Counterfit battery warning

[zeva]

Hey just got this email and wanted to post...
Dear ,
Thank you for using Canon products.
It has been confirmed that counterfeit Canon lithium-ion batteries and chargers for Canon digital cameras and digital video camcorders are in circulation. In addition, it has been reported that counterfeit batteries have been considered the cause of some battery ruptures.
In many cases, counterfeit batteries and chargers are not equipped with protective devices required to meet international quality standards. Therefore, when these batteries or chargers are used or charged, they can cause abnormal heat or leakage, ignition, rupture and other malfunctions in the batteries, chargers, and digital cameras and video camcorders. There is concern that, in the worst case, not only could digital cameras and digital video camcorders be damaged, but fire, burns, blindness and other severe accidents could occur. Thus, to ensure customer safety, we urge our customers not to use counterfeit devices.
Please be advised that Canon is not responsible, and will not be liable, for any malfunctions, damages or injuries caused by non-Canon genuine lithium-ion batteries and/or battery chargers including, without limitation, counterfeit devices.
Recently, both in Japan and overseas, counterfeits of Canon's genuine lithium-ion battery packs and chargers have been frequently offered for sale on the Internet. Accordingly, please use caution when purchasing Canon lithium-ion battery packs and chargers on the Internet to ensure that they are genuine Canon brand.
Canon's genuine lithium-ion batteries have security labels on their packaging that identify them as genuine Canon products. When purchasing battery packs, please refer to this information. (See the following image for the labels.)


<img width="331" height="474"> For questions about "Counterfeit" products, please contact us at the following:

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[zeva]

=D canon wants us to buy their over priced batteries!!!

[andrew748]

there is a huge difference between counterfeit and 3rd party

[zeva]

ya i know... my feeling is that if you buy noteable 3rd party you should be fine... Like stearling tek... Dont buy some no name one...

[andrew748]

ya i know... my feeling is that if you buy noteable 3rd party you should be fine... Like stearling tek... Dont buy some no name one...

i am a coward and only buy canon branded, but then i'm still in warranty and there is no point in angering the gods of repair

[Bill Roberts]

Personally I've no hesitation in buying known make 3rd party batteries.
As far as I know Canon don't actually make them anyway? I've no doubt the Canon ones are made to a specification, but who says the decent 3rd party ones aren't exactly the same spec ...

[lauderdalems]

i am a coward and only buy canon branded, but then i'm still in warranty and there is no point in angering the gods of repair

Think that is the purpose of the warning....some people think they are getting Canon brand batteries, but they are really getting counterfeit and not true Canon brand.

[andrew748]

Think that is the purpose of the warning....some people think they are getting Canon brand batteries, but they are really getting counterfeit and not true Canon brand.


from a reputable dealer

i.e. i don't buy a £55 battery that pretneds to be canon on ebay for £10 and then whine when it melts inside my camera and expect a full free repair.

[Bill Roberts]

from a reputable dealer

i.e. i don't buy a £55 battery that pretneds to be canon on ebay for £10 and then whine when it melts inside my camera and expect a full free repair.

exactly! I agree fully.
But if you buy something like (in the UK) say Uniross or any other decent brand they're hardly likely to be selling junk. And there's a huge cost saving to be made.

On the othe hand I wouldn't advise buying a no name brand that had no reputation to uphold. That's just asking for trouble. I suppose it's just finding a balance really.

[brecklundin]

for all the money we spend on the gear...to scrimp on batteries to save $20/battery or whatever is like stepping over dollars to pick up nickles. I say stick with genuine Canon...I feel the same about batteries for our laptops. I still shop for fair prices but stick to known sellers and genuine batteries.

3rd party batteries are probably perfectly FINE too but only if you buy them direct from the mfg themselves. Think about it...it's probably even EASIER to counterfeit 3rd party batteries then name brand since the 3rd party mfg is already cutting corners to reduce costs. So, I would only buy direct from the 3rd party maker or larger retailer such as B&H, Adorama, what have you...

[cdifoto]

for all the money we spend on the gear...to scrimp on batteries to save $20/battery or whatever is like stepping over dollars to pick up nickles.

Canon OEM NP-E3 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/239009-REG/Canon_7084A002_NP_E3_NiMH_Battery_12v.html)

Generic NP-E3 Equivalent (http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/ProductDetail.jsp?LISTID=800000ED-1179840777)

I have two of the former and one of the latter. They all work fine. "Or whatever" is actually more like $90. There's a 400% premium for the Canon logo (and an admittedly better environment seal) in this case.

[GrahamS]

there is a much bigger market for this in mobile phones, they even fake the holograms and such. if you buy a 'canon' battery and it turns out not to be, you have been ripped off, and if it fails in your gear, then it could be very expensive. what i have found with the phones is the cheap batteries don't last as long - lifetime, not life per charge.

[brecklundin]

if a person can afford a $3k-$6k camera and then looks to use the CHEAPEST battery because it's a whole $90 less for a battery...something needs to be looked at...

Still it's worth a chance if you run through a lot of these batteries, but then again if you are using that many you are likely making a profit so everything is a deductible overhead expense.

And remember, especially for NiMH batteries, el cheapo generics can have a lot of short comings such a higher discharge rate whether on the shelf or in use. For $30 one can try but you roll your dice and you take your chance, if ya don't bet you can't win, right?

[cdifoto]

if a person can afford a $3k-$6k camera and then looks to use the CHEAPEST battery because it's a whole $90 less for a battery...something needs to be looked at...

Still it's worth a chance if you run through a lot of these batteries, but then again if you are using that many you are likely making a profit so everything is a deductible overhead expense.

And remember, especially for NiMH batteries, el cheapo generics can have a lot of short comings such a higher discharge rate whether on the shelf or in use. For $30 one can try but you roll your dice and you take your chance, if ya don't bet you can't win, right?
I bought my 1D II because it's fast. I bought a generic battery because the juice is the same. I'm not the only one who does this, since there's a market for the NP-E3 replacements in the first place.

The ONLY reason I have two OEMs is for the better seals when I need them most, and the fact that I got the 2nd OEM for a good deal used. I had 2 more generics but one broke when the camera took a fall, and the other I destroyed when I got curious about the innards.

What needs to be looked at is Canon's absurd markup.

[Perry Ge]

The ONLY reason I have two OEMs is for the better seals when I need them most, and the fact that I got the 2nd OEM for a good deal used. I had 2 more generics but one broke when the camera took a fall, and the other I destroyed when I got curious about the innards.
The same thing happened to my thanksgiving turkey.

[zeva]

PErsonally i think i m one of the cheapest people in the world... like Ill only buy camera gear if its an extreamly good deal... meaning its possible to make money if i sell it out again... (as long as i dont break it...)

[saturnin]

i bought some batteries on ebay for my 1ds2 and they were highly recommended.. i didnt have luck with them. They would not fit properly, and they didnt last @ all even after a full night of charge, etc... i was quite dissapointed.

[Mark]

I used knock off batts for my 40d and e-500, but with the 1d3 as the batt is part of the sealing I only use canon batts...

[cabandrew]

I got 2 kinda off brand batteries with my genuine CANON battery grip and they work great no problem with them.

[sastein]

There's a big problem with phony batteries labeled to look like the manufacturer's own brand. Sony, Apple, Dell, and just about anyone's brand has been knocked off. It's a big problem. See this site: http://www.cipa.jp/battery/index_e.html

Buying a reputable 3rd party battery won't kill your camera but any manufacturer won't honor the warranty if the battery blows up or causes a fire inside your camera. I'd never buy a battery off flEaBay since the source of a lot of counterfeits are found there.

[MinisterStanley]

Personally I've no hesitation in buying known make 3rd party batteries.
As far as I know Canon don't actually make them anyway? I've no doubt the Canon ones are made to a specification, but who says the decent 3rd party ones aren't exactly the same spec ...

Agreed. Canon does not make batteries. They buy them and brand them. I purchased 2 Sterlingtek batteries for my 20D and have had no issues at all with them. When I purchased my 50D, I put them in the battery grip and kept shooting. Those batteries are going on 3 years old now with no issues. I wouldn't be suprised if Canon purchased their batteries from the same company that Sterlingtek does.

[MinisterStanley]

for all the money we spend on the gear...to scrimp on batteries to save $20/battery or whatever is like stepping over dollars to pick up nickles. I say stick with genuine Canon...I feel the same about batteries for our laptops. I still shop for fair prices but stick to known sellers and genuine batteries.

3rd party batteries are probably perfectly FINE too but only if you buy them direct from the mfg themselves. Think about it...it's probably even EASIER to counterfeit 3rd party batteries then name brand since the 3rd party mfg is already cutting corners to reduce costs. So, I would only buy direct from the 3rd party maker or larger retailer such as B&H, Adorama, what have you...

Third party manufacturers are not always cutting corners to save costs. They simply don't have the high markeup that some companies have. The battery may cost only $9 to make, but Canon has a higher markup (due to advertising, marketing, and distribution). If the third party manufacturer doesn't have these high costs, then they can offer the same quality battery cheaper. Just because Canon puts their name on it, and charges more does not make it a better battery.

[I Simonius]

Personally I've no hesitation in buying known make 3rd party batteries.
As far as I know Canon don't actually make them anyway? I've no doubt the Canon ones are made to a specification, but who says the decent 3rd party ones aren't exactly the same spec ...

dunno but... my Jessops battteries definitely do not last as well as the Canon ones ( got two of each)

[suefoto]

I'm upset about Canon's markup too..I purchased a remote switch and paid $99.99 before taxes. My friend bought one online for less than $20. It works the same as mine and is made the same. It can't harm the camera so why did I spend so much $$$$!!!

[gkas]

I'll bet it isn't made the same as the Canon one. Most of the cheap 3rd party stuff is definitely inferior in build quality.