Canon Counterfit .... Third party batteries

[Faxon]

I see in today's front page that Canon is cracking down on counterfit Canon products. I did not realize this was even an issue. What counterfit things are out there? On a second thought... are third party batteries as good as Canon batteries?

 

[Dukinald]

Counterfeit is different than third party. Have read here that there where instances where batteries were branded as canon but turns out they really are not (amazon). This is rampant with SD cards in amazon or eBay.

As far as third party batteries, they are cheaper alternatives compared to OEM. I've had good experience with them including BG for my t2i. But then again, buy it at your risk and keep your ear on the forums like CR.

 

[picturesbyme]

6 batteries (LPE6).
4 3rd party...
0 difference for me
0 problems in years
---------------------------------
lots of $$$ saved (and spent on pistachios)
..actually I used 3rd party batteries back when I used Oly, Nikon, and now that I use Canon and never in many years I have had a problem.
In fact most of the time these batteries worked just as well if not better than the "oem" ones.

 

[Jean]

I've been using original Canon batteries since 2004, and still use them every week.
Another 'hi-capacity'battery is from 2006, original Canon and is also in use every week during sports-shooting.

My experience with Lenmar batteries is that those will last for about one year and then the internal resistance of the battery will increase resulting in self-discharge and reduced performance.

Original Canon batteries for me

 

[Wilmark]

I think the distinction between counterfeit and after market/third party need to be made. I have never bought a genuine canon battery but have bought several after market non canon batteries and chargers/grips accessories etc based on user feedback usually from amazon. And I have had no regrets. I looked over the canon website about counterfeit and it looks like they are trying to kill two birds with one stone. They are using the dangers of counterfeit products (non genuine canon labeled products which are risky) and advising you to buy ONLY genuine canon products in other words discouraging users from buying third party/OEM etc. I think this is DISHONEST on the part of Canon.

 

[davidbellissima]

As for third party batteries, I paid £10 ($16) for two 5D1 batteries years ago, versus something like £55 for a single Canon branded battery. The no name brand third party batteries had a higher capacity and held their charge better than the Canon battery, in my experience over a number of years. I now have similar third party batteries for my 5D2 and 5D3 and they are once again a fraction of the cost and perform very well, although this time I would guesstimate that the Canon versions are a little better in terms of self discharge and maybe capacity. Hard to go wrong with some cheap additional batteries that are absolutely fine and do the job...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

As for third party batteries, I paid £10 ($16) for two 5D1 batteries years ago, versus something like £55 for a single Canon branded battery. The no name brand third party batteries had a higher capacity and held their charge better than the Canon battery, in my experience over a number of years. I now have similar third party batteries for my 5D2 and 5D3 and they are once again a fraction of the cost and perform very well, although this time I would guesstimate that the Canon versions are a little better in terms of self discharge and maybe capacity. Hard to go wrong with some cheap additional batteries that are absolutely fine and do the job...

Not my experience at all. Usually, third party batteries don't hold enough charge or last long enough to be dangerous, but many of them do not meet safety standards for Li-on batteries. Nikon had to stop selling the D700 in Japan when their battery did not meet safety standards, but kept on selling them elsewhere.
There are two areas of concern.
1. Physical damage from dropping a battery and shorting it internally.
2. Overheat from charging at too high a rate.
The new Japanese laws that went into effect last fall address both of these, but you can bet that the counterfit and many third party batteries don't.
The US Post office banned the shipment of Li-on batteries or electronics containing them in the International mail. Tons of these were coming from China every day, and a aircraft fire was inevitable. UPS lost a 747 a couple of years back due to a Lithium battery fire. Its a real concern, but it will take a plane full of people being killed to finally wakeup people to the risk.

 

[Richard8971]

I see in today's front page that Canon is cracking down on counterfit Canon products. I did not realize this was even an issue. What counterfit things are out there? On a second thought... are third party batteries as good as Canon batteries?

So far in my experience, yes they are as good, provided you buy them from a reputable seller. I have purchased aftermarket batteries for my Canon Xti, T1i, 40D and now 7D. I have never had an issue with them except one battery that wouldn't take a charge and the seller sent me a replacement battery within a couple of days, no questions asked.

The current set I have for my 7D are made by a company called "Wasabi Power" and I bought 2 batteries (Canon LP-E6), holders, an A/C charger and an adapter for 12V DC automotive power for $29.99 (plus shipping) from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-2-Pack-Charger/dp/B0049XGNKK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358816580&sr=8-3&keywords=wasabi+battery

They company shipped them very fast (I got them in a couple of days) and they have been fantastic. They work perfectly with the Canon chargers and my 7D. They hold power just as long as my Canon batteries do.

I have photography friends that swear up and down that aftermarket batteries suck and can short out your camera. Well, I have never actually met anyone who has had that happen and I have bought dozen of aftermarket batteries with great luck. I will keep buying them. Any words of advice? Take your time and look for an honest seller, that way your chances of avoiding problems are minimized.

D

 

[picturesbyme]

As for third party batteries, I paid £10 ($16) for two 5D1 batteries years ago, versus something like £55 for a single Canon branded battery. The no name brand third party batteries had a higher capacity and held their charge better than the Canon battery, in my experience over a number of years. I now have similar third party batteries for my 5D2 and 5D3 and they are once again a fraction of the cost and perform very well, although this time I would guesstimate that the Canon versions are a little better in terms of self discharge and maybe capacity. Hard to go wrong with some cheap additional batteries that are absolutely fine and do the job...

Back then when I got a 7D the LPE6 batteries were going for $100 and they were hard to get... The 7D were a hit and the chip made it difficult to get a 3rd party battery for a while...

Still, there is nothing that can justify a hundred dollar tag on a battery. Same goes for the grips, caps, hoods, timers, etc.... especially when the 3rd party product is as good or better than the original..

Not, that I mind to pay a bit higher for Canon, but when I can get a 3rd party perfectly good battery for $15-20 bucks 3-5 times the rate is just not going to happen... no matter how much scare tactics Canon throws in..

On a separate note, David, your photos are amazing.

 

[Hillsilly]

If you buy Canon, you are really buying their quality control systems and peace of mind. It doesn't mean that all of their batteries will be perfect, but you would expect the failure rate to be low.

If you buy third party, they might be as good or better. Or they might not be. Their soldering, wiring and cells may not be as good and it is more of a risk. Given that you are plugging them into chargers for hours at a time (and usually in your home), are you happy to take that risk? Only you can answer.

Here in Australia, an NP-E3 is over $300. But I can get really good third party batteries that seem to perform as well (in fact, they seem better) for about $40. Canon charges too much of a price premium and I've gone 100% third party. Somebody above mentioned that this is a scare tactic. Given such price differences, I tend to agree.

 

[docholliday]

...not my experience either. Not with laptops, cameras, phones, etc. The biggest concern to me isn't safety - it's the gamble of if you got a bad/good/better battery with the knock-offs (to me a counterfeit is a third party that is labeled to look/scam like a genuine OEM). Occasionally, you may get a knock-off that does better and last longer. After all, the cells probably came from a decent place. However, it's the QC and guarantee that makes the difference.

Manufacturers (OEM) have a decent amount of reputation to uphold by being sure that anything they send out meets a certain expectation (if your original laptop battery lasted 4 hours and your OEM replacement lasted 3, you won't be happy). So, they batch test and try to get a consistent group of materials and components. If you have a problem with your new one, they will usually accomodate and take care of the issue quickly.

Third-party batteries are a gamble, as they may have sourced parts from the same supplier as the OEM, or they may have bought the rejects from some QC firm (happened to many capacitors!). It may work great for the first few months you have it and it may just quit one day. Or, it may last forever. If it quits, is the maker going to be around, care, or cover you to get it replaced?

I prefer to lower the odds a bit and at least if my OEM quits in the middle of an important time, I have a company I can b*tch at. Some may say, yeah, but you can get 3 cheap ones to carry instead of the 1 OEM. But, space in my pockets/bags are a premium. I'd rather not have to dedicate a whole compartment for "backup" batteries. That, and not look stupid when my camera doesn't fire, laptop doesn't power up, or phone dies in the middle of a call.

 

[davidbellissima]

On a separate note, David, your photos are amazing.

Thanks for the compliment ;D