Dog Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Got sent to the after sales in Auchan.How much old chap - I'll happily have a generic.15 minutes later after looking on computer then phoning somewhere the guy says 45 euros - I could buy a camera for that - cheerio.Amazon UK genuine Nikon £50 - generic £4.22 including free postage.So checked Amazon FR 8.99 for the same.Guess where I am buying it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I don't know what make it is Dog, but I have had two different makes of generic in the last couple of years. They were fine for a while but both lost their charge after about half an hour when they were less than six months old and I would have been left camera-less had not my o/h got a spare Nikon one. Beware of relying upon them in serious situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Dog, you can have a couple of 'generic' EN-EL1 batteries for just the price of the postage if you want. Both lasted a little longer than Cooperlola's but failed at a critical moment, meaning I had to go and buy another camera (no Nikon batteries available off the shelf in a remote part of Scandinavia) in order to do my job.Only the real thing for me now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I also have a baby Lumix for the handbag. When I put a cheap generic battery (correct size, sold as for the camera etc), the camera basically told it to "s*d *ff" - ie a message came up saying it was the wrong battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 So Auchan it is then [:)]Same with generic mobile phone batteries 6-8 months then sharp decline in performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Same message from me. When I had my Fuji camera I got a spare generic battery. Useless, wouldn't hold a charge whilst the original Fuji branded one was still going strong.When I got a spare for my Nikon I bought a Nikon branded one and no probs.. great performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 That's the other thing - I took 6,000 pictures during last year's Spa 24 hours on one battery with many multi-frame shots and quite a few edits in the camera to boot. Not sure how many pics you want to take Dog but a spare may not always be necessary (although I always carry one myself in case of failure.) If I'm shooting raw I often run out of card space before battery life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Sorry, I told a lie. My batteries are in fact EN-EL3. Prices are just about identical, hence my mistake. After the problem mentioned above I bought - off eBay - a holder that takes three widely-available disposable CR-2 camera batteries. As these have a very long shelf life, unlike spare rechargeables, that seemed to be a good insurance policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 [quote user="cooperlola"] - I took 6,000 pictures during last year's Spa 24 hours [/quote]That can easily happen if you put your camera in your handbag without turning it off. [:P][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I can't fit the D300 in my handbag, Bugs - that's what the Lumix is for. Like Will, I have slightly misled you as it was an EL3 that took 6000 pics. But it was an EL1 generic which failed so badly (previous camera). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 [quote user="cooperlola"]I can't fit the D300 in my handbag, Bugs - that's what the Lumix is for.[/quote][:)][:)]What pixel ratio do you use for those shots? I've got a Lumix DMC-ZS3 (DMC-TZ7 in Europe) and its a brilliant camera.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 [quote user="Bugsy"][quote user="cooperlola"]I can't fit the D300 in my handbag, Bugs - that's what the Lumix is for.[/quote][:)][:)]What pixel ratio do you use for those shots? I've got a Lumix DMC-ZS3 (DMC-TZ7 in Europe) and its a brilliant camera..[/quote]I'm girlie enough just to leave the PAR as the factory set it!Mine is also a TZ7 but try as I might I just cannot get really serious with a camera which does not have a viewfinder. Give me an SLR any day - sadly I don't always want to lump it around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 [quote user="cooperlola"]I'm girlie enough just to leave the PAR as the factory set it!Mine is also a TZ7 but try as I might I just cannot get really serious with a camera which does not have a viewfinder. Give me an SLR any day - sadly I don't always want to lump it around.[/quote]I know what you mean, no viewfinder does take some getting used to, its a really good screen though and, as you say, great for just carrying round with you. I did some video of me and a friend sailing our model yachts recently and having a screen meant I could follow the action and still use the radio controls for my boat. Impossible through a viewfinder. The multi-shot on the Lumix is excellent too, but better using manual settings rather than iAuto.I've done the SLR bit, I've still got a couple of Nikon F bodies and a couple of lens and a Fuji SLR around somewhere gathering dust.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted March 1, 2010 Author Share Posted March 1, 2010 My first Nikon battery only lasted a month and Jessops replaced it when Big Dave took it back for me.The second Nikon has lasted 6 years.It will be interesting to see how long the generic lasts.I haven't had a chance to check but are these rechargeables meant to be fully flat when recharged?I only ask as I have been taking a few pics daily recently and I always put the battery on recharge so I know it's fully charged.The guff on the generic says it can be recharged over a 1000 times and has a guarantee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 depends on the type of rechargeable I believe,Ni-Cad yes should be flatMetal hydride or Li-on doesn't seem to matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 [quote user="Dog"]I only ask as I have been taking a few pics daily recently and I always put the battery on recharge so I know it's fully charged.The guff on the generic says it can be recharged over a 1000 times and has a garantee.[/quote]Li-on batteries have no memory unlike NiMh/NiCad batteries and can be charged as and when. When new they take a few charges to get to peak condition.400-600 is more typical but again reality shows that a battery can still function at around 80% of capacity for much longer than the advertising blurb.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted March 1, 2010 Author Share Posted March 1, 2010 Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 I meant to post this link last night.It gives good advice on charging and maintaining all types of batteries.LINK . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 What an incredible resource. Many thanks for the link.When I have a day free I will read it - amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 As the generics are so cheap, I'd be inclined to buy 3 or 4 and carry them in my camera bag fully charged, that way you should never get caught out. Plus you've still saved heaps of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 [quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]As the generics are so cheap, I'd be inclined to buy 3 or 4 and carry them in my camera bag fully charged, that way you should never get caught out. Plus you've still saved heaps of money.[/quote]My problem was that both went duff at the same time and I only managed to take about 50 shots with each before I was left with two flat batteries. Should be fine in normal circs but when you're at a 24 hour race and don't want to miss any action it's a real begger. Maybe buy a new one every six months or so so at least they don't go flat at the same time as mine did.Bugs, it's funny but I've hardly used the Lumix except for the odd out-and-about shot and a few bits of movie - really handy in low light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 [quote user="cooperlola"]Bugs, it's funny but I've hardly used the Lumix except for the odd out-and-about shot and a few bits of movie - really handy in low light. [/quote]Try a clear sky night shot. You need a tripod but the results are amazing.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Santa bought me a nice pressie for just before Christmas! A Canon 500d with a Canon 18/200 lens and 16 gig SD card. I got a spare battery from amazon.fr for about 8€. So far I have had no problems with generic batteries and I usually get them form a company in the States, but I am blowed if I can find the site again. I have had several batteries from them, the oldest is about 6 or 7 years old for my mini DV camcorder and it has been no trouble at all.One thing to remember and that is if you are using Nmh (Nicle metal hydride) batteries they loose their chargeover a fairly short time, about a week or so, and have to be recharged. To me, they are a pain and I much prefere Ni-cads. Ni-cads are no longer avai;able because of the cadmium in them. It's not good for the Earth apparently? They don't loose their charge and, unless you discharge and recharge them to exactly the same level, won't develope a memory, contrary to most belief.Li-ion, the batteries used in almost all cameras and mobiles now, are much better than both the others and don't loose their charge, but they are more delicate than ni-cads. They don't need to be fully discarged before you recharge them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 Finally got the battery it is guaranteed for one year and made in Japan - quite surprised it wasn't China.So far so good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 ... glad to say after one year the battery is still working fine!Well worth the saving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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