What kind of battery is best for my digital camera?

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What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies.

What kind of battery is best?

When it comes to power, the ability to use a variety of battery types can be more important than any single type a camera may use. For instance, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries generally last the longest, but if you're out in the woods, you have no way to recharge them, and you'd probably rather have a backpack full of disposables. Your best bet is a camera that interchangeably supports rechargeables and long-life disposables.

Battery types: Model-specific | Universal rechargeable | Disposable

Proprietary batteries come in all shapes and sizes, to best fit a given camera.

Model-specific

Batteries designed specifically for a particular model or product line.

Chemistry: Lithium-ion or nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)

Advantages:

• Tend to last the longest.
• Make ultracompact designs possible.
• Allow for more intelligent battery gauges that more
accurately measure remaining capacity.
• Better for the environment than disposables.
• Less expensive in the long run than disposables.

Disadvantages:

• Require electricity to recharge.
• Need to keep charged extras on hand.
• Can't use in other cameras or electronic devices.
• Don't always have third-party alternatives.

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