Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D200, D300, D700 and D80 Digital SLR Cameras Reviews

• Negative reviews show lack of understanding...

  
  By AAJIGWE242MSN on 2006-06-02
  To begin with, if you're looking at this battery, you might have a D200. If so, you have no choice in the matter. Whether it's 1 star or 5, if you don't buy this battery you have a $1,700 paperweight (and yes, I'm the proud owner of a D200 in non-paperweight mode).
  
  Second, the battery is not what's at fault here. The D200 is an energy monster. It sucks these poor little guys dry like a starved man at a all-you-can-eat. (This is the price of the incredible functionality offered by the D200. If you want longer bettery life, you'll have to give up MUCH of what makes the D200 the powerhouse it is.) The EL3e performs wonderfullly in the D70/50, providing slightly longer life than the recalled EL3a (the third contact on the EL3e is for the D200 only. The 70 & 50 both ignore it).
  
  Bottom line: There is nothing wrong with this battery. If you have a D70 or D50, buy with the assurance it will take many, many shots on a single charge. If you have a D200, buy because you have to then realize that *you* determine how long the battery lives. A VR lens will cut an already "short" battery life even more. So, you can complain about the battery being the issue or the D200 being the issue. Only the latter is correct. If you want long battery life, go back to the D70.
  
  Personal rant: The D200 is worth the reduced battery life in so many ways that I'm actually annoyed with those that complain about this. Sure, the battery could last longer, but why stop there? I'D like 20Mp, ISO speeds to 3200 with no noise at all, a 10-400mm VR lens tack sharp at all apertures with f/1.4 throughout. But you know what? Not gonna happen. The D200 provides FAR more capability than what you actually paid for (just ask D2X users), so stop whining about short battery life. There's no such thing as the perfect camera. The D200 comes so close, however, it's almost sacriligious to whine about it. By all means, let's teach Nikon a lesson! How dare they give us this camera at 2/3 of what they could *easily* sell it for and not give us 800 RAW's/charge? >:(
  
  And FWIW, you most certainly CAN get 1800 JPG's from one charge, You just have to do it like Nikon did. Yes, their tests are unrealistic in that respect, but if you're so upset about it, return the camera and let someone who will appreciate it have their turn...
  
  PS To "Dwarfbug" why did you give the *battery* 2 stars? These reviews are exactly that: reviews. Speak about the product in question. Don't just respond to someone's review and drop 2 stars with no explanation why. And also speak about something you know. There is no recall on the D200. There is a recall on the EN-EL3 which will not work in the D200 anyway. It is a D50/D70 battery and is replaced with either the EN-EL3a or the EN-EL3e (the "e" being a pretty sweet deal (some even resell them to D200 users a buy TWO 3rd party EN-EL3a's (Targus, etc))).
  
  

• Good battery has yet to live up to performance predictions

  
  By A35AIS4474UJDT on 2006-02-14
  After almost a year and a half of use my review of the battery can be summarized this way.
  Order spares and don't plan on ever getting 1800 captures on a single charge.
  Others defend this as a five star battery despite actual performance that is nowhere near the claims made by Nikon. Sending the message that inflating the performance of an accessory for whatever reason is fine. That no matter what it's perfect in every way!
  I give my Nikon outfit that includes lenses, filters, flashes, eyepieces and battery's an overall five stars.
  Performance of the battery is good but not as good as promised. Not understated as is typical of this manufacturer but far enough off to appear exaggerated rather than optimistic.
  Hey no problem! I use the camera a lot and expect to carry spares and charge them more too.
  Rather than jump on a rubber stamp bandwagon I figure reviews are a reality check for those who have yet to buy the equipment. A way to say hey man 1800 captures isn't going to happen unless you are are the type setting the D200 to P and using the battery only to click the shutter. That getting 1800 captures isn't possible if you access the menu options, review your images or check histograms let alone use the flash. No, forget about viewing on the TV or changing white balance and stuff like that and you may just have a battery that goes past a 2gb card. I don't mean it takes doing all of those things either. Do any of them and you may get three or four hundred actuations if shooting jpg's. Just remember to leave noise reduction off and don't load the buffer. Otherwise consider getting at least a couple extra units when you buy the camera.
  Remember.. you are in charge of how long they last!
  The knowledgeable and always overjoyed don't provide gallery links, only sarcasm and admissions that a contrasting review irritates them.
  Oh well.
  So I don't get the rubber stamp vote. So the blindly devoted are irritated.
  That's ok!
  Understanding how this battery really performs will allow some to prepare accordingly and go on to have a five star experience with the D200 as I have.
  I love my Nikon gear but the battery is one of the few areas that could stand a little improvement.
  Good luck!
  
  Now here in October 2006 I must say I am amazed by the amount of unhelpful clicks this review gives me.
  I still have the same reaction everytime I see more.
  You can't possibly tell me that one battery allows you to operate this camera effectively and for any length of time without getting caught short . Hah! 2800 images ... that's a joke!
  Maybe if you pull your D200 out once a week to take family snapshots or pictures of the dog and cat.
  There is no way you could take more than a few hundred shots while working the menu's as needed let alone using accessories.
  Look, I will say it again! This battery gives mediocre performance. I know, I have four of them and easily shoot 10GB's a week. Of course I am coming from the perspective of using Nikon as a system and in a variety of circumstances rather than someone who sets it to P and could care a less about accessing the many menu features that make the D200 a great camera.
  I am sticking by guns on this one all the way! As it is I am charging batteries almost everytime I walk back in the door. It is a rare day indeed when I do any work with the camera and just come home and sleep well knowing I have enough juice for the next time.
  I love Nikon equipment! I even love Nikon jackets and shirts. Heck, I may go out and get Nikon tatooed on my arm some day soon but don't tell me this battery comes close to performing as promised.
  Don't tell me this is a five star battery!
  Cuz that is just not so.
  It is in fact the weakest link in an otherwise excellent system.
  If you want to use your D200 for anything other than snapshots then order spares when you order the camera.
  Now if the battery desciption was anywhere close to the reality than my rating might be five stars.
  But this is a review not a testimonial! Rubberstamping five stars on products that don't perform even remotely close to described by the brand that labels them .... who does that help?
  Good luck!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• If you own a Nikon DSLR get this battery.

  
  By A2XRMQA6PJ5ZJ8 on 2006-08-13
  This battery is backwards compatible with the D50, D70/70s, and is used in the D80 and D200. So if you have any Nikon DSLR and want a second battery, you want to get this one so that when you upgrade your camera you can use the battery.
  
  This battery has built-in circuitry that tells you the actual charge status of the battery, and it is accurate. This is a big deal; *if you are using the D200 or D80* it lets you know when your really do need to switch batteries or charge up. This is the first battery I've seen that is accurate in this regard. Kudos to Nikon. (This feature does not work in the D50/70/70s but the battery otherwise works fine).
  
  

• its a battery

  
  By A2F6QCCHVYUC5X on 2006-08-21
  The new Nikon EN-EL3e battery is a slight update for the Nikon EN-EL3 provided with earlier dSLR models such as the D70. It adds a contact that allows new cameras to determine how much charge is left in the battery. The battery is grey to distinguish it from the black EN-EL3.
  
  The EN-EL3e is backwards compatible with the EN-EL3: you can put it in your D70 or D50. The reverse is not true.
  
  The number of pictures that the battery gives you depends on a lot of factors, including shooting style, LCD usage, and of course, camera. (The 2.5" LCD on the D200 will use up the battery much quicker than the smaller D70.) It is sufficient for a day of shooting. Unless you are using a D200 in some professional capacity, in which case, you'll probably be investing in at least one backup battery.
  
  

• It's Just a Battery

  
  By A3QNX5KWHDV0GD on 2006-08-04
  I don't think a battery really requires a review, but a comment regarding D70 vs. D200 might be in order. In over two years of using my D70, I never felt the need for a second battery. After just a month with the D200, I'm ordering a spare battery (too bad the D70's battery can't be used in the D200).
  
  I'm not complaining. I now have VR lenses, and spend more time using the D200's menus, and reviewing pics on its large LCD screen. You can even watch your battery drain with the new 'battery info' screen, which does give you a better idea of how much juice you have left in a charge. I just no longer feel safe going out without a fully charged battery like I did with the D70 for a day's shooting.
  
  It's just a necessary expense, like buying a bigger flash card. I guess by buying an 4GB Ultra II instead of an Extreme III (or the new IV), paid for the battery.
  
  
• No complaints from me!
  By A30XFGDKQ74VGR on 2006-06-28
  This review is from personal experience. I recently picked up a D200 to replace my D70. This past weekend I took the photos for my sister's wedding. I shot with full functionality using LCD review for every shot and was using the Nikon 18-200 VR lens. Over the course of the wedding and reception I took 295 photos in Fine JPEG mode and reviewed them while shooting. At the end of the afternoon, I still had battery life left and very likely could have taken 100 more photos. Given the features and capability of the D200, I have absolutely no issue with that many photos. I will pick up a second battery for a back up as soon as someone has some in stock.
  
  And I could not agree more with the previous reviewer. If you do not have personal experience with this product, there is no need to attempt to review it based on hearsay or something you might have read elsewhere.
  
  
• Keeps going and going and going and...
  By A14XBV6448KLZD on 2006-05-30
  I used my new Nikon D200 this past weekend at a Renaissance Faire in high heat, and the EL3e performed like a champ (as did the camera itself). I couldn't believe that I got through three full days of picture-taking (using fill flash after five pm or so) on one battery charge. I finally ran out of juice late on the third day, after approximately 500 exposures.
  
  (One caveat: I don't use auto-focus. At all. Ever. So, you know, YMMV.)
  
  
• Requires multiple charges to reach full charge
  By A1U9CVNOSMB09S on 2006-08-18
  Requires about 5 or 6 charges to reach full charge. Because of many power requiring features on the D200, a new battery will completely discharge after 40 frames during on-off shooting. The charger that comes with the D200 only charges for 2.35 hrs, which, as I discovered, cannot fully charge a new battery. I need several additional batteries and the MD200 battery pack to enable long battery life.
  
  
• Proved to be counterfeit
  By A35VG14X6UZZ8 on 2007-07-26
  I previously left negative feedback because the box was trashed, the battery was defective, and the seller admitted to knowing the box was trashed (so what did the product go through?) The answer came later when I researched counterfeit items, confirmed it WAS a counterfeit, and took the item to a Nikon dealer to confirm it; they did. The seller was very quick in issuing my refund (I told him I identified it as counterfeit), much quicker than he was when I first told him I wanted a refund. He claims he got the battery from a DEALER(?!) For those who don't know--counterfeits can be identified by the sticker on the battery, which does not turn green when viewed in light at an angle (it stays gold), the lesser-quality white "Nikon" paint on the battery, which is easily seen, especially with a magnifying glass, and in my case, the contacts were angled and depressed much differently from several authentic EN-EL3e batteries. I leave it up to the reader to determine whether price relates to authenticity--I believe it does. This was the lowest price listed of all sellers. Incidentally, the seller has repeatedly asked me to remove my negative feedback. I think not.
  
  
• Good when you finally get them !!!
  By A2NQQUQY3513GX on 2006-11-10
  Other than the months of waiting for Nikon to deliver them to Amazon for shipping, the battery itself in a good deal. They work well, charge up easy and hold their charge nicely. Priced well, they cost less than the same type battery than Canon or Sony. I bought them for a D80 and the older En-EL3a would not fit. Of course I had 10 of the older batteries for my D70s and was rather surprised when they didn't fit the D80. Basically the same size and shape, but keyed differently. I was also surprised to find the 3e WOULD fit in the D70s, meaning they are backward compatable.
  
  
  
  
• Buy this, not an off-brand battery
  By A3DQR00Q5UIZSS on 2007-01-01
  The real question is whether to buy the Nikon brand battery as opposed to one of its cheaper competitors. The answer comes in two parts. First, do Nikon brand batteries do the job well, and, second, are independent-brand batteries a cost-effective alternative?
  
  As for the effectivness of the Nikon batteries, I have been using them in my Nikon D70 for over a year. I carry a backup but have almost never had to use it. The batteries have worked flawlessly all this time. I went on a 7-day climbing trip without having to change. The only time I ever ran down a battery in one session was using flash to shoot all the recipients at a large awards banquet.
  
  As these batteries are not cheap, you may be tempted by attractive prices on off-brand batteries with output claims: "1700 mAh!" beyond that of the Nikon battery. This raises the second question, are the Nikon batteries worth the extra money or would an off brand be worthwhile? The answer is clear. With some products, off brands will perform about as well for far less money. But this is not the case with lithium-ion batteries.
  
  For one thing, the off-brand's performance claims are exaggerated. Direct comparisons show that, despite their more modest claims, brand name rechargable batteries actually outperforms their imitators.
  
  More importantly, the off brands put your camera at risk. If a Nikon brand battery were to damage your camera, Nikon would replace both. With the off-brand, you would be out of luck. This is not an idle "what if." Lithium-ion batteries are dangerous if something goes wrong. The batteries (actually battery packs) are full of safety circuits and other measures; that is why they are expensive. And even then, Nikon recently had to recall thousands of lithium-ion batteries due to a fire hazard. If this happened with a recognized company that has its own cameras at stake, what are the risks with a no-name manufacturer that markets a product for an eighth the price and has little to lose if something goes wrong?
  
  Just buy the Nikon battery. It is the only sane way to go.
  
  
• Buy Nikon Brand Battery
  By A2TRC1VJG2YLV8 on 2007-01-22
  Over the years I've bought several off-brand batteries for my Nikon digital cameras. Now I will only buy Nikon brand batteries. Never had one fail. I am very pleased with how many shots you can get from the EN-EL3e.
  
  
• If you plan to shoot all day with a D200...
  By A3RV2EZLEJJBX on 2007-02-20
  you'll need three of these! The Amazon price for this genuine Nikon item seems to be the lowest available. Generic versions are available for less, but trust Nikon to stand behind its product if there are ever any problems.
  
  
• Good battery for a dynamite camera
  By A1OZQG9Q05GHL1 on 2006-11-28
  I agree with the last post...the D200 is an awesome machine, and if you plan to do any lengthy shooting, have 1 or 2 spare batteries. It's part of the responsibility of being properly equipped to do the job. I wouldn't go into a shoot without a spare battery or 2, in addition to my other equipment, so I don't understand why anyone would complain about the battery. Additionally, if you stay away from playing with the D200's preview screen for every shot, zooming and scrolling, you'll save tons of bettery time.
  
  
• great battery
  By A1A7ZJQGJH4JP7 on 2007-01-11
  I've been able to average about 1500 shots with about 40% left on the battery meter. I usually charge the battery at this point. I bought an additional battery as well as the MB-D80 Multi battery pack. And I have found it to be valuable especially when you are out in the middle of nowhere taking pictures and don't have the facilities to charge up the batteries.
  
  
• Buyer Beware...
  By A3TR96WORVQ3ON on 2008-03-18
  I love the battery, and have several of them for my various Nikon cameras. But I gave this a low review because of the issues that I had with the battery that I got. The battery that I got in the mail when I ordered this worked in my D200 but not my D300. Doing some research, it turns out that I got a counterfeit battery. These batteries work (probably not quite right) in the D200 but not the D300. Looking at the battery it is easy to tell the fake battery, by looking at the Nikon hologram. When you look at the hologram at a 30 degree angle, it should look Green, while the fake one continues the orange tint.
  
  Just beware when buying...
  
  -Matt
  
  
• Hard to get battery
  By A32U2NTV3NG51H on 2006-08-14
  This is the real thing. It seems to be impossible to get anywhere and I got it overnight from Amazon. Wow.
  
  
• Nikon EN-EL3e Li-Ion Battery for D80 Camera
  By AC5JBDY3A2HXQ on 2007-01-10
  I purchased the Nikon D80 so I was concerned that the batteries might not work on a non-D200. No problem--worked perfectly on the D80.
  
  
• Luuukkkeee... iiitts the POW'A of the DAA'KKK siiiiddee!!!!
  By A30VUF1M8SEOKZ on 2007-04-17
  This battery changed my life - it is an inspiration to me, and all who come in contact with me. Shall you only be so lucky to come into contact with merch of such greatness.
  
  Okay, really - this is a Nikon-brand battery for Nikon-brand cameras. It works great. Just wish I could get more than 400 shots out of my D200 with it.
  
  Don't by non-OEM - may void your warranty - that's why this battery is great. Nikon quality.
  
  Don't give into anger and hatred! Tis the path of the dark side! Buy this Nikon battery, instead.
  
  
• Nikon D80 Battery
  By A1230H8IVX0TC6 on 2007-05-17
  This is just an addition to the battery that came with the Nikon D80. If your going to be out on long photo treks it's best to have two fully charged batteries when you leave the house.
  
  
• What battery?
  By A2JI58MYOBY2AS on 2007-05-29
  Amazon is asking me to write a review for a product I never received. Be wary of their "shipping" policies. I gave them a ground address to ship to and a PO Box for mailing/billing to. They ended up sending the product USPS to the ground address which is impossible because USPS does not deliver there. Instead of trying to correct the shipment error Amazon blamed me for the problem. Instead of sending the product to the correct address they issued a refund without asking me if this is what I wanted. Do not use Amazon if you have deadlines.
  
  
• holds a lot of juice
  By A3E68EBGXTWDNP on 2007-01-30
  works great with the nikon d80. take 100 shots and the meter drops just one bar. flash soaks it up just a bit faster, but the battery life is amazing--review pics and leave your settings LCD on illumination with confidence! with a 2 gig gard, uploads so fast, the meter doesn't have time to drop. i've yet to exhaust it in an evening or afternoon of shooting, so i can't say how many shots it'll hold. still, you always want to have at least one extra with you. only con is, be sure not to lose the plastic cover that protects the electrical contacts.
  
  
• Lots of juice on 1 charge
  By A2NOIWPJDD7WIQ on 2007-01-31
  I've used this battery on a D50, D80 and D200. I bought 2 EN-EL3e's because most of my Nikon bodies provide very conservative battery power readings. If you are a Nikon user, you'll probably realize that Nikon has geared their Nikon digital camera bodies with memory card space and battery power meter with a "glass is half empty" approach. I was doing a shoot with my D80 and I thought I had a defective EN-EL3e because after 200 shots, the battery meter stated I had 44% battery power left. I ended up shooting well over 1000 shots and the meter was flickering from 30% to 60%. The same behaviour happened with my D50 and D200. Bottom line, Nikon's digital camera bodies have very inaccurate battery level meters. The EN-EL3e has a TON of juice on 1 charge and I am very pleased with it.
  
  
• Works like a champ
  By A1X0GOVZHB4O8J on 2007-03-21
  Amazon had the best price for this oem battery. Many other places have lower cost ones, but I didn't want to take a chance on them. I knew with this I was getting the exact same battery that came with my camera. I can't tell the difference between the original and this one. Of course there is none. These batteries give me in the neighborhood of 600 shots of mixed shooting (indoor, outdoor, flash, with display on, etc..). Great deal.
  
  
• Battery to go
  By A3SNHSE7JKGBT0 on 2007-03-21
  Quck charge - 2hrs - lots of pics - 250, right price. I like using the OEM battery never have to worry about it spiking the camera or leakage problems. Plus if it hurts the camera your covered.
  
  
• Extra battery
  By A30C3N0ZMBOACA on 2007-04-06
  It's great to have an extra battery while the other is charging, although I found that one new battery lasted an entire one-week Cruise (about 800 pictures).
  
  
• only one...
  By A2V3FASJYR98FB on 2007-05-07
  What can I say, it works and is the only Nikon battery to work in the D200... can't use the D70 batteries, too bad
  
  
• It's a battery what more can I say!
  By A2A5RCHXYB5CXH on 2007-05-07
  I bought the Nikon Battery the day after I had ordered a generic branded battery. The generic battery was supposed to be more powerful than the Nikon at 1700Mah compared with the 1500Mah of the Nikon battery.
  
  With the low Amazon price on the Nikon battery (same price as the generic) I wish I had ordered 2 Nikon's instead of 1 Nikon and the supposed more powerful generic.
  
  The Nikon battery well and truly outlasts the generic brand even at its lower 1500Mah rating. It will probably have a much greater overall lifespan and number of recharge cycles also but, that is yet to be determined. I feel more confident that the Nikon battery is not going to blow up in my $2300 camera.
  
  Other than that it is a battery and does exactly what it says it will with Nikon reliability in my D200!!
  
  
• great battery and price
  By A3AOJ015FICPG3 on 2007-05-07
  great price and great deal on Nikon d200 battery(nikon product)amazon shipped free,great deal.what more can I say but great
  
  
• Nikon Battery for D200 - Great Price and Product!!!
  By AMGPUPD2HY73O on 2007-05-08
  This is the real thing; a Nikon battery for a Nikon Camera. It was half the usual price (less than $40) but still the genuine item. It shipped fast, arrived early, and works flawlessly. The after market batteries I have tried (and RETURNED) were completely bad.
  
  

• Matsunichi Photoblitz 7-Inch Digital Picture Frame
• Targus Camera/Video Messenger Case
• Nikon MH-18a Quick Battery Charger for the EN-EL3e Battery compatible with Nikon D80, D200, D300 and D700 Digital SLR Cameras
• TAO 1.5-Inch Digital Keychain Rectangle Frame (Silver)
• Power 2000 RTC109 Mini Rapid Charger (for Nikon EN-EL3)

• Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only)
• Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
• Nikon Lens Pen Cleaning System
• Nikon SB-800 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
• Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control for Nikon D40, D40x, D60 & D80 Digital SLR Cameras