Camera batteries provide the power required to operate your camera. The amount of operating time a battery provides between charges varies depending on the model of camera battery you have, but overtime camera batteries become less efficient.

You should buy a replacement camera battery:

To replace an exhausted camera battery

Exactly how long the battery in your camera will last depends on usage and the type of battery. It is a good idea to replace your camera battery when the level of performance drops significantly.

To extend the operating time

In some cases it is possible to replace the original camera battery with one with a higher capacity, which will give more operating time between charges.

To use as a back-up or spare

If you constantly use your camera or you are going on a long holiday, you might want to purchase a back-up battery to ensure a dead battery doesn't stop you capturing the perfect shot.

There are several chemistries of camera batteries available. Most new models of digital camera will use lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries but if you have a slightly older camera it may use Nickel Cadium (Ni-cd) or Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. It is important that when you replace the camera battery that the new battery's chemistry matches the original.

The easiest way to find the right replacement battery for your camera is to use our camera battery finder. All you need to do is enter the brand of digital camera and the camera model number. The model number will be stated in the user manual for the camera and in most cases will be printed on the outer casing.

Once entered, a list of batteries compatible with your model will be displayed and you can view the specifications of each battery.

Warning! The voltage of your new battery must be the same as the original.

The label on the back of the digital camera battery pack will include details on the specifications of the battery. There are two figures you need to understand, these are the:

Voltage: This is measured in Volts (v) and it is important that when you are replacing a dead battery pack the voltage of the replacement should exactly match the voltage of the original battery.

Capacity: This is measured in milliamp-hours (mAh) and the higher the capacity rating the longer the battery will last. Capacity ratings don't need to match exactly and often pattern battery packs can feature a higher capacity than the original.

Top Tip: Depending on the type of battery pack you need it may need to be 'cycled' several times before reaching full power. A cycle is the battery going from fully charged to fully discharged.