Experience using 3rd party Canon 5D mkii LP-E6 batteries?

[adam-jones]

<p>Hi all<br>

I have been considdering buying some extra batteries for my 5d mkii. There are much cheaper 3rd party batteries on the market, and forgetting issues asside of some of these being so cheap that they only hold charge for a few uses does anyone have any experience using such products?</p>

<p>My understanding is that most of these 3rd party items arent able to be 100% compatible due to more advanced features in the real canon lp-e6 batteries such as the registration feature.</p>

<p>I also understand that many of these batteries wont actually charge in an official canon charger and may not show battery status on the lcd of the camera.</p>

<p>If anyone can recommend for or against using such products please let me know, I'd be interested to hear your comments.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[tdigi]

<p>The way I see it you spend over 2k for a camera why buy a cheap battery. I used some third party batteries with my old rebel and it seemed ok but I would stick with Canon, even though its way overpriced.</p>

[bill_akstens]

<p>Every once in a while you'll end up with a 3rd party battery that just doesn't fit properly, and gets stuck in the camera. Even from reputable 3rd party sellers. Granted the risk may be small. How much is your time and convenience worth if you end up with a dud?</p>

[charles_m1]

<p>I had also considered buying 3rd party batteries for my 5DII, but when I did the research, I found:</p>

<p>* Like Bill says, the battery would get stuck in the camera, and it would have to be pryed out... I do not want to scratch up my camera just for a $20 battery!</p>

<p>* I have also read about some batteries causing the camera to act funny. I think it was an Amazon review, but if it is causing my camera to do something it normally shouldn't, then I would think it might harm my camera.</p>

<p>In the past, I have used Sterlingtek batteries in my 20D, but those batteries had a reputation of being 100% compatible and safe. So far, no 3rd party 5DII batteries are 100% compatible.</p>

[steven_crist]

<p>When I had 5D's I used the replacement batteries from SterlingTek with no problems. I now use 1D's with the chip in the battery. My documentation says that only Canon batteries should be used in the Canon charger. Cheaper third factory batteries are reported to work but you lose the ability to use the supplied charger, so you need to purchase a third party charger too. Also the battery display doesn't work properly. I don't like the idea of being locked into only purchasing Canon batteries but since they are now high-tech, I'll pay the money. Frankly I like the features available with the new Canon batteries - tells how many shots taken since last charge, charge left in battery, when to give a boost charge, etc. Much more info shown now than simply a couple bars showing full, half, empty capacity. </p>

[jeff_delisio]

<p>I used non-canon batteries on a trip to Tibet and had no problems. I was off the grid for extended periods and took (and needed) 7 batteries. 3 were Canon, 4 non-Canon off of Amazon.</p>

<p>I did this for price on two counts, the battery and getting a car-charger cheap. That was very expense from Canon as well and a pittance from the 3rd party. It worked, well at least when the vehicles electrical system worked, which was intermittent.</p>

<p>The batteries did not get stuck, yes they required a separate charger but it was light and gave me the car charging option, a little tape helped me keep them straight. No ill effects on the camera, the incompatibility is that you cannot see what the state of the charge is. I did not do any testing to see how the time between charge varied so cannot comment there. Batteries were subjected to sub-zero temperatures, dust and altitudes up to 20,000 ft.</p>

<p>I've not checked Canon prices recently but they really seemed out of line to me back in September.<br>

All that said, when I am in the US I just use the Canons.....</p>

[Robert DeCandido PhD]

<p>I used third party batteries as well - no problems. They supply the charger (free). Yes you cannot see the state of the charge in the camera...that is the one downside. Sometimes they might not fit "perfectly" but a little wiggling on the battery gets them to come loose with no ill affects to camera or battery.</p>

<p>Yes I would go this option again.</p>

<p>rdc/nyc</p>

[jim_krupnik]

<p>Over the years, I have always had outstanding performance from calcellular.com batteries. Their BP-511 batteries for the xxD cameras cost about eight bucks, include a "snap cap" like the Canon branded batteries, provided a little bit more capacity, and have always been perfect duplicates to the dimensions of the Canon branded batteries.</p>

<p>My experience with their batteries goes back quite a few years now, and since my stock of BP-511 batteries was built up to feed three generations of xxD cameras in commercial use, I mark new batteries with the month and year purchased. Some of the oldest units have begun to lose capacity. I "retire" those units as soon as the loss becomes obvious. I have about a dozen calcellular batteries, and currently less than half that number of Canon branded batteries on hand. As the Canon batteries fade away, I replace them with new calcellular batteries.</p>

<p>Without exception, the Canon branded batteries, and the calcellular batteries that have been "retired" gave the same 4 to 5 years of service before going flat. The calcellular batteries use their own charger for best results, but the chargers are dirt cheap, and include 12v DC cords as well as mains AC prongs. I have several.<br>

The point of telling the BP-511 story is that a good battery is a good battery. Period. Every thread about non OEM branded batteries has a few posts proclaiming that "if you spend $xxxx on a camera, you should be happy to spend a small fortune on spares". Well, that's a paraphrase, but it makes the point. To me, that is pure nonsense if a value priced alternative battery makes the grade in terms of quality. I'm not suggesting that there is value in the crap batteries that claim to offer double capacity. I'm promoting high quality batteries that match the OEM spec, or bump it up a bit.</p>

<p>If you only need a spare or two, go for the OEM. If you use battery grips (two batteries), and several cameras, you can go broke buying OEM spare batteries. I take enough charged batteries to feed several cameras with grips for weeks on a field trip. The last thing I worry about is a dead battery, even if there is no mains power for miles.</p>

<p>My 7D is pretty new, and I only recently ordered the battery grip for it. At the same time, I ordered three calcellular LP-E6 battery and charger kits. The charger is mandatory, and is also included for the twenty eight Dollar price of the kit. Will it work? I don't know yet, but they never shipped junk to my address, or made exaggerated claims in the past. I'll let everyone know after I put them to use for awhile. I expect top quality, based on many years of feeding several different camera and battery types with their products, but if this battery buy turns out to be a waste of my time and money, I'll shout it out here, and take it on the chin.</p>

<p>This is an old shot of mostly BP-511 batteries of various vintage. The only difference I have found between the Canon batteries with the blue foil, and the calcellular batteries over many years is about $40 each....</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/2985344063_39a83ba1c4.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></p>

[markonestudios]

This was my review of one I recently bought off that rain forest site ;-) http://www.amazon.com/review/R1WNHFCH51ZKGQ/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

[adam-jones]

<p>Jim thanks for the long post! Down the road it would be great if you can maybe post your comments having tested the latest batteries for your new 7d.<br>

Thanks!</p>

[dont]

<p>I've used Sterlingtek for my original 5D and they seemed to work really well. There was 1 that didn't work out of box but they sent me one free pretty much right away. I bought an LP-E6 for about $175 (Cdn) right Dec 2009 when my 5D II preorder arrived, now Mostly Digitally has them for $90 (OOS though, no surprise). I called up Sterlingtek to see when they'll have their own LP-E6 and their response was "still in development" but didn't have a timeline. In the meantime I think I'll stick to Canon OEM batteries.</p>

[bert_f]

<p>Canon building electronic chips into the batteries (and other equipment as ink cartridges) to prevent competition and keep prices up, maybe twice the price of what the batteries really cost. Just buy "pirate" batteries and make sure it contains good quality cells. Those cells, inside the battery, are the same from the same makers as Canon use. I use the two battery compartment, and I use non-Canon batteries and I found them better than the Canon ones. There are also "pirate" "chipped" Canon batteries on the market now, and those are recommended. We need to fight these rip-off methods the best we can, and the best is to avoid supporting methods as Canon use here, and they are not alone.</p>