Why does my Canon 5D Mark II get fewer shots per battery than my 60D if they use the same battery?
Asked 5/8/2012
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I used to get around 800–1000 shots per charge with my Canon 60D. After switching to a Canon 5D Mark II, battery life seems noticeably worse, even though both cameras use the same battery. Is this normal for a full-frame camera, or is there another reason battery life might be lower?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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All else being equal, yes.
A bigger sensor requires more power. Advancement in power-saving technologies can sometimes improve that but with higher pixel counts being the norm, we do not see much of that. Each pixel requires circuitry so higher megapixels require more power than making the sensor bigger.
Luckily bigger cameras have room for bigger batteries which compensates nicely until you get to the huge DSLRs with integrated grips which are rated upwards of 4000 shots per charge! Otherwise, most DSLRs are given batteries to last them between 500 and 1000 shots per charge.
Keep in mind the shots you get are highly dependent on usable. Using the flash is the most power hungry thing to do, followed by using the LCD, including Live-View and Video capture.
The stats for the 60D vs 5D are misleading because the CIPA standard requires 50% flash use if there is one, which the 5D does not have.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, that can be normal. A full-frame camera can use more power than a crop-sensor camera, but sensor size alone is not the only factor. Power draw also depends on megapixel count, the camera’s internal electronics, and how you shoot.
Battery life varies a lot with usage. The biggest drains are flash use, the rear LCD, Live View, and video. So even with the same battery model, two cameras may deliver different shot counts.
In general, most DSLRs fall somewhere around roughly 500–1000 shots per charge, depending on shooting habits. So if your 5D Mark II is getting fewer shots than your 60D, that is not necessarily a sign of a problem.
If the drop is dramatic, compare your settings and usage first: review time on the LCD, Live View/video use, flash use, image stabilization, and battery age can all affect results.
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