Battery life is so short i cant take anymore than a couple of photos before camera loses power. I've tried several different types of rechargeable batteries and even regular AA batteries. It seems to last a little longer on regular batteries, however, I would go broke buying replacement batteries.

There could be some internal short which is drianing the battery or your battery cell itself may be bad. Contact vendor if warrantee present.

If the rechargeable battery is more than 3 - 4 years old then the battery could be worn out. Rechargeable batteries have a finite number of charge and discharge cycles and will lose their charge capacity over time, i.e. won't charge to 100% and gradually the charge reduces until the battery won't charge up at all. OR The battery shows a 100% charge but when the adapter is disconnected the battery drops off to zero capacity in a very short time. If the battery drops to an unacceptable charge level then the battery needs to be replaced. Rechargeable batteries will fail if stored in a discharged state for long periods.

Sorry for the difficulties experiencing with the Camera.

Alkaline batteries just don't have the power for more than a few pictures in today's power hungry digital cameras. Some batteries may also have reached their shelf life at the store, and though brand-new right out of the package may even have problems just powering startup of the camera. The one's that came with your camera are just to show you that the camera works, but as you've discovered, they'll only last for a few pictures. Digital cameras that use AA's for the most part should only be used with modern rechargeable batteries. If you read the camera's instruction manual concerning batteries, you should see the same recommendation.
Modern rechargeable batteries have over 5 times the power density of alkaline batteries (that's right, they last up to 5 times longer than an alkaline battery. And you can recharge them over and over!). Keep in mind rechargeable batteries will save you much money in the long run over alkalines, AND they'll last for at least 100 pictures per charge (and probably many many more). You'll be very pleased with their performance, and may be angry with yourself for not buying them sooner. When at the store, look on the package for a power rating of at least 2500 mah.

Not all digital cameras are created equal it would be nice to know what camera/model and what batteries you are using. If this is a point and shoot type you won't get very much life out of a set of regular alkaline batteries, you should switch to rechargeable type and the battery life will extend for several hundred shots. Also if you leave the LCD screen on continually the battery draw will be severe and last only a few minutes. Meaning you are previewing the images you have already take to long and draining the batteries.

Digital cameras are famously demanding on batteries, and the early Fuji ones were notorious. Ni-MH rechargeables are definitely the way to go, but you don't mention the capacity rating of the rechargeables you are using.

NiMH batteries with a capacity of 2700mAH or more are available, and these will obviously last longer per charge than those rated 1600mAH or so. However, all things come to an end, and while Ni-MH cells are supposed to be rechargeable hundreds of times under ideal conditions, in real life they will lose a bit of capacity every time until they become a bit short of puff.

Solution: As digital cameras become more advanced and include more features, the power needed to keep them functioning has also increased. That means that typical alkaline batteries likely won’t do more than power your camera for a few shots before running out of juice. Sometimes, your digital camera may not power on at all if the inserted alkaline batteries aren’t fully charged or powerful enough. Rather than carry along dozens of alkaline batteries for a single photo shoot, you can save money by purchasing rechargeable NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries. Rechargeable batteries can be purchased with a charger that you plug into a wall outlet, and they fully charge in one to five hours depending on the charger and the type of batteries you’re using.

If you’re already using rechargeable batteries but are experiencing short battery life with your digital camera, it’s likely time to replace your rechargeable batteries with new ones. Depending on the number of charging cycles you perform (how many times you discharge and recharge your batteries), rechargeable batteries typically last for two to three years before they no longer hold a full charge. You may also ensure that you’re charging your rechargeable batteries directly before use. As batteries sit unused for extended periods of time, they automatically lose some of their charge.

There are many ways you can conserve battery life while using your digital camera, too. For starters, if your camera has a viewfinder in addition to an LCD, use the viewfinder to frame your shots and turn the LCD off because LCDs draw a lot of power. If you prefer to use the LCD, you can still conserve battery life if you refrain from looking at each picture on the screen after you take it.

Solution: As digital cameras become more advanced and include more features, the power needed to keep them functioning has also increased. That means that typical alkaline batteries likely won’t do more than power your camera for a few shots before running out of juice. Sometimes, your digital camera may not power on at all if the inserted alkaline batteries aren’t fully charged or powerful enough. Rather than carry along dozens of alkaline batteries for a single photo shoot, you can save money by purchasing rechargeable NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries. Rechargeable batteries can be purchased with a charger that you plug into a wall outlet, and they fully charge in one to five hours depending on the charger and the type of batteries you’re using.

If you’re already using rechargeable batteries but are experiencing short battery life with your digital camera, it’s likely time to replace your rechargeable batteries with new ones. Depending on the number of charging cycles you perform (how many times you discharge and recharge your batteries), rechargeable batteries typically last for two to three years before they no longer hold a full charge. You may also ensure that you’re charging your rechargeable batteries directly before use. As batteries sit unused for extended periods of time, they automatically lose some of their charge.

There are many ways you can conserve battery life while using your digital camera, too. For starters, if your camera has a viewfinder in addition to an LCD, use the viewfinder to frame your shots and turn the LCD off because LCDs draw a lot of power. If you prefer to use the LCD, you can still conserve battery life if you refrain from looking at each picture on the screen after you take it.

No. Better batteries help some.

AA batteries are available in four basic varieties: Alkaline Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) Photo Lithium (Li-FeS2) Alkaline and photo lithium are non-rechargeable, while NiMH and NiCad are rechargeable. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Non-Rechargeable vs. Rechargeable: Rechargeable batteries are desirable from an environmental standpoint because they are reusable. Self-discharge refers to the fact that batteries lose energy when unused and even when not in a camera or other device. Rechargeable batteries tend to have relatively high self-discharge rates, approximately 1-2% per day for nickel-based batteries. Non-rechargeable batteries generally have very long shelf lives and extremely slow self-discharge rates. This makes non-rechargeable batteries a better choice for infrequent usage. Non-rechargeable batteries are available fully charged in stores all over the world, which makes them a convenient choice for travelers or customers who have dead rechargeable batteries and no time to recharge. Photo Lithium Batteries (Li-FeS2) (non-rechargeable): Photo lithium batteries will yield the longest battery life of any AA battery, surpassing NiMH by 50-100% and surpassing alkaline by 100-500%, depending on the load. While they are more expensive than alkaline batteries, their additional energy capacity makes the cost the same or less per shot than alkaline batteries. Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries (NiMH) (rechargeable): NiMH batteries are the lowest cost overall solution for users that take a lot of pictures (more than the equivalent of a roll of film per month) or use a lot of high-power features. The largest disadvantage to NiMH batteries is their fast self-discharge rate of 1-2% per day whether the batteries are in a camera or not. NOTE: NiMH batteries need to be completely charged and discharged a few times when new to achieve their full capacity. Rechargeable batteries will eventually fail. If you have been getting acceptable battery life and then see a decrease in life, either quickly or slowly over time, a worn-out battery may be the cause. Storing or charging the batteries in high temperature conditions will accelerate this potential failure. Alkaline Batteries (non-rechargeable): Although the cheapest and easiest to find, alkaline batteries yield the worst performance of all the chemistries in a digital camera. They lose capacity at high power drains and at low temperatures. Skiers and other winter outdoor enthusiasts may find them unsatisfactory. Alkaline batteries are frequently available in two types: High drain (ultra, titanium, maximum etc.) Regular The high drain versions are a premium product designed to operate better under heavy loads than the standard product. However, there is a trend of major brands to increase the performance of their standard battery to b