Camcorder Battery Charger

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Is a camcorder battery charger built into the camcorder?

Is a camcorder battery charger built into the camcorder?

In most cases, a camcorder will charge any battery that is attached to the camcorder when the AC power cord is plugged in. Some camcorders are also packaged with AC power cords that include a secondary battery charger. The charger may be built into the cord or a separate unit that plugs into the wall.

You can buy a separate charge to charge your backup battery if your camcorder only charges batteries when they are attached to the camcorder. That way you can charge two batteries at once. An external camcorder battery charger allows you to charge one battery while you use the other one if you'll be recording for an extended period of time. If you have three batteries, an external allows you to keep your batteries in rotation.

When looking for an external charger, make sure it will charge both the original battery and the spare battery. That way you can swap batteries at will. If you already have a charger that only works with one of the batteries, mark the back of one of the batteries with a dab of nail polish or colored tape so you instantly know which battery goes with which charger.

If your camcorder won't charge your spare battery, consider returning it to the store where you bought it and buying one that will work with your built-in charger. Even if it costs a few dollars more, the flexibility is worth it.