avoid Panasonic update ...

[hot]

... if you use 3rd party batteries ! :ROTFL:

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/info/dsc_battery.html

 

[pentacon6]

Thanks for your reminding. But I think it can't detect all of them, I believe.

 

[f6cvalkyrie]

Excellent information !

My 2 third party accus arrived just a week ago, I'm quite happy with them till now, but early time to tell of course.

Lets just hope Panasonic will not include this firmware update in future important updates !

Anyway, what's the good of updating a camera or a lens, if you are happy with the way it works before !

C U
Rafael

 

[kweide]

Another reason to not buy Panasonic anymore....
In the next steps you will see Panasonic providing a digital code to all its electronic equipment of G1+GH1. Only original mics will work and only original SDHC cards will record on that system. Oh boy that is poor....

 

[Michiel Schierbeek]

I cherish all my children Panasonic and Olympus too, even when one of them sometimes makes a dumb mistake! :angel::ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL::angel:
Michiel

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Another reason to not buy Panasonic anymore.....

it is of course a subject I feel strongly about, but how do I avoid buying the only camera which does what I want? I wish there was another method of sending them a message.

Next thing they'll set in a counter for usages and say "no go with more than 100 charges"

hmmm

 

[johnastovall]

I'm starting to think some camera companies doing with batteries what printer companies have done with ink. Make it where you have to buy their brand.

 

[RonSmith]

While I don't appreciate mandating proprietary marketing, I'm really not all that worked up about this battery issue. I purchased an extra Panasonic battery for my G1 from B&H for $69.00, and I'm satisfied that I don't have to concern myself with the functionality of a third-party battery that may or may not work properly and safely. Just not that big a deal to me.

 

[pellicle]

Ron

Just not that big a deal to me.

we have 4 cameras here at home, taking batterys and chargers is a pain in the butt when we go on a trip. Now back when I could realistically say "AA only" then I can use those batteries in

• my Flash,
• all my Cameras (no matter which two I might take)
• my portable light box,
• my toothbrush
• interior camp light

and I only need one charger (which I can cycle batteries in). Its just one more bit of gear to take and people underestimate just how good AA NiMH batteries are.

 

[RonSmith]

I agree completely. It would be wonderful if everything ran on AAs.



My point was limited to the fact that the G1 takes a specific battery, and (since I obtained just one extra) I purchased the Panasonic battery even before all this drama erupted. I tend not to trust off brand batteries. I'm sure some are perfectly good ... but you don't know you have a bad one until it's ruined your camera or caught fire.

 

[johnastovall]

If I take my full kit on a long road trip have to deal with the following battery gear:

2 Canon BP511 chargers
1 M8 charger
1 R-D1 Charger
1 Ricoh GR-DII charger
1 charger for the Macbook
1 four way spliter for in car charging.
1 six outlet power strip when in a motel.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I agree completely. It would be wonderful if everything ran on AAs.

ok ... sorry if I was preaching to the Choir

I tend not to trust off brand batteries. I'm sure some are perfectly good ... but you don't know you have a bad one until it's ruined your camera or caught fire.

never in my life seen or known anyone who's ever had that happen. I personally think its a myth distributed by the makers.

I do know of the Dell and Mac overcharging issue on some laptops, but that was the charging circuit, which is not in the camera. So at worst you might have to fear a melt down of your charger. (*and I do have some qualifications and experience in electronics, so I'm not just an uninformed opinion)

 

[hot]

Today I read in another forum of someone, who has two 3rd party batteries - they last longer than original battery

 

[johnastovall]

My Storetek batteries take a larger change and last longer then the two canon batteries did in the 5D.

 

[Michiel Schierbeek]

Only politics can regulate and force companys to stopp this mess of different adapters, inkcartridges and cellphoneplugs. But the it is cheaper to throw your printer away when there is a little problem. My last Canon printer costs € 30,-- cheaper then the B/W and colourgartridge together. Etc etc.
When you walk around on dumpmarkets you can find piles of phonechargers with their different little plugs. Talking about extra waste and the environment.
It' exclusivity on the wrong grounds.
Nothing to do about it, we will have to keep on lugging all those different neccesitys around.
I sympathize with you all.
Michiel

 

[Ranger 9]

never in my life seen or known anyone who's ever had that happen. I personally think its a myth distributed by the makers.

Evidently you missed this Nikon episode, and that was with the maker's own battery! So I'd think it's certainly possible for it to happen with third-party batteries as well.

 

[Diane B]

Ah, chargers, but until recently I was in better shape--all my Canons took the same batteries. Then, of course, laptop, phones, PDA (sometimes). Now I have to add the G1 also, but the Canon's chargers fold up smallish at least. Not so bad.

I've had good luck with printers--my 3800 is several years old and going strong and I still have my 2200 working if I need it. My old 1280 was given to Habitat for Humanity store with a few carts as I have with other non-photo printers in the past. We have given old cells/chargers to women's groups that work with the providers to give them to abused women. I try to recycle--but its tough. I don't see any standardization on the horizon so I guess we'll have to continue to do our best and push for changes.

Diane

 

[olyinaz]

never in my life seen or known anyone who's ever had that happen. I personally think its a myth distributed by the makers.

Sadly, I have a friend who's telescope shop burned down one night due to off-brand Canon-replacement lithium batteries going up when on the charger. I don't think it's a myth at all that there are some bad manufacturers out there but I also think that there are reputable after market battery makers who make good products. However, it often seems as though good replacement batteries are fairly pricey as well.

Cheers,
OLy

 

[Peter Klein]

Next thing they'll set in a counter for usages and say "no go with more than 100 charges"

hmmm

Sort of like what another large Japanese manufacturer does with printer ink cartridges--long before they are actually empty. And then they threatened to sue people who sell third party cartridges.

That little game messed up a lot of us who use B&W carbon inks on (ahem) printers.

Seriously, it's a good idea to know if your battery has proper safety circuits to prevent shorts that would cause it to burst into flame. And there are countries (double ahem) where such concerns would be low on their priority list (adding poisonous substances to baby formula comes to mind). But this sounds to me like leveraging the customer's safety concerns to enhance the revenue stream... (triple ahem).

 

[Per Ofverbeck]

Well, I was waiting for an update that would address the kludginess with focussing manual lenses on the G1, and instead they bring us this nasty attempt at avoiding prize competition on their extremely expensive "original" battery packs....

I feel like someone just slapped my face with a beer-soaked towel...:angry:

Why, oh why would a nice manufacturer suddenly adopt Epson´s unpleasant practice with their d-mn chipped cartridges?

BOOO, Panasonic!!!!! :thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown:

And don´t give us that nonsense about risk of fire: there have been instances, but just as often with "original" packs; they´re not any safer than most independents....