Is this a genuine Canon battery?
Discussion
Hello peeps,
I bought a nice new 6D at the Focus show and am looking for some more LP-E6 batteries for it, preferably genuine Canon ones as previous experience (sample size of 1 admittedly) suggests they're more likely to last longer.
Genuine Canon ones from reputable suppliers seem to be £60-70; there are loads of obvious fakes around, but I found an Amazon supplier with fairly decent feedback that claims to sell genuine ones "reduced" to £43. Worth trying one, I thought, I can always send it back.
So, here it is; my original one on the left, the new one on the right.
The original one:
Serial number 529cd65d
weighs 77g
made in China
the sides of the lower half of the moulding are grained
The new one:
Serial number acb8baf (the camera recognises it, but it's a different number format)
weighs 72g
made in Japan
the sides of the lower half of the moulding aren't grained
The details on the sticker on the back are clearly different too. However, they're sufficiently different to suggest one isn't trying to copy the other.
Could Canon produce genuine batteries in more than one location that are subtly different? Has anyone got a battery with a genuine Canon grey-import camera that resembles the one on the right?
If it is a real one then I'll probably buy a few more (and share a link). Or am I better off buying non-Canon ones from a recognised 3rd party manufacturer?
Many thanks
Ruari
I bought a nice new 6D at the Focus show and am looking for some more LP-E6 batteries for it, preferably genuine Canon ones as previous experience (sample size of 1 admittedly) suggests they're more likely to last longer.
Genuine Canon ones from reputable suppliers seem to be £60-70; there are loads of obvious fakes around, but I found an Amazon supplier with fairly decent feedback that claims to sell genuine ones "reduced" to £43. Worth trying one, I thought, I can always send it back.
So, here it is; my original one on the left, the new one on the right.
The original one:
Serial number 529cd65d
weighs 77g
made in China
the sides of the lower half of the moulding are grained
The new one:
Serial number acb8baf (the camera recognises it, but it's a different number format)
weighs 72g
made in Japan
the sides of the lower half of the moulding aren't grained
The details on the sticker on the back are clearly different too. However, they're sufficiently different to suggest one isn't trying to copy the other.
Could Canon produce genuine batteries in more than one location that are subtly different? Has anyone got a battery with a genuine Canon grey-import camera that resembles the one on the right?
If it is a real one then I'll probably buy a few more (and share a link). Or am I better off buying non-Canon ones from a recognised 3rd party manufacturer?
Many thanks
Ruari
Canon own site suggests there'll be a hologram as described: http://www.canon.co.uk/About_Us/About_Canon/Counte...
£43??? For a genuine battery?
Last year I bought the cheapest nastiest bunch of batteries for my camera and I think they ended up costing $6 each maybe? I worked on the basis a genuine battery would last maybe 800 shots, so having 6 batteries should see me through the day, but quickly discovered that I was easily seeing over 2-3k on each battery!
I've changed camera in the last few weeks, so I bought 6 more cheap and nasty Chinese sweat shop batteries, and we'll see how they get on. $36.
The only thing missing on these batteries is the circuitry that shows battery level. So when the batteries start showing that they are dying, that's more or less game over.
Last year I bought the cheapest nastiest bunch of batteries for my camera and I think they ended up costing $6 each maybe? I worked on the basis a genuine battery would last maybe 800 shots, so having 6 batteries should see me through the day, but quickly discovered that I was easily seeing over 2-3k on each battery!
I've changed camera in the last few weeks, so I bought 6 more cheap and nasty Chinese sweat shop batteries, and we'll see how they get on. $36.
The only thing missing on these batteries is the circuitry that shows battery level. So when the batteries start showing that they are dying, that's more or less game over.
JDRoest said:
£43??? For a genuine battery?
Last year I bought the cheapest nastiest bunch of batteries for my camera and I think they ended up costing $6 each maybe? I worked on the basis a genuine battery would last maybe 800 shots, so having 6 batteries should see me through the day, but quickly discovered that I was easily seeing over 2-3k on each battery!
I've changed camera in the last few weeks, so I bought 6 more cheap and nasty Chinese sweat shop batteries, and we'll see how they get on. $36.
The only thing missing on these batteries is the circuitry that shows battery level. So when the batteries start showing that they are dying, that's more or less game over.
You don't say what camera you have, but I can only get about 300 actuations out of a genuine LP-E6 on my 7D, (4 months old). Last year I bought the cheapest nastiest bunch of batteries for my camera and I think they ended up costing $6 each maybe? I worked on the basis a genuine battery would last maybe 800 shots, so having 6 batteries should see me through the day, but quickly discovered that I was easily seeing over 2-3k on each battery!
I've changed camera in the last few weeks, so I bought 6 more cheap and nasty Chinese sweat shop batteries, and we'll see how they get on. $36.
The only thing missing on these batteries is the circuitry that shows battery level. So when the batteries start showing that they are dying, that's more or less game over.
I have raised this question on the EOS forum and the replies there have been varied, ranging from 300 to 1000 , depending on whether live view and flash have been used. Perhaps I should give none genuine batteries a try.
I've never run a direct comparative test - and there are too many variables in real use to be totally sure, but like JDRoest I have used cheap non-OEM batteries in several cameras and they all seemed to perform just as well as the originals if not better. They also seem to have a lifespan at least as long.
The most marked difference has been on my 1D3 where the fit of a 'non-Canon' name brand and a very cheap non-brand are not quite the same as the original but close enough. Weather sealing is not compromised. The Non-Canon brand name ir probably the poorest performer of the three but ther is not much in it - if used in a continuous shoot over a day or two, even running the lens and a WFT attachment, they all give 2000 images or more. 1800 it I am being really wasteful on using but not taking the image.
The camera controlled battery condition monitoring is also slightly off - but then the original Battery keeps telling me that it needs "Calibrating" but calibrating through the charger makes no difference and it still tells me it needs calibrating.
I'm sure you can get duff ones from time to time but so far performance has been on a par with the Original batteries but at much lower cost. The 1D3 batteries for example are around £130 odd from Canon. Third party from about £14 but iirc I paid less for my least expensive one two years ago.
7dayshop used to be a good source of Li-Ion compatible batteries but last time I looked the Royal Mail ban on Li-Ion batteries in the post had caused them to stop listing them until they had found an alternative way to ship them.
The most marked difference has been on my 1D3 where the fit of a 'non-Canon' name brand and a very cheap non-brand are not quite the same as the original but close enough. Weather sealing is not compromised. The Non-Canon brand name ir probably the poorest performer of the three but ther is not much in it - if used in a continuous shoot over a day or two, even running the lens and a WFT attachment, they all give 2000 images or more. 1800 it I am being really wasteful on using but not taking the image.
The camera controlled battery condition monitoring is also slightly off - but then the original Battery keeps telling me that it needs "Calibrating" but calibrating through the charger makes no difference and it still tells me it needs calibrating.
I'm sure you can get duff ones from time to time but so far performance has been on a par with the Original batteries but at much lower cost. The 1D3 batteries for example are around £130 odd from Canon. Third party from about £14 but iirc I paid less for my least expensive one two years ago.
7dayshop used to be a good source of Li-Ion compatible batteries but last time I looked the Royal Mail ban on Li-Ion batteries in the post had caused them to stop listing them until they had found an alternative way to ship them.
Killwilly said:
JDRoest said:
£43??? For a genuine battery?
Last year I bought the cheapest nastiest bunch of batteries for my camera and I think they ended up costing $6 each maybe? I worked on the basis a genuine battery would last maybe 800 shots, so having 6 batteries should see me through the day, but quickly discovered that I was easily seeing over 2-3k on each battery!
I've changed camera in the last few weeks, so I bought 6 more cheap and nasty Chinese sweat shop batteries, and we'll see how they get on. $36.
The only thing missing on these batteries is the circuitry that shows battery level. So when the batteries start showing that they are dying, that's more or less game over.
You don't say what camera you have, but I can only get about 300 actuations out of a genuine LP-E6 on my 7D, (4 months old). Last year I bought the cheapest nastiest bunch of batteries for my camera and I think they ended up costing $6 each maybe? I worked on the basis a genuine battery would last maybe 800 shots, so having 6 batteries should see me through the day, but quickly discovered that I was easily seeing over 2-3k on each battery!
I've changed camera in the last few weeks, so I bought 6 more cheap and nasty Chinese sweat shop batteries, and we'll see how they get on. $36.
The only thing missing on these batteries is the circuitry that shows battery level. So when the batteries start showing that they are dying, that's more or less game over.
I have raised this question on the EOS forum and the replies there have been varied, ranging from 300 to 1000 , depending on whether live view and flash have been used. Perhaps I should give none genuine batteries a try.
But my point is that I don't see genuine batteries having much more of an advantage than that.
One of the reasons there is such an enormity in battery life range is that different people spend differing amounts of time focussing on stuff, live view etc.
On my previous camera (a 400D) I bought a 3rd party spare battery when I got the camera; initially the two batteries were both fine, but after a couple of years the original Canon one was perfect and the 3rd party one would flatten quickly. I then bought a spare genuine Canon one which lasted perfectly. Admittedly this is a sample size of one, as mentioned in my original post.
I'm tempted to try a respected 3rd party brand this time - even if it only survives half the number of recharges, they're probably less than half the price. Does anyone have any recommendations for these? Will they all register correctly in a 6D?
Thanks all
Ruari
I'm tempted to try a respected 3rd party brand this time - even if it only survives half the number of recharges, they're probably less than half the price. Does anyone have any recommendations for these? Will they all register correctly in a 6D?
Thanks all
Ruari
It will be quite hard to really do a true comparison without 2 matching cameras shooting identical settings. I find such a huge difference in shots per battery just because of the temperature (which is to be expected)
However the old man uses aftermarket Nikon batteries and he can't fault them to the point he doesn't even realise which battery he's got in as they perform a very similar amount of shots per battery.
However the old man uses aftermarket Nikon batteries and he can't fault them to the point he doesn't even realise which battery he's got in as they perform a very similar amount of shots per battery.
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff