Cheap Batteries damage Expensive Camera

[Terrywoodenpic]

Every time someone asks about cheap batteries the answer comes back that they can damage your camera.
While this is potentially a possibility. I rather doubt that it is statistically likely at all.
I have just done a search on the web to try to find even one example of this actually happening in real life.
I failed utterly.
I would have thought that any examples would be spread widely across the Web as a dire warning,
However that is not the case.

I do remember numerous cases of the exhausted zinc carbon batteries causing untold damage in old film Cameras, Torches and Radios.
People were warned, but no one became as anal about it as camera owners do today.
Whilst I am not much into conspiracy theories... this has all the hallmarks.

 

[RaglanSurf]

Since I bought my first digital compact over 10 years ago I've used a selection of cheap/aftermarket batteries(mostly from the 7DayShop) in all my digital cameras from a little Canon Ixus to my D700 and none of them have exploded yet.

 

[Chris Wilson]

And having added something fatuous to your first effort it's only fair that I add my agreement to this - you'd think if there was actually a risk the net would be full of tales of woe.
cheers, cw

 

[Diving Pete]

all batteries can damage your camera.............end

 

[Archy]

I think it is down to the manufacturer guarantee. If a non proprietary battery damages your equipment it falls outside of the warranty.

 

[f/1.2]

Since I bought my first digital compact over 10 years ago I've used a selection of cheap/aftermarket batteries(mostly from the 7DayShop) in all my digital cameras from a little Canon Ixus to my D700 and none of them have exploded yet.

I have used cheapy batteries in all of my cameras for the last 5 years or so and had no issues.

Have found the 7 day shop one's to be very good, better than the oem batteries actually.

 

[trencheel303]

Depends what kind of battery it is. If it's an inherently safe chemistry or one with a PCB on it to cut the battery out in case of overcharge/short circuit then even a cheapie will do. Fake ultrafires and other junk though can be deadly
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?280909-Ultrafire-18650-3000mA-exploded
It made me think twice about using cheap lithium batteries !

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Depends what kind of battery it is. If it's an inherently safe chemistry or one with a PCB on it to cut the battery out in case of overcharge/short circuit then even a cheapie will do. Fake ultrafires and other junk though can be deadly
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?280909-Ultrafire-18650-3000mA-exploded
It made me think twice about using cheap lithium batteries !

It did not help putting it in to a sealed metal tube and turning it into a bomb. fakes are fakes and you have no Idea what you are getting in to.
respected third party manufactures are another matter entirely.
But even dangerous problems that happen with fakes are rarely reported.

 

[kev2010]

Been using 7day shop batteries in my 40d for years. More recently in my 7d. Not only are they as safe as Canon batteries but I actually find their performance and longevity better!

 

[Danger_MouseUK]

One batch of £1500 macbook pros came with bad batteries that would bulge a few years ago. Bad batteries is bad batteries no matter how much they cost.

 

[cosmicma]

dell did a recall a while back for defective batteries manufactured by Sony

https://www.dellproduct.com/Program.aspx?PI=GNbVEXZPZu8=

li ion batteries have a bit of a history of overheating especially in the RC model arena

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

dell did a recall a while back for defective batteries manufactured by Sony

https://www.dellproduct.com/Program.aspx?PI=GNbVEXZPZu8=

li ion batteries have a bit of a history of overheating especially in the RC model arena

That is the most likely area where they will suffer physical damage, like cracks and shorting. But also where their light weight is most attractive.

 

[Phil V]

I think it is down to the manufacturer guarantee. If a non proprietary battery damages your equipment it falls outside of the warranty.

Or indeed a 3rd party lens or flashgun (that's what your guarantee says, but almost no-one takes the lens or cf part seriously, a few the flashgun, many more the battery).

However, as they can't prove what I've attached to my camera, that all becomes a bit of a pointless argument.

In fact, let's expand on Terry's original point, has anyone actually had a warranty repair refused because they used a 3rd party accessory?

 

[pingu666]

dell did a recall a while back for defective batteries manufactured by Sony

https://www.dellproduct.com/Program.aspx?PI=GNbVEXZPZu8=

li ion batteries have a bit of a history of overheating especially in the RC model arena

think its more li po batteries, they are more rare in consumer electronics, but i do have a cheapo tablet thats ment tobe lipo

 

[Jayst84]

Every time someone asks about cheap batteries the answer comes back that they can damage your camera.

Really? I can't say that I have ever heard or read that advice anywhere.

 

[Gaz J]

I'm sure any reputable non OE manufacturer produce decent and reliable batteries. Whether they are as good as OE stuff is debatable

I've only ever bought one non OE battery for my MkIV. Didn't fit properly. Will never buy another.

 

[HoppyUK]

Un-coded third party batteries won't work in some cameras, as was highlighted recently with a Nikon firmware upgrade that senses non-OEM batteries. There was a thread about it on here, this one http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/th...party-batteries-or-grips.520801/#post-5986137

Just make sure any third party batteries have a chip to fool the camera. I think a lot of new batteries do, but worth checking.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

I had a couple replica batteries fail to recharge, but no damage to equipment at all.

P.S. the thread title reads as a statement or an isolated case example, and not as a question. You may want to change it
I expected to see some camera carnage pics

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I had a couple replica batteries fail to recharge, but no damage to equipment at all.

P.S. the thread title reads as a statement or an isolated case example, and not as a question. You may want to change it
I expected to see some camera carnage pics

It is difficult to know who makes the batteries for individual camera makers. Pansonic and Sony do make batteries but not necessarily for their own cameras.
When we buy third party batteries from reputable battery suppliers we will sometimes be buying them from the same manufacturer as the camera maker does.

 

[dave clayton]

my camera is made of leather, teak and metal no batteries required