Original or 3rd Party battery for DSLR

[jamboree]

Hi, got a few questions about battery for DSLR.
Besides seeing how many shots you can take, is there any other way to tell whether the battery retention capability is still strong or not.
If I want to buy new battery to replace, should I go for Original or buy 3rd party from shops like SLR Revolution. What are the advantages/disadvantages.

 

[luckyorange]

hmm i got a 3rd party for my d3k till now no problem at all =x... will be getting 1 for d7k if theres 1 haha

 

[technoglitz87]

Usually under battery info it tells u how old it is, but retention capability will require other testing methods which i can't be sure too. Usually batteries 1-2years old lose some capabilities of their own.

If u can afford, jus get the original. Personally tried 3rd party ones and they seem fine too. But yeah, original is always the best.

 

[Octarine]

Advantages: 3rd party batteries come at lower costs.
Disadvantages: Certain original batteries have a chip inside that the camera and charger expect for recognition / communication. If the 3rd party battery comes without chip then in best case the battery status is incorrect, worst case could be that the battery is not charged properly.
Don't get fooled by funky numbers of capacity, some 3rd party vendors have a wild imagination what the battery can do. Finally, it's not more than what the original; batteries deliver.

 

[Sphben]

Third party batteries are great if you don't abuse them. I use them in my phones, cameras and even laptops. It's been working great for me so far
On the capacity thing at most you can expect is a tiny bit more juice than the original battery at max if not it'll usually be lesser

 

[jamboree]

Usually under battery info it tells u how old it is, but retention capability will require other testing methods which i can't be sure too. Usually batteries 1-2years old lose some capabilities of their own.

If u can afford, jus get the original. Personally tried 3rd party ones and they seem fine too. But yeah, original is always the best.

Thanks. I have a D40, I think don't have battery info selection on menu. :-(

 

[jamboree]

Advantages: 3rd party batteries come at lower costs.
Disadvantages: Certain original batteries have a chip inside that the camera and charger expect for recognition / communication. If the 3rd party battery comes without chip then in best case the battery status is incorrect, worst case could be that the battery is not charged properly.
Don't get fooled by funky numbers of capacity, some 3rd party vendors have a wild imagination what the battery can do. Finally, it's not more than what the original; batteries deliver.

Chip inside battery...tks for the tip, didn't know that. Any idea if Nikon battery has chip inside?

 

[Octarine]

Chip inside battery...tks for the tip, didn't know that. Any idea if Nikon battery has chip inside?

It's not about Nikon (or Canon) but the model. D40 is old enough not to be chipped

 

[crystal1993]

Personally for me regarding batteries, grips, chargers etc. It's always best to get original.

I have a 3rd party battery for my lx5 and it's honestly crap. The original can last almost 3weeks with usage of just taking food photos or with friends etc., or can last one whole day of shooting.

The 3rd party one ran out of juice in less than 1 week. -o-
Luckily it was free.

 

[jamboree]

Thanks for all the good info & patience with a newbie like me!

 

[edutilos-]

Hi, got a few questions about battery for DSLR.
Besides seeing how many shots you can take, is there any other way to tell whether the battery retention capability is still strong or not.
If I want to buy new battery to replace, should I go for Original or buy 3rd party from shops like SLR Revolution. What are the advantages/disadvantages.

Original batteries are more expensive but tend to be of higher quality - i.e. they tend to hold charge longer, capacity does not drop that much after consistent use, and of course if anything goes wrong, you have a place to slam table.

3rd party batteries are cheaper, and can sometimes perform as well as the original batteries. But if they do funky things like explode, leak, and damage your camera, depending on the brand, you might not even have a place to bang table at.

Which to get, up to you to decide. I am currently using 3rd party batteries because original price can buy 4 or 5 3rd party batteries. :bsmilie: