I've got an Nikon Coolpix 3700 using EN-EL5 batteries. According to the documentation I should be able to get 250-300 pictures per cycle but I'm only getting 100. This is just using the camera normally with some previewing and no editing.

With that kind of a difference there may be a problem with your battery. Make sure when Nikon make the 250 pic claim, that they were referring to full resolution pics, and that they were allowing for the LCD to be on during use. That display can drain the battery pretty quickly, and sometimes the companies don't factor that in when they do their estimates. Sneaky:cool:

Hi,
I use to have a Nikon Coolpix 880; paid way too much for it new!
But, after 2 breakdowns, junked it... bought the Coolpix 4460 using rechargeable AA batteries, not Nikon batteries.
I had the same problem with the EN batteries, could never get much use from them before having to recharge, and at that time, cost around $40 per battery!
The main thing with this type battery is that before first use, the battery must be completely discharged, then charged fully. This is because the a Ni-Cad battery remembers only down to the charge amount, and recharges every time from there.
For example, if it's recharged with half the battery power left, it only charges half the battery... not the full amount. The next time it's charged, if completely discharged, it will only charge half-way; and from then on.
At any rate, I never did get the full picture-taking advertised before the batteries were dead. As another mentioned, the LCD also brings down the charge fast; as well as flashes from the flash. Personally, I will not buy any equipment using these batteries again!
Best of luck.

I paid 1000 for my girls nikon d50 and they said it will last 500 pics it doesn't I have to batteries and I swap this # is probably without flash and stuff it is a good camera so I don't wory about the battery life

I have a Nikon Coolpix 885 (drowned one in red wine - er... it's a long story) and it's replacement is now held together with a chunk of carved wood (battery catch broke).
Since I retained the battery from the first one I have two, so always have a spare. The frames you can capture are dependent not only on the setting, display on/off but also the size of memory card, 512Mb and above slow all processing down considerably.