How do you care for your K-5 batttery?

daveej · 12-31-2012, 11:17 AM

Moving from a K100D (CRV3 batteries) to the battery in the K-5, are there recommendations to extend the life of the battery. Can I leave the battery in the camera when not in use, or should it be removed for periods of unuse? Should the battery be completely depleted before recharging, or can it be charged frequently? Should I leave the battery on the charger till it's used, or how do you store your battery till you need it?
Lot of questions, sorry, I'm not overly concerned, just looking for advice, thanks.

**blackcloudbrew** · 12-31-2012, 11:34 AM

Given that my K5 has the dreaded full battery charged mirror flop issue, I tend not to fully charge the batteries. I do use the battery grip base and rotate the batteries between the grip and the camera. They stay in all the time otherwise. So basically if I'm going on a shoot every week or two, I'll give them a charge. Or sometimes I'll charge one fully and keep the other one not fully charged. This avoids the mirror flop issue. If I wasn't using the camera, I'd charge them every month but that doesn't seem to happen very often.

**rbefly** · 12-31-2012, 11:40 AM

Hello Daveej,
My understanding of LiPo batteries is that they should NEVER be completely depleted. Whatever device they are used in, will have a cut-off before this can happen. A spare battery is good insurance either way.
Having said that, LiPo's also don't have a "memory" problem like NiMH and older "round" batteries, either. In other words, with some older batteries, if you ran them down 1/2 way, then re-charged, they would begin to "remember" the 1/2 charge as their full capacity and refuse to run or charge further. You now had 1/2 the original capacity. Lipos won't be fooled this way.
So, you can safely top them off, regardless of how much or little they've been used. The supplied charger will do this correctly.
Never try to get "a few more shots" after shut-down by turning the camera off and on. Change batteries, buy a battery grip, stop shooting.
I believe you can leave the battery in the camera for extended periods, but if you're storing the camera for more than a couple of months, I'd pull the battery and store it safely. Make absolutely sure nothing conductive can touch the two metal contacts, tape or plastic covers should work. A short circuit with a LiPo is a very real potential fire hazard and nearly impossible to put out at the source. There are thick ceramic pots sold for just this purpose (storage).
Hope this helps!
Ron

psychdoc · 12-31-2012, 11:55 AM

Never taken any special care for the battery myself.

I just leave it in the camera, if it does not show a full sign at the end of the day, if I just leave it in the charger overnight. Not taken it out of the camera when not used but the longest I have gone without using it is maybe a couple of weeks. I do have a second battery though since I like to travel light and did not want to bother with the weight of a grip. I just leave it in the camera bag in a small compartment by itself.

**jbinpg** · 12-31-2012, 12:04 PM

I use two batteries. one in the body and one in the grip. When the indicator goes low, I charge both overnight and replace them in the morning. I don't do anything special. Still going strong after a couple of years.

Jack

daveej · 12-31-2012, 01:11 PM

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback.

GoldenRGuy · 12-31-2012, 01:33 PM

I just use one battery. As soon as it goes from full to half, I pop it in the charger. These batteries tend to last a long time, even using the built in flash. But from half to 0, pretty quick.

Sensu · 12-31-2012, 07:02 PM

Any battery will have a longer life-span if you refrain from completely draining it. So charging before dead flat is recommended. That said, I don't really pay much attention to mine, since replacements are so cheap - I have the oem one that came with my K-5 and an off-brand one I got with it at the same time, and they work equally well, so if I need another I'll just buy another off-brand one. I have the one charger and try to keep one battery fully charged and ready for use by always putting a partially depleted battery on to charge and swapping the fresh one into the K-5. I don't keep the charged one on the charger after it has finished charging, though that might make sure you don't get any self-discharge if it's not used for a long period of time.

I've thought about getting another charger for those heavy-use days when I deplete both batteries and want to leave both on to charge over night, but I trust cheap chargers much less than I trust cheap batteries themselves (because if the charging circuitry is not great, your best-case scenario is hammered batteries and your worst-case scenario is explosion/fire). You'll notice on your charger there is a "T" contact between the + and - contacts, which is for temperature sensing. Your cheap knock-off chargers usually don't have this contact and just aren't as safe, even though they'd probably get the job done 90% of the time.

tabl10s · 12-31-2012, 09:50 PM

I don't do anything specific. What I do have is extra batteries. Three Li-On's and four packs of Eneloops(older versions for the Metz 58AF-2-got a second on the way and the newer for the camera's in the AA battery holder).

ve2vfd · 01-02-2013, 08:59 AM

I keep my 2 batteries fully charged at all times, and rotate them from the grip to the body every time I recharge them.

Pat

LeDave · 01-06-2013, 05:39 PM

To care for my batteries, I always use it until it's fully discharged before recharging. I never charge it half way full.

abmj · 01-08-2013, 09:39 PM

I carry 3, one in the camera, one in the grip and a third just in case. One is always in the camera with at least half-charge. When one comes out of the camera it immediately goes on the charger. If I don't take the grip with me (traveling light,) I then have 2 spares. I just try to keep the contacts clean - no other special care.

Tanzer · 01-08-2013, 10:15 PM

I keep them charged all the time, pretty much.

Never completely discharge batteries, but don't "overcharge" them either. Other than two rules, battery "memory" is a myth, regardless of the type of rechargeable technology. BTW, a slow charger (like the Pentax chargers) generally cannot overcharge the battery. So, this means you just have to make sure they don't get completely discharged.

Also bear in mind that all batteries will eventually die after several years, regardless of how you take care of them.

reeftool · 01-08-2013, 11:34 PM

I try to remember to charge it. The K5 battery lasts a long time, at least for me. I top off the charge if I know I'm going to be shooting a lot. The battery indicator is next to useless on Pentax cameras. My K10D showed a full charge and never changes until the battery is almost totally discharged and my K5 doesn't appear to be any different. It shows fully charged all the time, even on days when I have shot over 500 pics so it's important to top off the charge if you plan on a long day of shooting. I have completely discharged my K10D battery a few times and it doesn't seem to have harmed it but I have recharged it right away. I've never completely run down my K5 battery yet.

12-31-2012, 11:17 AM	#1
daveej Forum Member Join Date: May 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 110	How do you care for your K-5 batttery? Moving from a K100D (CRV3 batteries) to the battery in the K-5, are there recommendations to extend the life of the battery. Can I leave the battery in the camera when not in use, or should it be removed for periods of unuse? Should the battery be completely depleted before recharging, or can it be charged frequently? Should I leave the battery on the charger till it's used, or how do you store your battery till you need it? Lot of questions, sorry, I'm not overly concerned, just looking for advice, thanks.

12-31-2012, 11:40 AM	#3
rbefly Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Denver, Colorado Photos: Albums Posts: 2,030	Battery Care? Hello Daveej, My understanding of LiPo batteries is that they should NEVER be completely depleted. Whatever device they are used in, will have a cut-off before this can happen. A spare battery is good insurance either way. Having said that, LiPo's also don't have a "memory" problem like NiMH and older "round" batteries, either. In other words, with some older batteries, if you ran them down 1/2 way, then re-charged, they would begin to "remember" the 1/2 charge as their full capacity and refuse to run or charge further. You now had 1/2 the original capacity. Lipos won't be fooled this way. So, you can safely top them off, regardless of how much or little they've been used. The supplied charger will do this correctly. Never try to get "a few more shots" after shut-down by turning the camera off and on. Change batteries, buy a battery grip, stop shooting. I believe you can leave the battery in the camera for extended periods, but if you're storing the camera for more than a couple of months, I'd pull the battery and store it safely. Make absolutely sure nothing conductive can touch the two metal contacts, tape or plastic covers should work. A short circuit with a LiPo is a very real potential fire hazard and nearly impossible to put out at the source. There are thick ceramic pots sold for just this purpose (storage). Hope this helps! Ron Last edited by rbefly; 12-31-2012 at 11:46 AM.

12-31-2012, 09:50 PM	#9
tabl10s Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento(formerly from B'Ham, England). Posts: 1,424	I don't do anything specific. What I do have is extra batteries. Three Li-On's and four packs of Eneloops(older versions for the Metz 58AF-2-got a second on the way and the newer for the camera's in the AA battery holder). Last edited by tabl10s; 01-02-2013 at 02:18 PM.

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12-31-2012, 11:34 AM	#2
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	Given that my K5 has the dreaded full battery charged mirror flop issue, I tend not to fully charge the batteries. I do use the battery grip base and rotate the batteries between the grip and the camera. They stay in all the time otherwise. So basically if I'm going on a shoot every week or two, I'll give them a charge. Or sometimes I'll charge one fully and keep the other one not fully charged. This avoids the mirror flop issue. If I wasn't using the camera, I'd charge them every month but that doesn't seem to happen very often.

12-31-2012, 11:55 AM	#4
psychdoc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bham Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 949	Never taken any special care for the battery myself. I just leave it in the camera, if it does not show a full sign at the end of the day, if I just leave it in the charger overnight. Not taken it out of the camera when not used but the longest I have gone without using it is maybe a couple of weeks. I do have a second battery though since I like to travel light and did not want to bother with the weight of a grip. I just leave it in the camera bag in a small compartment by itself.

12-31-2012, 12:04 PM	#5
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	I use two batteries. one in the body and one in the grip. When the indicator goes low, I charge both overnight and replace them in the morning. I don't do anything special. Still going strong after a couple of years. Jack

12-31-2012, 01:11 PM	#6
daveej Forum Member Join Date: May 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 110 Original Poster	Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback.

12-31-2012, 01:33 PM	#7
GoldenRGuy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Kingston, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 154	I just use one battery. As soon as it goes from full to half, I pop it in the charger. These batteries tend to last a long time, even using the built in flash. But from half to 0, pretty quick.

12-31-2012, 07:02 PM	#8
Sensu New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 19	Any battery will have a longer life-span if you refrain from completely draining it. So charging before dead flat is recommended. That said, I don't really pay much attention to mine, since replacements are so cheap - I have the oem one that came with my K-5 and an off-brand one I got with it at the same time, and they work equally well, so if I need another I'll just buy another off-brand one. I have the one charger and try to keep one battery fully charged and ready for use by always putting a partially depleted battery on to charge and swapping the fresh one into the K-5. I don't keep the charged one on the charger after it has finished charging, though that might make sure you don't get any self-discharge if it's not used for a long period of time. I've thought about getting another charger for those heavy-use days when I deplete both batteries and want to leave both on to charge over night, but I trust cheap chargers much less than I trust cheap batteries themselves (because if the charging circuitry is not great, your best-case scenario is hammered batteries and your worst-case scenario is explosion/fire). You'll notice on your charger there is a "T" contact between the + and - contacts, which is for temperature sensing. Your cheap knock-off chargers usually don't have this contact and just aren't as safe, even though they'd probably get the job done 90% of the time.

01-02-2013, 08:59 AM	#10
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433	I keep my 2 batteries fully charged at all times, and rotate them from the grip to the body every time I recharge them. Pat

01-06-2013, 05:39 PM	#11
LeDave Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Minneapolis - St. Paul Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,067	To care for my batteries, I always use it until it's fully discharged before recharging. I never charge it half way full.

01-08-2013, 09:39 PM	#12
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	I carry 3, one in the camera, one in the grip and a third just in case. One is always in the camera with at least half-charge. When one comes out of the camera it immediately goes on the charger. If I don't take the grip with me (traveling light,) I then have 2 spares. I just try to keep the contacts clean - no other special care.

01-08-2013, 10:15 PM	#13
Tanzer Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Perrineville, NJ Posts: 1,375	I keep them charged all the time, pretty much. Never completely discharge batteries, but don't "overcharge" them either. Other than two rules, battery "memory" is a myth, regardless of the type of rechargeable technology. BTW, a slow charger (like the Pentax chargers) generally cannot overcharge the battery. So, this means you just have to make sure they don't get completely discharged. Also bear in mind that all batteries will eventually die after several years, regardless of how you take care of them.

01-08-2013, 11:34 PM	#14
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	I try to remember to charge it. The K5 battery lasts a long time, at least for me. I top off the charge if I know I'm going to be shooting a lot. The battery indicator is next to useless on Pentax cameras. My K10D showed a full charge and never changes until the battery is almost totally discharged and my K5 doesn't appear to be any different. It shows fully charged all the time, even on days when I have shot over 500 pics so it's important to top off the charge if you plan on a long day of shooting. I have completely discharged my K10D battery a few times and it doesn't seem to have harmed it but I have recharged it right away. I've never completely run down my K5 battery yet.