My stake on the BP-511 battery
Published by Soniya Ahuja on 2012-01-27 15:55:10
Here I am once again after upgrading myself from a Canon EOS 30D model to a brand new Canon EOS 40D model folks. One of the wonderful aspects about the upgrade was an accessory in the form of a battery. It was more of a seamless transition to have the luxury of using the same Canon BP-511 battery on my new EOS 50D model as unopposed to the existing EOS 40D model. On a personal level I hardly noticed or felt the difference after using the same battery on two different camera models, another hallmark of a Canon product compatibility.
Nevertheless the BP series of batteries from the Canon stable has its own share of problems too. They seem to be more inclined or suited for the ideal customer. Limitations would be highlighted in usage as they seem more adept to working on a semi professional scale. Talking about battery or usage time one shouldn't expect more than 1100 mAh as opposed to other contemporary BP series of batteries. Another rarity would be excessive heating of the BP-511 battery due to some probable malfunctioning of the charging circuit.
As duly stated above about the BP-511 battery product and its drawbacks, let's talk about trying to solve the problems a Canon user would face rather than discourage a potential customer for a change. First and foremost it would be mandatory to procure a battery from an authorized Canon dealer with respect to the warranty and after sales aspect. Regarding excessive heating, one would be advised to get in touch with the nearest Canon dealer at any twist and turn. Through personal experience I'd say that they do have a set of qualified personnel to look into problem at no extra cost provided the battery would still be under the warranty period.
Similarly on the lines of a new cellphone, one might also face a problem with respect to charging of the battery. At times the handset or camera would appear to be fully charged for around 15 to 20 odd minutes and subsequently diminish thereafter at an unusually faster rate. Relax, there would be no need to press the panic button if faced with such a weird phenomenon. All one has to do is simply remove the battery from the camera, let it cool down for a while and repeat the charging procedure once again. It's a known fact that at times certain new cellphone and camera digital batteries are unable to charge, and it is advised that one should reinsert the battery and the repeat the charging process.
Coming to a conclusion, it would be a rash error of judgement to disregard an existing BP-511 camera battery or refrain from buying a new one for that matter. Being the average going photographer myself and still using a Canon BP-511 battery, I would rather stick to my accessories than supplement them for other models. (BP-511A, BP-512,etc.) for some time. We believe that manufacturers constantly strive to better existing models, supercede predecessors, the odd element of piracy, etc. but what we tend to forget is the quality of product at all given times.
