Low Cost Canon 5D batteries

[kgphoto]

Hi Guys,

I just obtained a 7.3 volt lithium battery for a "Canon Video Camera" labeled BP511. The site said it was good for Canon 5D cameras. My "Official" battery is a BP511A and is a 7.4 volt.

Do you think this is any kind of problem? The difference in price was staggering.

I find standard batteries to be $65-$100 and these "other sites" batteries to be about $28.00. This one only cost $6.00, out the door, but it was on special.

It comes from a distributor in Arcadia Calif, but the box clearly shows it as a Chinese product. I have bought "Hong Kong" flash cables and devices and they have worked fine so I am inclined to believe this one will be fine..

I will check it with my meter once it is charged and then see how long it lasts.

[nikimoto]

Originally Posted by kgphoto

Hi Guys,

I just obtained a 7.3 volt lithium battery for a "Canon Video Camera" labeled BP511. The site said it was good for Canon 5D cameras. My "Official" battery is a BP511A and is a 7.4 volt.

Do you think this is any kind of problem? The difference in price was staggering.

I find standard batteries to be $65-$100 and these "other sites" batteries to be about $28.00. This one only cost $6.00, out the door, but it was on special.

It comes from a distributor in Arcadia Calif, but the box clearly shows it as a Chinese product. I have bought "Hong Kong" flash cables and devices and they have worked fine so I am inclined to believe this one will be fine..

I will check it with my meter once it is charged and then see how long it lasts.

I can't pretend to know much about Canon batteries but I
looked around and some people were saying the BP 511 was the original...and the 511 A is the better replacement.

Seems to be a 100 milliamp difference between some of them and sometimes up to 800 mAh difference between
them, depending on the manufacturer.

As for the staggering price difference, I found these and you can
get two 511A's for $10 plus shipping so if it were me I'd stick
with the 511A.

If you don't like Ebay you can probably find similar deal somewhere else.

TWO Battery for Canon EOS 5D/20D/30D/60D/300D BP-511 A - eBay (item 300232719764 end time Jun-14-08 07:45:00 PDT)

The above listing is somewhat confusing. Sometimes it says 511 and sometime 511A but definitely seems to have the capacity and
output of the 511A.

Here's another one that is actually marked as a 511 A and 1600mAh.
From Australia but pretty cheap shipping.
Phottix Battery for Canon BP-511A 30D/40D/5D BG-E2 - eBay (item 170226852117 end time Jun-13-08 20:35:47 PDT)

Actually there is another conversation about these batteries
right here on this site:
BP-511 VS BP-511A

And a Google search fro 'BP-511 vs BP-511A' brings up several other
conversations around the internet where this has probably been asked
and answered.

Hope this helps a bit.

[kgphoto]

Your first link shows 511 A in the title, but the label on the battery itself and later description shows it as a 511 only. The other from Hong Kong is the correct thing though.

I agree if you can get the 511A at these same prices, by all means do it.

[Julio]

I have had bateries not from the maker in the past and they not perform well
My canon battery ,still running

[kgphoto]

So far my $6.00 battery working just fine. I think I can buy 10 of them for the same price as one of the Canon.

[richardpcrowe]

I have several non-Canon batteries and I honestly cannot tell the difference between the Chinese knock-offs and the OEM batteries. I don't even look which brand battery I put into my camera because they work equally as well.

[danster]

BP511, BP511A and the new BP514 all work with the 5D. There's a popular company called Sterlinktek that sells alot of generic batteries to another Canon forum with plenty of positive feedback.

[timswim78]

I've been using knockoff batteries for 4 years in my Canon S50 and 2 years in my Canon XTi with no problems.

If I was using a camera as expensive as a 5D, I might check to see if using off-brand batteries voids the warranty.

BTW, are you planning to use these batteries in the body or in a grip?

[crumplezone]

I have heard lately that there is a clearance sale on the 511a replacement sold by Radio Shack, but only at the shops that had some in store, not on batteries that have to be ordered by the dealers. If you are lucky and can find some on the shelf, they are 5 bucks each. I couldn't find any at 5 local stores, most of the people that said they had found them were East of the missippi.

[Mr. Pickles]

I have had mixed results with 3rd party batteries. Some work well, some are DOA (dead on arrival) or die pretty soon.

So I adopted the motto of...
Why spend over $1000 (or way over) for a camera body and try and save $30 (whatever) on a battery to power it?

[20DNewbie]

SterlingTek user here, got them in my 40D(gripped) and my 20D. Hell, if they made them for the 1D they would be in there also. Little buggers last forever so I never have any real concerns about forgetting to recharge before going out, unlike my 1D batteries.

[kohr2000]

I also use SterlingTek batteries and have been using them for more then 3 years.
Since I bought my canon 300d and now my 30d and I gave my friend the 300d with the batteries that I got from SterlingTek.
he is still using the batteries I bought for the 300d

[ohtoberich]

I have a SterlingTek as well. First one I bought didn't hold a charge but customer service was great, and the new one lasts longer than my Canon battery!