Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Sony Alpha Forum

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

A7RII Battery Drain while the camera is OFF (Not power save)

Featured Replies

  • Author

Hi,

I do not see this behaviour with my a7rii. have not tried it off for a long time yet, but for example overnight, I do not see any unexplained discharge (just checked, still at 100%)

On my camera, if I leave it off fully charged, on the first day will still be at 100%, on the second day sometimes, on the third it will be at 87%, then will stay at 87% for 1-3 days, then it will go down to 75%, etc., it's not a consistent pattern per day, but the battery overtime is draining. I would say it will take from 1-2 weeks to fully drain to 0%

  • Replies 50
  • Views 26.7k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Most Popular Posts

  • BATTERY DRAIN WHEN a7rII IS TURNED OFF   I received a a7RII that was shipped 4 August 2015...............ie first batch.   I am having the exact same problem (3 times now).......a couple of days a

  • I have the same problem, as do apparently thousands of others based upon comments on forums. I have the Sony A7RIIIA. There is something wrong with the wiring inside the camera, or perhaps a firmware

  • Author

Hi

My new A7R2 shows a 1% drop over a week - I would contact Sony if I was you

James

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think the issue could be related to battery calibration, all my batteries are brand new, I am going to wait for at least 5 full discharge/charge cycles to make any conclusion and decision.

 

On some cases even after 2 days OFF the battery will be at 100%, the next day for no reason will be at 87%, I think it's the battery meter sending the wrong information to the camera

  • Author

Thanks for your experience with the battery ..................... mine will go dead after 48 or so shooting about 25pic and turning it off.

 

Sounds like I may have a short which is specific to my camera..............will speak to SONY on Tuesday the 8th.

Are you using brand new batteries?

  • Author

Mine were brand new and have been charged up about 3 times if that info is useful to you

James

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks, most of my tests were done with 3 new batteries with 1 full charge and no discharge cycle yet, right now I am on cycle two with the batteries, I haven't used the camera a lot

Hi:

 

I have experienced a power drain from almost all of the Sony A7 bodies as well as the a6000 and when traveling or not using them, I make it a habit of removing the batteries. I only leave the batteries in when I will likely be shooting frequently. I also make it a habit of always traaveling with a good supply of batteries. Fred Miranda has posted a good method of conserving battery life by turning the LCD screen off and Brian Smiths web site, a wealth of Sony A7 info, has some suggested external batteries when doing some long shooting here. http://briansmith.com/sony-a7-a7r-accessories-guide/

 

Actually, I do not think the power drain (when the camera is off) is as bad as the A7r. This is not an unusual experience, I used to shoot with the Phase One/Mamiya body that had significant electrical body drain.

My thanks to everyone that has responded..................very helpful.

 

Sounds like it is something that one has to live with as a trade-off to all that a7RII brings to the table.

 

Maybe the batteries are cheaper by the half gross ......  LOL!!

 

Again thanks.

Have you tried putting the camera in Air Plane mode?  I know, sounds strange, especially since your camera if "Off".  Oddly enough, this helped with my battery drain issue while my Camera was off.

Have you tried putting the camera in Air Plane mode?  I know, sounds strange, especially since your camera if "Off".  Oddly enough, this helped with my battery drain issue while my Camera was off.

mine is in air plane mode but drains the batteries nevertheless. battery life is really poor (or a shame if you prefer). I still hope for an update.

  • Author

Have you tried putting the camera in Air Plane mode?  I know, sounds strange, especially since your camera if "Off".  Oddly enough, this helped with my battery drain issue while my Camera was off.

Mine has been in Airplane Mode since day one.

Headed out this week to shoot some things in northern Arizona................red rock!

'

Will try the airplane mode hack...........actually makes a lot of sense.

 

Thanks,

Just for interest. I have the battery grip carrying two batteries. After reading this topic I put two fully charged batteries in last night connceted to the camera but swutched the battery grip to "off". In the morning the batteries were both still 100%. I too have noticed battery drain on the camera alone so clearly one has to take the battery out of the camera when done with it unless you have a grip. Hopefully a firmware upgrade will fix this.

I fully charged two batteries that are very new. Cycled maybe 2-3 times. One went into the A7R ll and the other not installed. Camera NOT in airplane mode but turned off. After 7 days both batteries were still at 100 %. I turned the camera on and off several times and still get 100 % reading. My AR7 ll was received from Best Buy upon introduction day so would be from early production. 

Turning WiFi off has hardly an impact on battery life, it's a myth. I had recently measured the power consumption on my A7R II.

You can find it here:

http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/1699-a7r-ii-optimizing-battery-life/

 

Shutting the camera off puts it in sleep mode but it still uses some energy.

The reason for this is to keep the start-up time short. It starts in 0.9 seconds, while it takes approx. 4.5 seconds after a battery change.

Maybe I can shed some light on this issue; all the Sony nex and Alpha cameras have a built in non user seviceable second rechageable battery that operates the clock and "set" functions it is powered and recharged by the main removeable fw-50 battery (or a usb connection). If it is discharged it eats capacity even if the camera is off until it is fully charged, a very good reason why a lot of out of the box Ar7ii's bleed down the capacity of batteries even when turned off. I found this out from a Sony tech when my original A7r shutter failed and it kept showing wierd codes prior to total failure. BTW I think that the FW-50 lacks capacity to run a camera like the A7Rii and a higher capacity battery should have been designed in (I carry at least 3 spares when I go out with any of these cameras for the whole day) or at least the optonal hand grip should have used a higher capacity Sony battery like the fw-550 series.

  • Author

I understand that even when the camera is OFF there will be a battery drain and that's normal for the A7RII camera, at least for now until a possible fix via a future Firmware update. What would happened with the internal non user removable backup battery (to power the date, time, etc.) if I remove the main battery when not using the camera for a long period of time. Will the internal battery get discharged quickly and the settings for date and time will be lost? does anybody knows for how many days or weeks the internal battery will maintain the data for Date and Time before fully discharging? Thanks

My Problem Is Really the Camera......................................

 

At dusk last evening I opened my garage door and right there was abrightly colored bobcat...carrying in his mouth a rabbit that he had just killed.

 

Excited I got my A7RI and checked the battary was at 100%.  Canon 24-105L with Fotiox adapter.

 

Total time camera was on was less than 20 minutes;  shot 29 shots bracketed....... so 90 shots.

 

Went back in the house ands checked the battary indicator through the viewfinder........it had turned gold, with a line through. No xx% was displayed.

 

 

Think I have a bad camera......................thoughts?

...Think I have a bad camera......................thoughts?

Could you duplicate this problem with native FE lenses too?

The fotodiox adapter might be the cause for extra battery drainage.

 

You could try: take 50 shots with a FE lens and another 50 shots with your Canon lens and the adapter with a fully charged battery. Question: is there a difference in battery charge afterwards?

You could also have a bad battery. Try the other one as well.

  • 9 years later...
On 8/12/2015 at 5:49 PM, brosenz said:

Today at 8AM the battery was at 62%. I fully turned OFF the camera with the power switch, and after 10 hours I turned it ON and it was at 46%, how is it possible that the battery will drain 1.6% / hour with the camera completely OFF, it doesn't make any sense. With a fully charged battery in 2.5 days the battery will be gone, even with the camera turned OFF, it's ridiculous, any other experience? thanks

 

NOTE: The camera is in Airplane mode as well while turned ON

I have the same problem, as do apparently thousands of others based upon comments on forums. I have the Sony A7RIIIA. There is something wrong with the wiring inside the camera, or perhaps a firmware fix is needed. Seems that by now with all the complaints, Sony would have fixed this issue. I have done all the suggested remedies, nothing helps. It will drain at least 2 percent in about 12 hours turned off not being used at all, and drains very quickly when in use.

My Pentax cameras do not drain batteries when not in use...unless left in the camera for MONTHS.

Sounds like, on some Sony cameras (fortunately not mine), you have to turn off the camera to change lenses, and you have to remove the battery to turn it off.

2 hours ago, J Caples said:

I have the same problem, as do apparently thousands of others based upon comments on forums. I have the Sony A7RIIIA. There is something wrong with the wiring inside the camera, or perhaps a firmware fix is needed. Seems that by now with all the complaints, Sony would have fixed this issue. I have done all the suggested remedies, nothing helps. It will drain at least 2 percent in about 12 hours turned off not being used at all, and drains very quickly when in use.

My Pentax cameras do not drain batteries when not in use...unless left in the camera for MONTHS.

I had an A7R III. Never had the problem. In fact, I've experienced it once with 4 E-mount and 3 A-mount Sony cameras.

My one experience was with my A1. I turned off all Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection options and it stopped. I believe it's nothing more than a setting or group of settings that causes the problem.  

Create an account or sign in to comment

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.