Are there rechargeable batteries which don't discharge when idle?

Question

This is kind of a peripheral question — not exactly about photography, but about the batteries for my camera, which uses AA batteries.

I have tried every known brand (to me) of rechargeable battery, and I find that no matter what brand, the batteries discharge when left idle for more than a day or two, whether in the camera or out. This is tremendously frustrating to me, because every time I pick up my camera to take a spontaneous shot, I see that the batteries are flat — so I waste a minute changing the batteries... only to find that the spares are also flat... this despite the fact that I had them in the &$*&! charger for about 36 hours straight just three days before!

Does anyone else have this problem, or is there some charge-eating poltergeist inhabiting my home? Is there some brand or type of rechargeable AA battery that actually keeps its charge for a reasonable amount of time?

Answer

Yes! This is a normal problem with rechargeables, and there is a type of battery made to solve it — low-self discharge NiMH. These will hold a charge for months sitting idle. The downside is lower capacity, but I find that a small price to pay for actually being useful. The main brand is Sanyo Eneloop, but there are others, too.

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