1963mca

Has anyone used Watson EN-EL15 type batteries in their D850?

I bought a D800 years ago from BH. At the time there was a special deal, get two Watson Batteries (EN-EL15 type) and a dual Watson charger with two EN-EL15 charging plates at a good price so I got them. They have worked fine over the years in the D800. I recently bought a D850 and figured I'd use the Watson batteries in that as well, but foolishly never tested them, as the D850 EN-EL15a battery has never been used to exhaustion, I've just recharged and reused it. I had tested my original EN-EL15 battery from my D800 in my D850 which worked fine so never bought a spare Nikon battery as I could use the D800 battery if needed. Plus I foolishly figured an equivalent EN-EL15 aftermarket battery would work.

Last month we went out to Wyoming to visit our daughter, her husband and our grandchildren at their new home. Traveling light, I just took the D850 and the two spare Watson batteries, along with my Leica M240 as a walk-around camera, leaving the older D800 at home. Before leaving I had checked the Watson batteries in the D800 and ran the test mode on each in the Watson charger, both batteries showed 100%. Foolishly never tested them in the D850.

After taking a bunch of pictures, I figured I'd swap batteries in the D850 just to have a fresh Watson battery before the next day of touring. Turned it on and nothing, all I saw was the little battery indicator in the LCD screen and it showed a dead battery indication, camera itself would not even turn on so I couldn't look at the actual menu to check the battery condition. Swapped to the second Watson battery and same thing, dead. Put the original D850 battery in and all was fine although down to 20% which was understandable due to how much I had been using it and the reason I wanted to swap batteries before going out that day.

I had also given my daughter a D800 when our first grandchild was born so they could provide us with photographs as the kids (there are now two granddaughters) are growing up. I used her D800 to test the Watson batteries and they worked fine, showed 100%. Put them back in the D850, showed dead. So in my case, anyway, the Watson EN-EL15 batteries won't work in my D850 while original Nikon EN-EL15's will. I very quickly placed an order for two Nikon EN-EL15b batteries from BH and had them shipped to my daughter, they arrived in three days, and are working fine. The original Nikon EN-EL15 from my daughters D800 also worked fine in my D850, it's just the Watson clones that don't work.

I'm just curious if anyone else has experienced a case where a Watson battery (or any other non-Nikon battery) has worked in a D800 but not in a D850. Not that it matters, since I will never buy another aftermarket battery again, but curious if mine is an isolated situation.

Quixdraw Loc: x

I believe Nikon offered to replace their older En El 15 batteries because there were issues with both the D850 and D500. Don't recall the specifics, but the outcome of using the older batteries was like yours.

davesit Loc: Media, PA

I think there were firmware issues with early EN-EL15 batteries when used with the D850. Other manufacturers also had the same problem. Later versions seemed to work fine.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I don't know what might have happened in this case and I am not completely familiar with the equipment in question, however, I do have some advice as I am extensive battery user.

Unlike older mechanical film cameras, today's cameras are all electronic and totally depend on battery power. If a battery fails there is no workaround solution except having spare fully charged batteries on hand. The more features and automated functions your camera has the more power storage is required- everything form the indicator light or readouts in the viewfinder, the LCD screen when you chimp, the autofocus, and metering functions draws power. The cameras are becoming more complex every day and so are the energy storage products that power them. Oftentimes the original batteries are dedicated tt he ampere-hour requirements of specific cameras. Batteries can lose storage capacity with age and continuous usage. Some of them may suffer from issues if left dormant for long periods of time.

So we spend thousands of dollars on cameras and then use of all kinds of aftermarket or third-party batteries. It may seem "paranoid" on my part, but it seems to me that some of the camera manufacturers are "boobytrapping" their gear with firmware changes, chips in their own branded batteries, and other mechanisms that create more potential for battery failure at the most inopportune times. So, my recommendation is to stick with original batteries and carry as many spares as you can afford, keep your chargers handy, consider a car-charger, and maintain your batteries as to charging cycles, cleanliness of the terminals and the battery compartment.

This may seem like overkill to some folks. After all, I use my gear professionally and can't afford a breakdown, however, why risk disappointment and frustration on you vacation shots, family events and once-in-a liftimes scenes becauseof a "power failure".

Even a brand new original battery can unceremoniously drop-dead- it could be a defect, a one-off happening, or something else that can't ever be diagnosed- the only remedy or preventative action is plenty of spares and a reliable relpacemt waranty.

Murphy's law of batteries: If you have one or two batterie on hand they both unexpectly die- if you have half a dozen on hand, the first battery will miraculously last through a very long shoot!

Quixdraw Loc: x

I have both Nikon and "Off brand", primarily Wasabi, but a few odd others as well gotten with used cameras. There has been no difference in battery performance or any battery failure of either type. Because I have several cameras, and have multiple spares for each, the cost of OEM quickly gets out of control. EN EL 15 at better than $72 x Just the 6 freshly charged ones on my desk $432. A 2 pack of Wasabi $25, $75 vs $432 for 6. With no functional difference, and experience over a dozen years, I'll keep the extra money.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

I have been using 3rd party batteries for years and my experience is similar. Marketing departments know its easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.

charles tabb Loc: Richmond VA.

I have been using Watson batteries in my Sony a99II camera for quite a few years now.
I've taken them to Europe and Hawaii and haven't a complaint.
Sure I have a very few that will not take lasting full charge but I always Cary a couple or three in my pocket when out shooting and have never had a problem.

Charles

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Allot depends on how hard and how frequently you use your gear and batteries. In my own case, all my gear is used on a daily bases and in many cases are in hard use in somewhat difficult industrial and construction locations. On the weekend we are out shooing weddings and social functions. Each year we go through a truckload of both regular alkaline batteries and all kinds of rechargeables.

I am not influenced by marketing hyperbole- I don't even have time to read the ads. I just go by experience and actual performance of all my gear. Among professional photographers, there is also a kind of "grapevine" whereby the word on good and bad gear gets around quickly and bad news travels faster.

I have used all kinds of aftermarket batteries in my flash gear and have even modified some of it to accept substitutions. In the cameras, I lean towards original batteries- I've experienced better performance and longevity. I had a few third party cells leak and damage cameras so I tend to shy away from them.

My advice is not carved in stone- just suggestions- folks can take it for what it is worth.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Everything works in a D800. Nothing except OEM and Wasabi work in a D850 as of a couple of years ago.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

I use Nikon and Watson in D810 and D850 interchangeably, no difference in performance.

Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

I have two Nikon and two Watson EN-ELN15 a batteries that I use in my d850 and have never noticed any difference in performance.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

I have also had good service from Wasabi batteries.

1963mca

Thanks for all the comments. Since I have had these Watson batteries for many years, ever since I bought the D800, there must have been a later change in the Watson design that allows them to now work with the D850, especially as it appears from the comments that even very early Nikon EN-EL15's have a problem in the D850. Since I now have two new EN-EL15b batteries for my D850, and the Watson's still work fine in the D800, I'm all set, I'll use them until they finally crap out, and in the future won't mind paying a bit more for a Nikon battery when one does. For most of you who have never had a problem with your batteries, excellent. In my case, on a long trip to the middle of nowhere (no offense to Wyoming residents, but my daughter really appears to be living in the middle of nowhere, although it is beautiful to this easterner!) there was no place to obtain a replacement battery on the spur of the moment. Thank goodness for BH rapid shipping of the two new batteries.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I use Watson batteries with my Olympus EM-1 and no issues.