Some time ago, I posted a review of several types of batteries. This review is a short follow-up, since a couple of the batteries appear in both reviews, although they came from different sellers.
I didn't order all the batteries at once, and another type is still on its way, though it looks like it'll take quite a while to arrive. As it happened, all the batteries were ordered from the same seller. They all came with valid tracking numbers, though some were in boxes and others in bags. The price in the title is before shipping; later in the review, I'll list the price of each battery and the shipping cost.
There were a lot of batteries, but I took a pair of each type for testing.
1. DB-L80, product link. Price: $2.70 + $1.26 shipping. Rated capacity: 1300 mAh. Dimensions: 39 x 31 x 5.5 mm
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
2. NP-BN1, product link. Price: $3.73 + $1.26 shipping. Rated capacity: 900 mAh. Dimensions: 40 x 35 x 5 mm
Compatible with these models: Sony: TX5, DSC-TX7, DSC-W310, DSC-W320, DSC-W330, DSC-W350, DSC-W360, DSC-W370, DSC-W380, DSC-W390
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
This is the only type of battery that came not only in a cardboard box, but also in its own plastic case. If you have several batteries around, it's a pretty handy extra.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
3. Li-40B, product link. Price: $2.39 + $1.26 shipping. Rated capacity: 1200 mAh. Dimensions: 39 x 31 x 5.2 mm
This battery is very versatile, so I've hidden the full list of batteries and devices it replaces under a spoiler.
For some reason, these batteries arrived not in cardboard boxes, but in ordinary mailing envelopes. The packaging of some of the batteries in one of the envelopes was noticeably damaged.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
First, I weighed them. This was just for the record, to gather some statistics.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Next, I tested them using a charger. Charging current: 1 A; discharge current: 0.5 A. Here are the results (the figures in parentheses are from my previous review): DB-L80 — 535 mAh NP-BN1 — 494 mAh (502 mAh) Li-40B — 561 mAh (497 mAh) EN-EL19 — 544 mAh.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
For the next test, I decided to use a battery tester.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
There are lots of screenshots, so I'll hide them behind spoilers.
I ran the first tests in two modes, with discharge currents of 600 and 900 mA. The test results show that the difference in capacity wasn't very large, which is pretty good.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
These batteries showed a noticeable spread in capacity: 438 and 496 mAh.
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Several different, yet identical, camera batteries
Their internal resistance also differs noticeably.
Those are the rather disappointing results I got. Of course, many people will immediately say that these batteries don't come close to their rated specs. Let me explain and try an analogy. The numbers printed on these batteries have no connection to reality, because the standard capacity for batteries of this type is 500–550 mAh, which is normal. In other words, if we compare them to the familiar 18650 cells, it would be like claiming 6000 when the actual capacity is 2500. And 2500 is a typical capacity for an 18650, while 6000 is just a big number.
The only type of battery that disappointed me was the NP-BN1, because its capacity drops sharply as the discharge current increases. This isn't critical for low-power devices, but a camera has a flash, so the battery will indicate that it's discharged much earlier than its “siblings.” The Li-40B was a pleasant surprise: it delivered 561 mAh, compared with just 497 mAh in my previous review. It's also the highest-capacity battery in this review.
And now, why I consider them identical. I have a feeling that all these batteries have the same internals, and differ only in the position of the contacts and the label.
That's about it. A little mini-review—I hope you find it useful. :)
What capacity did the Li-40B battery actually deliver?
The Li-40B delivered 561 mAh, the best result in the review. The same type measured 497 mAh in the previous review.
Why was the author disappointed with the NP-BN1?
Its capacity dropped noticeably as discharge current increased. With a camera flash, the camera may report low battery sooner than with the other batteries.
What does the author think makes these camera batteries different?
The author suspects that different types may have similar internals, with contact placement and labels as the main differences. He says the capacities printed on them do not reflect typical actual capacities for these batteries.
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