The battery must be charged for 12 hours when you them.Replacement Sony PCGA-BP2V battery completely discharged at time of purchase, and require a full charge before first use. For everyday use, charge the battery full, then run it on battery only until it completely if you use Ni-Cd or Ni-MH Sony PCGA-BP2V battery (to avoid the effect "memory") or largely out of Li-ion.