The most common trick the camera makers have done, is to reject or make life difficult for third party accessory makers, through the use of firmware updates. Sony did it, Panasonic did it, and now Nikon has done it. Your perfectly working third party battery suddenly stop working after the firmware update on your camera.
I believe Panasonic was the first to do this. When I updated my G1's firmware, all the third party batteries stopped working. I was mad. There is no reason for them to do this, and they know sooner or later, the third party battery makers will find a way around it, but the existing batteries will no longer be usable. Who loses? The customers. I wouldn't be too mad if the OEM batteries are reasonably priced, but they are not. They cost three to four times more than the non-OEM version and offers little or no advantage. They can argue, that the OEM batteries are safer, but I have never had problem with third party batteries in decades of using them in electronic devices. It was greed, pure and simple. Sony also did this. The non-OEM battery that worked fine on my NEX-5, no longer worked with the NEX-5N or NEX-6; at least Sony did not make the existing model incompatible with third party batteries through firmware, like Panasonic did.
So what to do? I don't want to be a piece of meat on a chopping board and let them slice and dice, so I vote with my wallet. I never did buy another Panasonic battery, nor any Panasonic products after the G1. Still have the G1 but is put on the back burner. I don't foresee myself buying any Panasonic products in the future, unless they have something so unique and great that I have to buy it; there are many choices out there.
Sometimes you have to wonder who makes these stupid and short-sighted decisions; they are just shooting themselves on the foot. In the case of batteries, they can do what Canon has done. Develop a new battery for the new camera models with firmware protection. For the LP-E6 battery, there are many third party batteries that work with the cameras that uses the LP-E6, but can not be charged using the Canon charger, and they usually come with their own charger, which works with both OEM and non-OEM batteries. I know the risk and the shortcomings so I am OK with that. Making existing third party batteries non-functional is just low and greedy. Of course, Canon could one day have a new firmware that makes all existing LP-E6 clones stop working, but so far, they haven't, and I hope they won't do such as stupid thing.
Big candy cane - Canon 5D Mark II & EF 50mm f1.2L @ f1.2.
Yu-Lin,
ReplyDeleteIn this case it looks like Nikon simply made the camera pickier about in-spec batteries (likely due to a spate of issues traced to bad batteries). Quite a number of 3rd party batteries are not disabled by the update for the D5300.
One of the issues here is that many of the 3rd party batteries lack the charge/discharge rate protection circuitry that the 1st party (and high-quality 3rd party) batteries have. That turns those 3rd party batteries into hazards, both to the camera and the consumer. They can in fact melt down or even catch fire due to that circuitry being missing. This is why you see that sort of firmware getting pushed periodically, it's not to force the users to buy 1st party but rather to disable a 3rd party battery that's been linked to an excess of warranty claims.
I'd like some evidence for that claim
DeleteI also question the validity of the battery issues. Batteries are really simple devices.
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ReplyDeleteProprietary shutter release cables!
ReplyDeleteI quarrel with Sigma Foveon cameras. I really loved my Sigma SD14 and DP models. The new processor in Sigma SD15 is better concerning color fidelity but is really hard to handle. My complaint:
ReplyDeletedynamic range was cut down by at least one stop, and this bug never ever was fixed. They brought out the SD1. I have to live with with blown out highlights or skies that once had been so fine. SD15 was a waste of money and time. BTW .... I cannot charge Sigma third party batteries either.
One positive thing about Sony. My SLT-A37 eats any A-mount AF lens you throw at it .... may its name be Sigma, Tamron, Minolta .... Tokina. Even 25 year old AF glass .... my little Sony beast will work (mayby noisy and slow) but will finally focus precisely. I love the SLT series. Theses cameras honor former generation of AF lenses .... only 5 contact points .... simple concept .... good and consistent results.
Sorry to hear about your Sigma. I am hoping their upcoming mirrorless camera system will be much better.
Deletehi, back again
ReplyDeletedear yu-lin, the worst company in treating their customers is apple.
monitors that cannot be connected with older devices, OSs that force the software suppliers to reprogram their software. app suppliers who are forced to sell their apps through the apple network (apple asks for 30% share .. ) and so on.
so this little battery issue is nasty but nothing compared to what apple does.
greetings and wish you nice holidays and kep on your good work and, and and :)
michael from vienna
Good to hear from you, Michael. I have pretty much gotten rid of all Apple products, except the MacBook Pro, and the iPad from work.
DeleteEOS 5D Mark III & Third Party Batteries
ReplyDeletehttp://www.canonrumors.com/2013/12/eos-5d-mark-iii-third-party-batteries/
thank you for posting this. I notice the site says:
Delete>My contact at Canon explained this was an effort to cut out counterfeit batteries claiming to be Canon batteries.
So nothing to do with any potential damage to cameras ... everything to do with squeezing out every last $
Wow, I guess I spoke too early. I take back what I said about Canon. They are all bad.
DeleteMy gripe is with camera companies intentionally building in under spec components when it may be cheaper for them to use the same components as their top models.
ReplyDeletean example of this would be viewfinder coverage. there should be no such thing as 90% viewfinder coverage!
I think it would actually be cheaper for them to use the same viewfinder and mirror combo in all models with that sensor size.
I agree with you, but I also understand they need to differentiate the product lines. It probably would have been cheaper to reuse components among models.
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