PRACTICAL VIEW : The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries

Some of the most frequently asked questions about camera batteries concern the lithium variety, which are the leading choice of manufacturers for point-and-shoot and single-lens reflex cameras.

Lithium camera batteries are more expensive than alkaline batteries. Price differences between them do exist, so it’s worth shopping around. Since lithium batteries are not as easily available as alkaline, you’ll want to buy a spare.

Lithium batteries have a longer shelf life than alkaline, which makes them a good choice for photographers who use their cameras infrequently. A lithium battery will take more than 10 years to lose 10% of its power; an alkaline will lose that much power in six years, according to Gilbert Merritt, a technical representative from Eveready.

Another reason for the increased use of lithium batteries in cameras is that a single kidney-shaped lithium battery produces the same 6 volts as four AA alkaline batteries, which are nearly twice as big.

There is a trade-off, Merritt says. Four AA alkaline batteries will produce more pictures than a single lithium. If you’re buying a new camera with a lithium battery, check the manufacturers’ specifications for battery capacity; it’s usually expressed in the number of 36-exposure rolls per battery using the flash 50% of the time.

According to Chuck Westfall of Canon, lithium provides a stable voltage discharge while under load, which assures more reliable operation. They also operate reliably over a wider temperature range. Says Westfall: “They are rated from minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit to 140, and test out well at the extreme.”