How To Get Battery Out Of Camera?

Camera batteries can become stuck in the compartment when they swell or expand inside the camera body. A swollen battery is now jammed against the case and metal memory card separator, which is why it won't just fall out when you release the battery lock. If you are lucky, the battery has not yet leaked. Third party batteries are known for swelling and getting stuck, and even genuine batteries can expand with age.

Why Batteries Get Stuck

The battery may have expanded with age, making it get stuck. Third party and counterfeit batteries are known for swelling and getting stuck inside the camera. If you got a good deal on batteries from eBay or other third party sources, the build quality is nearly always inferior — they drop charge really fast and can swell inside your camera. Even an original battery that came with a brand-new camera can become stuck if it has expanded over time.

• Battery bloating causes it to jam against the case and metal memory card separator
• Third party batteries have inferior build quality and are prone to swelling
• Genuine batteries can also expand with age
• If the battery is swollen, check the sides for bulging — if so, toss it and get a new one
• Leaving batteries inside cameras when not in use increases the risk of swelling

Hot Glue Stick Method

One reliable method for removing a stuck battery is to use a hot glue stick. Find an old glue stick, the kind you use in a glue gun. Use a lighter to gently melt the tip — you don't want the glue to run down the battery and into the camera. Press the end onto the battery and gently press for about a minute or two to allow it to cool. Then, press the battery release tab and gently tease the battery out of the camera. The glue stick is easy to remove from the battery afterwards.

If the glue stick doesn't work, try gluing something with a slightly larger surface area to the battery only. A golf tee (file or sand down the cupped ball end) glued using something like 5 minute epoxy (definitely not superglue) can give a better grip. Use any glue sparingly, as you don't want to get any excess near the sides of the battery.

Tape and Thin Blade Method

Slide a piece of duct tape or other tape down the side of the battery and press it on with a thin blade. Then try pulling with the battery lock released — it might come out. A thin spatula used for frosting cakes is also effective: it is thin and not sharp, and you can carefully wedge it between the battery and the camera without puncturing the battery. After a few tries you can get it out.

1. Release the battery lock tab and hold it back with your finger
2. Slide tape or a thin spatula down the side of the battery
3. Try pulling the battery upward while the lock is held open
4. If it still won't move, try working around the bottom, prying from different angles a little at a time to slowly rock it loose

Shake and Tap Method

Hold the retainer back with your finger and sort of slap the camera against the palm of your hand. The battery will start to move past the catch and you will be able to grasp it with your fingers. Alternatively, push the plastic piece out of the way and while holding it, flip the camera upside down — the battery may fall out. If the battery is only slightly bloated, holding the plastic tab out and giving the camera a downward shake can do the trick.

Tweezers and Pliers

Tweezers

Grab the small bit of plastic or exposed edge at the top of the battery and pull. Be aware this may leave a slight scratch on the battery surface.

Long nose pliers

Use chain-nosed pliers (long needle-nosed pliers that are bent 90°) to grab the battery and pull it out. This is particularly useful when the battery has been left in the camera for years and has swollen significantly.

Small screwdriver or scissors tip

Use the tip of a small screwdriver or the tip of some scissors to start prying the battery up from the compartment.

Superglue — Use With Caution

Use a small amount of CA adhesive (also known as superglue) to glue an old strip of cloth or similar material to the exposed top or side of the battery, and use that to pull it out after it sets. However, there have been cases where superglue ran into the battery compartment and made the situation worse. Use any adhesive sparingly and apply it only to the battery itself, not near the sides where it could run into the camera body.

Drilling a Hole — Last Resort

As a last resort, use a 7/64 drill bit to put a hole in the negative end of the battery, then put in a #8 deck screw. Using a pair of pliers, you can get a good grip and pull it out. Please be aware this could be extremely dangerous. Also note that inserting a sharp pointed knife into the side of the battery case near the end of the battery to pry it out will puncture the battery seal and allow internal liquid and gas to escape — so turn the camera so that nothing runs back inside the camera body.

• Do not go puncturing the battery unless it is a last resort
• Be careful using bladed implements — things may be too tight to slide anything into the gap
• If you puncture the battery, orient the camera so liquid cannot run back inside the body
• If the battery is stubborn, work around the bottom prying from different angles a little at a time

After the Battery Is Out

Once you get the battery out, check whether the sides are bulging. If so, toss it and get a new one. Also check the battery compartment to see if anything is out of place. Take the battery to a Canon repair facility if you are unsure whether it is genuine or counterfeit — they may even replace it for free. For the future, only buy OEM batteries for your camera. Third party batteries purchased from eBay or similar sources have been known to swell within six months and get stuck in the camera. The replacement battery for the Samsung WB150F, for example, is a Samsung SLB-10A, which is cheap and readily available on Amazon and other sites. Lesson learned: take the battery out if you're not using the camera.