DSC F28 battery question

Zeitgeist · May 12, 2005

Greetings,

I am just starting to get aquainted with my new Sony DSC F828. I am looking to buy a couple of spare batteries and note a great disparity in price and an interesting difference in specs. The camera uses the NP FM50 battery with a designation of 1200mAh. I have seen less expensive third party replacements with the designation of 1800 mAh. Could someone sort this out for me and tell me if this is a good thing or a bad thing?

Many thanks.

Johnboy2978 · May 13, 2005

Hello there Zeitgeist and welcome to the forum! I have the sony cd500 (and am somewhat envious of the f828) which uses the same battery. When I was battery shopping, I found the same discrepancy. You can spend $80 and get a nice one that says Sony on it, or you can turn to your friend Ebay and find a replacement for around $20. The only difference beween the 1200 and 1800mAh battery is that the 1800 will last 1/3 longer between charges. So if the 1200 was lasting 2 hours/charge, the 1800 will go for 2 hours 40 minutes. The only thing that you have to watch is the voltage which if memory serves correctly is 7.2? Just make sure that is the same. I bought 4 batteries from ebay just before I went to Rome last year and spent about $80 on ebay and was very pleased with them. The only thing that I have noticed about using a battery that was non-Sony was that sometimes the camera didn't accurately display the amount of charge left. In other words, I would have a 100% charged battery in use it for 30" and it was showing that it was dead, but then I could remove it and put it back in and it would show the accuracte time remaining. Doesn't happen all the time, but couldn't figure it out at first. So shop the world at Ebay!

By the way, how is the camera? That has a fixed lens doesn't it?

dalebe · May 13, 2005

i have just bought a sony dsc f828,and am after another battery for it, and personally i would prefer to pay the extra and buy the sony one, at least you know what your getting.

Zeitgeist · May 13, 2005

Thanks for the info johnboy, good news to hear.

So far I like the 828 quite a bit. Perfect camera? No such thing and in the one day that I have had it I have seen the dreaded "purple fringe" in one photo, but it was so small in the photo and only in two places so I believe the problem to be bearable. Yes, it is the fixed lens, but that seems all right since the trade off is a cleaner and less dusty interiors. The camera has a great feel in the hands and it visually impressive. I am just starting to play with it, I spent today just learning how to operate it. Tomorrow, if we get any kind of sun at all, I will be out on the great outdoors with it and will know more as to how we will get along together.

Cheers,