Are these batteries good? I mean, will they damage my Rebel XT or something to that nature? Do they hold a charge well?
http://sterlingtek.com/cannbbatpace.html
Thanks!!
Posted by Tom Nevesely on January 9, 2008 at 11:15 AM
I have a couple batteries from Sterlingtek - one for my 5D and one I bought for my XTi (which I sold and now I use that battery in my G9). Both batteries work great and I think they last even longer than the original Canon batteries. You can't go wrong. The only thing is that they don't come with a cover. Not a big deal though.
Posted by Bill Chambers on January 9, 2008 at 11:53 AM
There are couple of things to consider here:
Cold weather performance - many folks have complained that 3rd party batteries die quicker than OEM batteries in cold weather. I live in Florida, so this doesn't concern me.
Warranty issues - "IF" a 3rd party battery damaged your camera, the liklihood of Canon helping you out is greatly reduced or non-existant, whereas if a Canon battery caused the damage you might have a much better chance.
There are instances of "el-cheapo" batteries causing damage, but it seems to be fairly rare. There are also instances of Brand Name (Nikon EL-3's for example) causing damage, but again, with Nikon they recalled the batteries and took responsibility.
That said, I still use a 3rd party battery for my D2X in addition to the Nikon battery. So far, so good - absolutely no issues at all. Sterlingtek certainly seems to have a large following, but in the end, it just boils down to whether you're comfortable accepting the additional risk.
After buying my 3rd party battery, I checked with a good friend (electrical engineer), and his words were "batteries are not batteries are not batteries", especially with today's Li-ion batteries. I can't begin to explain all he said, but basically it boiled down to that Nikon and Canon are partially more expensive just because of the brand name, but indeed they are also probably better engineered (charging system), better constructed, and certainly better backed. The next battery I buy will probably be a brand name (although I'm not chunking my current 3rd party).
Posted by Don George on January 9, 2008 at 3:26 PM
Kyle,,I have used batteries from Sterlingtek with no problems encountered.
Kyle, I've been using several batteries purchased from them for over a year now. So far they have been great. They last longer than the canon batteries and work well in cold. No complaints from me
Posted by Steve Foss on January 9, 2008 at 5:26 PM
I've been using the SterlingTek batteries in three different camera bodies over the last two years with no problems at all. They do very well in the cold.
If you're shooting with a grip, I recommend using two batteries of the same brand and same strength. Differing has caused my camera to lock up now and then, regardless of whether it's a mix of OEM or off-brand batteries/strengths. That means I have to shut off the camera, pop the batteries part way out and start the camera again. Bad deal in certain situations.
Discussion
5 replieshttp://sterlingtek.com/cannbbatpace.html
Thanks!!
Cold weather performance - many folks have complained that 3rd party batteries die quicker than OEM batteries in cold weather. I live in Florida, so this doesn't concern me.
Warranty issues - "IF" a 3rd party battery damaged your camera, the liklihood of Canon helping you out is greatly reduced or non-existant, whereas if a Canon battery caused the damage you might have a much better chance.
There are instances of "el-cheapo" batteries causing damage, but it seems to be fairly rare. There are also instances of Brand Name (Nikon EL-3's for example) causing damage, but again, with Nikon they recalled the batteries and took responsibility.
That said, I still use a 3rd party battery for my D2X in addition to the Nikon battery. So far, so good - absolutely no issues at all. Sterlingtek certainly seems to have a large following, but in the end, it just boils down to whether you're comfortable accepting the additional risk.
After buying my 3rd party battery, I checked with a good friend (electrical engineer), and his words were "batteries are not batteries are not batteries", especially with today's Li-ion batteries. I can't begin to explain all he said, but basically it boiled down to that Nikon and Canon are partially more expensive just because of the brand name, but indeed they are also probably better engineered (charging system), better constructed, and certainly better backed. The next battery I buy will probably be a brand name (although I'm not chunking my current 3rd party).
If you're shooting with a grip, I recommend using two batteries of the same brand and same strength. Differing has caused my camera to lock up now and then, regardless of whether it's a mix of OEM or off-brand batteries/strengths. That means I have to shut off the camera, pop the batteries part way out and start the camera again. Bad deal in certain situations.