[Raven_bc]

Just a quick question about generic batteries and the K-5. The original battery is a 7.2v, I just received a generic that I ordered which was supposed to be 7.2v but is actually 7.4v. Has anyone used the 7.4v generics with their camera's? Does the K-5 voltage regulator cover up to 7.4v?

[wlachan]

No idea, but I don't trust generic batteries, and generic lithium even less. Sorry for being unhelpful but I think it's a dumb idea to risk a 1.5k camera with a cheap batt. I can cheap out on many things but never on batteries which can go wrong in so many ways.

[glanglois]

Perhaps the real question is voltage under load. Are you willing/able to measure that?

I'm with wlachan. I'll go generic for a cheap P&S but it's worth it to me not to have to think about the question in the first place.

This is a new tack for me, I'll confess. I got a very well-recommended non-Pentax battery for the third battery for my K10D. I rotated batteries and the third-party was the first to lose full ability to maintain power. Lesson learned. I gulp and pay.

[Todd Adamson]

I never risked any of my Nikon bodies to a generic battery, and the OEMs were over a hundred bucks. I am thrilled to find out that I can buy four D-Li90s for the price of one D3 battery! How much can you save by buying a generic? Ten bucks? Fifteen?? Not. Worth. It.

[Mike.P®]

How much can you save by buying a generic? Ten bucks? Fifteen?? Not. Worth. It.

Here in the UK the original battery is approx 7 times more expensive than a generic.

[David]

Just a quick question about generic batteries and the K-5. The original battery is a 7.2v, I just received a generic that I ordered which was supposed to be 7.2v but is actually 7.4v. Has anyone used the 7.4v generics with their camera's? Does the K-5 voltage regulator cover up to 7.4v?

I have a PowerMart DPE007 generic battery which is rated at 7.2V and 1860mAh for my K-5. I keep the Pentax battery in the body and the generic in the grip.

I have used the PowerMart batteries for several years in my K10D and K20D with no problems. Battery comes with a 12 months warranty (whatever that means).

[jephi]

Hi battery users,

glanglois should be right. If you measure 7.4V with no load attached to the battery, it is very likely that the voltage will drop under load, e.g. by hooking a resistor onto it.
But how and when is another story.

But I have to join in the choir: For all my cameray I went away from using generic batteries.
Here are some reasons:

- Load cycle stability tends to be much poorer in 3rd party that with the originals. This is tricky, because you will only start to notice a difference after some load cycles... My oldest Pentax battery (an Li50 that came with my K10D in 2007) still works fine, while I have already dumped a couple of 3rd party batteries.

- High load behaviour: If you rapid fire your camera, that will really stress your battery's chemistry. My experience is that generic batteries may experience severe momentary voltage break-downs that may actually shut down the camera. When you turn the camery back on the battery indicator shows "charged" again, because the battery had a few seconds to recover.
I never had that with the originals.

- Another really critical issue is LOW temperature behaviour: It has happened to me on several occasions that my 3rd party batteries refused to work in temperatures around freezing point.
The battery later "recovers" its charge when it gets warm again, but that does not help you, does it?
So if you buy a camera that is qualified for up to -10°C (one of the reasons I buy Pentax) than you should have batteries that go with that :-)

- AND of course the well known "blow it up" behaviour. An exploding battery has not happened to me, but I dumped a 3rd party battery because I noticed that it started to bulge.
And believe me Lithium is pretty nasty stuff, once it gets out of its casing.


BTW: All the above makes it logical to me that Apple does not provide exchangable batteries in their laptops.
It seems that when users experience that are caused by 3rd battery related problems, they tend to blame it on the device manufacturer.

AND: The same applies to any rechargable AA or whatever cell: Go for quality, it pays in the end.

Cheers from Berlin!

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Last edited by jephi; 12-17-2010 at 04:32 AM.

[Schraubstock]

I am amazed, you are either a battery dealer for brandname batteries or else you are a very very unlucky guy. I had a Pentax branded battery honk out on me after 8 months (refused to charge) while all my 3rd party cells still work after 3 years in, first my K10 and than in the K20. And in my K7 I run the Pentax cell and a 3rd party together (body and grip) for nearly a year now. No problems. Used the camera in Japan at -15 and in North Australia (Tropics), no problems.
It is also worth noting that the majority of Lithium-Ion cells are now made in China. Pentax have the cells made in Japan, ship them to china for assembly. However a lot of brandname batteries are made in China and re-named (re-labelled). When I purchase 3rd party batteries I stay away from the cheapest but pay a bit more because also better quality batteries made in China cost a bit more. China has the rare earth material for the manufacture of these Lithium-Ion cells.

Greetings

[jephi]

@Schraubstock:
Well, I guess we are all talking about personal experience. No big data sets to run statistics on :-)

PS.: Nope, I am not a battery dealer, just an electronics engineer.

[Todd Adamson]

Here in the UK the original battery is approx 7 times more expensive than a generic.

Crikey. Do you all at least get a kiss with that ***ing?

I hope that pricing doesn't carry over to the camera bodies! Is it the same with Nikon batteries? Because that would make my D3 batteries worth about $300 - $400.

[Rupert]

The Pentax battery is also labeled and sold as a generic brand, from the same Mfg off the same line, with just a different name. The trick is to find out what that brand is.
Just like Sears....they don't have any "Sears" plants, the may have a "Sears TV" made by Samsung.

I've used generic batteries in my K10D and K20D without problems for several years. Like anything, there is always some risk...even with the Pentax battery....think sensor stains?

Best Regards!

[Todd Adamson]

Like anything, there is always some risk...even with the Pentax battery.

Of course this is true. But (one would hope) if a battery malfunctions and fries a circuit board in your new K-5, that Pentax might cover it if you were using OEM as opposed to aftermarket. Although I guess maybe they wouldn't be able to tell.

[Raven_bc]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I'm using the battery and no noticeable issues. It took a charge just fine. I'll primarily use it as a back up. In Canada most of the places are charging $90-99 dollars for the Pentax battery which is almost 10 times the generic price. I'll probably pick up a battery from the US Amazon which atleast is only charging around $30-40 for the battery.

[Ofer Hadas]

Reading the thread here - I guess there are few generic brands - which brand proved its quality over time? Any suggestion?
For example I had issues with the AA rechargeable batteries for my K200D – till I replaced them withSanyo Eneloop .The Amp rating was lower but those batteries just won’t drop and you can keep them in the camera for weeks and hundreds of frames.

[bats]

Well my friend got me a Synergy Digital generic replacement batter for the K5 for Christmas. What a waste of $18. The battery charged, took about 20 photos, then died. Recharged, took another 5 photos, and died again.

Shipping it back hardly pays, after mailing charges and restocking fees which won't be waved by the store because the plastic wrapping is torn (which is the only way to get the battery out of the package).

I'm ordering a Pentax battery.

/Grumble Mode Off