Extra battery

[MarieFan]

Hello, everybody!
I have the Canon Rebel xti, and I wanted to buy an extra battery for an upcoming trip. When I looked online, I saw lots of generic batteries. (I searched for NB-2LH.) Are the less expensive generics a good choice, or should I stick with the original Canon brand? Thanks for your help.

Jennifer

 

[handicap18]

If you go with generic brand the go with the ones from sterlingtek.com I've bought 4 extra batteries for my 2 digital camera's (a PnS and a dSLR). They are a lot less expensive than the original brand and work just as good.

 

[lesley.a.murray@talk]

Would you believe that I have just asked this on the British Disney board!
And us on the same cruise too!

I have just bought the Canon 400d which I'm sure is the Rebel xti in the states.Looking forward to playing with it onboard.

 

[boBQuincy]

There are plenty of reports and even videos of aftermarket batteries going up in flames. The problem is we don't know where the sellers get them from and if their batteries have the proper protection circuits. The only way to tell is to take the battery apart, and even that doesn't help much because the next batch may be from a different supplier.

Surely there is a big markup on the OEM batteries but if an "equivalent" battery sells for 20% of the price we have to wonder where the manufacturer cut costs.

I stay with the original manufacturer's batteries, it's insurance (but expensive). Also, don't be swayed by claims of greater capacity, there is no industry standard way of testing that and the sellers can claim almost any capacity they want.

 

[mabas9395]

Everything everyone above has posted is correct. Original Canon batteries are probably the safer way to go.

But realistically, hundreds and hundreds of people on other more professional photography boards us and recommend the batteries from Sterlingtek.

I have two of each and I can't tell them apart.

 

[jann1033]

Hello, everybody!
I have the Canon Rebel xti, and I wanted to buy an extra battery for an upcoming trip. When I looked online, I saw lots of generic batteries. (I searched for NB-2LH.) Are the less expensive generics a good choice, or should I stick with the original Canon brand? Thanks for your help.

Jennifer

i have 2 no names( were under 20 each) i got from someplace (?)on line and 1 canon that came with my camera.all are almost 3 yrs old and have had lots of use, all are still fine. i rotate them so all have about the same amount of use and recharge after each use..i'd buy the cheapies again.

 

[Miqee]

Non-brand batteries are cheap but two non-nikon d200 batteries i got do not last nearly as long as nikons own.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I stick with real Canon batteries AND I buy them only from reliable sources... aka photo stores with a good reputation. I have been burned by the counterfeit batteries before. AVOID EBay... and if the price looks too good.... it's probably a counterfeit.


http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/pxlbarrel/

The above shows the camera battery I bought on Ebay in comparison to a real battery. Don't get taken like I did.

 

[MarieFan]

Wow - thanks everybody! I think I will stick with the one I have. It seems to last long enough, and I can charge it at night. I don't want to take a chance, and I don't want to pay $70. Here's hoping it will get me through a day at the parks!
Jen

 

[My2Girls66]

I have one generic for my Nikon D50 plus the Nikon one it came with. The generic is a Digipower from either Circuit City or Best Buy. It was $40. I use it as a backup in case I can't recharge for some reason. It works fine. I've had it for 2.5 years.

 

[boBQuincy]

Wow - thanks everybody! I think I will stick with the one I have. It seems to last long enough, and I can charge it at night. I don't want to take a chance, and I don't want to pay $70. Here's hoping it will get me through a day at the parks!
Jen

A Canon NB-2LH is just under $50 at Amazon (free shipping). Not exactly cheap but much better than seeing the dreaded "low battery" warning halfway through the day.
The lowest cost aftermarket battery is only $4.75!

 

[WillCAD]

I have an aftermarket battery that I got from a supplier at the yearly Hamfest in Baltimore; it seems to give me identical performance to the Canon batery that I got with my camera. But everyone else is right - there are lots of junk batteries on the market, and it's best to get them from a reliable source like Amazon or B&H (for Canon brand) or Stirlingtek (for aftermarket).

Would you believe that I have just asked this on the British Disney board!
And us on the same cruise too!

I have just bought the Canon 400d which I'm sure is the Rebel xti in the states.Looking forward to playing with it onboard.

Canon Digital Rebel = 300D (6.3mp)
Canon Digital Rebel XT = 350D (8.0mp)
Canon Digital Rebel XTi = 400D (10.10mp)
Canon Digital Rebel XSi = 450D (12.2mp)

 

[Scott_Sheppard]

Be safe ... use ONLY a Canon battery.

They cost a lot more but worth it.

 

[boBQuincy]

Not to beat this thing forever, but here is a statement from Canon:


Safety Notice: Counterfeit Lithium-Ion Battery Packs (Update)





Updated: December 11, 2006

Affected products:
All Digital SLR Cameras, All PowerShot Cameras, All Digital Video Cameras

The purpose of this document is to notify you that counterfeit lithium-ion battery packs and battery chargers are being used with Canon brand Digital Cameras and Digital Camcorders. Canon recently discovered these counterfeit lithium-ion battery packs and chargers on sale, and in circulation on internet auction websites, being passed off as Canon genuine lithium-ion battery packs and chargers. Canon also learned of an explosion which appears to have been caused by one of these counterfeit lithium-ion battery packs.

Because these counterfeit lithium-ion battery packs and battery chargers are often not equipped with certain protective devices meeting Canon's and the industry's basic quality standards, using or recharging these counterfeit lithium-ion battery packs could cause your camcorder to malfunction, or lead these battery packs to overheat, leak liquids, ignite, or explode. In the worst case, this could not only damage your camera or camcorder, but also result in fire, burns and/or injuries (including loss of eyesight). Accordingly, these counterfeit lithium-ion battery packs and/or battery chargers should not be used.

Please be advised that Canon is not responsible, and will not be liable, for any malfunctions, damages or injuries caused by non-Canon genuine lithium-ion battery packs and/or battery chargers (including any counterfeit products).

For questions about "Counterfeit" products, please contact us at the following:
Telephone: 1 (800) 828-4040.




I find the next to last paragraph particularly interesting. Of course Canon is just following good CYA policies but it is worth noting.