Canon NB-2L Battery: Where's the best deal?

[scubajunkee]

Hi everyone,

I shoot with a Canon Powershot S40. I've owned the camera since December and have only been getting about 1 hour and 15 minutes before the camera shuts off. My dives are an average length of 55 minutes and the low battery light come on after 40 minutes. I shut off the LCD in between shots to try to extend the battery life, but it's only helps a little. About 1/3 into my second dive, the camera shuts off.

Now I'm in a market for one or two new batteries. Where the best place to get quality OEM or aftermarket replacements? I've seen them on eBay for $1.40 USD, but that price seems pretty low. What are your experiences with the battery and where have you purchased your replacements?



Ericson

 

[ChillyWaters]

Now I'm in a market for one or two new batteries. Where the best place to get quality OEM or aftermarket replacements? I've seen them on eBay for $1.40 USD, but that price seems pretty low. What are your experiences with the battery and where have you purchased your replacements?

As I wrote in another thread:

There are a number of generic batteries on eBay. I bought one recently, rated at 800mAH, which I bought for something like $15CDN, shipped. So far it has been great, but, generics are a hit-and-miss. Some brands are great, some brands are reported to stop working after a short period of time. Mine has a 1 year warranty, but then it would cost more to ship it back that it would just to buy another.

I chose the eBay route in this one for 2 reasons: 1) Canon-brand batteries are WAY overpriced, 2) I bought an Optex one for $55CDN a couple years ago, and it only lasted 1 year! So, I figure, even if this cheapo one only lasts a year, that's money well spent. No matter what, it was worth a risk for $15.

I bought mine from orphanbiker. His shipping wasn't a rip-off, which was cool, because even to Canada, the actual postage was under $1.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48516&item=3863979714

- ChillyWaters

 

[scubajunkee]

ChillyWaters,

I just tried the eBay route like you suggested and bought a NB-2LH battery for $1.40, with shipping at $7.00. I'll run the battery through a few test dives and report back.

Ericson

 

[ChillyWaters]

ChillyWaters,

I just tried the eBay route like you suggested and bought a NB-2LH battery for $1.40, with shipping at $7.00. I'll run the battery through a few test dives and report back.

Ericson

That's freak'n cheap. If it lasts a year, you definitely got your money's worth. Please report back after a few dives.

So far mine has been great, though it has only been a couple months.

- ChillyWaters

 

[cmcarver]

Sterlingtek.com has a 1100mah replacement for the NB-2L. I bought one and it is working great. I haven't used it for diving yet but should be this weekend. I got it for $12 but now it shows for $19

 

[scubajunkee]

I managed to try the battery I got off eBay for $1.40 plus shipping. The battery worked well. The battery low light did not come on at all, and I actually ran out of memory card space for once (256mb). I think I'll pick up a couple more batteries for my upcoming Bahamas trip and get a bigger memory card.

-Ericson

 

[cmcarver]

When I got my S70 I got a 2GB Microdrive. Setting the camera to Large Super fine but not in raw mode the camera tells me I have around 700 pictures remaining. Each picutes is about 3-4mb. Camera Video even on the high setting tells me 999 minutes. I like this card because I know I won't run out of space expecially while diving. If the battery will last(which I think it will) I can easily get 2-3 dives with out having to open the camera housing

 

[cmcarver]

Well the camera and housing worked great this weekend. I tested the housing on one dive then later added the camera. I left the S70 in the housing the rest of the weekend with out removing it after any dive till I got back home. I only got about 80 pictures and 2 30 sec videos but even after reviewing them on the boat didn't get any indication the battery was draining. I set the display to 2 seconds.

 

[hvulin]

Sterlingtek.com has a 1100mah replacement for the NB-2L. I bought one and it is working great. I haven't used it for diving yet but should be this weekend. I got it for $12 but now it shows for $19

well, I just bougt two from sterlingtek and hope they work better than the originals (which are pretty lousy)...

btw. I told them that I heard about them on the scubaboard, who knows maybe they arrange for some discounts

PS I'm using 4Gb microdrive, it was free so why not (1100 pictures in raw, now if I could only find a battery to last that long)

 

[hamilton]

cmcarver, roughly how long is your battery lasting with the microdrive? Various posts indicate the microdrives are substantially more hung ry for juice than normal CF cards.

As an aside, my S1 lasts reliably 1 dive on a set of 2.3Ah NiMh AA cells... I have to recharge/swap to a fresh set between dives. Having had them run out on a 2nd dive, I now don't take chances. I regulary use 75% of my 1Gig CF card, especially when using video.