Battery life of K5

Wheatfield · 05-29-2011, 08:44 AM

Is it just me or does the K5 seem to be much more of a battery hog than the K7? It seems like I get about half the usage per battery on the K5 as compared to the K7.

Adam · 05-29-2011, 08:52 AM

For me it seems just as dependable, but then again with the grip my batteries last for a whole month or three.

**Ash** · 05-29-2011, 09:29 AM

I've had over 700 shots with mine (just typical viewfinder shooting), but about 400-450 with some use of the popup flash and live view (LV is a big power drainer)...

Wheatfield · 05-29-2011, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by Ash

I've had over 700 shots with mine (just typical viewfinder shooting), but about 400-450 with some use of the popup flash and live view (LV is a big power drainer)...

That's in line with my usage as well, but the K7 was capable of over 1500 shots on a battery.

Clavius · 05-29-2011, 10:57 AM

I moved from the K20d to the K5 and I noticed that I have to charge the battery much more often too! Still doesn't bother me at all though.

Cannikin · 05-29-2011, 03:58 PM

It can be quite variable depending on SDM/DC lens usage, LV, video and flash. Not only do they drain more power, but they have a tendency to cause premature shutdown. I've gotten as high as 1000 and as low as 700 from a single charge. On average I get a little under 900.

The official specs for both the K-7 and K-5 are 980 shots, which is in line with what I get for my K-5 assuming all screw-drive, normal shooting.

RonHendriks1966 · 05-29-2011, 04:04 PM

To my idea the K-5 uses some more energy from the battery's then K-7. It is either uses from the sensor or the 14-bit thing. Still you can easily fill up a 32 GB card on one battery.

Smeggypants · 05-29-2011, 04:54 PM

I've been out on shoots and taken 2,500 to 3,000 shots with 1 K-5 and still come home with life in the battery.

I'm amazed.

My K20D and K10D used to eat them up quicker.

I'm really impressed at how efficient the K-5 is regarding batteries.

ggeorge11 · 05-30-2011, 02:34 PM

After pouring batteries in my Kx, I am stunned at how long the batteries last in the K5, I have had it 3 weeks now, and just now charged the factory, It show on the meter showed low power.
I am using a grip also, but I seriously thought the battery meter was not working. I figured I would get 400-500 shots, I had close to about 900 when I charged it back up.

testdasi · 05-30-2011, 02:42 PM

Went on a 900 pics session and The batt indicator says 2/3 full. So I reckon 2k/charge is a reasonable expectation. No flash use though but still, I came from MFT with 300/charge.

George Lama · 05-30-2011, 06:06 PM

I did a couple of daylight shoot a couple of weekends ago, about 650 images, all SDM/HSM, some live-view, a few minutes of video (experiments), a few bursts, a handful of on-board flash images and a few dozen more with the AF540. By the end of the day, I was down to 1/3 of the battery.

Next session was a graduation party, 4 hours of shooting, about 300 images, mostly with AF540 flash, some with pop-up flash, some with LV, all SDM/HSM, followed by 2 days of minimal use, then a couple of hours of shooting for another 150 photos, some with live-view. Battery is still showing full charge.

I'm still getting used to the new battery usage but it's not too bad. Can't compare it to the K7, but compared to the K20, I find them to be quite similar.

I'm already considering purchasing 2 more batteries to keep in the rotation, just in case, but I'm confident I could do a full day of shooting with two fully charged batteries unless I go nuts with video and on-board flash.

Siegfried · 05-30-2011, 10:53 PM

I can't compare K-5 to K-7 or K20, but from my experience I can tell that:
- K-5 runs noticeably longer then ist DS on any sort of rechargeable batts (I managed to get ~1K mileage on K-5 with screw-driven AF lens, but almost with no built-in flash)
- K-5 runs significantly shorter then ist DS on lithium (non-rechargeable) batts (have done 2k+ shots the last winter on a single set before it finally gave up and refused to crank up old DS dino; DS' batt meter when into warning after around 1500 shots)

I can confirm that on the paper K-5 and K-7 are claimed to have the same MPG rating. So if one is experiencing significantly different ratings when going between K-5 and K-7 then either:
- papers lie
- conditions have changed (e.g. winter for summer)
- shooting style or equipment are changed (SDM vs non-SDM lens, built-in flash vs an external one, etc)

Just sayin.

Zig

P.S.
When I say winter - I really mean it. Smth about 0F or -15 to -20C is considered to me sorta mild one, a real one start below these points.

Gimbal · 05-30-2011, 11:36 PM

It probably depends on how much auto correction one have enabled, if every picture needs 2 seconds of heavy processing then after 500 pictures the K5 has spent 16 minutes just crunching numbers at top speed. That probably takes some power.

( I don't know if 2 seconds is a valid number as I newer used any kind of auto correction)

nah · 05-31-2011, 12:15 AM

On my last charge I got roughly 500 shots only with a little bit of video and live view.

Definitely not too impressed with the battery, hopefully subsequent charges are better.

amoringello · 07-22-2011, 05:11 PM

I get as little as 200 shots as many as 800. It seems if I power the camera off between uses throughout the day, the battery lasts a lot, lot longer. With prior models, the sleep mode was extremely power efficient and I never needed to flip the power switch.

I did notice a couple of years ago, my major problem was leaving the camera slung over mu shoulder that the focus button was hitting my back side... so camera would drain in two hours. But I have rectified that problem. Yet the K5 still seems to run short much faster if the power switch remains on for the full day, compared to other models.

I have noticed this for the past few months, but have just started to experiment to see if behavior was affected with powering off. Will need to experiment a bit more, but thought it might be interesting to note.

05-29-2011, 08:44 AM	#1
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Battery life of K5 Is it just me or does the K5 seem to be much more of a battery hog than the K7? It seems like I get about half the usage per battery on the K5 as compared to the K7.

05-29-2011, 03:58 PM	#6
Cannikin Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SW Washington Posts: 833	It can be quite variable depending on SDM/DC lens usage, LV, video and flash. Not only do they drain more power, but they have a tendency to cause premature shutdown. I've gotten as high as 1000 and as low as 700 from a single charge. On average I get a little under 900. The official specs for both the K-7 and K-5 are 980 shots, which is in line with what I get for my K-5 assuming all screw-drive, normal shooting. Last edited by Cannikin; 05-29-2011 at 04:11 PM.

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05-29-2011, 08:52 AM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,597	For me it seems just as dependable, but then again with the grip my batteries last for a whole month or three.

05-29-2011, 09:29 AM	#3
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	I've had over 700 shots with mine (just typical viewfinder shooting), but about 400-450 with some use of the popup flash and live view (LV is a big power drainer)...

05-29-2011, 10:13 AM	#4
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash I've had over 700 shots with mine (just typical viewfinder shooting), but about 400-450 with some use of the popup flash and live view (LV is a big power drainer)... That's in line with my usage as well, but the K7 was capable of over 1500 shots on a battery.

05-29-2011, 10:57 AM	#5
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	I moved from the K20d to the K5 and I noticed that I have to charge the battery much more often too! Still doesn't bother me at all though.

05-29-2011, 04:04 PM	#7
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	To my idea the K-5 uses some more energy from the battery's then K-7. It is either uses from the sensor or the 14-bit thing. Still you can easily fill up a 32 GB card on one battery.

05-29-2011, 04:54 PM	#8
Smeggypants Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,536	I've been out on shoots and taken 2,500 to 3,000 shots with 1 K-5 and still come home with life in the battery. I'm amazed. My K20D and K10D used to eat them up quicker. I'm really impressed at how efficient the K-5 is regarding batteries.

05-30-2011, 02:34 PM	#9
ggeorge11 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Central Texas Photos: Albums Posts: 218	After pouring batteries in my Kx, I am stunned at how long the batteries last in the K5, I have had it 3 weeks now, and just now charged the factory, It show on the meter showed low power. I am using a grip also, but I seriously thought the battery meter was not working. I figured I would get 400-500 shots, I had close to about 900 when I charged it back up.

05-30-2011, 02:42 PM	#10
testdasi Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: London Posts: 35	Went on a 900 pics session and The batt indicator says 2/3 full. So I reckon 2k/charge is a reasonable expectation. No flash use though but still, I came from MFT with 300/charge.

05-30-2011, 06:06 PM	#11
George Lama Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Buffalo/Rochester, NY Photos: Albums Posts: 1,133	I did a couple of daylight shoot a couple of weekends ago, about 650 images, all SDM/HSM, some live-view, a few minutes of video (experiments), a few bursts, a handful of on-board flash images and a few dozen more with the AF540. By the end of the day, I was down to 1/3 of the battery. Next session was a graduation party, 4 hours of shooting, about 300 images, mostly with AF540 flash, some with pop-up flash, some with LV, all SDM/HSM, followed by 2 days of minimal use, then a couple of hours of shooting for another 150 photos, some with live-view. Battery is still showing full charge. I'm still getting used to the new battery usage but it's not too bad. Can't compare it to the K7, but compared to the K20, I find them to be quite similar. I'm already considering purchasing 2 more batteries to keep in the rotation, just in case, but I'm confident I could do a full day of shooting with two fully charged batteries unless I go nuts with video and on-board flash.

05-30-2011, 10:53 PM	#12
Siegfried Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: in a middle of nowhere Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 165	I can't compare K-5 to K-7 or K20, but from my experience I can tell that: - K-5 runs noticeably longer then ist DS on any sort of rechargeable batts (I managed to get ~1K mileage on K-5 with screw-driven AF lens, but almost with no built-in flash) - K-5 runs significantly shorter then ist DS on lithium (non-rechargeable) batts (have done 2k+ shots the last winter on a single set before it finally gave up and refused to crank up old DS dino; DS' batt meter when into warning after around 1500 shots) I can confirm that on the paper K-5 and K-7 are claimed to have the same MPG rating. So if one is experiencing significantly different ratings when going between K-5 and K-7 then either: - papers lie - conditions have changed (e.g. winter for summer) - shooting style or equipment are changed (SDM vs non-SDM lens, built-in flash vs an external one, etc) Just sayin. Zig P.S. When I say winter - I really mean it. Smth about 0F or -15 to -20C is considered to me sorta mild one, a real one start below these points.

05-30-2011, 11:36 PM	#13
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	It probably depends on how much auto correction one have enabled, if every picture needs 2 seconds of heavy processing then after 500 pictures the K5 has spent 16 minutes just crunching numbers at top speed. That probably takes some power. ( I don't know if 2 seconds is a valid number as I newer used any kind of auto correction)

05-31-2011, 12:15 AM	#14
nah Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Westminster, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 282	On my last charge I got roughly 500 shots only with a little bit of video and live view. Definitely not too impressed with the battery, hopefully subsequent charges are better.

07-22-2011, 05:11 PM	#15
amoringello Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,562	I get as little as 200 shots as many as 800. It seems if I power the camera off between uses throughout the day, the battery lasts a lot, lot longer. With prior models, the sleep mode was extremely power efficient and I never needed to flip the power switch. I did notice a couple of years ago, my major problem was leaving the camera slung over mu shoulder that the focus button was hitting my back side... so camera would drain in two hours. But I have rectified that problem. Yet the K5 still seems to run short much faster if the power switch remains on for the full day, compared to other models. I have noticed this for the past few months, but have just started to experiment to see if behavior was affected with powering off. Will need to experiment a bit more, but thought it might be interesting to note.