Aftermarket batteries

Toshido

Today I ordered a 50D and expect to receive it next week. I am upgrading from a Rebel Xt. I had purchased a pair of batteries for the XT from Ebay, Obviously no name cheap batteries. They lastes and worked very well for about 4-6 months, then one day decided not to hold a charge anymore. No real warning just simply not work anymore.

After that experience I am nervous about after market batteries. For the price I don`t mind replacing the cheap 3rd party batteries every year or so, but the instant death was extremely annoying, leaving me with three dead batteries, 2 of which I thought were fully charged.

I have heard talk about sterlingtek as a good source for batteries on this forum so I just took a peek. Seems their prices are on par with what I payed for my Ebay batteries so I am nervous again.

Anyone here able to reassure me of the quality of the BP-511 equivalent batteries sold at sterlingtek

Scott_Quier

Sterlingtek - I've had a set of 4 of them for more than 2 years. I use mostly them in pairs in a battery grip and have not had any problems with them. So far, they take a good charge and keep it. I've shot two weddings, back-to-back (on Sat/Sun) without needing to swap them out (of course I had two spare sets for each camera WITH me). That's some 1,200 - 2,000 shots (ISO 800, 1/60, f/2.8 for most of them) and still the camera indicated a strong charge.

My recommendation: Get yourself a pair of the SterlingTek batteries and laugh all the way to the back with the savings over the Canon OEM battery costs.

Cameron

Scott_Quier wrote:

My recommendation: Get yourself a pair of the SterlingTek batteries and laugh all the way to the back with the savings over the Canon OEM battery costs.

I currently have two SterlingTek batteries and they last as long or longer than my Canon ones. I've used batteries from them in various cameras over the past few years and have been very pleased (so has my wallet).

Toshido

Great thanks guys. I was just looking for a little reassurance about these batteries and you gave it to me, thanks again.

Tee Why

I've had four of those BP 511's from them. One has not held charge as well. One got stuck in my 30D. Another one only fits in one slot on my grip but otherwise works well.

Because they are so cheap, I don't really care, but if reliability and performance are a top priority, I'd probably go with Canon's.

Scott_Quier

Tee Why wrote:

I've had four of those BP 511's from them. One has not held charge as well. One got stuck in my 30D. Another one only fits in one slot on my grip but otherwise works well.

Because they are so cheap, I don't really care, but if reliability and performance are a top priority, I'd probably go with Canon's.

That's strange. Between me and my son, we have about 8 or 10 of these things (BP-511A replacements) and none have been anything but great performers. Makes one wonder, doesn't it.

chrismoore

I ordered a pair of Sterlingtek 511's a couple weeks ago (approx $25 for 2!), one battery works, the other was a total dud, so I sent it back for an exchange and waiting for the replacement.

Toshido

well thanks for the input.

Doesn't matter anymore though. i just picked up a BG-E2 for my 50D and it came with 2 Canon BP-511 batteries.
Now just to see if they hold a good charge. i got a good feeling from the guy bought it from though, so here's to hoping.

Just as an aside as well. i am loving the new camera. What a change from a Rebel Xt to a 50D with a grip, LOVING IT!

Kilo

Toshido wrote:

well thanks for the input.

Doesn't matter anymore though. i just picked up a BG-E2 for my 50D and it came with 2 Canon BP-511 batteries.
Now just to see if they hold a good charge. i got a good feeling from the guy bought it from though, so here's to hoping.

Just as an aside as well. i am loving the new camera. What a change from a Rebel Xt to a 50D with a grip, LOVING IT!

Where did ya order your Canon grip from? Because I can't find one for my 30D that comes with two Canon batteries. The grip alone that I find online here and there is nearly $180, and just one extra Canon battery is $50 more. Did ya pay extra for your two Canon batteries?

Toshido

I found mine through Kijiji and paid $200 CDN for the BG-E2 and 2 BP-511 canon batteries.

The grip has two very minor scratches on the bottom and that is the only signs of previous use. if I had not found that I still would have bought a used grip and then purchased 2 Sterlingtek batteries to use as matched pairs in the grip.

So at the moment I am using the matched used batteries in the grip and I have the new BP-511 which came with the camera as a back-up battery.

gryphonslair99

6 of the 8 batteries I have for my Canon bodies are Sterlingtek. They all pack longer shooting life than the two OEM's. Never had a problem with any of them.

Kilo

Toshido wrote:

I found mine through Kijiji and paid $200 CDN for the BG-E2 and 2 BP-511 canon batteries.

The grip has two very minor scratches on the bottom and that is the only signs of previous use. if I had not found that I still would have bought a used grip and then purchased 2 Sterlingtek batteries to use as matched pairs in the grip.

So at the moment I am using the matched used batteries in the grip and I have the new BP-511 which came with the camera as a back-up battery.

Ah, never heard of Kijiji. Looks like a combination of eBay and Craig's List. I usually never buy used cameras and accessories, except for my 30D that I found at a not so local store, (25 minutes away).

The camera body didn't come with a box, but it never was used. I didn't even see a fingerprint on the LCD. It was on a consignment sale for a customer for $450, so I had to grab it. Other stores want $700-$850 for it. Even the two CDs that came with it didn't even have a cobweb scratch on them. I'd rather buy cameras and accessories from people on DG, but I don't know how to do PayPal. Have never understood how it works.

All I need now is at least one lens, one CF card, and I'll be ready for photo-shoots. Also, though it's not a needful thing for me, I want to buy what you bought... the VBG, (vertical battery grip) and an extra battery; a lens hood since many Canon lenses don't come with one, a flash-diffuser and an 8-point starburst lens filter, (love the effect it gives).

Kilo

I was just wondering something. Canon says there BP-511A batteries are 1390mAh each, while SterlingTek says Canon's are only 1000mAh. I know that's only a 390 drop, but who's correct?

I feel Canon knows what their things are rated at more than other companies do... but hey, I could be wrong. lol

However, I am thinking about getting the SterlingTek batts since I've heard a lot of good about how long they last and for such a low price... (1 Canon batt, $50; a pair of ST batts, [when on sale] $23).

Thanks!

ziggy53

Kilo wrote:

I was just wondering something. Canon says there BP-511A batteries are 1390mAh each, while SterlingTek says Canon's are only 1000mAh. I know that's only a 390 drop, but who's correct?

I feel Canon knows what their things are rated at more than other companies do... but hey, I could be wrong. lol

However, I am thinking about getting the SterlingTek batts since I've heard a lot of good about how long they last and for such a low price... (1 Canon batt, $50; a pair of ST batts, [when on sale] $23).

Thanks!

I think that the confusion stems from the original BP-511 versus the newer BP-511A. I believe that the former has an 1100 mAh rating while the BP-511A has 1390 mAh. I believe that the newer battery also has a higher current draw capability and that caused some owners of newer cameras grief when they tried to use the older battery with newer high-drain items like IS lenses.

Regardless the SterlingTEK batteries have a good reputation for durability and value.

pathfinder

I do use several Sterlingtek batteries in my cameras 40D, and G10.

One concern not mentioned is that your warranty from Canon will not cover repairs to your camera if a non-OEM battery melts down or blows up...........

I can't seem to find a second battery for a 5D MkII anywhere yet either.

swintonphoto

I am buying the new Olympus E-620 and Sterlingtek doesn't seem to make a battery for it. Any other good brands out there?
Thanks!

chrismoore

swintonphoto wrote:

I am buying the new Olympus E-620 and Sterlingtek doesn't seem to make a battery for it. Any other good brands out there?
Thanks!

I bought some batteries from batteries.com for my old Rebel XT. When I used them, the charge meter on the camera would only show one bar after just a few shots, but they lasted just as many shots as my original canon batteries. You can search the site and see if they have what you are looking for.

chrismoore

Hi, I recently bought a refurbished 5d Mark II, and thought I could use my existing 5D batteries-- WRONG! I have been very happy with the batteries I bought from Sterling tek for my 5D, but don't see that they sell replacements for the Mark II. Amazon has battery equivalents from BargainCell, but I've never heard of them. Anyone use aftermarket mark II batteries and could recommend a vendor? They are the LP-E6.
Thanks

ziggy53

chrismoore wrote:

Hi, I recently bought a refurbished 5d Mark II, and thought I could use my existing 5D batteries-- WRONG! I have been very happy with the batteries I bought from Sterling tek for my 5D, but don't see that they sell replacements for the Mark II. Amazon has battery equivalents from BargainCell, but I've never heard of them. Anyone use aftermarket mark II batteries and could recommend a vendor? They are the LP-E6.
Thanks

When the genuine Canon LP-E6 batteries were not available I did purchase some generic "LP-E6" form-factor substitutes, but I'm afraid I do not really recommend them. The quality of manufacture is somewhat dubious and the batteries do not communicate with the camera at all. When the substitute batteries are installed the camera informs you that it cannot communicate with the battery and asks if that's OK. If you respond appropriately the battery will in fact power the camera, but you get no indication about battery condition. When the battery runs out of juice, the camera just stops working with no warning.

While I can tolerate this for much of what I use the 5D MKII, most people would not appreciate the "dumb" batteries.

I highly recommend that you purchase genuine Canon LP-E6 batteries for the better construction, compatability with the Canon charger and compatability with the camera.

Nikolai

After going through about 8 replacement batteries from various sources over the few years I decided I'm not going this route anymore. Maybe I was unlucky, but I decided that with all the gobs of money I spend on my gear getting reliable power source in a form of the genuine canon batteries may be worth my while. I pulled the plug last year and thus far I'm very pleased with my decision.
YMMV
PS
BTW I still have 7 of those BP-511A substitues in various stages, some work beter, some worse.
I'll be happy to sell the *REAL* cheap :-)

Richard

Everybody's experience seems to differ here. FWIW, I bought a Digital brand battery for about a third the price of a Canon BP 511A around three years ago, when I first bought a 20D. It has worked flawlessly. I have never seen a difference in charge retention, charge time or number of shots between it and the original Canon battery. YMMV, of course.

chrismoore

Thanks for the input. The reviews of the "dumb" batteries on Amazon are generally positive, aside from the obvious annoyance of not communicating with the camera. I'm going to Asia for two weeks in November, and don't know what sort of access I'll have to charge batteries. So I ordered 6 of these dumb batteries for a total of $81, compared with around the same price for ONE Canon. Its a tough situation, as I do want a battery I can trust, but there is so much else I would rather spend several hundred dollars on than a few batteries, and I figure I can deal with the lack of communication as long as I have backups on hand if the camera dies.
I have used several SterlingTek batteries for my now old 5D and they lasted longer than the Canons, so I wish they had the LPE6 but they don't (their website says "a couple of weeks" dated 12/08).
I'll definitely test them before I leave, and when I travel out of the country I always bring this little gizmo.
It can provide immediate relief if I run out of juice.