Cheap or brand name batteries?

The goblin

The goblin

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Marsha
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I'm looking at buying an additional battery for my 7D. The question is do I pay £50-£70 for a Canon branded battery or buy a much cheaper version? I've just found one on 7dayshop.com for £9.99, and I know they are cheaper still on eBay.

My DH seems to think that a battery is a battery. I'm just a bit wary about sticking a £10 cheapy in an £1100 camera!

Any suggestions or experiences greatly appreciated.
 
I've used non-branded batteries in all of my cameras and have found most of them to be as good as the Canon ones. In terms of value for money though, I've always found the 7dayshop.com ones to be the best.
I've had a couple from ebay, both from UK and HK sellers and they both clapped out after a year or so whereas the 7dayshop.com ones are 2 years old at least and still hold a charge as good as when they are new.
 
The goblin said:
Canon batteries are bloody expensive mind!

Do you not care where you get them from?

I know they're cheaper on eBay from overseas. Or would stick with a UK seller?
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Hi

I've used both genuine and 3rd party batteries and had no problems.

BUT I personally would buy from the likes of Amazon (not marketplace), play, 7dayshop, etc I wouldn't buy from e-bay.

GMK batteries is also worth a look, I got a 3rd party one (Energiser) for my father-in-laws Minolta body and it was great, with a very good service.

Hope this is of some help....
 
I have recently bought an energizer battery for my D700 and it has been fairly rubbish. It seems to die really quickly when left in the camera. I might have a duff and am going to contact the seller to see if I can get it changed.
 
If it's only as a back up you'll be fine. I have the cheap-o (about 12 squid ea.)version for my 7d and the life does not seem to be as long but I've not fully tested - was surprised when the power went out using the aftermaket batt with flash at less than 300 shots. biggest concern for me is not having the batter level input while using the after market batteries, not a huge imposition just say'n
 
ebay batteries for me, the only issue I have had is that 2 out of 3 Eln el4 batteries for my d300 grip didnt work although they charged perfectly.

The camera mfrs buy in batteries and stick their label and charge daft prices......ebay ones have been generally just as good for me!
 
i use a aftermarket battery on my 550d and its been fine not noticed a diffrence
 
I stick with original Canon/Pentax batteries, both on quality/waranty issues and for ethical considerations.
 
Oggy said:
I stick with original Canon/Pentax batteries, both on quality/waranty issues and for ethical considerations.
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Ethical considerations? I would have thought that the price Canon, Nikon and the like charge for their batteries is highly unethical when you consider how much the components cost!

Sent from my HTC HD2 using TP Forums
 
My second battery is by Hahnel, not cheap but cheaper than Canon. I would not use a 10 quid no name battery off ebay.
 
me15 said:
Ethical considerations? I would have thought that the price Canon, Nikon and the like charge for their batteries is highly unethical when you consider how much the components cost!

Sent from my HTC HD2 using TP Forums
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While I do in part agree with you about the price of a Canon/Pentax label my point is that these absurdly cheap batteries are going to be made in third world countries by children who should be at school. They will be working in extremely unsafe conditions. The treatment of hazardous material will be inadequate.

By paying for the OEM battery you are taking reasonable precautions to ensure your battery is made in a reasonable way.

If you buy the ridiculously cheap one you are insisting it is made by children.
 
Oggy said:
While I do in part agree with you about the price of a Canon/Pentax label my point is that these absurdly cheap batteries are going to be made in third world countries by children who should be at school. They will be working in extremely unsafe conditions. The treatment of hazardous material will be inadequate.

By paying for the OEM battery you are taking reasonable precautions to ensure your battery is made in a reasonable way.

If you buy the ridiculously cheap one you are insisting it is made by children.
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What makes you think the OEM batteries are made under different conditions to non-OEM batteries ???????

Have you not seen the reports from China where workers have been poisoned while making screens for the iPad & iPhone - The workers will not see any of the inflated profit on a OEM battery ! just investors.
 
Is the child labour thing substantiated or just hearsay, like to read the evidence so please post your links/evidence.

Paul
 
Does anyone know if the camera manufacturers actually produce the OEM batteries themselves, or do they outsource it? Could the cheaper alternatives be coming from the same factories, without the "brand" name on them?
 
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