Digital SLR Reviews Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Lithium Ion’

Opteka LP E5 1800mAh Ultra High Capacity Li ion Battery Pack for Canon Digital Rebel XS XSi and T1i Digital SLR Camera

The Opteka LP-E5 rechargeable lithium-ion 1800mAh battery is a replacement for replacement for Opteka LP-E5. It features lithium technology, which ensures maximum battery life and maximum power. It also features no memory effect that lets you recharge partially drained batteries without reducing performance.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Decent for the money
Not as good as Canon, but for the money this will work great for a backup battery! I would say it lasts about 75% as long, and have not had any problems with it.

1 Star The marked voltage worries me a great deal
The Canon Xsi ships with, and is rated for, a 7.4v battery. This is listed as 7.2v on the box, the battery and on the Opteka website. I was told by a Marketplace Vendor that the 7.2v is a “misprint,” but there is no way of truly knowing and it’s enough to make me worry. I’d hate to damage a $$$$ camera over a $ battery. This one is going in the garbage and I’m going with the Canon Equivalent LP-E5 Battery which is marked with the correct information (7.4v!), has a solid reputation, and is currently selling for a better-than-amazon price on Diamondback Battery’s website.

5 Stars Better than I expected
Been using this battery now for over 3 months with my T1i.

Holds its charge a looong time. I haven’t timed it, but it feels at least twice as long as the standard battery.

…and you can’t beat the price.

Advice: if you’re looking to get an extra battery, get this one.

5 Stars Works just fine – excellent value
Having a new camera for taking pictures of museum artifacts (primarily), I needed spare batteries to “feed my flash.” Problem was that the OEM battery (Canon) was ~$70 USD each which would reduce the number of spares I could pack. Also, the OEM charger was AC only, so would not allow for recharging while in transit. Opteka to the rescue! Inexpensive batteries and a dual AC & DC charger fit my needs exactly. I used the batteries for all day shooting of museum aircraft (lots of flash usage) and they performed at least as well as the OEM battery. Recharging was quick also, being less than 90 minutes in the car, so I could always have charged batteries on hand. Excellent value and performance overall, highly recommended for the amateur photog, perhaps even for the pro. Didn’t try the Opteka batteries in the Canon wall-charger as I was the Opteka charger, so cannot comment on capability. I recommend the charger & battery combination anyway because of the DC car plug.

2 Stars got what you paid for
Fully charged it after some use of it already and seems as if it has the memory effect. The XSi camera’s battery icon shows it has at least half of the juice left before the camera stops working. Well, you trade 1/2 of the battery capacity for 3/4 of the cost. A good deal? In the shooting field, you may have twice the chance to have to change the battery at that monemt you wish you were not, like I was. Not sure if other 3rd party batteries more or less the same issue…..

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Nikon MB D80 Multi Power Battery Pack for the Nikon D80 and D90 Digital SLR Camera

The Nikon MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack holds 2 EN-EL3e Lithium-Ion rechageable batteries, effectively doubling your total shooting time. Can also hold a AA battery holder (included), so users can use AA batteries as a power backup. The MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack provides an AF-on button, vertical firing release with lock, and front and rear command dials.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars works for what it was purchased for
Purchased the battery pack to get better fps on my D80. The D80 is not the best sports camera unless you’re outside in natural sunlight. The battery pack does help, getting you more fps. Overall, I would recommend a different camera if sports is your shooting preference, but if you already have the D80 and want to shoot sports, this will help.

5 Stars I was going to buy a third party battery grip, BUT…
I recently borrowed my father in law’s Nikon D80 with the MB-D80 mounted. Now that I just ordered my own Nikon D90, I definitely needed a battery grip. Even my old Nikon Coolpix 8800 has a Nikon battery grip. I always like the extra battery life and also makes gripping the camera more comfortable, plus the portrait mode shutter button is great, if you shoot that orientation a lot, which I do.

At first, I felt that the MB-D80 is a bit pricey for what it is, which is probably the case, so I started checking out all the other third party grips. Most of those third party grip reviewers stated that most are well made, but the plastic housing seems a little thinner that the Nikon, but that’s not a big deal to me, since I never bang my equipment around. I finally was just about to settle on the Ziekos for $60 Zeikos ZE-NBG90 Battery Power Grip for Nikon D80 & D90, which looks almost identical to the Nikon, but than one reviewer mentioned that the grip’s tripod mount looks sturdy and “should” be ok. So, I started thinking, I’m trying to save $90, camera is $1100, plus a $500 flash, maybe a $500 zoom lens later on, is it worth risking $1600+ over $90, HELL NO, so I changed my mind and went with the MB-D80 instead.

Without this battery grip, when the camera is hanging around your neck and by your stomach, it is off balanced, where it is tilted with the lens pointing down at a 45% angle, the bottom front edge of the camera body resting against your belly. With this grip and batteries, at least with the kit lens, it will be leveled horizontally, the back of the camera will be flat against your belly, making it more comfortable, when it is hanging there, while you are walking around.

5 Stars Duration
I flew into Las Vegas in June and spent about 4 days in different parts of the southwestern desert, shooting away. I used my D-80 to fill two 8GB memory cards, which equated to about 1,200 pictures. NOT ONCE did I have to charge these batteries, and I probably could’ve hiked with it for another day or 2.

That alone makes the grip worth while. The 2 of these batteries combined as a power source is VERY impressive.

5 Stars excellent
Really allows for more shooting, super easy to use in portrait mode, shutter button is a tad sensitive but once you get used to it no problems. Works great.

1 Star Product is great but I received a defective one from Amazon
I love using the MB-D80 multi-battery pack. However, I got a defective item (battery level would always drop even if batteries are newly charged) and I had to spend $70+ to have it fixed by Nikon.

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Opteka LP E5 1800mAh Ultra High Capacity Li ion Battery Pack with AC DC Rapid Battery Charger

The Opteka LP-E5 rechargeable lithium-ion 1800mAh battery is a replacement for replacement for Canon LP-E5. It features lithium technology, which ensures maximum battery life and maximum power. It also features no memory effect that lets you recharge partially drained batteries without reducing performance. Includes a Rapid Battery Charger with 12 V Car Adapter, And European Travel Adapter

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Perfect battery clone!
Holds the charge for ever. Fits the Canon Rebel XSi perfectly (just like the original batter). Excellent option over the pricey Canon one.

5 Stars Worked great!
Having a new camera for taking pictures of museum artifacts (primarily), I needed spare batteries. Problem was that the OEM battery was ~$70 USD each which would reduce the number of spares I could pack. Also, the OEM charger was AC only, so would not allow for recharging while in transit. Opteka to the rescue! Inexpensive batteries and a dual AC & DC charger fit my needs exactly. I used the batteries for all day shooting of museum aircraft (which means lots of flash usage) and they performed at least as well as the OEM battery. Recharging was quick also, being less than 90 minutes in the car, so I could always have charged batteries on hand. Excellent value and performance overall, highly recommended for the amateur photog, perhaps even for the pro.

5 Stars Opteka LP-E5
Bought this as an additional battery for my Canon Xsi, the extra charger was just a bonus but a bonus that turned out to be even better then expected, not only is it an AC charger but also comes with the vehicle charger adaptor as well as the universal charger adaptor for over-seas.

4 Stars Works great
I bought this for a new Canon T1i and it works great. The car charger is a nice touch. I can’t say that it lasts twice as long as the Canon battery, but it lasts at least as long.

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Zeikos ZE CBG50 Battery Power Grip for Canon 40D and 50D

Runs on either Lithium batteries or six AA size batteries Works with AA-size alkaline, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), Lithium and nickel-manganese batteries.. Provides added stability with extended shooting potential.. Multi-power battery pack holds 2 BP-511 Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, effectively doubling your total shooting time.. Can also hold AA battery holder (included), so users can use AA batteries as power backup.. Multiple power battery pack cannot provides an AF-on button, front and rear command dials, have shutter button only.. Dimensions: 142.7 x 110.5 x 75.7mm.. Net weight: 320g

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars AWESOME
Very nice deal, all buttons and roller knobs are there, perfect fit!, the rubber on it is slightly more grippy than the canon 20Ds own grip areas and the tone is 98% exact..all in all its 100% worth the bargain price.

would definitely buy again

5 Stars Great alternative to factory Canon grip
I purchased this battery grip for my wife’s Canon 50D. I examined it thoroughly and played with it for some time now and so far, I can’t see anything wrong with it. It’s just like the Canon version. I can’t see spending another $100 for something that’s so close to this aftermarket one. I’m sure there are differences, but it’s nothing that I’m concerned about. In the end, my wife likes her new grip and that’s what really counts!

5 Stars Expectional Value!!!
Normally I just buy the Canon brand and pay the extra money but this time I went “off brand” and purchased the Zeikos Battery Grip Power Grip. Cost was the primary reason for not buying Canon (the Zeikos is about $85 less) and since I plan to use the battery grip occasionally I thought this might be a good way to save a little money.

Out of the box I am very impressed with this product. It has a good sturdy feel, seems well designed and is very easy to attach to the Camera. It comes with instructions that are clear and easy to follow.

A couple of things to know: The instructions say the grip can be used with Canon 20D/30D/40D/50D cameras. Why they only advertise the 40D and 50D is a mystery to me. The grip can function with one or two BP511A batteries installed. The grip will also accept 6 double AA batteries but the instructions say this is for emergency use and some camera functions will be slower when using double AA batteries. The grip also makes shooting from a portrait orientation much easier and the shutter button on the grip functions and feels the same as the shutter button on the camera.

I guess the one remaining question is will it hold up? Time will tell BUT I paid for it with my Amazon VISA card so the original warranty of 1 full year is automatically increased to 2 full years at no additional cost. All you have to do is keep your receipt so you can prove you paid with VISA and call the 800 on the back of the card if you have a problem.

The combination of price and quality make this an exceptional value!!

Thanks to everyone who wrote a review. Your comments made me decide to buy this product and I’m very happy I did.

5 Stars Good Bargain.
I ordered from Amazon and order came from Adorama, Flashpoint brand I think. I thought the build quality of this battery grip was great. Has a slight tacky feel, which I liked. Plastic felt solid and not cheap. All buttons functioned perfectly. I would definitely buy one of these again over OEM

2 Stars Nice price but any guarantee?
I am not sure enough it would running well just like the Canon original battery power grip. Apparently it needs 6 more AA batteries to operate. I probably buy the Canon product just for safety measure I won’t take a chance ruined someone’s wedding when it suddenly not working well..or loosing moment cause I have to chance 6 more batteries besides 2 more BP-511A

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Opteka EN EL3E 2000mAh Ultra High Capacity Li ion Battery Pack for Nikon D700 D300 D200 D100 D90 D80 D70 D70s and D50 Digital SLR Camera

The high-capacity Opteka EN-EL3e rechargeable lithium-ion 2000mAh battery is a replacement for Nikon EN-EL3e Battery. It features lithium technology, which ensures maximum battery life and maximum power. It also features no memory effect that lets you recharge partially drained batteries without reducing performance. Beware of low quality knockoffs, they can often damage your camera. Opteka Batteries are Guaranteed.

Works for the following: Nikon D700, D300, D200, D100, D90, D80, D70, D70s, & D50

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Same as Nikon
I got this so I would have an extra battery for my Nikon D90. It looks and feels just like the Nikon battery; just a different color and lower price (and I did get a cover with mine). I used it after I charged it up overnight in the Nikon charger and it took over 400 pictures with an auto-focus, vibration-reduction lens and still had a little power left over. I recharged it and it did not get hot while recharging. I can’t say it is better than a Nikon battery, but I will say it’s just as good. Shipping was quick and the packaging was adequate. I can recommend this battery.

5 Stars Excellent battery
Inexpencive replacement battery. Everything works fine, the camera recognizes it, shows the charge, it holds out as long as the Nikon equivelant.

i would reccommend this.

4 Stars Excellent battery
I usually go for OEM accessories. But having spent 1100+ already on my D90, I thought I’ll take a chance with this battery. It turned out to be really worth it. As other reviewers have noted here the only difference I could find between this and the original Nikon battery is the label and an occasional twitch when inserting the battery into the camera. Used it to take hundreds of pictures on a single charge. Only when I used flash I had to wait for sometimes for the next shot. This happened with the original battery too.

5 Stars Completely Satisfied
Yes! Go ahead and purchase this battery! If you are reading this review and you are not sure if an off-brand battery is worth buying, let me be the one to assure you. This battery is pretty much the same as the one that came with my D90. Charges, performs and fits like the Nikon brand EN-EL3e battery. If you are stingy about the differences, the Nikon brand battery is a darker shade of grey than it’s Opteka clone. Let me remind you that this difference does not effect the performance or quality of the battery itself.

Having this battery is nice since I’m doing a lot of video work with the D90. I have an external Nikon SB-400 flash unit so i dont have to worry about the camera battery’s juice getting sucked up.

5 Stars GREAT PRODUCT
PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT A FEW MONTHS AGO AND I’M PLEASED TO SAY THAT IT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE TO ME. THE BATTERIES LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THE ONES THAT CAME WITH MY D200. I USE THEM WITH DARKROOM PRO TETHERED TO THE COMPUTER WHICH CAUSES THE BATTERIES TO DRAIN FASTER AND LET ME TELL U THEY DO NOT DRAIN AS FAST AS THE OTHERS. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THESE BATTERIES AND I’M GOING TO PURCHASE 3 MORE ADDITIONAL BATTERIES FOR MY BACKUP CAMERA AND SINCE I USE A BATTERY GRIP I NEED 2 FOR EACH CAMERA AND A BACKUP. I CURRENTLY HAVE 2 OF THESE BATTERIES AND I’M GOING TO PURCHASE 3 MORE.

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