D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

FM Forum Rules
Nikon SLRs, primes, and zooms lenses reviews

FM Forums \| Nikon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell	Search Used
1 2 end

Archive 2009 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

mike777
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

It happens with original and non original batteries and the 12-24f2.8 or 24-70f2.8 mounted. About 30% in two days, completely empty in less than a week.

How can that happen while the machine is switched off? Everthing has been bought brand new last month.

Edited on Aug 15, 2009 at 10:38 PM · View previous versions

Aug 13, 2009 at 10:45 PM

stevekphotos
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

I think mine drains slowly too. Since it's electronic, even when it's off it's still powered and drawing juice. Unplug everything in your house unless you're actually using it, and you'll notice your electric bill will drop 40%.

Does this happen to anyone else?

Aug 13, 2009 at 10:46 PM

davenfl
Offline
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

mike777 wrote:
It happens with original and non original batteries and the 12-24f2.8 or 24-70f2.8 mounted. About 30% in two days, completely empty in less than a week.

How can that happen while the machine is switched off? Everthing has been bought brand new last month.

You have a problem, the system is always drawing a little power but it should last a long long time.

Dave

Aug 13, 2009 at 10:48 PM

mike777
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

I have had lots of different Canon bodies and they wouldn't drain a battery in several months...

Aug 13, 2009 at 10:51 PM

mike777
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

davenfl wrote:
You have a problem, the system is always drawing a little power but it should last a long long time.

That's what I feared but being new to the dark side I wasn't sure.

Aug 13, 2009 at 10:53 PM

Sam Bennett
Offline
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #6 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

My D50's battery doesn't drain that fast even with the camera "on" 24/7. Pretty sure my D700's don't drain that fast.

Aug 13, 2009 at 10:55 PM

Jammy Straub
Offline
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

That's not normal on my D300, I'd do a controlled test with no shooting and a freshly charged battery.

Aug 13, 2009 at 11:20 PM

lou f
Online
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

could be the battery not the camera.

Aug 14, 2009 at 12:26 AM

Erik Moore
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

mike777 wrote:
It happens with original and non original batteries and the 12-24f2.8 or 24-70f2.8 mounted. About 30% in two days, completely empty in less than a week.

How can that happen while the machine is switched off? Everthing has been bought brand new last month.

I change a battery in my D700 once every 10 days or so, shooting every couple of days. I think that's not normal. I would change batteries first.

Aug 14, 2009 at 01:12 AM

EB-1
Online
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #10 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

That is not normal for any camera. Obviously something is still drawing current. It is RMA time.

EBH

Aug 14, 2009 at 01:16 AM

Alan321
Offline
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #11 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

There is some battery drain as it is used to power the viewfinder LCD at all times. Without a battery it goes very dark. The Canons do not operate this way but they also do not provide the built-in viewfinder grid.

However, the battery should not drain significantly within a week let alone a couple of days. You therefore have two possibilities: A dicky camera or a dicky charger. I have been told that most 3rd party batteries don't go well with the D700 charger (because of the electronic controllers within the batteries) but even if that is true the Nikon battery ought to be charging ok. On balance I would guess that the camera is at fault.

- Alan

Aug 14, 2009 at 02:53 AM

runamuck
Online
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #12 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

If it's happening with more than one battery, it has to be the camera. It's time to contact Nikon.

Aug 14, 2009 at 03:04 AM

Tmeck
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #13 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

Sam Bennett wrote:
My D50's battery doesn't drain that fast even with the camera "on" 24/7. Pretty sure my D700's don't drain that fast.

Second this, I leave my S5 Pro and D70 on almost 99% of the time, and unless I'm out shooting the batteries remain staunchly where I leave them... I charge both of them very infrequently.

Aug 14, 2009 at 03:24 AM

stevekphotos
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

I just checked mine again. Camera has been sitting for a couple of days, and the battery is still at 75% (wasn't charged when I put it away either).

Aug 14, 2009 at 06:35 AM

Mocca
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #15 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

I seem to recall I had something of the same problem. The battery seemed to lose charge when camera was not in use.

After some dis-recharges of the battery, this is no longer a problem. Perhaps you could try to "massage" the battery a bit.

Aug 14, 2009 at 10:17 AM

Chestnut
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

We have a D700 in the lab, and we shoot frequently. With the vertical grip, we have gone MONTHS without worrying about the battery before.

Aug 14, 2009 at 12:16 PM

mike777
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #17 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

Thanks everybody for all the input. The battery problem is a bit of a disappointment after noticing how solid the Nikon gear seems to be but I think it can be ironed out sooner or later (I have nothing else to complain about). For now I will wait a bit before taking the D700 to Nikon Service. First because I want to see if it could be related to the fact that the batteries have been charged only once (though I think it's not very likely) and second because I don't want to let go of my new toy already.

I will let you know what happens...

Aug 14, 2009 at 07:53 PM

---XR---
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #18 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

what about removing the batteries from the camera when it's not in use, mabey it'd keep the full charge?

Aug 14, 2009 at 08:09 PM

mike777
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

when the batteries are not in the camera they don't discharge
(the problem surely is body related)

---XR--- wrote:
what about removing the batteries from the camera when it's not in use, mabey it'd keep the full charge?

Aug 14, 2009 at 08:14 PM

poisonpill
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #20 · D700, even when switched off battery drains (NOT ANYMORE)

Yeah not normal. I've left my camera in the "ON" position for weeks in my bag (by accident actually) and the battery did not drain any noticeable amount -- it was still full.

D700 too.

Aug 15, 2009 at 02:10 AM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| Nikon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end