Batteries again (sorry...)

Dear All,

I read a couple of the threads on K5 batteries (including "The Argument Sketch" one, looking for recommendations for particular makes.

The Pentax original seemed well liked but expensive and internet offerings were popular too, but I personally would tend to avoid un-branded or internet "specials".

So I am looking towards Hahnel (which was my K10D spare with no problems and no perceived difference in use), Inov8 based on SRS stocking or Energizer (big brand, can get £20 off at Jessops with Tesco clubcard rewards).

Does anyone have any strong feelings for/against Hahnel, Inov8 or Energizer based on experience.

Regards

I've used Inov8 on K10D's and K7 for several years with no problems.

The only question I have is why spend £1000 on a camera to balk at £50 for a battery? When tested, none of the replacements have the same, or even the rated, capacity and some are dismal.

I'm currently using a pattern Hahnel that SRS sold me with my new KR body £19.99 and rated higher than Pentax original. No indication in use that any less capacity. I don't hink they sell ones that are poor.

I would agree that a lot sold cheaper online are lower rating.

There are those clones that work well. Although maybe 80% of the Pentax battery capacity (Pentax don't make batteries)are 40 or 50% of the cost. The Pentax D-LI90 is $37.52 in the USA (Adorama) linkor approx 22 pounds and 55 pounds here.

Treasure Island UK.

Best regards

Did you see this chart posted on dpreview forums? http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/uzielgal/Batterycapacity2.jpg

Hahnel comes out best of the off brands, but the price/performance breakdown is interesting:



The 7day shop battery has nearly the same capacity as the Hahnel at less than a quarter of the price, so my advice is buy two of those ones.

I have two alongside my original battery, and to be honest, I can never tell which one is in the camera.

For me the use of third-party batteries is based on the perception that the OEM price is a rip-off. Having a bit less capacity is not a problem when you can buy 5 or even 10 batteries for the price of one Pentax one. I can't tell the difference in real use between any of mine.

Don't some of these type of batteries have a built in computer to protect against overheating and control the current within safe limits? In which case it would be a lot cheaper to make a battery and leave out the computer

Yes, there is feedback from the battery to establish when it's fully charged.

The figures quoted above by the way were not borne out by actual measurements. Someone published some test results not long ago and the highest rated was the Pentax battery, better than some with nominally higher ratings. As I recall the second best was the Inov8 but even that did not meet its specification.

I only have two batteries for each K-5, both Pentax, and absolutely no need for more than that.

Good question John and I can't find a good answer. Perhaps it is down to my tight fisted Yorkshire roots.

My K10D Hahnel experience was good, in line with Bill's comments.

As K10D said, Pentax are not battery manufacturers so I don't see why they should necessarily be better than less well known makes (same argument as for CRT tubes were there were only three(?) big factories producing them but many fold more TV manufacturers using them).

I did see that table, Pentaxophile and although it looks scientific, the test conditions are probably not representative of normal use.

Perhaps it's that I agree with Karma Mechanic that the OEM does seem a bit of a rip-off being typically twice the price of the mid-range competitors. Maybe I don't want to be a total cheapskate (internet) but don't want to over-pay either.

I have probably thought about this for too long, so to borrow a line from Blackadder instead of Python, find a Pentax seller then "..pay the fellow and damn his impudence."

That one's easy to answer. Because the manufacturer (Pentax) has specified its requirements and these are to a very high standard and the opentax guarantee of quality stands behind that. This even extends to the finish of the batteries, which are superbly made. Cheap alternatives with the writing rubbing off after light use do not suggest that their quality requirements are as high. I've even seen someone prising batteries and cards out of a camera with a knife as the fit was so poor. Still it was cheap...

It's a pity they are not so demanding of themselves. Let's not talk about quality control in the same thread as the K5!

I need little persuausion from the sceptics to avoid cheap alternatives due to my own natural caution, despite many posters being quite satisfied with them.

I think the Pentax battery price is to do with selling a Pentax branded product at a higher margin to subsidise the camera ranges (like in 2004 when I bought my Fuji compact in-store at an internet matched price but was persuaded to buy memory card & camera bag at the same time so the dealer could claw a bit back).

I would guess that the battery manufacturer puts the products through stringent QC and the best go off to be sold with a higher mark-up (OEM) then others to mid-range outlets.

Be very careful with Lithium-ion in any equipment.

If you buy cheap batteries also buy the charger to go with it.

The Pentax charger is designed for the Pentax Batteries.
Don't want your K-5 bursting into flames

This shows some of the complex hardware inside a Li-ion battery:
link

Some good comments on this page:
link

This page mentions the problems with chargers and how some cheap products have very poor chargers:
link

I think if you clicked on the link John, you'd find the results table is the same as the one you are talking about, and the breakdown is by the same contributor, based on actual measured rather than quoted capacities. I don't particularly care if the 7dayshop batts are less than the advertised capacity as long as they are a reasonable capacity, which they are, and there is very little difference with my original battery in practice.

Yes, thanks, I didn't notice the link. But it's pretty conclusive evidence in favour of the Pentax battery, is it not? I'm not sure how you know what the camera will take as a reasonable capacity though?