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I see the B&H sells the Pearstone EN-EL15 battery for about 41% less than Nikon battery.

I know enough to be wary of 2nd source batteries from places like ebay, but B&H might be a different story. Most of the reviews are positive for the Pearstone. One reviewer had trouble with it being recognized by the camera CPU while the Pearstone was in his battery grip. (That's doesn't really concern me.)

Can anyone provide feedback on experience using the Pearstone EN-EL15? I'm especially interest in what you found after using it for awhile.

Jim
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  • I have read that question, which is about 2nd source batteries in general. However, after reading the reviews of the Pearstone and knowing the source, I am specifically asking if there is anything to suggest that this may be a suitable equivalent. (From what I read, it could be a rebranding of the Nikon, even.) And is there anything to suggest that sourcing from B&H (or Adorama for that matter) is a sign of suitability? Also, the reviews tend to reflect short term use. I'm looking for feedback from long term experience. – Jim Mar 10 '13 at 22:37

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I have not used this product. Pearstone as far as I know is owned by B&H, and B&H is a very reputable company that can be trusted.

It is 100mAh less then the Nikon OEM battery. It is safe to assume it will not last as long.

If it costs 41% less, and it lasts a month shorter over long term use, seems easily worth it to me. You can buy two of them for roughly the same cost, and I would expect under my usage to get around a year and a half to two years of usage out of any battery, third party or OEM(and I've used many of both in various DSLRs).

I wouldn't trust a single person telling you they had experience XYZ with this particular model. The B&H product reviews are instead a much better indicator. With 63 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, it is safe to assume the product isn't a complete flop.

This existing question covers most of the concerns around 3rd party batteries: Should I buy an original manufacturer battery, or is a generic brand OK?

It may be important to note that these batteries are specifically NOT "2nd source" batteries. They are unlicensed third party battery manufacturers in the cases I have seen. They reverse engineer the technology and are not licensed by the OEM.

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dpollitt
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  • That being said, I think I would still be concerned about the its compatibility with the Nikon charger. I have had Lithium-Ion OEM batteries in other products swell up due to being charged by other than the manufacturer's charger. L-I batteries have a complication in this regard. (That's why I wanted some feedback from long term experience.) – Jim Mar 10 '13 at 22:59
  • The linked to question has my thoughts on that topic, in my answer :) http://photo.stackexchange.com/a/30333/4892 – dpollitt Mar 10 '13 at 23:02