Why do batteries in a digital camera drain even when the camera are off?

Do newer cameras still do this?

If you are refering to rechargeable batteries then YES they will tend to drain while the camera is off! But conventional alkaline cells in today's cameras if not used last just as long as they would if they were left in the package! The memories are passive and require no electricity to retain the picture data!

Older camera memories real real old camera memories required electricity to retain the picture data and used a little bit of electricity but not much.

You are just probably running into the tendency for rechargeable batteries to run down if not recharged regularily! I have a set of batteries in a charger at all times I just leave them there and swap them back and forth with the ones in the Camera. It only take one extra set of batteries and separate charger and you never have a dead battery!

Hope this helps! Yes, even though newer Li-ion batteries have a much longer shelf life, digital cameras typically use a small charge to keep the internal clock running. I'm not sure why, but you're not the only one. Mine does it too. I found that using rechargeable batteries worked better. For some reason, they lasted a lot longer then regular batteries. They'll drain even if you have them out of the camera.

Alkaline batteries will hold a charge for years, but the rechargable batteries used in cameras (either the Lithium Ion or the NiMHi) will slowly lose, perhaps 10-20% of their charge per month- just naturally.

So- it may have nothing to do with your camera. Using 2 ea. "AA" regular batteries on my digital camera. The batteries are spent after only 100 shots are made. The batteries

are easily drained.

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