Do *NOT* Buy STK 3rd party batteries for Canon 6D/5DMKIII

[Dave_K]

They also registered with the 5D3, (with the new firmware), show charge percentage and shot count. They're new, so I have no idea how long they will last.

amazon.com/dp/B005AYT6R4/ref=pe_309540_26725410_item

Time will tell.

 

[Timbukto]

qianp2k wrote:

Timbukto wrote:

qianp2k wrote:

It's not worth to buy 3rd party batteries if you use over years. They ran out much quicker after one year's usage and Canon OEM ones last much longer. At end you don't really save money. That's my experiences of third party batteries of LP-E6 for 60D (I never used it on 5D cameras) and the other ones for 5Dc.

 

[SushiEater]

A decent third party battery cost $10-20. You can buy 3-6 batteries for the price of OEM.
So far the only "problem" I have encountered is the lower capacity by 25%.
Very appealing to me. How about you?

 

[SushiEater]

You should try Phottix. They mainly sell in Europe but sometimes I found them on the EBAY.
I have 4 of them for a very long time and they are closer to OEM capacity than anything else I tested.

 

[scrup]

Honestly if you're going to invest thousands of dollars on your camera, why would you theb skimp on a mere $100-$200 on something that could do lasting damage to that investment?

Same thing as cars. Not everyone uses OEM parts or takes it to the dealer or follows the scheduled servicing intervals and these things cost more than your cameras.

Third party batteries are a fraction of the cost and can do for the most part their intended job.

I have purchased many third party batteries in the past and have not had issues with branded ones.

Some of the generic ones that had no labels I had issues with charging but it has never ever damaged any of my equipment. You take a gamble sometimes it pays off other times it doesn't.

If the third party is less than a third of OEM then I will always go with that option.

 

[Michael Thomas Mitchell]

I've been using Sterling Tek batteries going all the way back to the D30 (the original 3MP model, not to be confused with the later 8MP 30D) and D60 models. For those who remember, these early models were somewhat power hungry, and you counted on going through at several in a full day of shooting (such as a wedding). The BP-511 batteries were very expensive in those days. I discovered Sterling Tek somewhat early on, and because Canon wisely adopted an existing battery from their video camera line, Sterling Tek had it from the start and they were a great price, about 1/5 the cost of OEM.

The STK BP-511 worked fabulous. Maybe not quite as many shots, but only a small difference, and I could afford to own a ton of them. Successive camera models, like the 10D all the up to the 40D used the same battery, and STKs went right alongside the Canon models all through the years. Today, I still have a stable of them powering my 40D bodies for business.

(I will point out here that I have also used third-party batteries for my 1D-series bodies, though it's a completely different beast. Results have varied. Never a STK version, though.)

The day I ordered my 6D, I ordered a couple of STKs to to with it. Charging was fine. Usage was fine. However, I have noticed some problems with battery info reportage. Shooting a wedding, for instance, with the camera powered on the entire day, I noticed that even after hundreds of shots, the camera still reported 100%. Knowing that was impossible at about shutter count 250, I turned the camera off took the battery out, inserted back in and powered up to find the capacity reported at 78%. Later, I found that simply turning the camera off/on updated the report.

Obviously, the Canon battery does not behave like that, providing a constant update without having to power off.

Is this minor inconvenience a deal-breaker? Not necessarily. I'll keep using the STKs. But I'll probably stick to OEM from now on. Of course, only one battery is needed for an entire day of shooting, so I doubt I'll ever need additional units. But clearly, even the STKs are not 100% compatible.

 

[qianp2k]

Timbukto wrote:

qianp2k wrote:

Timbukto wrote:

qianp2k wrote:

It's not worth to buy 3rd party batteries if you use over years. They ran out much quicker after one year's usage and Canon OEM ones last much longer. At end you don't really save money. That's my experiences of third party batteries of LP-E6 for 60D (I never used it on 5D cameras) and the other ones for 5Dc.

 

[JLim22]

scrup wrote:

eorlingas wrote:

Can someone explain to me the advantage(s) of using third party batteries, beyond the perceived cost savings?

Honestly if you're going to invest thousands of dollars on your camera, why would you theb skimp on a mere $100-$200 on something that could do lasting damage to that investment?

It's one thing if these third party batteries are actually more reliable or longer lasting than their genuine counterparts, but by most accounts the most one can hope for is a near match.

Not trying to be snobby here. I use third party lenses and non-critical gadgets all the time. Just genuinely wondering.

Thanks for reading!

Same thing as cars. Not everyone uses OEM parts or takes it to the dealer or follows the scheduled servicing intervals and these things cost more than your cameras.

Third party batteries are a fraction of the cost and can do for the most part their intended job.

I have purchased many third party batteries in the past and have not had issues with branded ones.

Some of the generic ones that had no labels I had issues with charging but it has never ever damaged any of my equipment. You take a gamble sometimes it pays off other times it doesn't.

If the third party is less than a third of OEM then I will always go with that option.

I couldn't agree more with scrup. Just because I drive an Acura doesn't mean I should get my oil changes at the dealer for more the twice the going rate.

Anyone who thinks "I have a Canon, so everything must have the red ring" is a snob. So, saying that one should spend 4-5 times the amount for oem batteries is really no different.

Just curious, have you ever seen 3rd party batteries actually do lasting damages on your camera?

 

[eorlingas]

scrup wrote:

eorlingas wrote:

Can someone explain to me the advantage(s) of using third party batteries, beyond the perceived cost savings?

Honestly if you're going to invest thousands of dollars on your camera, why would you theb skimp on a mere $100-$200 on something that could do lasting damage to that investment?

It's one thing if these third party batteries are actually more reliable or longer lasting than their genuine counterparts, but by most accounts the most one can hope for is a near match.

Not trying to be snobby here. I use third party lenses and non-critical gadgets all the time. Just genuinely wondering.

Thanks for reading!

Same thing as cars. Not everyone uses OEM parts or takes it to the dealer or follows the scheduled servicing intervals and these things cost more than your cameras.

Third party batteries are a fraction of the cost and can do for the most part their intended job.

I have purchased many third party batteries in the past and have not had issues with branded ones.

Some of the generic ones that had no labels I had issues with charging but it has never ever damaged any of my equipment. You take a gamble sometimes it pays off other times it doesn't.

If the third party is less than a third of OEM then I will always go with that option.

I couldn't agree more with scrup. Just because I drive an Acura doesn't mean I should get my oil changes at the dealer for more the twice the going rate.

Anyone who thinks "I have a Canon, so everything must have the red ring" is a snob. So, saying that one should spend 4-5 times the amount for oem batteries is really no different.

Just curious, have you ever seen 3rd party batteries actually do lasting damages on your camera?

As I've said, I use third party lenses and gadgets all the time. It's not like I must own exclusively Canon gear and nothing else. FYI, I currently use a Yongnuo flash with triggers, so to say that I'm a snob for questioning the use of non-OEM batteries is unjustified.

Insofar as safety & reliability of these batteries are concerned, I've read accounts that both support & discount them, hence the reason for my wondering.

If they are as reliable and most importantly, safe as OEM's, then by all means, I'll use them myself. But if there's even a chance that they're not, then I'll be staying away. Nothing wrong with disagreeing with me though; each are justified to make their own choice.
--

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/2858932117/photos

 

[Timbukto]

So the OEM 'refurbs' on Amazon turned out to be 3rd parties that do not charge in the OEM charger. I complained and actually got a full refund without needing to return those batteries.

I decided to shoot an e-mail to Blue Nook (maker of wasabi's) who said that the latest batteries were 6D compatible. I decided to spend $30 to get the really small charger (travel adapter + car kit) and 2 wasabi's. I had really good experience with the wasabi's with my 5DMKII for the money actually.

So in the end the wasabi charger is able to charge my other two 3rd parties as well as the wasabi's. I have 4 3rd parties now, 2 wasabi's and 2 'no-names'. They are *all* 7.2 V batteries this time, the nonames are specced at 2200, wasabi's are 2600 mah. The nonames charged very fast (much faster than the wasabi) so I do not know how much charge they really have yet, but they work in the camera except they are non-reporting.

The fact that they are non-reporting is not a deal breaker since in reality the 3rd party batteries were *always* non-reporting but older Canon camera's would do a terrible job 'guessing' the remaining battery life. My suggestion would be to just use non-reporting batteries in non-critical situations or guesstimate battery life based on shots taken, etc or always cap the batteries off on the charger.

I just tested the Wasabi's and they are reporting batteries with preliminary results that they do report battery life.

So for $30 I ended up with a wasabi charger + accessories, 2 wasabi batteries that are compatible with 6D, and 2 that are non-reporting. After you confirm that you want to use non-communicating/reporting batteries the 6D seems to *remember* your choice so that it does not constantly nag you. Based on my experience with the 5DMKII I do not have too much to fear.

In truth my *only* big scare thus far has been with the 7.4V STK batteries that claim to be 6D compatible. This is only very early results thus far but I will report on if I have any errant behavior like I did with my STK (which were pretty pricy btw at $20 a pop...the wasabi's are a much better deal).

 

[canon person]

Timbukto wrote:

qianp2k wrote:

It's not worth to buy 3rd party batteries if you use over years. They ran out much quicker after one year's usage and Canon OEM ones last much longer. At end you don't really save money. That's my experiences of third party batteries of LP-E6 for 60D (I never used it on 5D cameras) and the other ones for 5Dc.

 

[Timbukto]

canon person wrote:

Timbukto wrote:

qianp2k wrote:

It's not worth to buy 3rd party batteries if you use over years. They ran out much quicker after one year's usage and Canon OEM ones last much longer. At end you don't really save money. That's my experiences of third party batteries of LP-E6 for 60D (I never used it on 5D cameras) and the other ones for 5Dc.

 

[SushiEater]

Did your so called refurbished looked like these? Got these from Amazon and also got my money back.

Instead of 1800mah they are not even 1100mah. The actual Canon OEM test slightly over 1800mah.


Fake Canon batteries from Amazon.

 

[Timbukto]

SushiEater wrote:

Did your so called refurbished looked like these? Got these from Amazon and also got my money back.

Instead of 1800mah they are not even 1100mah. The actual Canon OEM test slightly over 1800mah.


Fake Canon batteries from Amazon.

Nope mine do not even try to be 'fake' Canon, they admit they are third parties, etc. Although that 6.2V rating vs 7.2 seems pretty off, is it normal to be that low...how low will run down OEM batteries get?

I already shot with my Wasabi's and had no issues today. I have not tested my 'nonames' to the same extent yet.

 

[canon person]

eorlingas wrote:

Can someone explain to me the advantage(s) of using third party batteries, beyond the perceived cost savings?

Honestly if you're going to invest thousands of dollars on your camera, why would you theb skimp on a mere $100-$200 on something that could do lasting damage to that investment?

It's one thing if these third party batteries are actually more reliable or longer lasting than their genuine counterparts, but by most accounts the most one can hope for is a near match.

Not trying to be snobby here. I use third party lenses and non-critical gadgets all the time. Just genuinely wondering.

Thanks for reading!
--
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/2858932117/photos

There is NO advantage other than price and price alone!!



Canon Person

 

[Greg Gebhardt]

Long ago I had a battery swell to the point I could not get it out of the camera. Had to drill a hole in it to pull it out of the camera.

OEM all the way now.

 

[Michael Thomas Mitchell]

Michael Thomas Mitchell wrote:

I've been using Sterling Tek batteries going all the way back to the D30 (the original 3MP model, not to be confused with the later 8MP 30D) and D60 models. For those who remember, these early models were somewhat power hungry, and you counted on going through at several in a full day of shooting (such as a wedding). The BP-511 batteries were very expensive in those days. I discovered Sterling Tek somewhat early on, and because Canon wisely adopted an existing battery from their video camera line, Sterling Tek had it from the start and they were a great price, about 1/5 the cost of OEM.

The STK BP-511 worked fabulous. Maybe not quite as many shots, but only a small difference, and I could afford to own a ton of them. Successive camera models, like the 10D all the up to the 40D used the same battery, and STKs went right alongside the Canon models all through the years. Today, I still have a stable of them powering my 40D bodies for business.

(I will point out here that I have also used third-party batteries for my 1D-series bodies, though it's a completely different beast. Results have varied. Never a STK version, though.)

The day I ordered my 6D, I ordered a couple of STKs to to with it. Charging was fine. Usage was fine. However, I have noticed some problems with battery info reportage. Shooting a wedding, for instance, with the camera powered on the entire day, I noticed that even after hundreds of shots, the camera still reported 100%. Knowing that was impossible at about shutter count 250, I turned the camera off took the battery out, inserted back in and powered up to find the capacity reported at 78%. Later, I found that simply turning the camera off/on updated the report.

Obviously, the Canon battery does not behave like that, providing a constant update without having to power off.

Is this minor inconvenience a deal-breaker? Not necessarily. I'll keep using the STKs. But I'll probably stick to OEM from now on. Of course, only one battery is needed for an entire day of shooting, so I doubt I'll ever need additional units. But clearly, even the STKs are not 100% compatible.

The STK battery is providing plenty of power... as strong as OEM, it seems. And simply opening the battery door will cause it to update it's capacity report. So I have no problem using it. However, for THIS camera, any future batteries will certainly be OEM. And I happy enough with the 6D to replace a couple other bodies with a second copy for the studio. Fortunately, the battery life is VERY good as it is; I've never used more than one battery in a single day. But I always work with backups on top of backups, so I'll go ahead an spend just a few dollars more for the genuine thing. Sort of a shame, though... the old BP-511 was practically ubiquitous... cheap, easy to find, and third party worked great.

 

[SushiEater]

To find out the true capacity is to charge it in OEM charger and then discharge it in the MAHA.

6.2v is the discharged voltage. Charge voltage is usually 8.2-8.4v without load. In other words if you take freshly charged battery and measure voltage you should get 8.4v.

I HAVE NEVER encountered a single third party battery and tested a lot of them to be close to OEM. The closest one is Phottix at 1560mah all others including Wasabi are 1460mah. Also, if you have scale you can see that Wasabi is 14 grams lighter than OEM. Most third party batteries are.

But sure the price make them a good buy. 2 oem=$120, 3 third party (to make capacity equal) =$60
still half the price. Can't beat that.