New Batteries for an Old Camera

[canyonwalker]

I had camera trouble during our Ohio waterfalls trip last week. Actually it was battery trouble. While we were hiking at the natural rock bridge the battery in my Fuji camera died unexpectedly. "That's weird since I fully recharged it last night," I thought. "Good thing I carry a spare." But when I tried to swap the batteries, the dead one wouldn't slide out of the camera. The battery had swelled.

Swelling is one of the failure modes of modern rechargeable batteries. They physically swell due to breakdown of the charge-holding elements and accumulation of gases internally. If that all sounds dangerous... it is! A swollen battery is dangerous to use, and it can destroy the device it's in. Fortunately I was able to pry it out even while in the backcountry, preventing damage to my camera and making the camera usable for the rest of the trip (with the spare battery).

Whenever something expensive breaks, the question Repair or Replace? arises.

• "Repair" would mean just buying a new battery. The thing is, brand name camera batteries are not cheap. Fuji wants $95 for one! That's way less than the cost of a new camera but it's still a not-trivial amount of money to plunk down to keep a camera I bought 7 years ago now still running. When's the next thing that will need fixing, and how much will that cost?


• "Replace" would mean using this event as an excuse to buy a whole new camera. I mean, why wait for more stuff to break and require potentially costlier repair? After all I have been thinking about if and when to replace this camera with a newer, probably spiffier model, for several years now. But the thing is, for several years I've looked at the newer, spiffier models and decided they're just not better enough. I don't see enough value in any new cameras to spend thousands of dollars on improved capabilities that seem only incrementally better than my 7 year old workhorse.

Fortunately there's a "repair" option way cheaper than buying a new Fuji battery. Third-party batteries are a fraction of the price. Like, some are cheaper than $20... vs. that $95 Fuji ripoff.

"Don't buy third-party batteries or chargers," plenty of user reviews online warn. "They'll swell up on you!"

Ha! It was my Fuji battery that swelled! Charged only ever in Fuji chargers! 🤣

So I read reviews for a few different brands, ignored the ones from people shilling for the $95 apiece gear, and chose a well rated third-party brand. I got two new batteries for $28 plus tax, total. I figure worst-case if these batteries only last 6 months— one of the calamities the people justifying their $95 purchases warn of— then I'll revisit this week's decision of spending another $30 or so on new batteries or using the opportunity to spring for a new camera like I've been itching to do.

Comments

[some_other_dave]

Just a few weeks ago, I found one of my underwater point and shoot cameras. I tried to turn it on, but no joy. So I tried to swap out the battery, only to find it stuck!

I eventually got it out and swapped in my spare battery.

The brand of camera? Fuji.