[alamo5000]

I have had my K5 for a couple of years now (it's still going strong) and when I bought it I purchased two backup batteries that were made by Bower.

I haven't given either of these batteries hard use by any means but the Pentax battery is just fine. It holds it's charge as it did on day one.

Both Bower batteries are just about dead. I can get maybe 30 minutes or whatever out of them before the camera body meter starts reading 'yellow'...If I put them in the camera and turn the camera off... in a few days they are just about depleted even with a full charge and zero use.

Just saying for the record...if you buy cheap third party batteries you most likely won't get the same life from them. That said they lasted about 2 years under very light use.

[officiousbystander]

Generic batteries are a lottery even within the same brand. Some are as good as the OEM while others lose their charge so quickly that when you do a swap they're already dead. I can't work out if having two perhaps less reliable generics at half price is worth one OEM. If I did weddings or any sort of professional work the answer might be easy.

[alamo5000]

Generic batteries are a lottery even within the same brand. Some are as good as the OEM while others lose their charge so quickly that when you do a swap they're already dead. I can't work out if having two perhaps less reliable generics at half price is worth one OEM. If I did weddings or any sort of professional work the answer might be easy.

This answered my question to be honest. I will have a couple of original replacements instead of the 3rd party brand. That said 2 years... eh... not shabby for the price... but if I got in a pinch that wouldn't be good.

[lesmore49]

This answered my question to be honest. I will have a couple of original replacements instead of the 3rd party brand. That said 2 years... eh... not shabby for the price... but if I got in a pinch that wouldn't be good.

Two years doesn't cut it for me. I've got two Pentax batteries in my trusty, old K10D, that I've used heavily since 2007....that's 7 years !

I agree with you....if in a pinch...the 2 year and weak already performance of the generics, wouldn't be good. I also don't want a battery dying under light use after just two years.

Wonder what the cost per year would be ...of both Pentax and these generic batteries ?

[alamo5000]

Two years doesn't cut it for me. I've got two Pentax batteries in my trusty, old K10D, that I've used heavily since 2007....that's 7 years !

I agree with you....if in a pinch...the 2 year and weak already performance of the generics, wouldn't be good. I also don't want a battery dying under light use after just two years.

Wonder what the cost per year would be ...of both Pentax and these generic batteries ?

The K5 was my first ever DSLR so I learned my lesson. I am going to invest in some more PENTAX batteries once my new K3 arrives (or before).