New digital camera doesn't work with non-alkaline batteries. Normal?

Hi Dan...

Carbon zinc batteries can't possibly deliver sufficient current to operate your digital camera, so what you're experiencing is to be expected. Use 'em up in a flashlight or a small radio.

Alkaline's can deliver enough, but not for long. They too will stop operating your camera long before they're used up. It's false economy to use them, but if you must don't throw them away after the camera quits, use up the rest in a flashlight or a youngster's music player or something.

Far and away the best. Get yourself a set of NiMh rechargables and as good a charger as your budget will allow. They're quite inexpensive - you'll be miles ahead in economic advantage and satisfaction using them. One downside worth mentioning - they self discharge quite quickly, so charge them up just before heading out.

Take care.

Ken

Are you saying carbon zinc's will not work? Alkalines don't work that well, or at least don't last long. Lithium's work well and are a sure thing for a spare backup.

greg

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The battery has to be able to supply adequate current at a minimum voltage. I took 2 used but quite well functioning alkaline D cell batteries from a flashlight and put them in a battery pack and then plugged the pack into an MP3 player that only requires 2AA alkaline/NIHM batteries. All it would give me was a "low battery message". Plenty of current but not enough voltage. Likewise the carbon zincs aren't able to supply enough voltage and current at the same time. Even if it worked you'd end up spending more money on the carbon zincs. Alkalines are produced in such quantity that the price is hard to beat in non-rechargeables. I use NIHM in my digital camera with alkaline for backup. Keeping one set charged is enough time/work and more is seldom needed.

Before alkaline batteries, the definition of a flashlight was "dead battery carrier".