Difference between Nikon EN-EL3e and EN-EL3 batteries

[ovrebekk]

I need to buy some extra batteries for my D200 as i will be doing a bit of work for a students sports magazine and dont want to run out of power while out shooting.

Looking at the prices here in Norway the EN-EL3 batteries cost only about 20% of what the EN-EL3e batteries do!

Seeing as how they contain about 80% of the power that seems like a very good deal. Am i missing anything important here?
How bad can they be compared to the EN-EL3e's?

I know you dont get as good estimation of remaining shots with the EN-EL3 but that is not all that important.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

 

[ovrebekk]

Looking further i see the cheap batteries are made by third party vendors, and not by Nikon.
Anyone have any experience with batteries like these?

 

[sfisher]

--
-Steve
===================

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. ~ Larry the Cable Guy

 

[pauldpre]

EN-EL3 came with the D70 and have a little less juice (same voltage). the "e" have an extra terminal for readings on the D200. I think both will work though.

EDIT: I believe the non "e" model will not work on a D200 but the "e" model will work on a D70.

Sorry.

 

[spiked3]

Parent post is correct, a NON E on the end battery will not fit the d200.

I made a mistake of ordering a battery from NewEgg - got an E battery by luck. It way out performed the (I assume bad) battery I got from Nikon. So I ordered a second one from NewEgg, got the Non E model. Did not fit. No return on Batteries.

The Model numbers are so close some vendors don't know the difference and list them the same. Sucks.

Anyone ever cut apart a battery and know what the third terminal does? I'd like to put a professional charger on the bad Nikon battery and see if I can bring it back to usable, it's a $49 battery that has been junk. Part of me is guessing it's a data terminal, and I suspect if you have access to something that you can mill a slot in the non E batteries it would work fine, just no info displayed. I went through the same thing with semi-pro Camcorder batteries a few years ago.

 

[DigitalJay]

EN-EL3 batteries fit the D100, D70 and D70s and D50.

EN-EL3e batteries fit those cameras above and the D80, D200 and D300.

The EN-EL3 batteries will not fit in the D200. The D200 is designed for the 3-contact EN-EL3e, whereas the the EN-EL3 battery is a 2-contact unit.

Note: I'm not sure if the D80 is EN-EL3e specific, sorry.

Jay

PS- I would be hesitant to use cheap, aftermarket baterries in my expensive DSLR. If they fail catastrophically (spelling?) they could damage/destroy your camera. Is $20 difference worth it? J.

 

[DigitalJay]

It allows for reporting battery condition and charge percentage.....

Parent post is correct, a NON E on the end battery will not fit the
d200.

I made a mistake of ordering a battery from NewEgg - got an E battery
by luck. It way out performed the (I assume bad) battery I got from
Nikon. So I ordered a second one from NewEgg, got the Non E model.
Did not fit. No return on Batteries.

The Model numbers are so close some vendors don't know the difference
and list them the same. Sucks.

Anyone ever cut apart a battery and know what the third terminal
does? I'd like to put a professional charger on the bad Nikon
battery and see if I can bring it back to usable, it's a $49 battery
that has been junk. Part of me is guessing it's a data terminal, and
I suspect if you have access to something that you can mill a slot in
the non E batteries it would work fine, just no info displayed. I
went through the same thing with semi-pro Camcorder batteries a few
years ago.

 

[ovrebekk]

Some of the web-stores selling the batteries spesifically say that the EN-EL3 fits the D200!
Thanks to you i wont need to buy it to find out it doesnt

Unfortunately it means i will have to cash out for the expensive EN-EL3e instead

 

[mfbernstein]

D80 only takes EN-EL3e.

Interestingly, the EN-EL3 can be charged in the EN-EL3e charger, but not vice-versa .

 

[lwiley]

Interestingly, the EN-EL3 can be charged in the EN-EL3e charger, but
not vice-versa .

I only have the D50 and D200 but they both came with the MH-18a charger. I use the charger that came with the D50 to charge both types.

I don't know about the other cameras although I see in Phil's review the D70 came with the MH-18 charger. Maybe that is the charger that will not charge the EN-EL3e?

Leroy

 

[Porto]

Interestingly, the EN-EL3 can be charged in the EN-EL3e charger, but
not vice-versa .

When I still had my D70s, my spare battery is an EN-EL3e. I charged the EN-EL3e with the charger that came with the D70s without problem. I don't remember if the charger is MH-18 or MH-18a, though.

 

[sillyconguru]

the D70 came with the MH-18 charger. Maybe that is the charger that
will not charge the EN-EL3e?

Both the MH-18 and the MH-18a are perfectly suitable for the EN-EL3, EN-EL3a and the EN-EL3e.

 

[Jeroen V]

Hi,

i bought a couple of third party en-el3e's and they are working great for me. The ones i bought are 1600mAh instead of the 1500mAh nikon offers. They last even a bit longer at a much cheaper rate. I bought these in the Netherlands but i woudn't make a fuss about using third party batterys in the d200.

Jeroen
--
http://www.pbase.com/jeroenvisser

 

[PFG47]

Hi ovrebekk !

If Nikon did mention EN-EL3e there must be a reason and I ould never try to use another type in my D200 !

However, 3rd party batteries are (only my experience) quite safe and cost a LOT LESS than original Nikon's !!

I work now 1 year with 1 original from Nikon and 2 from third party batteries with great satisfaction !

I buy them at "eurobatteries.com" (UK) and the price is 15,65£ per unit !! You imagine the difference of price !!! If you use the "promotion code" you even get 15% discount on each battery you buy before december 31th.

Futher info needed ? Don't hesitate to contact me directly I can transmit the promotion code to you if you want !

Pol
--
'Photography is drawing with the light, capture it to show who you are !'
View my website at : http://www.geosolve.be

 

[DigitalJay]

Not to say that all aftermarket batteries are bad, but there are instances of lithium batteries heating to the point of fire.

Take note of Nikon's own recall, and the laptop mfg's recalls of their batteries, some made by Sony.

For those who use 3rd party batteries, if they work for you, that's great. Continued success!

A reminder, some of the aftermarket products don't have the same circuit protection as OEM items. Even some that have protection don't have circuitry as good as the OEMs.

As always, YMMV

Jay