joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Do you think Nikon make batteries?

Do you think that the battery manufacturer that makes Nikon batteries sells only to Nikon?

There are some very good 3rd party batteries that are as good as Nikons or better. OTOH there are cheap rip-offs out there too.

I have had success with 3rd party batteries over the years and I've also been burned. Nikon is a safe bet and you pay for that security. Its your choice.

Good hunting.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I looked through the batteries in the bag for my Pentax Q-7. Every one, including the Pentax battery packaged with the camera, is labeled "Made in China". I'm guessing a small number of Chinese companies makes all these batteries. What I do not know is whether they have a QC inspection which enables them to separate output into "better" and "not so good" groups.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

Nikon does not make there battery neither does canon there made by an out side source I think its is synergy I have 2 of there and 2 Nikon battery and they last the same amount time and there about 10 years old and still no fall off with age.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I would not use off-brand batteries.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I don't believe the big risk is for "apocryphal" failure, although in-camera fires have been documented in the past from improperly made batteries. We hear about the ones from OEM batteries, because the knowledge protects their products against potential damage, but the third party folks usually choose not to publicize events involving their batteries even if they know about them. The question is whether there is any net benefit from spending a few less dollars for a battery.

As for the batteries that are monumentally cheaper, like 25 or 30 percent of an OEM or "respectable" third party battery...buy one if you want, but if there is a failure, then you deserve what you get.

I think the question here remains why anyone would spend thousands of dollars on a camera body and then scrimp on batteries about which they feel the need to ask others if they think are OK to use. The fact that you have to ask should tell you that you are seeing red flags. Don't ask us to validate what you have already identified as a risky choice in your own mind. If you choose to take what you have clearly already identified as a risk, then accept the possible consequences.

I'm not trying to be ugly here, but come on!!!

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

How about someone who spent hundreds of dollars?

I own a Pentax K-30 which I purchased used-like-new from KEH for under $500. The Pentax battery for that camera is priced at $49 by B&H, while a third-party battery is priced at $12 by B&H.

added: I also have a small-sensored MILC Q-7 which I purchased used-like-new from Amazon for under $300. The Pentax battery for that camera is priced at $41 by B&H while a third-party battery is priced at $5 by B&H

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Not sure what battery these cameras use...whether a custom form factor or a standard one, or what chemistry the batteries use. But I would be very concerned with any Lithium ion battery that could be sold at retail for $5, even at my trusted local dealer.Likely no control chip, no short circuit protection, etc. Also wonder how long it has been sitting on the shelf. I wish you good luck with the battery, but I seriously doubt that it is equivalent to the OEM battery. You could, of course, always check with the manufacturer and hear what they have to say about those batteries. Most reputable 3rd party batteries are somewhere around 20-25% less than the OEM ones. And one of my local camera shops discounts Nikon branded batteries by about 33%. I have no idea whether they do the same with Canon, but would expect that they do about the same.

All of my cameras represent significant investment and value to me...even the older ones that I am still using (one still using the battery that was in the box when I bought it in 2006). I am not willing to risk their life by using batteries that even might risk causing damage.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I don't believe I'm risking anything. I monitor life as I use the batteries and charge as I charge them. I handle them at least weekly. I have been using this camera and batteries for 33 months now. These are a small battery; Pentax users routinely comment on having to have several spares in the bag at all times, which is why I rotate seven of them through the camera. Go research D-Li68 / NP-50 / KLIC-7004.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

After thinking about this further, I did more research this morning. Before I purchased this Pentax camera, I used Canon Elph cameras {which use an NB-4L, another small thin battery} for seven years. Those small thin batteries have limited life, so I need several of them; during that entire seven years, I used the Canon battery packaged with the camera, plus several third-party batteries.

According to B&H, today {I don't remember prices from when I was using them} the Canon NB-4L is priced at $47; the Watson "clone" is priced at $10. Amazon also lists the Canon OEM battery at $47; various clones are priced at around $8. In this case, the cost of the OEM battery is an even greater proportion of the camera price, since the camera+battery costs around $150 new {i.e., list price of the enclosed battery is nearly one-third of the package price}.

I don't know why this great disparity exists. Perhaps the OEM battery has wonderful stuff inside; perhaps not. I do know that what may be gray-market OEM batteries are sold on eBay for prices just slightly above the "clone" prices ... so I'm not convinced that the OEM batteries are anything special.


added: and now that I did that research, ads from Amazon here and elsewhere will be trying to sell Canon stuff to me; by my research, they have no reason to know that I switched from Canon to Pentax over two years ago.

innershield Loc: phoenix, az

I had a d5200 and I bought an aftermarket battery grip and the included batteries. after about a month I went to turn on camera, nothing. tried without grip, nothing. took to nikon repair center here. $352 estimate for board replacement caused by batteries, according to nikon. didn't fix. sold on ebay for $80 and bought d5300 so I could use grip but with nikon batteries. all nikon in my d7100 and d3s. learned my lesson and would never use any other brand but nikon

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

And I think you have discovered another, very real risk through your experience. Whether or not your grip or batteries caused the failure, using them opened the door for them to place all of the blame on them. You didn't say whether the D5200 was still in warranty or not, but if it was, Nikon would mostly have acknowledged responsibility and repaired or replaced the body, grip, and battery if they had also been Nikon products.

innershield Loc: phoenix, az

it was 6 months out of warranty. I've had no issues with my other nikons. I really like the tilt screen on the d5300 for moon shots. d500 wasn't out yet or I would of considered that one. and yes, nikon batteries in all.

wolvesaywe Loc: Hants England

My sentiments exactly . I've seen a few posts on various sites lately asking the same question. You buy a class camera then try to save a penny putting a possibly dodgy chinese battery in it . Save yourself even more money, sell your camera and find a dodgy p+s on flea-bay for £5 and stick any old crap in it .

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

A few years ago I was using a Canon Rebel. The official Canon battery grip seemed high-priced to me, so I was thrilled to find a much less expensive one on eBay. I used this for only a few months before I realized that I actually treasure smaller cameras, so I tossed the battery grip, but during those few months I contacted the seller because little parts in the AA-battery tray kept coming out {so they sent me a new tray}. Based on my experience, I believe that third-party battery grips are a much bigger issue than third-party batteries are.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida