Wasabi batteries (resolved)

photolady95 · 07-13-2016, 07:34 AM

I was thinking to get a set of Wasabi batteries, in a 2 pack with charger and extras. I was reading the description and came across this little statement:

Quote:

Batteries and charger are fully decoded and are compatible with all Pentax original equipment.

What does that actually mean? Is it something bad?
I don't want to buy them if there might be a problem with them.

MikeD · 07-13-2016, 07:40 AM

Originally posted by photolady95

I was thinking to get a set of Wasabi batteries, in a 2 pack with charger and extras. I was reading the description and came across this little statement:
What does that actually mean? Is it something bad?
I don't want to buy them if there might be a problem with them.

I don't know what the "decoded means" but I own LI90 wasabi batteries for my K5 and they work just fine. Way less expensive than Pentax batteries. If you need extra batteries I wouldn't worry.

photolady95 · 07-13-2016, 07:46 AM

I know a lot members use Wasabi batteries, I wanted to know why it says "decoded" if there might be a problem later. I have one that came with my used K-30 and it's swollen and unusable in my K-50.

vonBaloney · 07-13-2016, 08:18 AM

Any battery that has been improperly stored (and some that haven't) in high heat, etc etc (or are just really old) can go bad -- if swollen or anything like that get rid of it immediately. I've got 2 Wasabis for my Pentax K-5 & K-01 (same batteries), and also a couple for the Q series. Had them for years now, still using along with the originals. The "decoded" probably refers to "fully reverse-engineered", meaning they copied it well.

I did notice on one Amazon review someone said the terminals were slightly different but the ones I have look exactly the same as the OEM battery. Also that the included Wasabi charger does "quick" charging and maybe that's something to avoid as a safety issue (charge too fast) -- i.e. use the OEM charger, or at least don't use your OEM batteries in the Wasabi charger. Which incidentally I have always done as I always charge at home and usually don't need any quick recharges since I've got several batteries (I never run out during a single day). So I use the OEM charger to charge them all.

But I do carry the wasabi charger in the car "just in case" since it has a cigarette lighter adapter and one time I did end up using it that way when I accidentally brought along dead spares. And it did seem to charge really fast, even in the car. And everything was fine, but I think I have used the Wasabi charger only that one time...

**UncleVanya** · 07-13-2016, 08:41 AM

I have a pair for the k-3 and had one for the k-50. Good brand and no issues.

**TER-OR** · 07-13-2016, 08:45 AM

https://www.facebook.com/selfhelpphotographer/posts/429784743784584

Decoded just means it doesn't have brand-specific encoding. Perhaps that means it has successfully copied the encoding of the OEM batteries so it can communicate with the camera.
I have only OEM batteries for my K-5 and K-3 but have Wasabis for the Q. They're fine, they work great.

I also have Gorilla Gadgets batteries for my Samsung phone. Big ones. They're great though they do make the phone big and heavy.

loco · 07-13-2016, 08:46 AM

I guess I have to be the one who got a bad Wasabi. The one I got a while back for my K-3 works but I get noticeably fewer shots with that battery. It's to the point where I only use it as a last resort now.

**Quartermaster James** · 07-13-2016, 09:28 AM

Good batteries, but don't use that rapid charger regularly.

**mattb123** · 07-13-2016, 09:34 AM

I've had six Wasabi batteries and one went bad after a year but 5 are still working well after several years.
I bet decoded has something to do with the communication with the camera. Certainly nothing to worry about. It's either a feature or marketing BS. The charger is nice and portable and can work from a car lighter outlet too.

stevebrot · 07-13-2016, 09:57 AM

I own the "two pack with charger" product and am quite happy. My comments:

The number of shots between charge may be a little lower than the Pentax battery, but is not noticeable in daily use
The quick charger and car kit are nice to have, but I don't use them for routine charging
The note about "coded" refers to the practice of some makers (e.g. Nikon) where their cameras will not operate properly with aftermarket batteries. Pentax does not do this.

Steve

photolady95 · 07-13-2016, 10:05 AM

Thanks All for you answers and comments, good and bad. The one I got with my K-30 was used and bought by original owner of the camera. And thanks for the comments/suggestions about charging them and the charger that comes with them. Btw, my car's cig lighter doesn't work so that won't be an option for me.

I'm going to place the order today.

I still have the extra OEM from the K-30 that needs repaired and eventually will get it repaired and when I do, the first OEM will have to go back to that camera, which leaves me with only one OEM for each camera. I thought to buy the 2 pack package of Wasabi so I'd have two batteries for each camera.

Thanks again.

vonBaloney · 07-13-2016, 10:51 AM

The Wasabi charger can be plugged into the wall as normal (with a little flip-out plug) or used with the car adapter. Design-wise, it is a better travel charger (and faster, which is needed more when traveling). Never really thought much about the potential downside of the quick-charging, but like I said I just leave them in the car storage compartment to save my ass if I forget to charge something or end up with a particularly heavy use of battery one day or something.

Any third-party battery will likely get you less shots per charge, but the cost difference is so great I don't see it as an issue (since you can get 2+ Wasabis for the cost of one OEM battery) unless you really really need to shave ounces by carrying one less battery.

photolady95 · 07-13-2016, 11:43 AM

Thanks for the extra input. I ordered the package and it will be here Friday. As for the car charger, since my cigarette lighter connection in the car is inoperable, I won't be using that, that way.

Huy · 07-13-2016, 12:36 PM

Originally posted by photolady95

I know a lot members use Wasabi batteries, I wanted to know why it says "decoded" if there might be a problem later. I have one that came with my used K-30 and it's swollen and unusable in my K-50.

I have the same issue with swollen Washabi batteries on my K-50 too. Now I'm opting for 4xAA eneloop + knockoff AA adapter.

photolady95 · 07-13-2016, 12:46 PM

Originally posted by Huy

Now I'm opting for 4xAA eneloop + knockoff AA adapter.

I've had that adapter since the K-30 but I get more shots with the OEM battery. I still have the adapter and 16 Eneloops and charger.

07-13-2016, 07:34 AM	#1
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Wasabi batteries (resolved) I was thinking to get a set of Wasabi batteries, in a 2 pack with charger and extras. I was reading the description and came across this little statement: Quote: Batteries and charger are fully decoded and are compatible with all Pentax original equipment. What does that actually mean? Is it something bad? I don't want to buy them if there might be a problem with them.

07-13-2016, 09:57 AM	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	I own the "two pack with charger" product and am quite happy. My comments: The number of shots between charge may be a little lower than the Pentax battery, but is not noticeable in daily use The quick charger and car kit are nice to have, but I don't use them for routine charging The note about "coded" refers to the practice of some makers (e.g. Nikon) where their cameras will not operate properly with aftermarket batteries. Pentax does not do this. Steve

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07-13-2016, 07:40 AM	#2
MikeD Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: traverse city MI Posts: 346	Originally posted by photolady95 I was thinking to get a set of Wasabi batteries, in a 2 pack with charger and extras. I was reading the description and came across this little statement: What does that actually mean? Is it something bad? I don't want to buy them if there might be a problem with them. I don't know what the "decoded means" but I own LI90 wasabi batteries for my K5 and they work just fine. Way less expensive than Pentax batteries. If you need extra batteries I wouldn't worry.

07-13-2016, 07:46 AM	#3
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712 Original Poster	I know a lot members use Wasabi batteries, I wanted to know why it says "decoded" if there might be a problem later. I have one that came with my used K-30 and it's swollen and unusable in my K-50.

07-13-2016, 08:18 AM	#4
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Any battery that has been improperly stored (and some that haven't) in high heat, etc etc (or are just really old) can go bad -- if swollen or anything like that get rid of it immediately. I've got 2 Wasabis for my Pentax K-5 & K-01 (same batteries), and also a couple for the Q series. Had them for years now, still using along with the originals. The "decoded" probably refers to "fully reverse-engineered", meaning they copied it well. I did notice on one Amazon review someone said the terminals were slightly different but the ones I have look exactly the same as the OEM battery. Also that the included Wasabi charger does "quick" charging and maybe that's something to avoid as a safety issue (charge too fast) -- i.e. use the OEM charger, or at least don't use your OEM batteries in the Wasabi charger. Which incidentally I have always done as I always charge at home and usually don't need any quick recharges since I've got several batteries (I never run out during a single day). So I use the OEM charger to charge them all. But I do carry the wasabi charger in the car "just in case" since it has a cigarette lighter adapter and one time I did end up using it that way when I accidentally brought along dead spares. And it did seem to charge really fast, even in the car. And everything was fine, but I think I have used the Wasabi charger only that one time...

07-13-2016, 08:41 AM	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,398	I have a pair for the k-3 and had one for the k-50. Good brand and no issues.

07-13-2016, 08:45 AM	#6
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	https://www.facebook.com/selfhelpphotographer/posts/429784743784584 Decoded just means it doesn't have brand-specific encoding. Perhaps that means it has successfully copied the encoding of the OEM batteries so it can communicate with the camera. I have only OEM batteries for my K-5 and K-3 but have Wasabis for the Q. They're fine, they work great. I also have Gorilla Gadgets batteries for my Samsung phone. Big ones. They're great though they do make the phone big and heavy.

07-13-2016, 08:46 AM	#7
loco Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,846	I guess I have to be the one who got a bad Wasabi. The one I got a while back for my K-3 works but I get noticeably fewer shots with that battery. It's to the point where I only use it as a last resort now.

07-13-2016, 09:28 AM	#8
Quartermaster James Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 653	Good batteries, but don't use that rapid charger regularly.

07-13-2016, 09:34 AM	#9
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	I've had six Wasabi batteries and one went bad after a year but 5 are still working well after several years. I bet decoded has something to do with the communication with the camera. Certainly nothing to worry about. It's either a feature or marketing BS. The charger is nice and portable and can work from a car lighter outlet too.

07-13-2016, 10:05 AM	#11
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712 Original Poster	Thanks All for you answers and comments, good and bad. The one I got with my K-30 was used and bought by original owner of the camera. And thanks for the comments/suggestions about charging them and the charger that comes with them. Btw, my car's cig lighter doesn't work so that won't be an option for me. I'm going to place the order today. I still have the extra OEM from the K-30 that needs repaired and eventually will get it repaired and when I do, the first OEM will have to go back to that camera, which leaves me with only one OEM for each camera. I thought to buy the 2 pack package of Wasabi so I'd have two batteries for each camera. Thanks again.

07-13-2016, 10:51 AM	#12
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	The Wasabi charger can be plugged into the wall as normal (with a little flip-out plug) or used with the car adapter. Design-wise, it is a better travel charger (and faster, which is needed more when traveling). Never really thought much about the potential downside of the quick-charging, but like I said I just leave them in the car storage compartment to save my ass if I forget to charge something or end up with a particularly heavy use of battery one day or something. Any third-party battery will likely get you less shots per charge, but the cost difference is so great I don't see it as an issue (since you can get 2+ Wasabis for the cost of one OEM battery) unless you really really need to shave ounces by carrying one less battery.

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07-13-2016, 11:43 AM	#13
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712 Original Poster	Thanks for the extra input. I ordered the package and it will be here Friday. As for the car charger, since my cigarette lighter connection in the car is inoperable, I won't be using that, that way.

07-13-2016, 12:36 PM	#14
Huy Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Photos: Gallery Posts: 87	Originally posted by photolady95 I know a lot members use Wasabi batteries, I wanted to know why it says "decoded" if there might be a problem later. I have one that came with my used K-30 and it's swollen and unusable in my K-50. I have the same issue with swollen Washabi batteries on my K-50 too. Now I'm opting for 4xAA eneloop + knockoff AA adapter.

07-13-2016, 12:46 PM	#15
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712 Original Poster	Originally posted by Huy Now I'm opting for 4xAA eneloop + knockoff AA adapter. I've had that adapter since the K-30 but I get more shots with the OEM battery. I still have the adapter and 16 Eneloops and charger.