Strange behaviour of genuine Sony NP-FM500H battery

[alphaomega]

I have just sent the following message to the Hong Kong provider of a Sony NP-FM500H battery

Just opened the package with this battery yesterday and inserted it into my Sony A550 after having been fully charged. The A550 switched on but after a couple of seconds a message appeared that the battery was not compatible and the camera switched off.

I then inserted the battery into my A350 and again the camera switched on but after a couple of seconds a message appeared stating that a InfoLITHIUM battery should be inserted and this camera also then switched off.

Of course, the Sony NP-FM500H is listed as such an InfoLITHIUM. You also sent me another battery on ebay No. 380261370158. That was opened and used on receipt and appears to be fault free.

Was this a genuine battery? It looked like it and in what appeared to be genuine retail packaging. Furthermore I purchased two at the time and the other one works fine. There must be a fault of some kind in this particular battery. Anyone with a similar problem?

[Jasper_D]

It has been reported before: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=34745220
Also seen a report about batteries looking perfectly ´genuine´ up to the color with just a small difference in print on one of the labels, only the packaging being quite different in size. Cannot find that one back right now though.

[Scooterman]

It is the same with CF cards and SD so called Sandisk are being copied very well on the outside.
I did have one Sony genuine battery (it came in the new kit) that did this error message I cleaned the contacts on the battery and it worked fine and still is.

[pakodominguez]

I bought one of the Adorama branded FM500H and there is a big difference, specially how long the battery can hold the charge even when it is not in the camera. At least the camera turn on and I never had seen the alert you mention...

[alphaomega]

Scooterman wrote

It is the same with CF cards and SD so called Sandisk are being copied very well on the outside.
I did have one Sony genuine battery (it came in the new kit) that did this error message I cleaned the contacts on the battery and it worked fine and still is.

Contacts look clean but gave them another going over with a brush. Still the same result in my A350. Switches on while waiting for the battery signal and then switches off with message "For infoLithium only". So probably the battery is a fake. The other battery from same vendor works fine though. I will probably not know which one. I will wait and see if I get a reply and if not I will take it up with ebay. Thanks for your replies. Found the DPreview thread interesting.

[Greg Beetham]

There's a huge cottage industry in you know where, making fake this and that. They can make a fake anything, it looks almost exactly like the real deal. I think about the worst fake items I saw on the TV show that was on recently was fake pharmaceuticals, they are identical to the real McCoy on the outside, they certainly fool even the experts with the packaging....but totally worthless. They get into the supply chain because of the price advantage, no one can resist a bargain apparently.
The can even make fake eggs believe it or not, the show took footage of them making them and making a killing while they could because they could make a fake egg much cheaper and quicker than a chook can lay one. The eggs looked real on the outside and even cracked open to reveal a clear substance with a yellow yolk, but all totaly synthetic and nutritionally worthless. They made truckloads of them and flogged off the el-cheapo eggs in local markets and then disappeared...the authorities found the manufacturing site and the making of the fake egg was a re-enactment to show how it was done.
So you can almost expect to be lumbered with a fake something or other now if the price is suspiciously low and bought from some dubious source. But then a low price doesn't guarantee that it's fake of course, the price could be nearly normal and the item could still be a fake...interesting times, especially since some fakes actually work...for a while.
Greg

[Scooterman]

I had a Rolex watch for Christmas, near perfect in every detail, it took a trained clockmaker to tell the difference and that was on very close inspection of the workings, one thing he did say though it was a dam good copy the best he had seen.
On the EBay thing I use it but will only buy from very reputable dealers, some on there are the market trader types, as long as they can make a profit they will sell anything and if it sounds to cheap it usually is, so steer clear of those.
Regards
Richard

[TomB]

I bought cheap batteries for my A55 on eBay in Hong Kong (seller broad2009). He has 99.2 % positive feedback, but all he sells are fakes. The batteries are lighter (44 vs. 57 g) and they have lower capacity, there are many small differences in printing and packaging. Otherwise they work. I managed to get back a discount to my PayPal account after some e-mailing and then giving him a negative feedback. He offered me other Canon and Sony fake batteries as compensation, or big discount for future orders which I declined.

[alphaomega]

After the "genuine" Sony NP-FM500H battery debacle (started this thread) I then ordered another one from a UK vendor, who had supplied a perfectly acceptable spare for my NEX-5. First the battery would hardly get into the charger and then it got stuck in both my A350 and A550. Managed to get it out and it's going back for a full refund. There was a couple of postings some time ago with recommendations on good performing NP-FM500H batteries. I seem to remember Barry Fitzgerald was one of the contributors. I wonder if there is someone reading this who can recommend a (recent) vender from whom they have purchased good NP-FM500H equivalent batteries at a reasonable price (not necessarily cheapest).

[Greg Beetham]

How about a real 'genuine' battery, it costs double what an ordinary 'genuine' one costs that's the only problem, but guaranteed hassel free for you the camera and battery. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7 ... l_SLR.html
Greg

[Lonnie Utah]

And, I have heard about folks (nikon user) frying their electronics with knock off batteries. It's something where I don't cut corners as the stakes are too high....

[alphaomega]

Thanks for the advice. Looking at say www.warehouseexpress.com here in uk Sony NP-FM500H Battery £66.99 and £70.98 delivered. Thanks but no thanks. I guess I can be sure it is genuine as they would probably get it from Sony, but I have several genuine Sony batteries from my camera purchases and I am just looking for a bit of back-up. I am simply not going to pay over £70 or US$100+ for a simple battery. It goes against my grain. I would feel "done by". May be just me but there is a limit to what I am prepared to pay for something.

[Philip]

alphaomega,

sorry that you're having such problems. Calumet are selling Sony NP-FM500H batteries through Amazon at £47.69 incl p&p. These should be genuine Sony products as Calumet are a trustworthy supplier.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000 ... KMPRMZM7XE

Hope that this helps.

Philip

[Greg Beetham]

I thought the B&H price of $42.89US for the genuine article was pretty good.
Greg

[dkloi]

I got some cheap spare batteries for the A700 at 7dayshop (currently £8). The don't seem to last as long as the genuine Sony batteries but haven't had any compatibility problems either. I use them as emergency spares in the camera bag but use the genuine ones mostly.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product ... _id=106896

Cheers,
Daniel.