From prep through the reception, a wedding day usually runs 8–12 hours. Keeping the camera alive across that stretch means 4–6 NP-FZ100 cells for a single body and 6–8 for two bodies. Add another 2–3 if the ceremony and reception are being recorded, or put the main body on a dummy battery with a power bank. The NP-FZ100 is rated 2280mAh / 7.2V / around 16.4Wh and official CIPA figures generally sit in the 500–700 frame range, but weddings are heavy on burst, chimping and live view, so you often see roughly 60%–80% of that.
This piece covers the parts people forget — chargers, storage, body settings and the rhythm of the day — as one list you can copy.
How many NP-FZ100 cells, by kit
| Kit | Coverage | Cells to pack | Chargers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One body, mostly stills | Prep, ceremony, portraits, reception | 4–6 | 1 dual | Includes 1–2 spares |
| Two bodies, mostly stills | Wide on one, long lens on the other | 6–8 | 2 dual | Different number ranges per body make counting easy |
| Two bodies plus video | Full ceremony plus reception clips | 8–10 | 2 dual | Put the main body on a dummy battery |
| Three bodies, team coverage | Main, second, video | 12 or more | 2–3 dual | Group numbers by body |
The hour-by-hour math behind those numbers is in how many NP-FZ100 cells a wedding day needs. The point to keep: demand is not even across the day. The ceremony and the reception are the peaks, so concentrate your margin there rather than spreading cells evenly.
Chargers and top-ups: cheaper than more cells
Buying one more charger costs roughly the price of a small accessory, and it pays for itself by lunch — over a day it can deliver two full rounds, which is like finding several extra cells in the bag.
- At least one dual-slot charger: it handles two cells during the lull after the ceremony.
- Bring cables and plugs: hotel rooms and venues never have enough sockets. A small power strip feeds two chargers at once.
- A USB-input charger plus a power bank: lets you top up in the car or between locations, which matters when you cannot leave the venue.
- Never charge inside a closed bag: charging makes heat. Lay cells out in the open instead of tucking them into a padded divider.
Numbering and storage: staying calm on the day
- Number clearly: write 01–08 on the side with a marker or label, keeping clear of the contacts.
- Split full from empty: charged cells on the left of the case, spent ones on the right, so you can load by feel in a dark reception hall.
- Use terminal caps or a hard case: loose cells sharing a pocket with keys or coins is a short-circuit waiting to happen.
- Keep 1–2 cells against your body: at winter outdoor ceremonies, body heat buys real runtime.
- Hold one cell in reserve: never touch it unless something goes wrong.
The rotation method is spelled out in numbering and rotating multiple NP-FZ100 cells; over a season it slows down aging across the whole set.
Body settings that stretch each cell
Wedding days are busy, so most photographers leave the camera awake all day. That alone is a big drain. These changes cost you nothing in output and buy real runtime:
- Shorten auto power-off: set sleep to 30 seconds or 1 minute, so the gaps between moments stop costing power.
- Drop EVF and LCD brightness: mid-level works indoors; save maximum for bright outdoor stretches.
- Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when idle: background links are a hidden drain. Switch them on only to hand off files.
- Chimp less: a few seconds of review per frame adds up over a thousand frames.
- Use burst modes deliberately: high-speed drive is expensive. Low-speed burst covers anything that is not the key moment.
The full settings walkthrough is in the camera power-saving settings checklist, and per-mode drain is ranked in our NP-FZ100 power draw guide.
The eight-hour rhythm: when to swap
| Time block | Action | Expected draw |
|---|---|---|
| Prep / first look | Start with a full cell, swap once on arrival | 1–2 cells |
| Ceremony | Fresh cell before it starts, regardless of what is left | 1–2 cells |
| Lunch / move | First charging round | Top up 2–4 |
| Portraits | Live view composition, swap roughly every 40 minutes | 1–2 cells |
| Before reception | Second charging round, fresh cell in the main body | Top up 2 |
| Reception / toasts | Flash recycling is hungry — swap at one bar | 2–3 cells |
One rule covers the day: swap at the last bar, never run a cell to auto shutdown. Voltage sags as a cell empties, which slows burst rates and flash recycling — exactly the two things you need during the toast.
FAQ
Are compatible batteries acceptable on a paid wedding?
Yes. Third-party cells are a legitimate alternative. Run one through a full rehearsal day first and confirm burst, review and flash recycling behave. For important dates, keep one original Sony cell as a backup. Some Sony bodies warn that remaining charge may not display accurately — you can keep shooting. A “cannot recognize this battery” message is a fault, not a warning, and needs sorting out.
Are two dual chargers enough?
For two bodies, yes. Wedding downtime comes in short fragments, and two chargers mean four cells moving at once — lighter than carrying a dozen spares.
Do I need extra cells for winter outdoor segments?
Yes. Capacity drops noticeably below 0℃ / 32℉ and may be around half at -10℃ / 14℉. One or two extra cells kept warm inside your jacket beats any on-site workaround.
A cell that lasted all day last year now feels short. Is it faulty?
Usually it is just normal aging. Lithium cells hold around 80% after 300–500 cycles, and wedding shooters cycle fast, so a noticeable change within a year is common. Plan replacement around the two-year mark.
Our NP-FZ100 compatible battery is rated 2280mAh / 7.2V / around 16.4Wh, at around $17.89 per cell, around $22.93 for one cell with a charger and around $36.74 for two with a charger. For more headroom, the TNP-FZ100 (2400mAh / around 17.3Wh) runs around $39.92 for the two-cell kit. Wedding studios and event companies standardizing cells across several shooters should use the wholesale inquiry page — bulk pricing is quoted per order and batch labeling is available.