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Aftermarket batteries

jjk454ss

jjk454ss

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jul 10, 2008
4,506
516
Should I bother with cheap 3rd party batteries for my NEX camera? I wouldn't need it often, just as a backup. I've had batteries that were so bad in the past, can anyone recommend a good brand that's fairly affordable? There's so many on Amazon to choose from.
 
jjk454ss said:
Should I bother with cheap 3rd party batteries for my NEX camera? I wouldn't need it often, just as a backup. I've had batteries that were so bad in the past, can anyone recommend a good brand that's fairly affordable? There's so many on Amazon to choose from.
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since its a power source, i alway go with genuine brand ones with anything really
 
There isn't an aftermarket third party battery I'd let anywhere near any of my Macs, phone or IPad.

A search of these boards will reveal why. It's just not worth the risk. Savings are minimal, and the consequences of a bad knock off are huge.

Pay for a genuine Apple replacement, you then have peace of mind, and. Warranty that you know will be hounered if things go wrong.
 
jjk454ss said:
Should I bother with cheap 3rd party batteries for my NEX camera? I wouldn't need it often, just as a backup. I've had batteries that were so bad in the past, can anyone recommend a good brand that's fairly affordable? There's so many on Amazon to choose from.
Click to expand...

Primary manufacturers take all the good LIon cells. The ones they reject get sold anyway. That's the source of many 3rd party batteries. That means they've likely already failed at least one test, then they're mated with cells that may have also failed. Read up on LIon cells, then decide if you want to take that risk. I wouldn't.

Paul
 
I've used Wasabi batteries and chargers for my Nikon DSLRs for going on 5 years now, and have never had a problem. I've never found any difference between them and the Nikon batteries.

The Canon P&S in the house has used the Canon versions with no problems, same for the Canon XA10 camcorder, and although I haven't needed to swap batteries yet, I have every confidence in the Wasabi setup I got for the new Sony RX100.

The Wasabi chargers I have all include 12V adapters so I can charge in the car if I need to. For me, this is a huge plus.

I'm sure there are crappy 3rd party batteries out there, and crappy chargers as well. But based on my experience, Wasabi products are excellent.
 
I haven't bought a second battery yet, but I couldn't imagine buying any brand other than Nikon. Do people ever need more than 2 batteries? One in use, one as a back up?
 
monokakata said:
I've used Wasabi batteries and chargers for my Nikon DSLRs for going on 5 years now, and have never had a problem. I've never found any difference between them and the Nikon batteries.

The Canon P&S in the house has used the Canon versions with no problems, same for the Canon XA10 camcorder, and although I haven't needed to swap batteries yet, I have every confidence in the Wasabi setup I got for the new Sony RX100.

The Wasabi chargers I have all include 12V adapters so I can charge in the car if I need to. For me, this is a huge plus.

I'm sure there are crappy 3rd party batteries out there, and crappy chargers as well. But based on my experience, Wasabi products are excellent.
Click to expand...

+1 for Wasabi - I've got a couple of those for my GoPro and they've been totally dependable so far.
 
I use Energizer spare batteries in my Canons. Have worked fine for a few years. But popped a freshly charged one in a friends 6D the other day and it said it was empty. Probably Canon trying to hog the market.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I haven't bought a second battery yet, but I couldn't imagine buying any brand other than Nikon. Do people ever need more than 2 batteries? One in use, one as a back up?
Click to expand...

Sometimes a handful of batteries is essential. A long day away from AC. Or as insurance against forgetting to charge the one you just took out. Going on a short trip and not wanting to pack the charger. Or going somewhere without AC at all.
 
For my t4i I've bought a couple cheap spare batteries, only difference I've noticed is that they only last about half as long.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I haven't bought a second battery yet, but I couldn't imagine buying any brand other than Nikon. Do people ever need more than 2 batteries? One in use, one as a back up?
Click to expand...

Yes.

A night out shooting meteors with a D7000 and two D800s requires more than a couple of batteries. ;)
 
Ex-Pro

I don't know if this company supplies to the USA, but in the UK there's an online company called Ex-Pro that sells camera batteries, chargers, cables, remote shutter releases and all manner of accessories.
I took a punt and got a spare battery for my PEN E-P5 - only £10 as opposed to £60 for the genuine Olympus one. The Ex-Pro is chipped to communicate with the camera and charger exactly like the Olympus unit. It seems pretty much identical in performance to the Oly one, and I have since bought another, because at that price, why not?
I always have a look online to check for dissatisfied users of third party gear, and the vast majority of Ex-Pro reviews were very positive.
 
I think I have a Wasabi for my Nikon D7k.

i bought it before a vacation to have on hand in case i needed it.
I've used it a few times so far without issue. but this is as a backup, not the main battery I'd use. have't had any issues though
 
KimJonNumberUn said:
since its a power source, i alway go with genuine brand ones with anything really
Click to expand...

Same here. Although I did have some third party batteries when I had my 5DII which actually lasted longer than the OEM one's. But for the most part, I stick with OEM batteries. I'd rather pay a little extra, but have the piece of mind that the battery isn't going to ruin the camera.
 
There are some really bad aftermarket batteries, but if you don't go for the absolute cheapest stuff, choose a brand that's fairly well reviewed (Wasabi seems okay), I don't think you'd have any issues. OEM batteries tend to be priced much higher than their quality justifies, simply because many people gladly pay more for the perceived peace of mind.

There are a few manufacturers that offer OEM battery replacements at sensible prices, but they are very few.

I got an additional OEM battery for my Nikon D80 (back when it was fresh off the press), and paid something like $80 for it. Money badly wasted. It was my first DSLR and I wanted to play it safe, but the reality was that considering how long that battery lasts in the first place, I never actually had to use it as a back up. I used both batteries in rotation, just to keep it active, but in retrospect, that money would be better spend on other accessories.
 
If the OEM batteries were just a little more, then no doubt I'd buy that one, but when it's $60 vs $10-$20, that's a different story. I can buy a p&s camera for the price of a battery for an slr.
 
Personally, I use only OEM batteries for my Canon cameras for all the reasons others have mentioned. There is a big black market for counterfeit (as opposed to legitimate third party) batteries, so I don't take the chance. However, among camera people, many use third party batteries from reputable manufacturers like Sterlingtek or Wasabi without any issues. Go with Sterlingtek or Wasabi if you really want a third party battery.
 
jjk454ss said:
If the OEM batteries were just a little more, then no doubt I'd buy that one, but when it's $60 vs $10-$20, that's a different story. I can buy a p&s camera for the price of a battery for an slr.
Click to expand...

What's the risk though? Broken camera? Personal injury? For me, assuming a battery will go for about 7 years, I'll happily pay $9/$10 year to offset the potential (NPI) issues. Even with QA and "first pick," we've all seen the problems Sony, Apple, HP and others had with LIon cells in laptops a few years ago. I've still got a burn mark on my leg from a MBP battery gone bad.

Paul
 
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