I have some batteries that loose power (at a rate of about 1.5% a day) and some that work like the eneloops. While it's not the best practice, I charge nearly every battery that isn't an eneloop-like battery before every shoot (no matter how long its been since my last rodeo). I charge the eneloop-like batteries occasionally, but mostly I keep them for backup. I've never run out of battery power during a shoot--NEVER.


I know my routine may lead to a shorter life of the battery in the long run; however, I consider the cost of missing shots (or having to reschedule a shoot) to be much greater than the cost of another set of batteries.


Just charge your batteries before you shoot. Once they start losing the ability to charge, buy another couple of sets. :-)