[snofox]

I've had plenty of problems with clones for my Canons, but never with clones for my Pentaxes.

So, these days, I tend not to buy clones for anything, especially batteries. It's more expensive, but if I am going to pay a lot of money for a body, I don't want to cripple it with cheaper knockoffs of anything when OEM equipment is available.

[Docrwm]

When you buy a $1000.00 camera why buy cheap knockoffs? I find ome's the best , just my 2 bitts.

Pentax makes batteries in their own factories now? Wow! Who knew?

[Rondec]

I have Wasabi batteries (and charger) and they are OK. Not great. I would guess maybe 75 percent of the life of the OEM battery and tend to drain quite a bit faster in really cold weather or, with video usage. They work pretty well as back ups on trips and the charger is a lot more portable than the one that comes with the cameras.

[royden]

Ah, different model. I'm referring to the D-Li90 batteries for the K-7/5/5ii/5iis/3 models. Those have been generally on par with the OEM batteries I have.
http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-2-Pack-Charger/dp/B004UR7250/ref=pd_cp_p_0

I am shopping for a backup for K5lls. This may be the way to go. I have a Dolica for my K20D. Never any problem. Have not found that brand as yet anywhere.

[Docrwm]

Our D-Li90 batteries have vanilla 15500 Li cells inside a case with a circuit to regulate the cells. Neither Pentax nor Ricoh manufacture Li cells. Li cells vary widely in quality of materials and manufacture. Panasonic regulated 15500s have a reputation for being excellent. Li cells made in China vary widely in quality and construction. Sealed cases make checking on the quality of the actual component battery a destructive process. What that means is that cost and lable on the battery are not necessarily reflections of performance. Only useage over time can determine their performance.

[MAS_ttl]

I bought a Wasabi 2 battery, 1 folding plug charger kit from Amazon 3 years ago. The batteries don't hold a charge nearly as long and, worse, they cause the camera to freeze at the oddest times, even when showing a full charge. I have routinely had the shutter stick open, having to turn the camera off and pop the battery out in order for the shutter to close. Try it again, it works for a few shots then freezes again. Pull out the Wasabi and put in the OEM and NEVER a problem. Clearly a problem with the contacts or something, but everything looks good so it must be inside the battery itself. Don't know if the base OEM battery is any better, but the QC testing clearly is. Oh, but I LOVE the charger! So much better than the Pentax charger!

[GibbyTheMole]

I have excellent luck with my Wasabi batteries for my Pentax Q. As far as I can tell, they're as good as the OEM batteries.

[Ahab]

Washabi batteries from Amazon have been pretty uniformly praised and for $25ish for two and a folding prong charger they are a bargain IMHO. I've owned some for 2.5 years and they are indistinguishable from my OEM batteries when they are in the camera.

Same here.

[royden]

Same here.

Ordered from Amazon yesterday.

[gebco]

Thanks for your replies everyone. Here in Canada, there doesn't seem to be a huge price difference between the Wasabi and OEM, so, given the $20-$30 extra, I think I'll order OEM.

[mattb123]

I've had good luck with the Wasabi batteries but I'm not convinced their charger is very good.
Since just using my OEM charger I think the Wasabis are improving for me.

Did you people who had trouble use the OEM or Wasabi charger? I only use the Wasabi when traveling.

[osv]

on the a7r, i use the wasabi charger for both the clone batteries and the sony factory battery, it works great for both.

should work fine for pentax as well.

[NicoleC]

I have a couple of Newer batteries. Zero problems with them. I charge in the OEM charger.

[anemone]

I have one OEM D-Li90 battery and two brandless batteries. I have done some tests and OEM battery seems to be smaller in capacity. However its disscharge characteristics are nicer as it keeps voltage higher than brandless in constant moderate 750mA load. Now the interesting part is the high current discharge behaviour. Brandless batteries can give more more current with smaller voltage drop for a short time. My testrig discharges 10A 1ms.

I'm thinking making 3D printer battery which would take normal 18500 batteries inside. Normal USB one Li-ion cell charger would be able to charge these and new cells would be available. But that is something to do in future.

I don't have Pentax charger so I'm curious what's inside them. What kind of circuitry Pentax has chosen and how it is commercially underrated to make it as inexpensive as it is.

And I can't say anything about battery problems. I've had my K-3 about a week and I've used D-Li90 batteries for everything else about a year after I decided to buy K-3. Even my Sony handycam uses them through DC connector

[powasky]

I'm using OEM, Wasabi, and Watson batts. I find the OEM and Watsons to be indistinguishable, with the Wasabi's lasting about 3/4ths as long as the formers.