balticvid Loc: Queens now NJ

I agree 100%

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I bought a non-Nikon battery for my D7000, figuring a battery is a battery. Well, not exactly. It doesn't pop out of its compartment like it should, has to be coaxed. And it doesn't seem to hold a charge as well.

JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Results are all over the board. I had two generics with my Nikon D60 that are still going strong after 8 years and their performance is indistinguishable from the Nikon battery that came with the camera. On the other hand, many people report having generic batteries that swell or leak and damage their camera. It's just luck, I guess. Why take the chance that you will damage an expensive camera just to save twenty bucks or so on a battery? I still use the generics I have when I use my D60 as a backup, but when I upgraded to a D5500 I bought an extra Nikon battery.

JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Martino Loc: Northwest Florida

I honestly have not had any problems with third party batteries, but equally my OEM Canon batteries do genuinely last longer, register correctly and hold their charge significantly longer.

I've now decided to only use OEM batteries.

It's like ink for printers. I haven't had problems with generic inks, but have found that OEM ink appears TO ME to be better in the long run.

Talking of Mercedes, it's the same with my Mercedes! I'm only using genuine OEM parts. 😉

DMGill Loc: Colorado

If you get the OEM batteries you know they will have top quality cells and top quality protective circuitry in them. If you don't have the equipment to check performance, you are gambling with other makes. There have been a number of videos showing what's inside some of the non name brand lithium ion flashlight batteries and they range from humorous to dangerous.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

It really depends on the brand. I've had 2 OEM batteries go bad within a year, two third party batteries go bad within a year, and several of each last 5-6 years. I have had one large third party video camera battery case split, while the battery was on the camera. The battery cell cluster fell onto a concrete sidewalk, shorted, and caught fire immediately. I bought a Canon replacement for that one.

If the MAh rating is the same or better, the third party battery should be okay. If not, you can usually buy 3-4 for the price of one OEM. Toss the bad ones in an approved recycle center's battery bin.

Djedi

Hee hee... I agree. I always wait at least 6 months before buying the new model. Sometimes a couple of years if I am still happy with the old one. Then I usually buy it used with very low mileage at a good price.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

Ken, Shortly after I bought my 60D from B&H (July 2013), I decided it was exceedingly dumb not to have at least one spare battery so I bought a non-OEM battery and extra charger from B&H or Amazon (don't remember which) and the battery and the original Canon Battery are used and charged alternately, generally when the camera indicator says it is down to 50%. Both batteries are still working and I can't tell the difference in usage.

I haven't worked through this entire thread yet, but I haven't seen the fact (reminder) mentioned that neither Canon nor Nikon, or most of the other OEM's make their batteries, but rather have them made by a couple of the other far-east manufacturers and marked with the OEM's brand name so they can offer them at about 3X the cost of the 'knock-off's which are made to the OEM's specs. Unfortunately, who makes what for whom is a well kept trade secret.

About six months or so after I bought the spare battery and charger, I got an e-mail from whomever had supplied it, that there were issues with the charger and it might not charge non-Canon batteries. I didn't have the problem, but took them up on the offer a a free replacement, and junked the one with issues. It and the batteries are still fine.

haze63 Loc: Tiffin Ohio

You can get new genuine Nikon batteries on eBay cheaper I always ask for or look for the serial number to check it on Nikon's wed site to make sure it is genuine before I buy or bid

alandg46 Loc: Boerne, Texas

I just bought a pair of Wasabi batteries and dual charger for a D500 for $38.99.

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

I have commented before on third party batteries. Keep in mind that when you buy an "OEM Battery" you are paying for the name. The batteries are manufactured under a contract from Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc. by a factory specializing in mfr. batteries, the specs might be slightly different for each contract but the basic battery is the same the name changes.

Lead acid batteries are manufactured the same way; excel, interstate or any other brand of battery comes from the same manufacturer, the name is different for each contract

My third party battery that i purchased for my canon in 2007 in china is a DBK brand and it is a BP511/511A and the canon charger charges it to 100% without any problems. My third party battery has a date stamp on the end (IA10/07/15) the OEM battery does not. I get approx the same number of shots with each battery, depending on if the pop up flash is being used. I try to shoot without flash at all times, but sometimes it is unavoidable and that is when I am glad to have a backup battery. Would I by a so called third party battery again, yes I would. Also keep in mind that improvements are always being made in the manufacture of the batteries. A battery you purchase and use today may not have the same mfr specs for a battery you purchase a year or three years from now. In the manufacture of anything there will always be quality control issues.

The manufacturer of Camera equipment or cars will always tell you to use OEM (Higher Price) rather then go to third party. I find that the third party item is usually better made then the OEM part and I can usually pick it up locally without having to order it through a dealer.

Leitz Loc: Solms

I've also had no problems with my non-Sony batteries, going on 3 years now. 100% reliable. They are Nikon brand.

kenthecrane

Cheapies have a shorter work cycle genuine are worth the money ,other than that see if there's a DURACELL compatible available they are as good as original . Have tried cheaper batteries they loose charge quickly when not one use . 🤓

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

The after market battery is a necessity unless you only bring out that camera on holidays to photograph the grandkids. The name brand matching your camera is always the best choice but also the most expensive. I am a pro photographer and I use aftermarket batteries. I always have a spare full charged and I buy my battery not by name alone. I used to be an electronics expert and sort of never left that field once digital showed up. First when I buy any ones battery (cheap after market battery) I check to see that the amp hours and the voltage have to match to the battery I already have. AH is for amp hours sometimes you see it as MHP (milliamp hours) this figure has to match up with what your real name brand battery reads on its label. If the mhp or ah is higher your battery will take longer to charge and if it is lower you can count on the battery checker in your camera reporting it as a lesser charge or sometimes as dead sooner than the name brand battery.
The second thing you need to worry about is if the battery is ni-cad vs lihium. Ni-cad batteries have the ability to not work as long and as hard as lithium batteries. Since Nikon batteries are lithium I would never place a ni-cad battery in them only because they would not power up the camera as long as the lithium. The lithium battery has come a long way especially when it comes to charging them. They used to blow up in a charger if the charger was not the charger made for lithium type batteries. I saw a few of them that blew up while working on military grade batteries and it was always because they were charged wrong using the wrong charger.
The third thing is does the battery fit the camera correctly and is the battery made by and sold by a reputable company. You cannot depend on wally mart but you can depend on B&H to deliver a quality product.
So make sure the mhp matches or is higher than original, that the voltage is the same, the fit is correct, the place you bought it from is reputable and it will function in the charger you already have or buy the charger it needs to have. If you do these things you should have no problem with a battery that costs less than the name brand.
A battery is just a battery and that is hard to understand that the only way a battery can be bad is that it was built poorly. Car batteries are similar but they are all made from the same stuff but they are made with sometimes lesser quality materials that are found on the inside. Sometimes they sit on a shelf for years before being used and when you bought it you got the oldest one they had in stock. Turnover rate is the only last thing you need to know. Even if the store is reputable they will always sell you the oldest product on the shelf first. Just like buying bologna you get the product that is the oldest in the freezer first until that package is emptied then the open a new roll of bologna. Like buying milk you look for the best date code.