Sony a500, Instruction Manual

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Effective use of the battery pack
• Battery performance decreases in low temperature surroundings. So, the
time that the battery pack can be used is shorter in cold places and the
speed of continuous shooting slows down. We recommend that you put
the battery pack in a pocket close to your body to warm it up, and insert it
in your camera immediately before you start shooting.
• The battery pack will run out quickly if you use the flash frequently, use
continuous shooting often, or turn the camera on and off frequently.
• The time available in the Live View mode is shorter than that in the
viewfinder mode. When you feel that the battery consumption is too fast,
switch to the viewfinder mode. Doing so makes the battery last longer.
Battery life
• The battery life is limited. Battery capacity decreases little by little as you
use it more and more, and as time passes. If the battery operating time
seems shortened considerably, a probable cause is that the battery pack
has reached the end of its life. Buy a new battery pack.
• The battery life varies according to how it is stored and the operating
conditions and environment in which each battery pack is used.
How to store the battery pack
If the battery pack is not to be used for a long time, fully charge it and then
fully use it up once a year on your camera before storing the battery pack in
a dry, cool place to prolong the battery life.