When shopping for a camcorder, few people worry about, or even look to see what kind of a battery the camcorder takes. Naturally, they take it home, use it, and then check the charge meter somewhere on the camera. Not wanting to let the battery run dry, they usually charge up the camera battery before it's even drained, and that is their first mistake. From then on, they won't ever get the full charge out of that battery no matter what they do.

Most camcorder manufacturers explain in the user guide that it is important to let the battery drain before recharging for the first time. Why do so many of us have trouble following such a simple direction? Because we do not want to risk our camcorder battery running dead while we're out filming, that's why.

However, charging the battery for the first time requires that the battery be completely drained before charging in order to get the life expectancy out of every charge. For example, if the carton your new battery came in says you have two hours of filming time, you will, but only if you wait until the battery is completely dead before that first charge. If there is a charge left on the camcorder battery the first time you charge it up, the battery will 'store' that information and use it as a standard for every subsequent battery charge forever.

If you only drained half of your camcorder battery before you hooked it up for that first charge, your battery will only take a half charge, and will believe that amount is 'full,' every time. So no matter what you do, that two hour filming spec just dropped down to an hour. Get it?

Now, this common problem happens with a NiCad battery, or nickel cadmium battery. If you want to avoid that problem altogether, get a nickel metal hydroxide (NiMH) battery or a Lithium-Ion battery. The latter is by far the most popular camcorder battery out there these days, though it does cost more than the other two. Still, if you want guaranteed and uninterrupted filming time, it pays to get the lithium model. It won't memorize a charge like the NiCad, and while the NiMH won't either, the Lithium-Ion holds a charge much longer than both of them put together.

Also remember that a new battery often comes without a charge, so when charging for the first time, be patient and allow it to fully charge before disengaging from the power source. It might even take several charges to achieve a maximum charge, so make sure you read the instructions included with your camcorder. Most people do not, however. Even if it says the battery charge is complete after a brief amount of time, for just ten to fifteen minutes, don't believe it. Especially with rechargeable batteries, it is important to remove the battery from the charging device and then repeat the charging procedure.

Batteries are often the last thing that people consider when shopping for camcorders, but don't forget, you can purchase the most expensive camera with all the bells and whistles, but without a decent battery to operate it, your camera isn't worth much in the long run.