrade the firmware.

So very glad you find the website helpful! Please feel free to stop by here again, too, should you have additional questions. We'll try our best to help you find solutions.

Now go take some great shots!