Battery Consumption

I'm sure this will have been asked previously, but I'm relatively new to Pentax DSLR's. I have had a K-x since January and used it quite frequently for about 4 months without needing to change batteries. For the last couple of months it is gone through them at an alarming rate. The last couple of days I have had to buy new batteries after only a dozen or so shots.

I first noticed the problem when I bought a Sigma 70-300mm lens and thought there must be something in that, that is burning the power, but I am on holiday and only brought the 2 kit lenses and batteries are only lasting a day (maybe 20 shots at most).

I have used the flash this time, at most 1/2 dozen times. Surely that few times would't burn out the batteries. (Duracell)

Is this an inherent problem or have I missed a setting somewhere ?

Get some eneloops, well worth it. Plus I find the battery indicator on the KX is poor and is often pessimistic. Does the camera actually stop working or do you change when the indicator goes red?

Duracell - emergency use really

Which batteries were supplied with your Camera ? - mine came with Energizer Lithiums and I have found these very satisfactory - about 1000 shots with each set

I have plenty of Hybrio batteries which also work - but since I find the Energizer Lithiums so good I just use them and take one set of batteries with my when away.

Firstly... Check you have the most recent firmware update...

To check 'HOLD DOWN MENU BUTTON AS YOU SWITCH ON K-X'

The pentax website has the update waiting for you...

Secondly... Sanyo Eneloops... pretty much a must have... I run around 8 sets (in K-x and 3 flashguns) and get between 500 and 900 shots (depending on flash usage and shutterspeeds etc)...

Duracells are crap mate... If you're going to use a disposable get Enegizer lithium ultras (last for ages) or gett decent rechargables (eneloops)

The original batteries as supplied with the K-x are superb Lithium cells. Just buy something similar and you should have no problems. They lasted by brother-in-law about 1500 shots over several months.

Rechargeable, “GP ReCyko”, from, Premier Ink & Photographic.
Better price than “Eneloop”, plus higher capacity.
Have used both, better service life from “GP ReCyko“.

Take care.

Chris R.

Eneloops 2500 version linkalso make sure you buy a charger that charges each cell separately. This ones superb for £30 link

Thanks everyone. Can't remember what came with the camera. Didn't pay much attention, but think they were Lithium.

I updates thye Firmware about a month ago. Not seen any updates since then, but will check again.

Will check out all of the suggestions given. Heading into town tonight where I think there was camera shop off one of the alleys. Will see what they have.

Many thanks to everyone.

Ali

The advantage I find with the disposable Lithiums is that they are generally available - both here and elsewhere in Europe - great when you are travelling One spare set of batteries should be all that you need then.

That way you don't have to remember to pack the battery charger and look for the adaptor for a plug

It's somewhere in the handbook - around page 39 I think - that I found

You dont need a camerashop, Currys etc. and big supermakets have what you need.

Any Supermarket/Hypermarket will carry the Energizer Lithiums. They come in 2 pack or 4 pack.

Also - check you have the battery type set correctly in the menu. Different chemistry cells behave ... differently (resulting in the battery meter being very inaccurate).

I was also very impressed with Lithiums, but also get great results with Eneloop rechargables, and reasonable results with high capacity Ni-Mh cells (although they self discharge at a high rate). I think I tried standard Duracels when desperate but they had a very short life.


Steve

Thanks again for all the info. I'm currently in Menorca and the range of batteries here is pretty poor. The only shop I could find with anything other than Duracell was a photographic shop which was selling Kodak batteries. These lasted a bit longer than Duracell. They did have rechargeable, but obviously the fitting would be wrong for home. Will have to wait till I get home before I decide which road to go down.

I did check the battery settings and they were correct.

Ali

I've had the same problem, as I hadn't read the manual. I got about a year out of the set of Energiser that came with the camera, and carried some new Duracell batteries ready for when they finally ran out. Got about a week out of them, so I suspected they were duff and put some more in. Over the weekend it claims to have used two sets, in about 500 photos. I discovered the menu setting for battery type, as I was at the far end of Oulton Park circuit and it kept shutting down with "Battery Depleted", then coming back on if I let it rest. It wasn't until I got back home that I discovered the comment in the manual about alkaline batteries being basically 'only if you have to'.

So I am relieved to hear that it's probably nothing, I just need to be not so cheap on the batteries I select.

I bought a pack of 4 rechargeable AA Duracells 6 months ago (via Amazon online) and one has failed completely already. Not used in camera - just in a little radio. I notice that they are made in China...

I have recently bought 4 UniRoss AA Hybrio. Too soon to comment on their longevity. I note that they too are made in China.

The eneloops (made in Japan) have been working splendidly in the K-x I got for Christmas, and the Energizer lithiums that came with the camera are still working fine (used intermittently). They are marked: "Made in USA".

Martin