Unless you're using your cellphone as your camera, batteries are going to be one of those accessories you'll need for your camera.
It's usually a good idea to have more than one battery for your camera, as it gives you backup if you are out shooting for an extended period.
But with multiple batteries you need to come up with a way to ensure that your batteries are fully charged. Trust me, there's nothing more frustrating than being out shooting and discovering that your spares are deader than Elvis.
There are a few methods for doing this. One involves putting a little stick-on slider device on the battery, where the green side means the battery's good and the red side means the battery is due for a date with the charger.
Those work fine if the battery clips to the outside of the camera or light body. My wife's camcorder batteries are mounted on the outside, so a setup like that would work just fine.
But this doesn't work with the tight tolerances of an internal battery compartment.
I've come up with a simple system, particularly after acquiring a second camera body and purchasing additional batteries for it.
First, I've numbered each battery to ensure that they're all getting equal wear and tear, as well as knowing that the next number in sequence should have a full charge.
Then, I added a rubber band to the battery and the plastic bag it sits in. If the battery's good to go, the band is wrapped around the bag. If the battery's spent, I put the rubber band in the bag with the battery, giving me an additional visual cue.
I do something similar with the rechargeable AA batteries I use for my voice recorder and speedlight. If the batteries are wrapped with a rubber band, they're charged. If they're loose in their bag, then they're dead soldiers.
What are your suggestions for tracking your batteries?
