Canon Battery Pack LP-E6

The media could not be loaded. Please watch my video on how to tell from a genuine and fake Canon LP-E6 battery.Here's what to look out for and be extra cautious about:1. The packaging SHOULD BE GLUED and SEALED. You're definitely going to have to RIP IT OPEN! If it slides out easily and you can put it back in and be none the wiser, it is a MAJOR RED FLAG.2. Check the Hologram. The Genuine Canon Hologram, when viewing from different angles, should have a big CANON in the center, while tiny prints of the word "Canon" and "Genuine" can distinctly be seen individually depending on the angle. The COUNTERFEIT version just looks more FLAT and the "Canon" and "Genuine" words do not distinctly show on its own.If you watch my video, you'll definitely see the difference and get a better picture. It is a dead giveaway. Canon's website even has a simulated image of the genuine Hologram and it should look exactly like that.3. There should be an instruction MANUAL (yes even for a battery) [watch my video] INCLUDED in the package. If you didn't get one, that's another sign of counterfeit.4. Check the battery code. You can access your camera's menu and select "Battery Info" and press your info button, you should see the battery's unique code. If you see just a 7-digit code and especially the numbers "bca8a8d" then it is definitely a red flag. Each battery should have a unique ID, but since fake ones are simply cloned, you would end up with something like that. Oddly, I also bought an Energizer brand of LP-E6 battery from Staples and the ID was bca8a8d, which was also shocking to me. It should usually be 8 digits. (If it's not, check for other signs that I've written)Some other observations:- The date stamp font on the genuine one is smaller than on the counterfeit one- On the back of the packaging, my counterfeit one says "3347B001[AA]", whereas my genuine version packaging says 3347B001[BA]- Ironically, the counterfeit versions says on the back of the packaging "Canon Inc. Made in Japan" (although on the fake battery itself, it says Made in China), whereas the genuine one says "Canon INC. Made in China" on both the packaging and battery.- On the back of the packaging for the counterfeit one, where it says "Recycle" and has the number "1.800.822.8837" the font is inconsistent where some numbers and letters are bolder than the rest.- On the front plastic part of the packaging, it says "PET" in the middle of the bottom; it should be a thin font, but the counterfeit one looks really big and ugly.This battery is heavily being counterfeited everywhere. Be sure you are buying from an authorized dealer. Even if you are ordering from Amazon, there are also third party Marketplace sellers, so MAKE SURE it states "Ships from and sold by Amazon.com"Counterfeit versions are becoming more and more similar that it's going to require careful attention to spot them other than just obvious misspellings; I've seen the fake LP-E6 batteries where RECYCLE is mispelled as RECYDLE with a "D". However, other counterfeits aren't so obvious right away. I'm very critical about little details, but I would not have been 100% positive if I received a real or fake one if it wasn't for the battery code -- and then later ordering the real thing from Amazon and comparing the packaging and everything side by side. I'm sure there are hundreds of people out there receiving and using counterfeit battery and not even know it. Again, to be safe, you should always buy from a reputable company.Any seller can still claim and sell the item to be genuine, especially with these counterfeit versions looking so similar to the real thing down to the packaging, but you're definitely taking chances.If the price is too good to be true, it probably is; you should be extra careful.If you have this knowledge now, you know what to look out for. Canon grips are also being counterfeited (I've had bad experience with that too!), so just always remember, you get what you pay for.

For anyone who thinks this battery is expensive, I say "You must be new to digital photography!". Ever since I got a camcorder a decade ago, then later started using little digital cameras, and now finally the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, battery power has been an issue. Gone are the days of mechanical SLR's with little button batteries for the meter!Today's electronic image-making devices use major power. Without a good battery, you have nothing but a brick. I have developed a habit of having plenty of power available. I purchased the battery grip so I could put two batteries in the camera, and have the AA-battery clip in reserve. I want to take pictures not drive tent stakes with my brick!These batteries provide plenty of power to shoot. But as the manual warns, the more you review your images, the more you use Image Stabilization; the more you auto-focus, the faster the batteries will drain. And if it's cold outside.... You want to have power to spare if you're serious about making images. These are the batteries you want. Don't fool yourself into saving a couple dollars on a generic battery - you will not get a real savings. They don't provide as many charge cycles and they don't report their status as well. It's not worth the savings!

This battery pack is a must have for heavy shooters. I shoot fashion photography with my EOS 5D Mark II and using the Battery Grip, 2 of these battery packs last over 9 hours of continous shooting inlcuding some video clips (3 mins or more). I would not recommend buying this battery if you aren't using a battery grip as you won't always need a second battery. If you shoot in your studio, one LP E6 will last around 4-5 hours sure it helps to have an additional pack but whenever you are not shooting or not shooting for over 4-5 hours you'll have $150 sitting there waiting to be used. It's just not a very cost-effective option.If you shoot on location or weddings, events, sports, this is a must have in combination with the 5D Mark II Battery Grip . Also, the use of lenses such as the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM in combination with live view for video or burst shooting will drain your batteries faster.If you run out of batteries, you can always use the Battery Grip's magazine for rechargeable AA batteries.I've seen a reduction on the battery performance while shooting at 20'F and lower. About 1 hour less of battery time. Also, shooting at over 90'F reduces it for about 45 mins on each battery.