VX & PD series battery / batteries

Ray Echevers · June 10th, 2004, 08:37 PM

I bought a CTA battery from B&H Photo, that's a NP-F960 replacement. Used it a few times, no problems.

I also just got a Sony NP-F960 battery off ebay, i charged it last night, the minutes function was working and all, but today I got an email off an ebayer (after I left a postive feedback to the seller) saying the battery is a fake, and will die in 3 months and may also damage the camera. The camera was shipped from China, and came with the "original" packaging. In the email, it said he/she could give me pics comparing the fake and real Sony batteries.

Here's da link to the ebay store.

http://stores.ebay.com/Camera-Accessories-Megastore_W0QQsspagenameZl2QQtZkm

Anyone buy, use, or have any experience with either of these batteries? Any suggestions?

Also, anyone use any of these batteries?
http://powergears.com/

Julian Quinto · June 19th, 2004, 02:16 PM

Okay, so I've just been had by buying a "supposedly" GENUINE Sony NP-F960. But I know the guy who sold me the battery, and I won't have problems getting a replacement or a refund.

Problem is, I'm not so sure if I should get another replacement battery from him. I've read that these fake ones only last about 3 months and might even damage the camera. But now that I think of it, for about $20 more I could get a REAL one from an authorized seller. By the way, I was really aiming for the authentic battery and not any 3rd party batteries, and I hate this fake battery more.

Can anyone confirm if these rumors are true? I don't want to have a dead battery on my hands within a few months. And I definitely don't want my newly purchased camera dying on me because I skimped $20 on a battery. Should I just get a refund or something?

And oh, the battery came in a sealed retail pack with the Sony brand all over the place. I only noticed something was amiss when I attached the battery to my new VX2k1 and saw that EVERYTHING WAS UPSIDE DOWN. The wedge was pointing up, the ridge/groove started from the top and not from the bottom, and the ink from the words "InfoLITHIUM" was kinda smeared. And this looks exactly like the batteries that are being sold on eBay for about $40-$50.

ADDED: And I also noticed just now one difference from all the battery pics that are posted on all the major and trusted online retailers from the one I purchased. There is no recycle or tamper sticker on top of the battery. Hell, I only noticed it after comparing it directly with the NP-F330 battery that came with the VX2k1 package and confirming with online pics. No "Recycle/Tamper-Proof" sticker, then it's not authentic.

eBay BUYERS BEWARE!

Ari Shomair · June 19th, 2004, 02:59 PM

Oh oh... Looks like I bought a pirated battery as well off ebay... At least it seems to be working fine though - what issues were you having with yours

Ignacio Rodriguez · June 19th, 2004, 03:35 PM

Note: the battery that came with my PDX10 did not have the recycle sticker but seems authentic and has worked fine. The new ones I bought had the recycle sticker.

Julian Quinto · June 19th, 2004, 08:17 PM

Ignacio, the battery that came with your camera is authentic as long as the package was sealed when you bought it. The ones that they retail usually have a racycle or tamper-proof sticker on top. This is solely based off my observations. Can anyone else confirm this?

Ari, how long have you been using the battery? If you've been using it for a year or so then I might just have gotten a bad batch of batteries. As far as I'm concerned the first charge was okay and I got it to work as advertised (around 8-9 hours LCD on). I'm more concerned about the durability/longevity of the battery because I bought mine just a bit less than the authentic ones.

I'm thinking now if is it possible that I got a badly manufactured one that was sold cheap? I'm not really sure about this, that's why I'm asking around and warning buyers of potential fakes when all they really want to buy are the real batteries.

Anyone have any experience with 3rd party or pirated/fake batteries? Do they really conk out on you after 3 months? I'm really concerned about this because I feel somewhat ripped off. And it's annoying to see the battery upside down. It's slight, but lets you feel bad about the purchase.

Julian Quinto · June 19th, 2004, 10:05 PM

Can you ask for the pics from that ebayer? I think I've been had too, but I didn't get mine from eBay. All I know from personal observations that "real" sony batteries have a recycle/tamper sticker on top of the battery.

I've also posted regarding this matter, you might also want to contribute there as some people also bought some of those "so-called" authentic sony batteries without knowing the truth.

And I am really concerned about that 3-month battery death and damage to the camera. Thanks.

My post regarding the "fake" batteries:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27804

Ray Echevers · June 20th, 2004, 08:53 AM

Sorry, but I already deleted the email with the pics. Anyways, they (other ebayers who ended up with the same batteries) told me that as long as the polarity is ok on it, it shouldn't damage the camera. I had told them that I had already charged it. They thought it should be fine, since I had already charged it through the camera.
I just ordered that 10/20 sony light (along with a plug in charger for L series batteries) that uses the same batteries, so i'm just gonna use that battery for the light.

Christopher Lefchik · June 21st, 2004, 07:32 AM

Sorry to hear you may have gotten a fake. This E-bay seller

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting has nice big close up shots of the Sony NP-F960 batteries he sells. It's interesting that there is no U.S. Patent Number on it, unlike on my three Sony batteries. Not sure what that means - maybe Sony's patent expired. Otherwise it looks pretty much like a genuine Sony battery.

Christopher

Ray Echevers · June 21st, 2004, 03:39 PM

Same battery I got. Comes in a sealed package and looks legit for the most part. Contains instruction manual and everthing.
They ship if from China.
The other ebayers told me they make these fakes in China.
I noticed on mine that the "L" bronze part was not "painted" or stenciled that good.

Christopher Lefchik · June 21st, 2004, 07:41 PM

Same battery you got, eh? Thanks for the heads up, then. In that case it's sure hard to tell from the photos what's fake and what's not fake.

Christopher

Ray Echevers · August 19th, 2004, 11:20 PM

Anyone here order and use thes batteries on a VX1000?

http://www.powergears.com/productdetail.php?name=NP-F730

How are they? I've heard they last longer and work well from one person, wanted to get a few more "reviews" on them.

BTW, how come there isn't a VX1000 section on this board?

Ray Echevers · August 20th, 2004, 09:01 PM

Anyone?
Any others to recommend?

Jim Gunn · November 6th, 2004, 12:04 AM

I am about to purchase a Sony VX-2100 to (mostly) replace my aging Canon XL-1 for daily use. I priced the camcorder and some accessories on one supplier's site that I often use (B&H) and it seems odd that they don't sell the Sony NP-F750 batteries, just some compatible ones, like CTA brand. A few other sites-but not many- had the Sony brand batteries available and everywhere else it seems they sell the "compatible"' kind. Can anyone recommend these other brands and will they work right with the battery level gauge on a VX-2100 or should I just purchase the Sony brand batteries at full price elsewhere?

Mike Rehmus · November 6th, 2004, 01:11 AM

They have the NP-F770 now at about $75

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...12&Submit.y=12

Jim Gunn · November 6th, 2004, 01:48 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Mike Rehmus : They have the NP-F770 now at about $75

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...12&Submit.y=12 -->>>

I knew I had to be missing something, thanks or the info.! I just ordered the camera and a couple of the NP-F770 batteries and an on-camera light and some filters.

June 10th, 2004, 08:37 PM	#106
Ray Echevers Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 148	Different Batteries I bought a CTA battery from B&H Photo, that's a NP-F960 replacement. Used it a few times, no problems. I also just got a Sony NP-F960 battery off ebay, i charged it last night, the minutes function was working and all, but today I got an email off an ebayer (after I left a postive feedback to the seller) saying the battery is a fake, and will die in 3 months and may also damage the camera. The camera was shipped from China, and came with the "original" packaging. In the email, it said he/she could give me pics comparing the fake and real Sony batteries. Here's da link to the ebay store. http://stores.ebay.com/Camera-Accessories-Megastore_W0QQsspagenameZl2QQtZkm Anyone buy, use, or have any experience with either of these batteries? Any suggestions? Also, anyone use any of these batteries? http://powergears.com/ __________________ Sony VX-1000 G5 1.8 dual 91 Turbo MR2

June 19th, 2004, 02:16 PM	#107
Julian Quinto New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 14	Need help with the battery rumors... Okay, so I've just been had by buying a "supposedly" GENUINE Sony NP-F960. But I know the guy who sold me the battery, and I won't have problems getting a replacement or a refund. Problem is, I'm not so sure if I should get another replacement battery from him. I've read that these fake ones only last about 3 months and might even damage the camera. But now that I think of it, for about $20 more I could get a REAL one from an authorized seller. By the way, I was really aiming for the authentic battery and not any 3rd party batteries, and I hate this fake battery more. Can anyone confirm if these rumors are true? I don't want to have a dead battery on my hands within a few months. And I definitely don't want my newly purchased camera dying on me because I skimped $20 on a battery. Should I just get a refund or something? And oh, the battery came in a sealed retail pack with the Sony brand all over the place. I only noticed something was amiss when I attached the battery to my new VX2k1 and saw that EVERYTHING WAS UPSIDE DOWN. The wedge was pointing up, the ridge/groove started from the top and not from the bottom, and the ink from the words "InfoLITHIUM" was kinda smeared. And this looks exactly like the batteries that are being sold on eBay for about $40-$50. ADDED: And I also noticed just now one difference from all the battery pics that are posted on all the major and trusted online retailers from the one I purchased. There is no recycle or tamper sticker on top of the battery. Hell, I only noticed it after comparing it directly with the NP-F330 battery that came with the VX2k1 package and confirming with online pics. No "Recycle/Tamper-Proof" sticker, then it's not authentic. eBay BUYERS BEWARE!

June 19th, 2004, 03:35 PM	#109
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	Note: the battery that came with my PDX10 did not have the recycle sticker but seems authentic and has worked fine. The new ones I bought had the recycle sticker. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

June 19th, 2004, 10:05 PM	#111
Julian Quinto New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 14	Can you ask for the pics from that ebayer? I think I've been had too, but I didn't get mine from eBay. All I know from personal observations that "real" sony batteries have a recycle/tamper sticker on top of the battery. I've also posted regarding this matter, you might also want to contribute there as some people also bought some of those "so-called" authentic sony batteries without knowing the truth. And I am really concerned about that 3-month battery death and damage to the camera. Thanks. My post regarding the "fake" batteries: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27804 __________________ Film Student, Avid Editor, incessant rambler, obsessive-compulsive. Sony VX2k1, Avid Xpress Pro.

June 20th, 2004, 08:53 AM	#112
Ray Echevers Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 148	Sorry, but I already deleted the email with the pics. Anyways, they (other ebayers who ended up with the same batteries) told me that as long as the polarity is ok on it, it shouldn't damage the camera. I had told them that I had already charged it. They thought it should be fine, since I had already charged it through the camera. I just ordered that 10/20 sony light (along with a plug in charger for L series batteries) that uses the same batteries, so i'm just gonna use that battery for the light. __________________ Sony VX-1000 G5 1.8 dual 91 Turbo MR2

June 19th, 2004, 02:59 PM	#108
Ari Shomair Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: LA, California, USA Posts: 224	Oh oh... Looks like I bought a pirated battery as well off ebay... At least it seems to be working fine though - what issues were you having with yours

June 19th, 2004, 08:17 PM	#110
Julian Quinto New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 14	Ignacio, the battery that came with your camera is authentic as long as the package was sealed when you bought it. The ones that they retail usually have a racycle or tamper-proof sticker on top. This is solely based off my observations. Can anyone else confirm this? Ari, how long have you been using the battery? If you've been using it for a year or so then I might just have gotten a bad batch of batteries. As far as I'm concerned the first charge was okay and I got it to work as advertised (around 8-9 hours LCD on). I'm more concerned about the durability/longevity of the battery because I bought mine just a bit less than the authentic ones. I'm thinking now if is it possible that I got a badly manufactured one that was sold cheap? I'm not really sure about this, that's why I'm asking around and warning buyers of potential fakes when all they really want to buy are the real batteries. Anyone have any experience with 3rd party or pirated/fake batteries? Do they really conk out on you after 3 months? I'm really concerned about this because I feel somewhat ripped off. And it's annoying to see the battery upside down. It's slight, but lets you feel bad about the purchase.

June 21st, 2004, 07:32 AM	#113
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Sorry to hear you may have gotten a fake. This E-bay seller http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting has nice big close up shots of the Sony NP-F960 batteries he sells. It's interesting that there is no U.S. Patent Number on it, unlike on my three Sony batteries. Not sure what that means - maybe Sony's patent expired. Otherwise it looks pretty much like a genuine Sony battery. Christopher

June 21st, 2004, 03:39 PM	#114
Ray Echevers Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 148	Same battery I got. Comes in a sealed package and looks legit for the most part. Contains instruction manual and everthing. They ship if from China. The other ebayers told me they make these fakes in China. I noticed on mine that the "L" bronze part was not "painted" or stenciled that good. __________________ Sony VX-1000 G5 1.8 dual 91 Turbo MR2

June 21st, 2004, 07:41 PM	#115
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Same battery you got, eh? Thanks for the heads up, then. In that case it's sure hard to tell from the photos what's fake and what's not fake. Christopher

August 19th, 2004, 11:20 PM	#116
Ray Echevers Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 148	VX-1000 Batteries Anyone here order and use thes batteries on a VX1000? http://www.powergears.com/productdetail.php?name=NP-F730 How are they? I've heard they last longer and work well from one person, wanted to get a few more "reviews" on them. BTW, how come there isn't a VX1000 section on this board? __________________ Sony VX-1000 G5 1.8 dual 91 Turbo MR2

August 20th, 2004, 09:01 PM	#117
Ray Echevers Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 148	Anyone? Any others to recommend? __________________ Sony VX-1000 G5 1.8 dual 91 Turbo MR2

November 6th, 2004, 12:04 AM	#118
Jim Gunn Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 151	NP-F750 batteries or "compatible" for VX-2100 I am about to purchase a Sony VX-2100 to (mostly) replace my aging Canon XL-1 for daily use. I priced the camcorder and some accessories on one supplier's site that I often use (B&H) and it seems odd that they don't sell the Sony NP-F750 batteries, just some compatible ones, like CTA brand. A few other sites-but not many- had the Sony brand batteries available and everywhere else it seems they sell the "compatible"' kind. Can anyone recommend these other brands and will they work right with the battery level gauge on a VX-2100 or should I just purchase the Sony brand batteries at full price elsewhere?

November 6th, 2004, 01:11 AM	#119
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	They have the NP-F770 now at about $75 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...12&Submit.y=12 __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

November 6th, 2004, 01:48 AM	#120
Jim Gunn Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 151	<<<-- Originally posted by Mike Rehmus : They have the NP-F770 now at about $75 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...12&Submit.y=12 -->>> I knew I had to be missing something, thanks or the info.! I just ordered the camera and a couple of the NP-F770 batteries and an on-camera light and some filters.