Camera Batteries – Charge them properly so that they last longer.
The disposable and re chargeable batteries. The disposable batteries are used a lot specially in devices such as camera, torch, TV and are then discarded. Unlike disposable batteries, rechargeable batteries or secondary cells can be re-charged by applying electrical current. The most common example of the rechargeable battery used in various domestic applications is the Nickel-cadmium battery. If your digital/still camera supports the AA batteries, it is worthwhile to read the manual and see if it supports NiMH kind of battery too. This is because NiMH batteries last much longer than standard AA alkaline batteries; in addition to that they are also rechargeable and therefore can be re-used for quite a long time.
It is a common habit while shooting pictures with a digital camera to playback the shot and see how it looks. But, many of us aren't aware that the playback mode of the digital camera wears out batteries faster than normal. It is advisable to run a slide show of the pictures you have taken only after you are done shooting.
Each battery may have different amount of power (measured in mAh). So, always make sure that when you insert batteries into your camera they are of the same brand, type and power. Using a mix and match of batteries may damage the batteries or even your camera. If you do not plan to use your camera for a while (say few weeks or months), it is highly recommended that you remove the batteries from the camera. This prevents the batteries from leaking and damaging the camera internals.
Don't get caught in the thinking that you haven't used your camera enough, and so the batteries must be working. Your camera batteries may lose their charge over time. Rechargeable batteries also have a certain time limit. If charged a lot they loose some power everyday. However, after a couple of weeks or longer of non-use, those once ready-to-go batteries may have lost enough power to make them unusable.
So, before you pack your camera for use over the vacation, ensure that you have replaced the disposable batteries or have charged them if you are using the rechargeable kind. It is also advisable that you keep spare batteries handy while shooting photos!