Kodak digital camera problem

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So I got a digital camera a long time ago and have always used regular alkaline batteries in it. The thing says to use the expensive Kodak camera batteries but I said screw that, the battery life sucks either way. It kind of vaguely hinted that the alkaline batteries were bad for the camera but I took this is crap.

So it doesn't work when I put fresh alkaline batteries in it now, it turns on for like 4 seconds and then shuts off as if it's out of batteries.

Whoops.

Does anyone have any experience about this? If I put the recommended batteries in it will it work again?

NT

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Son of a bitch, this is pissing me off! I have a great picture I want to upload.

NT

[wacki]

Never had this problem, but I would recommend trying Nimh rechargeables. They work better with cameras, last 4x longer, and save you tons of $$$$.

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Link?

You are just a font of information lately dude.

NT

[wacki]

http://www.sterlingtek.com/mah4aa1800ma.html

This link says 2-3x but the box on my energizers says 4x.

Over 50,000 pictures you will save about $2,500.00. The time spent going to a store to buy batteries is worth more IMO. Energizer has decent set of batteries 8 for $15 at samsclub. The mah (milliamp hours) is what you want, the higher the better. Anything at 1850mah or above is good for AA at 1.2V. Rayovac has some pretty cool batteries with an IC3 chip that allows you to charge them in 15 minutes.

Powerex and maha batteries are the best, but they are expensive. I only use those for caving.

[wacki]

Correction, it's 8x over alkaline and 3x over nicad.... According to the link....

[nothumb]

Those look sweet... do you think my camera will work again or is there a chance it's damaged? I don't see how an alkaline battery of the right voltage could damage it.

NT

[wacki]

Since it goes on for a short time, the camera might still be functional. Alkaline batteries have a steep voltage curve, so that might be part of the problem. Make sure the batteries you are trying are fresh. If it won't work with fresh alkaline batteries I doubt it will work with rechargeables, but anything is possible.

Alkaline batteries do tend to have a higher peak voltage than rechargeables, so it is theoretically possible that alkaline could of damaged the camera, but I highly doubt it. Most electronic parts are able to take a wide range of voltage before being cooked. Normally I'm amazed at how much I can push electronic parts.

I would say the odds of alkaline batteries damaging your camera are about 1/1,000,000.

If it did damage the camera, then Kodak = stupid.

[nothumb]

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If it won't work with fresh alkaline batteries I doubt it will work with rechargeables, but anything is possible.

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These were right out of the box. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

I'm gonna take it to the photo place in town tomorrow.

NT

[wacki]

Good luck, tell me how it goes.

[nothumb]

Thanks for the advice, I got some NiMH batteries and a charger, working fine now.

NT

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the advice, I got some NiMH batteries and a charger, working fine now.

NT

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I must say, I am a bit puzzled. I would think fresh alkaline would of worked. Very odd.... One more thing to add to the research list. Electronics aren't normally that sensitive to voltage differences.

Thanks for the update NT.

[pshreck]

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I'm gonna take it to the photo place in town tomorrow.

NT

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I broke a camera once, a Koda Easy Share. I took to get it fixed and the repairman said with a straight face, it would cost 125 dollars. Im pretty sure I paid 149 for the camera. My girlfriend had a similar experience....

Unless you have a camera in the price range of 600+ bucks, it really makes sense to junk it and not invest any more in it if it gets heavily or even partially damaged.

[nothumb]

Seemed weird indeed, but the guy said it happens all the time.

Lithium also worked fine on this camera. (Kodak Easy Share, just like the other poster).

We just stuck a few different kinds of batteries in it and tested it out.

NT

[bdk3clash]

Jesus Christ, how much does Wacki know about batteries? I'm im-fucking-pressed.

[wacki]

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Jesus Christ, how much does Wacki know about batteries? I'm im-fucking-pressed.

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After 7 semesters of chemistry you learn a lot of stuff about how batteries work. I've built robots so you learn a little there. Also, I do some pretty extreme caving so my life depends on my batteries. Here is a picture of a room in a cave that is big enough to hold the empire state building. There are 4 people in this pick, can you find them all?

http://parazen.bio.indiana.edu/600TAG_RJs.jpg

[daryn]

man i had the same problem with my sony. it comes with nimh rechargeables but one time i used regular AA alkalines, and now the thing turns on but 10 seconds later it shuts off like clockwork. even when i go back to the rechargeables it still shits the bed. i had to buy a new one i was so fed up. maybe someone can fix this crap?

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
man i had the same problem with my sony. it comes with nimh rechargeables but one time i used regular AA alkalines, and now the thing turns on but 10 seconds later it shuts off like clockwork. even when i go back to the rechargeables it still shits the bed. i had to buy a new one i was so fed up. maybe someone can fix this crap?

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These cameras normally can take a variety of voltages -- lithium cells have inherent voltage of around 1.6V. Alkaline 1.5V. NiMH 1.2V. So cameras normally have voltage regulators inside. They're not easily damaged.

But digital cameras do have a mongo capacitor inside to charge the flash. If the logic in the camera crashes, you may need to drain this capacitor to reset the logic. Capacitors can retain power for days at a time. If the camera is designed poorly, this capacitor can power the logic for some time and prevent a reset even though the batteries have been removed. If you try it now, it might work. No guarantees though. Read your manual, it should tell you how to reset the camera. A lot of cameras simply require a double push of the power button.

Also, normal alkaline batteries aren't designed to supply the high current (amperage) that cameras need. If you have to go alkaline, go with the Ultra (whatever name they use) batteries. It's not the camera's fault. It's just that normal batteries can't supply the power.