7D Mark II LP-E6 or LP-E6N?

[Frfun]

I recently splurged on the new 7D Mark II which I am really happy with. I need another battery or two and was looking for opinions on whether the new LP- E6N is worth the price difference between the LP-E6. If anyone has any experience either way, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[AvTvM]

Got no experience with the new LP-E6N yet.

It's a tough call. The nominal increase in capacity is tiny and certainly does not appear to justify the price differential. But most likely Canon also changed electronics/chip inside. This may bring real benefits to users that are not immediately obvious but still worth it. Or they might just be intended to reduce compatibility with third party gear like chargers and or previous generation cameras. Or it was just dictated by some legislation re. Battery safety etc. In Japan or elsewhere. Or all of these ... hard to tell.

LP-E6N street prices will come down, but again, hard to predict how quickly, how much.

When 7d II is the only (canon) camera body in use, I'd probably buy LP-E6N ... but only absolute minimum number needed right now. More later, once cheaper ...

When 7d II is added to existing setup with one or more "older", LP-E6 cameras like 7D, 6D, 5D II, 5D III, 60D, 70D and chargers + batteries are used "mix 'n match", I'd probably not buy additional LP-E6N's yet. First check in regular use, whether the one from 7D II and the new charger play nicely with the previous generation gear.

 

[Ryan85]

I'd try the wasabi lp-e6 battery's if I was you. Look on Amazon. There cheap and work great on my 5d3. You get 2 of them and a charger and car charger adaptor with them for like 25 dollars if I remember. Not sure if there compatible with the 7d2 yet but I'd give them a try and if they don't work return them. I'd say I get 90-95% the of the battery life with them compared to the canon brand name lp-e6

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I'd doubt that getting 5% more capacity is worth the price difference. Once the LP-E6's are sold out, there will be no more. Get one while you can if they are cheap.

 

[Ryan85]

I'd try the wasabi lp-e6 battery's if I was you. Look on Amazon. There cheap and work great on my 5d3. You get 2 of them and a charger and car charger adaptor with them for like 25 dollars if I remember. Not sure if there compatible with the 7d2 yet but I'd give them a try and if they don't work return them. I'd say I get 90-95% the of the battery life with them compared to the canon brand name lp-e6

I just checked online and they are compatible with the 7d2. Didn't know if they would be yet. The price is 29.99.

 

[AvTvM]

In my experience, third party batteries and chargers have always turned out "not to be worth it" in the end. As much as i think Canon (like nikon and others) are really gouging us on battery prices ...

With third party batteries i've aleays had issues. Not one of them had better than 80% of the original battery capacity, once they had been in real use for more than a few weeks. Not one third party battery was still usable after 4 years, wheras all of my canon batteries (various types) were - maybe down to "only 1 red dot"-health status, but still good to go.

I've had all sorts of compatibility issues - both mechanically (including battery nearly stuck in camera slot) and electrically (third party battery overheating in original canon charger on 1st charge, etc.)

Especially when a new type of canon battery comes out like LP-E6N, i'd definitely be extra careful with third party batteries. The chinese manufacturers may not have really completed their reverse engineering exercise yet.

But ... YMMV.

 

[Ryan85]

In my experience, third party batteries and chargers have always turned out "not to be worth it" in the end. As much as i think Canon (like nikon and others) are really gouging us on battery prices ...

With third party batteries i've aleays had issues. Not one of them had better than 80% of the original battery capacity, once they had bern in real use for more than a month. Not one third party battery was still usable after 4 years, wheras all of my canon batteries (various types) were - maybe down to "only 1 red dot"-health status, but still good to go.

I've had all sorts of compatibility issues - both mechanicallx (battery nearly stuck in camera slot) and electrically (third party battery overheating in original canon charger on 1st charge, etc.)

Rspecially when a new type of canon battery comes out like lp-e6N, i' definitely be extra careful with third party batteries. The chinese manufacturers may not have really completed their reverse engineering exercise yet.

But ... YMMV.

Lots of people feel that way and I understand. I've only used the wasabis and I've had great luck with them. Shooting weddings I burn through the battery's and I've been happy with them over the year or so I've been using them. For me I'm getting about 90% or so of the canon battery charge. I really like that they come with a car charger too. For under 30 bucks for 2 battery's and a charger and car charger Im happy. Now other third party manufactures idk

 

[Ryan85]

And they have a 3 year waranty