# Need suggestion on new batteries for Canon-650D



## karthikskamath (Dec 29, 2012)

*Hi People need a suggestion on batteries;

 I am planning to purchase an extra third party (Non-Canon) battery for my Canon 650D. The original LP-E8 battery from the kit shows the specifications of 7.2V, 1120mAh, 8.1Wh.

However the extra battery on e-bay, which I am planning to buy shows;
 7.4V, 1500mAh, 11.1Wh. There are some more I have shortlisted which have similar difference.

 1) Is it fine to use batteries which such difference?
*

2) If yes, can I use the same battery charges which i use for original for charging the third party batteries?

Thanks in advance


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## Pallycow (Dec 29, 2012)

I have two third party batteries that are just as good as my canon battery.  There are crappy ones out there, but I've had great use out of Synergy.

It sounds like that battery you listed is not the right one.  Too many variances in my opinion.


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## SCraig (Dec 29, 2012)

Why do you wish to use non-Canon batteries in a Canon camera?  I've used non-Nikon batteries in Nikon cameras in the past and they do not work nearly as well.  Personally I'll stick with Nikon from now on.


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## Pallycow (Dec 29, 2012)

SCraig said:


> Why do you wish to use non-Canon batteries in a Canon camera?  I've used non-Nikon batteries in Nikon cameras in the past and they do not work nearly as well.  Personally I'll stick with Nikon from now on.



Because they are a third of the price, and in my experience, work just as well.  We have been selling synergy for years, and not a single complaint on them from any of us that shoot or our customers.

I'm sure some have bad stories, but there are always exceptions and for every 1 you'll find 1000 that say opposite and vice versa.


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## SCraig (Dec 29, 2012)

Pallycow said:


> SCraig said:
> 
> 
> > Why do you wish to use non-Canon batteries in a Canon camera?  I've used non-Nikon batteries in Nikon cameras in the past and they do not work nearly as well.  Personally I'll stick with Nikon from now on.
> ...


Not to hijack your thread, but just to point out a couple, I have two.

Got an off-brand battery for my D60 when I first got the camera several years ago.  Same voltage, higher mVA, lasted about half as long as the Nikon battery each time I used it.  Crapped out entirely after a few months.

Got an off-brand battery for a camcorder we use at the office.  Guaranteed OEM replacement, etc, etc, etc.  Wouldn't even fit in the camera.

Personally, and this is just my own PERSONAL experience, I'll stick with OEM and pay the difference.  Everyone has the right to do what they feel is best for them, and I'm all for free enterprise, but being in the business yourself you know there are some good ones and there are some not-so-good ones.


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## Pallycow (Dec 29, 2012)

SCraig said:


> but being in the business yourself you know there are some good ones and there are some not-so-good ones.



yup, was pretty much my point.  Don't just go for cheapest, but there are some generics that do a very good job.


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## SCraig (Dec 29, 2012)

Pallycow said:


> SCraig said:
> 
> 
> > but being in the business yourself you know there are some good ones and there are some not-so-good ones.
> ...


The problem is that people don't know which are the ""Good" generics and which are the "Junk" generics.  All we can do is trust the retailers and hope for the best.  The one I got for the camcorder came from a retailer I trust, who IMMEDIATELY replaced it with an OEM pack, but the fact remains that even they were sucked in by a manufacturer who claimed compatibility that wasn't there.

In this case it was just a physical incompatibility that kept the pack from fitting the camera, but what if it was an electrical incompatibility?  What if "Brand Z" claims compatibility with Canon's brand new Z4y camera and then puts +5v on a -5v pin because that's the way Canon has always done it before?  They will replace the pack but Canon isn't going to replace the camera.

Again, I'm not trying to start an argument.  I'm rather, just like you, stating the obvious in that the buyer should beware and not shop simply for the cheapest.  You are absolutely right in that there are some generics that do a first-rate job but be certain of them before using them.


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## Pallycow (Dec 29, 2012)

There's no argument here, no worries.  A good discussion generally leads to more advice and information for the OP anyway.

The original reason I posted was to offer up a brand of 3rd party that I trust based on experience, for whatever value that's worth; because there are a bunch of crap.

Also, to let the OP know, that in my opinion, there are trusted brands out there.  All too often many people just spout off "only go OEM...it's the only way"...etc etc etc, and they paint horror stories not of personal experience but of things read on the internet.  and that just isn't a fair representation of advice.  

I find it pretty funny that the battery for your camcorder didn't even fit. lol.  I find it hard to trust retailers at all these days, they just need to make money and put that ahead of their customers.  Sell off crap as good.  I like to find manufacturers that I trust vs. retailers.  As far as retailers, I don't trust any of them.  Ever.  lol


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## TCampbell (Dec 29, 2012)

The only real difference is the ".2" volts which is probably inconsequential.  E.g. if you have a device which operates on, say, 12 volts, it doesn't really mean 12.0 volts... it really means it's a "12 volt system" and the voltage varies from about 15v down to about 10v.

The other values (1500mAh and 11.1Wh) are just capacity specs... that's the total amount of power the "new" battery can hold (and it'll degrade over the life of the battery.)  1500 milli-Amp hours (1.5 Amp hours) means if a device was drawing 1.5 amps then it would last 1 hour before being depleted.  If the device were drawing .15 amps then it would last 10 hours.  Watts is just volts X amps and, if you do the math -- 7.4v X 1.5 Ah = 11.1.

I've tried the Opteka brand batteries with one of my old bodies and found that they didn't last nearly as long as the Canon batteries.  After about a year, the off-brand no longer wanted to accept or hold much of a charge, but the Canon batteries were still going great.  I rationalized that (a) reliability is an important factor ... don't want to be on a trip or outing only to discover the battery is failing and (b) if the Canon batteries cost three times as much but last three times as long am I really paying more for them?


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