Counterfeits Batteries

Are there some Nikon cameras, which do not accept counterfeit batteries due to a lack of a chip in the counterfeit battery, which the camera detects via its firmware. I think, I have read something like that some years ago, but cannot find anything about now. Anyone with some knowledge about that??

Only my personal experience with my newly purchased Nikon Z6ii.

I needed an extra battery but the EN-EL15c was backordered everywhere and Nikon Nordic could not give me an estimate on restocking in Scandinavia so I bought a Patona Platinum EN-EL15C knock off from Amazon.de.

I've had no problems with that.

It was half the price of the original, but I have only used it for 2 month, so I can't speak of its long term ability to keep the juice.

Are there some Nikon cameras, which do not accept counterfeit batteries due to a lack of a chip in the counterfeit battery, which the camera detects via its firmware. I think, I have read something like that some years ago, but cannot find anything about now. Anyone with some knowledge about that??

 

Third party or counterfeit? They are different though. Third party battery has different brand name. Counterfeit pretends to be genuine Nikon battery.

accept counterfeit batteries

Only my personal experience with my newly purchased Nikon Z6ii.

I needed an extra battery but the EN-EL15c was backordered everywhere and Nikon Nordic could not give me an estimate on restocking in Scandinavia so I bought a Patona Platinum EN-EL15C knock off from Amazon.de.

I've had no problems with that.

I suppose you mean generic or third-party batteries? My Nikon Z7ii accepts only 15C batteries. But my Nikon Z6 and Z7 would accept both 15B and 15C. To eliminate confusion, now I only use 15C, whether genuine-Nikon or generic.

There is an issue with this--to a great deal concerning the venue one is looking to buy from.

 

Amazon sellers will often make a claim that the battery contains the necessary 'chip' or logic that communicates with the camera. Several "flavors" of this exist--ones that natively emulate the Canon, Sony, Nikon, or other OEM battery--and those that will 'work' while not reporting certain capacity or discharge states. Amazon is an easy venue to get a refund for junk.

 

Then there are those on Fleabay, Alibaba, and other sketchy sites that simply will not work--or are simply wonderful...

 

There are a number of completely reputable distributers and sellers on Fleabay that offer good quality. I think of high end standards such as B&H, Adorama, Roberts, and others. Then there are others peddling names such as Vivitar. One retailer stands by everything he sells--others are knockoff's and counterfeit OEM grifters.

 

Always look at feedback.

I suppose you mean generic or third-party batteries? My Nikon Z7ii accepts only 15C batteries. But my Nikon Z6 and Z7 would accept both 15B and 15C. To eliminate confusion, now I only use 15C, whether genuine-Nikon or generic.

I thought you should be able to power your Z7 II with the EN-EL15, EN-EL15a, or EN-EL15b, not just the EN-EL15c.

I thought you should be able to power your Z7 II with the EN-EL15, EN-EL15a, or EN-EL15b, not just the EN-EL15c.

I have a couple of EN-EL15 batteries that I use in my D750 that also work in my Z7ii. The Z7ii owner's manual does say this battery, along with the EN-EL15a and EN-EL15b can be used in the Z7ii. On a recent trip I shot about 1,200 photos with the EN-EL15c battery and still had about 25% battery life. I don't recall how many photos I got with the EN-EL15 but it did lose its charge sooner.

My Z7 takes both Nikon and 3rd party EL15 and newer. I never had a Nikon that wouldn’t take a 3rd party battery (and I’ve had a lot of Nikons). A counterfeit is a 3rd party with a Nikon label so I don’t see why it wouldn’t be accepted. (I’ve had a noticeably counterfeit battery but didn’t use it.)

I thought you should be able to power your Z7 II with the EN-EL15, EN-EL15a, or EN-EL15b, not just the EN-EL15c.

Shun, I can only speak from my own limited experience with 1-2 third party batteries. It is possible that other 15x work with Z6/7 ii - or can it be that it's my lone Z7ii, or that it is only this single battery, that is the crazy variant?! Anyhow, I would gladly skip any more "battery test" with non-15C units for now. ;)

Edited March 31, 2021 by Mary Doo

Third-party and counterfeit batteries are a different story, but all genuine Nikon EN-EL15 battery variations should work on the Z6 II and Z7 II, as brian_niemi points out.

 

Please keep in mind that the battery that comes with your Nikon camera is not necessarily genuine. Our friend Matt Laur once experienced that years ago (around 2006 or so) with his then new Nikon D200, bought from a local camera store in the DC area. That counterfeit looked real and it took him a year to finally realized that it was a counterfeit. I assume someone along the supply chain/warehouse or even the camera store swapped the batteries.

There were so-called "smart batteries" for some laptops, and when many 3rd party replacements were used, some functions were not available. My personal view is and was that this was NOT for the convenience of the consumer, but to try to limit the choices for batteries available to the user.

 

In any case, the whole idea of the user being able to update or replace the batteries in many devices seems to be "am strengsten verboten" these days. Just buy a new one, eh?

thank you for you comments. I meant counterfeits not third-party batteries, the latter can be very ok, whereas one of course should stay away from the counterfeits, however, it may be extremely difficult to see the difference at the time of purchase or impossible in case of online purchase. Non of you mention that Nikon has prevented certain camera models to use counterfeits by means of their firmware - could in theory also have taken place against 3rd party batteries. Edited April 2, 2021 by Erik-Christensen

ALL of the 3rd party batteries purchased for Nikon D300-700-810 have worked well. The supposed (how I do I identify a counterfeit?) Nikon batteries purchased on EBay all worked well. All sold for 1/5-1/4 the Nikon price and held charges as well. They all provide data on state of charge, etc.

I recall about 2007 that the one battery I could find for my D1X was $100 at the camera store. In 2019 I could get as many as I wanted from Battery Source for half that and still can. Batteries for the D100, 200 and 300, same story. I can stock up and do use all three at times for half the cost and they all perform well.

 

Rich H.