OEM Nikon Li-lon batteries?

[GaryO]

Are the original Nikon factory Li-lon batteries of any higher quality than the after market versions like from Vivitar? Thanks...

 

[AceCo55]

I don't know - only ever use genuine. The general consensus seems to be that you will get less shots from a generic battery (say 85%).
From my point of view, the cost difference between genuine and generic isn't worth taking a risk on generic.

 

[table1349]

Been using batteries from here for years in my camera bodies. Digital Camera Batteries Chargers Memory Cards Readers I have never had an issue with any of them. Not only to I get more shots per battery than the OEM since they have more mA's, they are reasonably priced and have been a good company to work with.


FYI there is no such thing as a true Nikon/Canon/Sony/Olympus etc. battery. None of them make batteries, they have some other company make them for them and stamp their name on them.

 

[sm4him]

I've used third-party batteries for both my D5100 and my D7000; I've never had a single problem with them and have never noticed any reduction in the number of shots or shooting time before they need to be recharged.

The exception to this is that I recently had to purchase a third-party battery *charger* ("had to" because I was on vacation when I discovered I'd left my charger at home--Amazon couldn't guarantee delivery of a Nikon charger until the day before I was leaving, and I found ONE local store that sold a charger that would work, so I bought it). It *seems* like when I charge the third-party battery with the third-party charger, the charge doesn't last as long. However, I will say that to date, that is merely anecdotal; I've yet to actually verify whether it's true or not, and if so, whether charging the Nikon battery in the third-party charger also yields the same result.

 

[SCraig]

Battery PACKS (as opposed to just individual "Batteries") are, like most electronics, getting smarter all the time. I agree that none of the camera manufacturers manufacture batteries, but I think some of the "Packs" are starting to contain electronics to monitor the overall condition of the pack, regulate the voltage, and/or just identify the pack as being OEM. Whether the 3rd-party manufacturers are able to replicate that I don't know. I don't know if the camera manufacturers even care since it's such a relatively small market.

I have used a 3rd-party pack twice. Once was for a camcorder that I bought for my office. I ordered the camcorder along with an extra battery pack since it was going to be on job sites for most of the day. The aftermarket battery pack literally would not even go into the camera since there was a tab on it that prevented it going into the battery housing on the camera.

The other time was when I bought my first DSLR. I got a second battery for it and didn't realize at the time that it wasn't a Nikon battery. No big deal, it fits the camera, the ampacity is higher, the voltage is the same, and it works fine. Over time I started to see the difference. Both the Nikon pack and the aftermarket pack were charged more or less the same number of times however the aftermarket pack began to lose ampacity rather quickly. After a year or so it fell off during use much more quickly than the OEM pack did.

Long story short: I stick with OEM batteries in my cameras. The aftermarket packs usually work, they usually perform as they are supposed to, and they cost a bit less. When I buy a Nikon pack I don't have to worry about the "Usually" part. I know they will work properly, and that's worth the difference in price to me.

 

[table1349]

You could possibly solve this issue with a slightly better charger. I can't say this is true, but I suspect that the OEM and better quality 3rd party charges have some form of reconditioning built into them. My standard charger for all my AA's for strobes is built this way and reconditions batteries individually as needed.

 

[SCraig]

You could possibly solve this issue with a slightly better charger. I can't say this is true, but I suspect that the OEM and better quality 3rd party charges have some form of reconditioning built into them. My standard charger for all my AA's for strobes is built this way and reconditions batteries individually as needed.

Battery technology has changed dramatically over the past decade or so. Older nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries had/have an ugly habit of developing a memory. If they were discharged to the same level a few times then they would tend to "Memorize" that level and refuse to discharge below it. A "Conditioning" cycle would erase that memory and allow them to perform as new. Newer lithium ion (LIon) batteries do not have this problem and a "Conditioning" cycle is not as necessary. I use a Powerex C9000 charger on all my "AA" batteries and do cycle them through a conditioning cycle from time to time even though I haven't been convinced that it's necessary. I haven't seen that it helps or hinders but it certainly doesn't hurt anything.

Additionally, newer batteries, especially the Sanyo Eneloop series, do not tend to self-discharge when not in use as badly as older batteries. Rechargeable batteries tend to start losing part of their charge as soon as they are taken off the charger. Over time they can completely discharge without ever having been used. The Eneloop series self-discharges very, very slowly and will retain up to 70% of their initial charge for up to a year. Their ampacity is somewhat lower than other batteries but I never have to worry about them discharging when not in use.

 

[table1349]

While LIon do not develop memory like the older NiCd and NiMH, like all batteries, they need reconditioning from time to time. Older NiCd and NiMH batteries were reconditioned by draining the battery(s) flat (deep-discharge) and then charging them, doing this twice. LIon do not require do not have to be deep-discharged. It is sufficient to discharge a LIon battery to 50% or a little below and then recharge the battery. This process needs to be consecutively repeated at least twice for proper reconditioning. A good LIon charger will do this procedure in the same manner that my MH-C808M will do a deep-discharge for my NiCd and NiMH batteries.

 

[KmH]

Nikon OEM batteries have circuitry that provides battery life information. In the past, some 3rd party batteries have not been very successful reverse engineering that aspect of Nikon's batteries.

Nikon's US warranty clearly states that it doesn't apply to repairs necessitated by the use of non-Nikon parts. No doubt, that becomes moot once the warranty ends.