7D Question.

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by anglefire

Anyway, you knew the cost of the batteries before you bought the camera didn't you? Don't like the cost of spares/accessories, get a different camera.

Angelfire if you check back you'll see I haven't bought the camera yet.
Yes I do know the cost of the batteries. They're extortionate. The same as the batteries for my 400d are.
That's why I use cheaper, more efficient, compatibles from 7DayShop, which, in all likelihood are probably made in the same factory as Canons but only cost one tenth of the price. Granted they don't have 'C a n o n' printed on them but I can live with that.
Just because I happen to like a Canon camera doesn't mean that I have to be lead by the nose to Canons over priced spares/accessories.
Hence my original post regarding batteries.

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by flake

I knew that you were refering to the 400D but it's a little disingenuous to quote that when it's hardly a like for like comparison. A non shipped battery at £54 or £5 is indeed a no brainer, but a chipped one at £50 or looky likey at £23 without any of the supporting features isn't.

You have an advanced camera which with lens, grip, and body is probably going to be worth around £2K and you're seriously quibbling about £75 ? and that's if you buy three which you can't actually use all at the same time, and the loss of the advanced battery features, plus you can't even use the original battery charger.

Now I think that's what I'd call a no brainer.

Sorry for missing your post Flake but better late than never eh?
I think you're missing my point here.

Firstly, if you go back to post #3 you'll see that I was comparing the price of a 400d compatible with an original. I never compared either of them with a chipped or 'lookey likey' LP-E6.

Secondly, I haven't 'quibbled' about £75. They are your words and your assumption.

Thirdly, if you go back and read post #6 you will see that I have no interest in non chipped 'lookey likeys' as you put it.
I clearly say at the end of the post that "I think it would be better to hang on until decent third party battery grips like the Targus arrive along with chipped compatibles."

Finally, the BG-E7 Battery Grip (for the 7D) is currently £180 at Warehouse Express, about an average price.
You tell me that Amazon are doing the original battery for about £50.
So 50X4 plus 180 would be around £380 for batteries and grip.
I reckon that when decent chipped compatibles turn up they'll cost around £20 a go.
An exact copy of the battery grip will cost about £80.Of course these are guestimates based on past experience but I don't think I'll be too far out.
So thats around £160 compared to £380.
A saving of £220 which could go towards a nice lens maybe ?

[flake]

If you are thinking of buying a grip & multiple batteries, I think you're making a mistake. I bought three batteries for the 5D MkII and despite shooting off 16GB in one day the two batteries have always been more than enough, to the point that the third has never been used.

Todays latest generation cameras use less power than ever before, and this is one of the areas manufacturers concentrate on, using the original charger it is possible to recharge from flat in less than an hour, and with the chipping in the battery the camera will manage the power to get the maximum if you only have time to charge one and the other has a partial charge.

Remember that you do get one battery supplied with the camera, one extra will cost you a mere £50, two extra batteries will cost £100, as opposed to £50 for the third party units. To realise a saving of £220 presupposes you have a total of five batteries, this is far too many for most people, and also that the price will fall in the future to £20 per unit, and the Canon grip and battery prices will not.

The BG-E7 grip is a newly released product, and will fall to a level comparable to other ones in the range (£125 for the 40/50D) It's really unfair to compare the launch price of an accessory with the price you believe a third party unit will be when it's launched months down the track!

As things stand you cannot buy a third party battery for £20, you cannot buy a third party grip for £80, but based on the assumption that you will be able to you are criticing Canons prices based on a newly launched product! You really do need to compare these at the time you are going to buy them, because prices do not stay static and in a few months they will be much closer than you have indicated. By the time a third party unit is launched, assuming you buy an extra battery your saving will be around £60 max. I don't believe anyone needs 5 batteries given the length of time they last now, I think you're going to be in for a shock when you actually get the camera and find out for yourself.