Alternate to EN-EL4 battery?

Just wondering if anyone has purchased a non-Nikon EN-EL4 battery... Possibly from Calumet?

There are manufacturer's who are offering a compatible battery at a fraction of the Nikon price...

Use with a D2H

Thanks to everyone,
Brian
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Tehre's several brands out there, but....

I'm not risking a $5k camera (D2X) for a $40.00 savings on a battery.

AFAIK, the Nikon OEM Batteries are chipped, they communicate with the body, if my Body Kraps out and Nikon Voids my Warranty becase I wanted to save $40.00, it's not worth my time or money.

Your decision though, if your D2H is out of warranty adn your Meter has never Krapped out, it might be a good deal for you.

AFAIK, Nikon is Repairig D2H Meters after the Warranty is past, this might influence you in not using NON-Nikon atteries too.

Y

Brian Friedman said:

Just wondering if anyone has purchased a non-Nikon EN-EL4
battery... Possibly from Calumet?
There are manufacturer's who are offering a compatible battery at a
fraction of the Nikon price...

Use with a D2H

Thanks to everyone,
Brian
--
***************************************

Click to expand...

I picked up a CTA from B&H. It worked well for a couple months but now it does not charge properly. I end up having to mess with the calibration button on the charger, but that only works some of the time.

It's not worth it in my opinion, I'm sticking with the Nikon battery from this time on. Reliability and peace of mind is worth a lot.

I have a "compatible" battery in addition to my Nikon battery. I have had all sorts of strange things happen: Though it seems stable when in the camera it's when charging that strange things happen:

Sometimes it doesn't charge fully or at all
Sometimes all charger lights blink (indicating fault)

Never has shown more than 85% on the battery info menu - currently shows 45% after refresh & charge

Funny I never had the slightest problem with other makers' batteries on my D70, D100, or D1X, must be something going on with the EN EL4!

I'll see what a Nikon battery costs in Singapore when I'm there in a couple of days...

Malc.

--

Photography: Sometimes a profession, sometimes a hobby, always a pleasure. http://www.photosofasia.com

I have a CTA battery as my second, no problems at all. I think battery companies know at least as much about making batteries and chargers as Nikon does. And no, Nikon can't deny you warranty service for unrelated problems just because you've used a 3rd-party battery. That's completely illegal in the US.

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn

They'll never know what battery ou use - don't be dumb.

Me - one Nikon - two generic. One generic fried from a generator in Africa ca ca ca! Replaced without question. Would Nikon do that? Hell, they probably all come from the same sweatshop anyway!

Steve

I have an EN-EL4 and have been using an Eveready ER-D350 as backup. I've had no problem with the Eveready battery, seems to last as long as the Nikon one.

Have you checked http://www.batteries.com:

http://www.batteries.com/productprofile.asp?appid=329951

Seems Eveready Energizers are a reputable company.

Not really!!

If they state it in the warranty statement, and you buy, you accept the statement, so they can just refuse, just like they refuse service if you buy grey market!!

Y

Jeff Kohn said:

I have a CTA battery as my second, no problems at all. I think
battery companies know at least as much about making batteries and
chargers as Nikon does. And no, Nikon can't deny you warranty
service for unrelated problems just because you've used a 3rd-party
battery. That's completely illegal in the US.

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn

Click to expand...

Steve Davey said:

They'll never know what battery ou use - don't be dumb.

Click to expand...

That is very adult of you!!

I amazes me how mach guys get when they're behind the keyboard!

Make you a deal, i'll give you my address and you acan come here and call me dumb in my face!!

Steve Davey said:

Me - one Nikon - two generic. One generic fried from a generator in
Africa ca ca ca! Replaced without question. Would Nikon do that?
Hell, they probably all come from the same sweatshop anyway!

Click to expand...

You risk your system, it's prtfectly OK with me.

I'm not risking a $5K body for a $40.00 savings

Steve Davey said:

Steve

Click to expand...

Okay, how to put this mildly. Oh, heck with it, I can't.

Let's say we were two good old buddies sitting around a bar, having a drink. Friends for a long time, long enough that we could tell each other when the other was about to make a huge mistake without the other getting all p*ssed off about it. What I'd say would be, quite simply:
"FORGET THE FLIPPIN' CHEAP-A** BATTERY AND GET THE REAL ONE"

And I'd be screaming it. It's a no-brainer.

-m

I got a compatable one as a backup from batterybarn from the link below for $49, but don't really like as it as it discharges very quckly compare with Nikon's ENEL4, the campacity is also not as good a Nikon's one. http://www.batterybarn.com/enel4.htm .

Do you found the self discharge time of Eveready ER-D350 is as good as Nikon's one?

Derrick

Yamil R. Sued said:

Not really!!

If they state it in the warranty statement, and you buy, you accept
the statement, so they can just refuse, just like they refuse
service if you buy grey market!!

Click to expand...

Sorry but you're wrong. They can no more dictate you have to use thier batteries than Ford can dictate that you must use a certain brand of tires or brake pads on your car. Do a little research into the Magnusen-Moss Act, it's good to know your rights because there are plenty of companies out there that will take advantage of uninformed consumers.

The only way they might be able to invalidate the warranty is for damage that was actually caused by the third party battery. That's a different matter from voiding the entire warranty just because you used a third-party battery that functioned without problem. That would make no more sense than voiding the warranty because you used a 3rd party lens.

The truth is Nikon's batteries are obscenely overprice, the profit margin must be astronomical and yet they know they can get away with it because some people will be afraid of buying 3rd party.

BTW, the reason Nikon USA has no obligations with respect to gray market product is because it's not their product and you didn't buy it from them even indirectly. Completely different issue.

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn

Just today ordered a D2X from B&H for $4600 with a second nikon batt. Difference between Nikon and others about $50 or slightly over 1$ of purchase price of camera-small amount for peace of mind and maybe better reliability. That said, I needed an additional battery for my D100 out of town and purchased some only available-some company called e-film. Absolutely indistinguishable from the Nikon, and, yes cheaper.

Just seems somewhat trivial for the small proportion of the purchase price of the D2x, certainly not worth a personal insult.
--
Ladd Smith

Just go get the OEM battery and save yourself worries later. =)
--
Earl Gonzalez ~ STUDIO GOD'S CHILD™
http://godschild.ph

laddsmith said:

Just today ordered a D2X from B&H for $4600 with a second nikon
batt. Difference between Nikon and others about $50 or slightly
over 1$ of purchase price of camera-small amount for peace of mind
and maybe better reliability. That said, I needed an additional
battery for my D100 out of town and purchased some only
available-some company called e-film. Absolutely indistinguishable
from the Nikon, and, yes cheaper.

Click to expand...

I guess to me the price of the D2x price is beside the point; it's just the principle of getting ripped off because Nikon thinks they can charge whatever they want for accessories that gets to me. Just because I bought a D2x (which was a very big purchase for me) doesn't mean I don't know the value of a dollar. I see no reason to pay twice as much for their battery that is no better than alternatives costing half the price. You're just not going to convince me that Nikon knows more about batteries than Lenmar, Eveready, etc. In fact one of those companies probably makes the Nikon batteries.

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn