Today’s Question: I haven’t really done much photography since 2020, and back then my batteries were already old. Should I get new ones? If I do, should I always opt for Canon or should I consider batteries from other manufacturers?
Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, I recommend replacing those batteries to ensure longer battery life. In my experience it is also advantageous to opt for replacement batteries from the manufacturer of your camera, rather than using third-party batteries.
More Detail: The primary sign that rechargeable batteries need to be replaced is that they’re holding much less of a charge than they originally did. Eventually this can become a frustrating issue, where a battery will last for a very short amount of time before it needs to be recharged.
If the batteries had already been somewhat old several years ago, and especially if they weren’t holding their full charge then, it would definitely be a good idea to replace the batteries. This will ensure you’re getting the maximum life possible from the batteries.
Camera manufacturers offer replacement batteries, though these are often at least a little more expensive than third-party batteries. However, in my own experience third-party batteries have offered a noticeably shorter charge compared to batteries from the camera manufacturer, even when comparing batteries with the same capacity. That capacity is generally measured in milliampere-hours (mAh) as a specification for the battery.
Therefore, I generally recommend opting for replacement batteries from the camera manufacturer rather than from a third party, even though the latter can be less expensive.
Note, by the way, that you should be sure to dispose of your old batteries properly, ideally through a battery recycling service. For example, you can find local options for battery recycling on this website:
https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/
