Sony HX5 - Battery test

2010-5-26 15.15


How long does the HX5 battery last?

How much faster will the activated GPS drain the battery?

Let´s find out.

We start with a freshly charged battery,
The display is set to bright, GPS is off.
The test cycle is:

• 10 pictures with forced flash at 3 meter distance 
• 50 pictures at different distance
• 10 times zoom in and out
• 20 minutes video @ 720p with a constant moving camera, changing exposure and distance, active stabilisation activated
• 10 min video playback

Result:

• 30 pictures with forced flash at 3 meter distance 
• 150 pictures at different distance
• 50 times zoom in and out
• 42 minutes video with a constant moving camera, changing exposure and distance, active stabilisation activated
• 23 min video playback

Starting the video again resulted in a "battery empty" flashing, but the HX5 kept on going for 10.2 minutes longer until forced shut off. For this drain only test, the HX5 was not moving. The video clip was not damaged.
After 10 minutes waiting The HX5 was able to shoot 16 more pictures with moving the zoom from on end to the other from picture to picture until she shut down again.

So 196 pictures including 30 with flash set to full power, the zoom lever moved from one end to the other 116 times, 52 minutes video including 42 minutes in full action movement and 23 minutes playback is what you can get out of a fully charged battery.
And that all fit on a 4 GB card with 0.5 GB to spare.
I am impressed and the Sony just got hand warm.
Good Sony, have a cracker!
Time to fully recharge: round 4 hours


GPS battery drain test
Camera on bright and no power save, time to shut down with permanent GPS enabled: 2 hours 45 minutes.
Camera on bright and no power save, time to shut down with GPS disabled: 3 hours 3 minutes.