Nikon d5100 - Other batteries?

<p>I'm looking into buying a Nikon d5100 and am making sure I have everything I'll need for it before purchasing it with the lenses I want, and I'm reading a lot of reviews that say the battery pack that comes with the camera has much to be desired. Are there other companies that make batteries for a Nikon d5100 that would last me longer than what I'll get with it to start? If so, what companies and how much better will these other batteries be/how long will they last? Thanks!</p>

<p>The battery provided by Nikon is actually quite good. Its performance will improve after the first couple of use/recharge cycles, and after that you should enjoy many hundreds of shots per charge, no problem. Using it in very cold weather, or while constantly reviewing/composing with the rear LCD display lit up will run the battery down faster, of course. <br /><br />The best thing to buy would be a <em>second</em> battery, from Nikon. Just to have a backup for days with extended shooting, or in case of trouble.<br /><br />I use that same battery in a D3200, and sometimes go weeks without bothering to recharge it.</p>

I really like my D5100s, they're working out great, battery life is very good, and just like Matt suggested getting a spare

Nikon battery is probably the best move. I'm actually surprised at how long the batteries last.

<p>If you use much LV, life expectancy per charge isn't great. There are some clones that work very well and are well below half the price. The descriptions usually contain the words 'decoded', as the Nikon versions have propitiatory chips/code to 'prevent' clones working properly. I guess it worked for a couple of weeks.....</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I'm glad I mentioned the battery on here, some reviews rated them very well but based on your responses it appears those might not have been accurate reviews. I might invest in a second battery for long shooting days, that's a good thought. Thanks!</p>

<p>"Send in Clones".not,make sure you stick with a Nikon brand battery you'll be glad you did...</p>

<p>At a 3 : 1 price difference, the clones I use are equal in performance to the Nikon genuine article with regard to frames per charge with my usual working mix of LV, video and long exposures.</p>

<p>This is still the case 4 months later.... however, by definition, I cannot predict 1 year on from now:-)</p>