The evaluation of this product I have withdrawn by 4 (I like it) 2 stars (I do not like it) because my satisfaction with this battery but "something" has weakened.
The reason: the (at least for me) not usable charge indicator of constant 9% from the first to the last image, but turns out to be larger deficit than originally believed. In comment on this review Although anyone thinks that the charge level with him / will it be displayed correctly, but because the exterior design of the battery has changed in the meantime, it might be good that was also bolted to the "inner values" and the Battery now works better! In my it does not in any case! In my battery is the company name "white" way, even on the top ...
That one with 9% charge the sensor inspection / purification can not perform is to get over, but that this has no possibilities to estimate how long the battery for now still could hold, its use makes it a gamble more and more. Without warning, the camera will simply eventually made, so far, fortunately not during a trip with the shutter open! Further shows in the meantime, that the overall performance has become considerably low and it is a lot less than that of the original batteries, although I have always been both used alternately, so both have about the same number of charge cycles behind. The original battery even a few more, since I have purchased the white battery later.
This also shows now so yet again: who buys cheap, buys twice! I'm going now anyway still a get (not even twice as expensive) original battery by Nikon and send the white battery in the unearned pre-retirement! As tempting as the third-party products may be priced well, the quality of the originals, ranging in fact not zoom and takes revenge sooner or later! Quality has, at least for batteries, its price and the cost of the camera, it really comes down to the small additional cost of a second original battery no longer on!
And now my old review, if anyone still like to read:
1. Introduction
After much back and forth I decided to, but not to appoint an original battery as "emergency source" for my D90, but this alternative of white. Numerous other reviews on third-party batteries my skepticism was quite high in terms of the compatibility and performance of this aggregate. This skepticism is not entirely unfounded, but more on that later!
2. Specifications
After all, the white battery, developed though "Made in China", in Germany and with 3 years warranty (is at least on the packaging ...) sold. The technical data are * actually * those of the original batteries: 7.4 V; 1500 mAh; 11.1 Wh. Nikon is on its battery, however, 12 Wh, but because of the other data (7.4 V x 1.5 Ah = 11.1 Wh) calculation * actually * is wrong. Either completes Nikon here very creative, or it really is still another mystery in the original batteries ...?!
This type of battery contains a built in chip that communicates with the camera and the battery consumption, the number of pictures taken since the last charge and the age of the battery telling (or the number of charging cycles already carried out). And herein lies the problem of all third-party: The programming of these chips is strictly guarded by the original equipment manufacturers and so third-party can only have so-called "reverse engineering" try to program their own chips accordingly.. The fact that 100% does not always work and in every detail, is not surprising. With appropriate smears one must therefore in all these battery life.
And so it is with this!
3. Practice Test
The accompanying (German) Operating instructions According to the white battery is shipped uncharged and must be charged before the first use. No sooner said than done, and after just 1.5 hours of battery was full. Since the original battery when fully discharged takes about 2 1/4 hours for a full charge, I'm assuming that the white battery is doch nich delivered fully discharged. For this purpose there is a plus because completely discharged Li-Ion batteries do not last very long (deep discharge ...).
When inserting into the camera then the big surprise: The battery charge level is displayed with 9% !!! Well, time to wait ... After all, he is recognized and the camera! Only the sensor inspection is not possible, because for the D90 requires min. 60% battery charge! Since these "functional" but is rarely or not at all required, you can get over this trait! "In a pinch" one has still the original battery ...
To test the "durability" of the battery, I then left the camera for several hours in operation: Photos made (RAW + JPEG), in-camera image edits performed, running slideshows and transferred several gigabytes photo data from camera to computer. Sometime you are playing a slide show has been switched off with discharged battery. Whether the battery icon has previously still blinking in the viewfinder, as in the original battery, I can not say because I did not pay attention. From the first impression I had with the performance of the battery but quite satisfied. As is known, need Li-ion batteries anyway once a few charging cycles, until they have reached their full capacity.
Now the second charge cycle. My hope was that the battery indicator would then perhaps show a little more than 9%. However, it was not so! Even after the second full load the camera continues to display a battery level of 9%. And now the second surprise: The number of pictures taken when loading was not on 0 (zero), as the original battery! They also showed "54" images.
But now to the positive impressions: After about one week of operation and nearly 1,000 pictures taken - with and without flash, autofocus and image stabilization, sequential shots, and extensive picture controls - shows the camera while still 9% battery charge, but the battery is still not empty. Battery performance may thus quite keep up with the original battery. For this purpose are Nikon D90 with the image capacity of 850 pictures according to CIPA standard. Considering that it is only the second battery, which is a quite satisfactory result.
4. Outlook
I can not say anything about the long-term performance of this battery at this time unfortunately. Here separates yes often only the men from the boys! Most third-party batteries show initially good to very good performance compared to the originals, but leave a lot clearer after some time as this. How this is so remains to be seen. Maybe I'll add my review in a few months ...
Likewise, remains to be seen whether the charge indicator of future charge cycles even changes and whether the display of the pictures taken will be reset since the last charge at some point. As I the first cycle "only" 54 Photos've done, it is quite conceivable that, due to this small number, the counter is not reset. Both would certainly be a "nice" feature as well so you can live with this battery and its idiosyncrasies. If you know that you can create 1000 images without any problems with a charge, you realize is just after the onset of the picture counter the ...
>> Here is a new addition: During the first few charge cycles has the frame counter not reset when loading. Sometime stand at more than 1,300 images (exact number I do not know). As I once again called after the last recharging the battery diagnostic camera, the counter but was actually set to "0"! Let's see how that's next time ... but the charge indicator remains at 9%!
At length before taking a second battery, you should anyway carefully consider whether or how you need this at all! Due to the high battery capacity of the original battery that question is quite appropriate, especially if you only occasionally photographed. No battery is like rum long unused and the modern Li-ion batteries take it one no longer so bad when you take occasional charges before they are fully discharged.
But my desire to have a second battery was obvious: 1. I like to take pictures, and often much and 2. I do not happen again in Ulaub that I was standing in front of the most beautiful motif of the world (exaggerated ...!) And the battery failed! (However, that was still a small tourist-clippers ...).
Although a second battery can not compete in all respects to the original, it is usually sufficient in anyway to charge the other battery in the meantime and to bridge the charging time! Exactly for this reason I bought this battery and nothing else, I'm going to use him. That's why I was not willing to pay the price for an original battery (45-55 EUR). While there are cheaper deals for this type of battery, but as a little quality was me then but important (German sales and contact person) and it seemed to me this offer to be a good compromise.
Summary:
Pro:
+ German development with 3 years warranty
+ 50% more favorable than the original battery
+ Same specifications as the original battery (7.4 V; 1500 mAh; 11.1 Wh *)
+ Comparable performance (number poss. Photos per charge)
* Nikon gave up his batteries at 12 Wh, but mathematically can not agree:
7.4 V x 1.5 Ah = 11.1 Wh (12 Wh / 7.4V = 1.621 Ah = 1621 mAh)
Cons:
- Charge status display of D90 to full charge only 9%, so that no sensor inspection poss.
- Image counter is not reset when loading.
new Contra-point:
- Camera switches off at the end of battery power without warning! So it's not that the charge level of 9% goes down and you have the chance to replace the battery pack at perhaps 2%. Whether the camera possibly can be damaged even if they suddenly loses power during a trip, I can not say and would honestly do not even try it. With the original battery, the camera refuses any case the tripping when the power is too low. But then enough power for display on the upper display is still available and you can still turn the camera off "clean".
>> The old Conclusion I had to delete because I so really could not leave it. It may be that the manufacturer has now rectified and I will also try to swap to guarantee my battery, but the present state of my knowledge, I can recommend this battery only conditionally. Should I get a replacement battery and this function properly, I'll tell.
