Nikon D600 Battery Life

First published on: Friday, 15 February 2013

Nikon D600, EN-EL15, MB-D14 -- Battery life

The following Nikon D600 battery life numbers (how many photos can be taken before power from the Nikon EN-EL15 7.0V, 1900mAh Lithium Ion battery pack runs out) is extracted from the Nikon D600 Manual and the Nikon D600 Specifications page.

Nikon provides two sets of battery life figures, one based on the CIPA standard, and the other on their in-house, Nikon standard.

Three different power supply conditions are tested:

  1. One fully-charged Nikon EN-EL15, either in-camera or in an attached Multi-Powered Battery Pack Grip MB-D14.
  2. Two fully-charged Nikon EN-EL15 battery packs, one in the camera, and one in the MB-D14 battery grip.
  3. Six AA-sized batteries in the MB-D14 battery grip.

CIPA standard — Figures calculated based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) testing standards (see the section titled “Standard Procedure for Measuring Digital Still Camera Battery Consumption” for more information) are obtained in the following manner (quoted from the Nikon D600 Manual):

Measured at 23°C / 73.4°F (±2°C/3.6°F) with an AF-S NIKKOR 24–85mm f/3.5–4.5G ED VR lens under the following test conditions: lens cycled from infinity to minimum range and one photograph taken at default settings once every 30 s; flash fired once every other shot. Live view not used.

Nikon D600 battery life, CIPA standard:

  • One EN-EL15 battery (in the camera or in the MB-D14): Approximately 900 shots
  • Two EN-EL15 batteries (one in the camera and one in MB-D14): Approximately 1800 shots
  • Six AA batteries (in the MB-D14): Approximately 450 shots

Nikon standard — Figures calculated based on the Nikon standard are obtained in the following manner (quoted from the Nikon D600 Manual):

Measured at 20°C / 68°F with an AF-S NIKKOR 24–85mm f/3.5–4.5G ED VR lens under the following test conditions: image quality set to JPEG basic, image size set to M (medium), shutter speed 1/250 s, shutter-release button pressed halfway for three seconds and focus cycled from infinity to minimum range three times; six shots are then taken in succession and monitor turned on for five seconds and then turned off; cycle repeated once standby timer expires.

Nikon D600 battery life, Nikon standard:

  • One EN-EL15 battery (in the camera or in the MB-D14): Approximately 3900 shots
  • Two EN-EL15 batteries (one in the camera and one in MB-D14): Approximately 7800 shots
  • Six AA batteries (in the MB-D14): Approximately 1300 shots

Nikon did not provide separate battery life figures for movie and Live View shooting, and photography at 0°C / 32°F / freezing temperature.

Other battery life factors — In the D600 Manual, Nikon advised that the following will lead to a reduction in battery life and number of shots:

  • Using the LCD monitor.
  • The shutter-release button is kept pressed halfway.
  • Autofocus operation is repeatedly performed.
  • Shooting NEF (RAW) instead of JPEG images.
  • Slow shutter speeds.
  • Using the GP-1 GPS unit.
  • Using an Eye-Fi memory card with an active wireless connection.
  • Using a WU-1b wireless mobile adapter
  • VR (vibration reduction) mode on VR lenses is activated.

Some lenses draw more power from the camera’s battery during operation due to their physical (heavy lens elements that need more power to move) and electronic (type and technology of the VR employed) properties.

Related

Nikon D600 — Main page.

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