Battery hog?

[hexiplex]

I am just wondering about the lifespan of a CR2 battery? I've had the same one in my Klasse W for about 3 months now until it ran out on me today, I've used the camera quite a bit, but I would in no way say it's been used heavily, I've perhaps put ten rolls or so through it, used flash intermittently, but hardly a lot.

 

[sevo]

Common lithium cells last for much more than ten years until they are at half capacity - so self-discharge generally is nothing you'll ever experience. It is almost entirely up to the load the camera puts on the battery, and the use pattern you subjected it to - mostly the latter.

In my experience most cameras with integral flash (indeed all of them except for those where the flash must be switched of separately) eventually turn into battery hogs, as ageing flash capacitors do grow leak currents which drain the batteries.