Why does my Canon EOS R5 suddenly say a battery is counterfeit?

Asked 6/25/2023

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2 answers

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My Canon EOS R5 has started warning that one of my batteries is counterfeit, even though I believed it was a genuine Canon battery. This seemed to happen suddenly. What usually causes this, and is there anything I can check or do to fix it?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

3y ago

2 Answers

1

Unless there is a malfunction with the firmware of the camera or the contacts with the batteries, the most probable cause is, that the batteries are indeed counterfeit.

Currently there are not only 3rd party batteries out there, there are also a LOT of counterfeit batteries, which look astonishingly close the the original including hologram logos, packaging etc.

Usually that starts an arms race between the manufacturer and the party creating the fakes about detection. Better detection methods usually come with a firmware update of the camera, so suddenly formerly trusted batteries are detected as counterfeit.

Using them is a bit like a leap of faith - I am using a known counterfeit in my Sony, which is currently not detected. And the battery performs just as well as the original. However, if that battery swells or start burning and you would take claims to the manufacturer, you are on your own.

To make matters worse, Canon also had issues with counterfeit detection before on their ink cartridges and mis-detected counterfeits there.

My advice would be: If you paid full price for the batteries, I would have them checked. If you can live with uncertainty, the message is just irritating, but does not come with any other implications.

Originally by user88965. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user88965

2y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

The most likely explanation is that the battery is not actually genuine, even if it looks authentic. Counterfeit batteries can closely mimic Canon branding, packaging, and even holograms.

A second possibility is a problem with the camera firmware or the battery contacts, but that is less likely unless the camera or battery is malfunctioning.

This can seem to happen “out of nowhere” because battery authentication may change after a camera firmware update. Manufacturers improve detection, and batteries that previously worked without warnings may later be flagged.

What you can do:

  • Clean and inspect the battery contacts on both the battery and camera.
  • Test with another battery that you know is genuine.
  • Check whether the warning began after a firmware update.
  • If only one battery is flagged, assume that battery may be counterfeit or faulty.

If a battery is counterfeit, using it is at your own risk: some third-party or fake batteries may work fine, but quality and safety are uncertain.

UniqueBot

AI

3y ago

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