[Randy]

Okay, I am just starting with my DSLR, but am off the Europe next week and will try to muddle through taking photos. I do wonder, however, if I should take a spare battery, since I don't believe the charger will work in the European mains outlets. I'll be in England, actually. Should I take a spare fully charged battery? I'm aware that there are many variables in how long the battery will last between charges, but have no experience with this and the manual doesn't help me much. Advice?

[BradJudy]

Most chargers work on 110-220V and 50-60Hz, so you just need a physical plug adapter (fairly cheap).  Double-check your charger, but all of mine were designed to work internationally.  It just doesn't make business sense for most companies to make different electronics for different regions of the world these days.

[ooheadsoo]

I like to have a spare battery on me if i'm on a trip, no matter my charger status.  Most dslrs will average 500 or more pictures on a charge, so it should last a day or two unless you are spending a lot of time reviewing.

[drphoto]

A spare battery pack is always a good idea if you are serious about taking pictures. There's always the time you'll forget to switch off the body and run down the battery, or if you use the preview a lot, you'll use a lot of juice.

Have a great trip!  

[ooheadsoo]

I think most newer dslrs will auto power off on idle after a few seconds, so luckily that shouldn't be much of an issue, if you have a newer camera.

[Randy]

Thanks, guys. It's a Nikon D-60. I will check to see if the charger will work with 220v. I had assumed it didn't. I will get a spare battery, too. I didn't realize reviewing your shots would wear it down much, but it certainly makes sense that it would. A feature I like, just discovered this evening, is how you can zoom in and out on the display and pan around in the frame. I zoomed in and the picture stayed sharp. I was impressed.