What's your ave no. of shots per battery for D200 with MB200?

[Ironman]

Dear all D200 Users,

What is your average shots per EL-EN3e battery? So far, I'm only getting Between 200 - 300 shots per battery. Hardly can go beyond 300 shots per batt. Normally view shots for 2-3 sec and switching off the camera after almost every shot rather than leaving it in "standy mode" (ie On).

According to the D200 menu, there's nothing wrong with my batteries.

My D70 seems like the energizer bunny that can shoot over 800 shots before it raise its white flag...

[itsybitsyspidy]

Originally Posted by Ironman Dear all D200 Users, What is your average shots per EL-EN3e battery? So far, I'm only getting Between 200 - 300 shots per battery. Hardly can go beyond 300 shots per batt. Normally view shots for 2-3 sec and switching off the camera after almost every shot rather than leaving it in "standy mode" (ie On). According to the D200 menu, there's nothing wrong with my batteries. My D70 seems like the energizer bunny that can shoot over 800 shots before it raise its white flag...

I think it also depends on what quality of photos you are taking, i took about 300 RAW + 100 JPGs before mine died. with MB-200, single battery.

[westwest1]

250 per batt with grip...hear its some kind of grip problem...no time go NSC to let them check...

[silver.wolf]

With preview mode off, can take 400+ shots

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by itsybitsyspidy I think it also depends on what quality of photos you are taking, i took about 300 RAW + 100 JPGs before mine died. with MB-200, single battery.

i'm shooting jpg, normal, large.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by westwest1 250 per batt with grip...hear its some kind of grip problem...no time go NSC to let them check...

maybe shd try shooting without grip see how hor...

[ortega]

250 shots? wow that is just slightly better than a P&S camera

[EdOkH]

have not tried it out in our local weather.

Previously, i took abt 285 shots per batt, out of which 85% is with VR on, and 15% of shots wif pop up flash and review 60% of pics. operating temp is bet 0-2 deg C.

To me, tts satisfactory.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by EdOkH have not tried it out in our local weather. Previously, i took abt 285 shots per batt, out of which 85% is with VR on, and 15% of shots wif pop up flash and review 60% of pics. operating temp is bet 0-2 deg C. To me, tts satisfactory.

r u using the 18-200 VR during that time?

[westwest1]

Originally Posted by Ironman maybe shd try shooting without grip see how hor...

without the grip is about 300~400++

tested it during the motor show...lightest kit already...with and without grip...suspect grip problem...lets see how NSC will help determine this also...

[looka]

Without MB-D200 I got around 260 per battery. With MB-D200 (2 batteries) I got about 300 per battery with viewing every 2-3 shots or 500 per battery without viewing. Lens Nikon AFS 18-200VR and Nikon AFS 17-55. JEPG Fine setting.

[Ironman]

without grip is worst for your case ar...

hmm... looks like we all either have the same problem or its built like that...

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by Ironman without grip is worst for your case ar... hmm... looks like we all either have the same problem or its built like that...

I think it's like that. D200 is not very power efficient.

[EdOkH]

Originally Posted by Ironman r u using the 18-200 VR during that time?

Yup, all the way...

[EdOkH]

Originally Posted by Ironman without grip is worst for your case ar... hmm... looks like we all either have the same problem or its built like that...

I beg to differ... The battery setting for the grip is it will use the right batt till it is drained out then switch over to left. I got this reference according to their batt meter.

Correct me if im wrong...

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by EdOkH I beg to differ... The battery setting for the grip is it will use the right batt till it is drained out then switch over to left. I got this reference according to their batt meter. Correct me if im wrong...

I believe the grip will take the battery with a lower power to drain it off 1st.

[Errz]

400+++ with grip. shooting Raw. preview once awhile.

[raychan]

The issue lies with the camera. Not as efficient as the other bodies. Also, it depends on how much time you spent reviewing your photos. If you don't review the photos, 400+ is still OK. However, if you review the photos after every shot, the battery shortens to about 200-300 shots. There is no way the battery can last up to 1800 shots as claimed by Nikon......

This is an quote from Kenrockwell.

BATTERY LIFE

The D200's LCD is big, bright, sharp, clear and colorful. It also uses a lot of electricity to make it look so delicious at every angle. I love looking at it because it looks so good.

Therefore battery life is only a few hundred shots on a charge. Nikon's ads claim 1,800. Baloney. It's a lot worse than my D70.

I bought a spare battery and can go through two in a day of shooting. I'd rather have the great screen and bring a spare battery. They charge faster than Nikon claims, too, in only 105 minutes from zero charge.

If I just shoot and don't use the LCD I can get over 1,000 shots. Everyone uses the LCD, and when I do I can get as few as 250 shots on a charge! If those are time exposures I'll get even fewer.

Your battery life has little to do with the actual number of shots. It has everything to do with how long you use the big, bright, sharp and colorful LCD to check your work, how long the shutter is open, how much data is written for your choice of file types and how long the meter is on while we twiddle. This twiddling is the creative process.

Even with the LCD off you'll suck the battery dry quickly with long exposures. My D200 sucks one entire battery dry in a single 80 minute exposure. My D70 never ran the battery down, no matter how much I used its puny LCD.

I don't mind the D200's battery life. It's a lot better than the primitive but state of-the-art at the time D1H I bought less then three years ago for $4,000. The short battery life suggests the D200 has the electronics of today's $5,000 D2X, but a smaller battery with the same capacity of the D70s. I'd rather have a smaller battery and smaller camera than the huge battery and body of the D2X.

Nikon seems deceptive in advertising 1,800 shots. They didn't specify the test conditions in the ads on whose basis I made my purchase. Only after I bought my D200 was I able to read these test conditions in the manual. They're a travesty of what a real photographer would do. Those conditions are only for a 1/250 sec exposure, a Basic medium-resolution JPG file and not using the LCD except for 5 seconds after each 6 shots. I often look at the LCD for 10 - 20 seconds after every shot. Nikon also specifies that you'll only get 340 shots when using the flash at full power for half the shots, and then that's not using the LCD at all!

I love my D200, but won't complain if lawyers bring a class action against Nikon to get us free spare batteries. Actually, to get 1,800 shots I'd need about three spares since I average about 450 shots per charge if I go easy looking at the LCD. I don't mind the actual battery life, but do mind that Nikon advertised a deceptive figure.

[Ironman]

wow, thanks for linking the interesting article on this thread. looks like i've got nothing to worry about now.

as what Kenrockwell mentioned... "'I'd rather have the great screen and bring a spare battery." & "It's a lot better than the primitive but state of-the-art at the time D1H I bought less then three years ago for $4,000. The short battery life suggests the D200 has the electronics of today's $5,000 D2X, but a smaller battery with the same capacity of the D70s. I'd rather have a smaller battery and smaller camera than the huge battery and body of the D2X."

well, having 3 EL-EN3e battery should be able to last me about the same battery life as my D70. nevertheless, my D200 is a GREAT Cam!

[b18]

200+ to 250 each on mine with preview on. About the same as the D2H with preview on I believe.