Digital Camera Memory question

[Newt]

I have a digital camera that I've had for several years. It began to use up batteries even when turned off and got to the point that a set of 4 new (but normal, off the shelf) AA batteries would only last a few hours. Last time I tried it I started with new batteries, took maybe a dozen pics over a couple of hours, and the batteries went completely dead. Used up. Kaput.

 

For some reason I decided to see if the memory card was the problem and replaced the 32Mb card (hey, I said I'd had it a while) with the original 8Mb one. It seems to have put things back to normal since the batteries are fine after a week in the camera and a couple dozen pictures using the flash (as I had not when it was acting up).

 

Anybody have a clue what could cause a memory card to drain things even with nothing going on?

[Cranfield]

Thats strange, because I use a 128MB memory card and take a lot of photographs (most get rejected, once they have been uploaded).

Four "longlife" AA batteries last me through 100,s of photographs.

 

Are you sure you are turning your camera off, after using it?

My first digital camera went to "standby", before shutting down completely.

This meant that you had to turn it "off" twice, but only turn it "on" once.

I wasted quite a few batteries, before I realised what was happening.

[chesters1]

maybe the flash is continually charging up , an ear near the offending item for its whistle will identify it ,maybe the off switch is damaged

[Newt]

Cranfield - I'm doing the same thing to turn if off as always and this problem started a few months ago (after several years of use) and has gotten progressively worse. This camera has a slide that covers the entire front of the camera and when it's open (and the camera powered on) the lens extends. When you start to slide it closed, the lens retracts. So I'm sure I have it off unless the switch is somehow gone or going bad. And in the early days, I'd take 50-75 photos, home and dump them, then leave the camera on a shelf for a while (weeks often) and shoot more pics. Batteries lasted quite a while.

 

chesters1 - I'll get the wife to listen. I have enough hearing loss that my not hearing a problem wouldn't mean much.

[Gillies]

The site 'Digital Photography Review' should be able to give you an explanation somewhere hopefully, you can find it at: http://www.dpreview.com

 

It's the only non software development site along with AN that I am active on, and it's great for photography, I have learned so so much from it, especially since I got my Canon 300D Digi-SLR.

 

Anyone looking to learn a bit more about their digital camera no matter what kind they have will get great info here.

 

Gillies

 

[ 23. December 2003, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: Gillies ]

[jeepster]

maybe check if the voltages on the two memory cards are different, ok i'm clutching at straws here, but worth a look, stands to reason different voltage cards will use different amounts of power