You might want to check and see how long the charged batteries are supposed to last - they don't really last very long, and if you leave your camera on, it won't seem like long at all.
I beg to differ. Good quality cells (and no, I don't mean the ones from Harbor Freight or the cheapies from Walmart) will last as long as alkalines in my experience. You need to research the type of rechargeable cell you need that matches with what you're going to use them for. Like I stated above, the eneloops are excellent cells, especially for cameras and off-board flashes. You need a good smart charger like the Maha's as well. The slam chargers that supposedly charge in 30 min. aren't going to cut it.
Also, if you have a camera that doesn't shut off or go to sleep mode after a short period, you might think about getting a newer model. Almost all camera's do this now.