Timothy S

Hi, I have a question about a battery that I got on Amazon for my Canon. I simply searched under the exact battery needed and went for the best deal. It turns out that the source of the battery was China, and when I tried to use it, a message popped up on my screen asking if this was a Canon sourced product. I tapped “no,” and then it said that I was not guaranteed that it is safe. So my question is, should I send it back for a refund and purchase a more expensive Canon sourced battery, or should I not worry about it because it is just Canon corporation wanting me to buy from them?

Nicholas DeSciose

By the Canon batteries, two or three of them and. You won’t regret it

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Amazon does not check the validity of their third party retail system. That part of Amazon is like eBay. If you bought a battery based on price, you have no way of really knowing what you've got.

Both B&H and Adorama (and others) have third party batteries. And, those do have a quality control system in place.

My shooting rarely uses up the first brand name battery. I rarely need a backup. So, I use the B&H brand for "spares in the bag".

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I have about 14 or 16 batteries (all Canon), i don't buy third party! I never had any issues with any of them, ever!

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Canon's batteries (made by Panasonic, BTW) also come from China. The problem isn't Chinese batteries, it's the companies that sell the batteries. The Chinese can make good quality items. They can also make crap. It depends largely on the specifications and commitment to quality of the company ordering the batteries from the factories. Order a cheap item and that is what you get. Demand quality and you can get that also. If you make a battery purchase based on price alone you will probably get low quality. Buy from a reputable 3rd party supplier and you can get a good quality product at a better price then OEM usually. You just have to do your research as to seller reputation. In addition to Canon batteries I have also used batteries from Watson and Power2000 for years with no problems and others will no doubt tell you the same about other brands. I buy my batteries from B&H.
Getting a message on your camera about the battery means that it is probably a lower quality battery that does not have the coding necessary to fully interface with your camera. It doesn'tmean that the battery will cause a problem but it will probably not give the performance and in-camera read-outs of a better quality one.

Timothy S

I appreciate all the replies so far. Your response, LFingar, is especially helpful, being both direct and complete. As a person brought up on being thrifty my whole life, I am learning to adapt that to the world of high level photography, which is a much different application.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I have bought many batteries that are not Canon but do have a name on them. While they may not give the same number of shots, they have all done a fine job. There are brands like CS, and Vivitar.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

I have three Canon's
I do not use their batteries and have had no problem with off brand, ever, in ten plus years.
Canon charges too much for having their name printed on products like that.
Who knows where they source their batteries. Might be the same source.
Bill

Timothy S

The most important thing to me is that I do not damage my camera. I have never had to change to a second battery anyway. I just wanted a “just in case” extra if I walk into a photography extravaganza and run out, so I won’t be sorry. I could go to the trouble to send it back and then buy a $50 battery that I might never need. I spent only about 10 bucks, so maybe the worst thing that could happen is low performance on my extra. Unless someone indicates an unsafe experience, I might just leave well enough alone after making sure it works.

BebuLamar

I don't think it would damage the camera but may have short battery life. Since you're already bought it I think you should try to use it.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

First off, a battery is a battery. Please keep that in mind.
Second, a third party battery may not perform as well as a brand battery. It's charge may fall short of your anticipation.
Third, I use only Canon batteries in my camera. I have seen a substandard battery leak and what the compartment looks like afterwards.
Fourth, a manufacturer cannot demand you to by only their product. If you do, they cannot threaten to void the warranty. To do so would be listed as Restraint Of Trade.
Finally, you should use a battery you feel comfortable with. But a caution remains, when not in use, remove it from the compartment.

Happy Shooting!

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

If you want to save money, buy from reputable third party batteries, such as Watson or Wasabi. I own a Nikon DSLR. My primary battery is a Nikon Brand that came with the camera. And my backup battery is a Watson. I keep both batteries fully charged in case one fails on me. When your battery can no longer hold a charge. That is a warning your battery is dying, and you need to replace it. The battery you bought, did not have a recognized Canon chip, which is why you got that warning. I bought my Watson battery from B&H. Sometimes, when you buy a new camera from B&H, they will give you some free extras. Such as a free SD card, and a free extra Watson battery.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Your camera is expensive, use the proper battery for it. Return that junk and man up and buy what you should have the first time.

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

chippy65 Loc: Cambridge

My Nikon cannot tell the difference between E-bay " cheapo's " and genuine Nikon, Same charging time, same number of shots.

batteries in question appear to be identical.........perhaps I just got lucky ?..............but saved heaps !