How much battery does a Canon EOS 20D use for a 1-hour bulb exposure?
Asked 8/12/2011
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I want to estimate whether a fully charged Canon EOS 20D battery can handle a bulb exposure of about one hour. The camera uses the BP-511A battery, and the lens is a Sigma 14mm if that makes any difference. I can’t test it right now, so I’m looking for a reasonable estimate based on similar Canon DSLR long-exposure figures.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
For long exposures, camera makers rate the battery power in terms of total length of time a freshly-charged battery can hold the shutter open. Here are a few examples supplied by Canon’s engineers, at 73°F/23°C:
EOS Rebel T1i, Rebel XSi, Rebel XS: Approx. 2 hours EOS 50D: Approx. 2.5 hours EOS 5D Mark II: Approx. 4.5 hoursMost Canon EOS digital SLRs accept an optional Battery Grip, which does allow the photographer to install one or two rechargeable batteries. With two batteries installed, any of the above figures would be doubled. Battery grips with an extra battery pack can be a great accessory for extensive shooting of fireworks displays.
The battery that is supplied with the Canon 20D is the BP-511A, and it has 1390mAh. I believe this is the same battery that is in the EOS 50D that has the specs outlined above. To that degree, you could probably assume similar performance of approximately 2.5hours in Bulb mode(assuming full battery at 73°F). If you need additional time, the battery grip would provide that.
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A 1-hour bulb exposure should be within the capability of a fully charged Canon EOS 20D battery in normal temperatures, but exact runtime will vary.
Canon has published long-exposure examples for similar EOS DSLRs at about 23°C/73°F: roughly 2 hours for some Rebel models, 2.5 hours for the 50D, and 4.5 hours for the 5D Mark II. While that is not a direct 20D specification, it suggests that an hour-long bulb exposure is likely realistic on a fresh battery.
The 20D uses the BP-511A (1390mAh). In practice, cold weather, battery age, image review, long-exposure noise reduction, and any other power draw can reduce available runtime. The lens itself generally won’t matter much here.
So the best estimate is: expect a significant portion of the battery to be used, but a good, fully charged battery should usually manage a 1-hour bulb exposure. If reliability matters, bring a spare or use a battery grip with two batteries.
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