Nikon is shipping old and also dead batteries

[Patty15]

Does anyone know how old a battery should be when new? I recently bought an "new" EN-EL-C battery dated 2022. It's fine. i never thought to look at the date until reading this discussion. I also have some older batteries dated 2016 that still work fine. Is it possible there was just a bad batch being sold?

I too have never had an issue with a battery and I've been shooting Nikon since 2009. I've never checked dates either until this discussion.

Yes, defective products get manufactured. Defective products get shipped. That's why you're given a warranty on new products. Hopefully what you get works fine. If not, you contact the retailer or company and have it replaced. As far as I can see, there's nothing nefarious going on.

 

[O]

I purchased two new ones on Amazon. I set them aside for more than 30 days because they were for an upcoming trip. Both batteries ended up so dead that they could not be salvage. Amazon would not let me return them. People ordering any of these batteries from anyone need to immediately check these batteries and make sure they will take a proper charge!

Agree, we often get what we pay for when it seems cheap, lower grade or clones. Yet = people get what they want and meets their needs.

Nikon usually makes the core of their battery in Japan then ships the battery to China for completion.

In my experience with all batteries i only have ever bought genuine Nikon batteries either from Nikon or a trusted dealer.
I mean you spend $20-30k and skimp on batteries, i means its ok if it works, but it for myself doesn't make sense.

My Batteries for my DF last and last and hold the charge for months and months, less so with the D850 batteries or Z8.

I recharge all my batteries every 2-3 months when not used, cameras, lap tops, lawn mower, torches, again the DF batteries seem to be still full and last the longest by a large margin.

Only an opinion

 

[Fishboy1952]

This last summer, I ordered 2 EN EL 18Ds from Adorama. I normally purchase through B&H but they were back ordered. They arrived promptly, but neither would charge. I tried for several days trying different ways, but no joy. One thing I neglected to do was to check the dates on the batteries, which I now know better.

Anyway, I contacted Adorama customer service to initiate a return. I was surprised that prior to any discussion of a return, they insisted that I first contact Nikon customer service, I guess to see if I was using the charger correctly. So I called Nikon and explained the situation. They were very surprised that I was having to call them. But I went through what I was seeing on the charger and they confirmed I was using it correctly. I then called Adorama and relayed to them what Nikon had told me, that the batteries were defective. They immediately commenced the return which went without a hitch.

I was still in need of several 18Ds as backups and ordered 2 from Amazon. They arrived and both work as expected. I did go back and put in a poor review of the 18D batteries on the Adorama website. All professional and non-emotional but did state that neither battery would charge and needed to be returned. Evidently that review did not meet their requirements and does not appear on their site.

 

[O]

In the world of retail, many retailers purchase a wide range of goods from Alibaba in bulk then resell on Ebay and often other well know platforms.

Only an opinion

 

[NLK Photos]

Mine non-working battery was new, from B&H, Nikon brand. Pretty sure it was $99.

I think there may have been a bad batch. I’ve had a lot of Nikon batteries, first time one didn’t work.

 

[O]

Mine non-working battery was new, from B&H, Nikon brand. Pretty sure it was $99.

I think there may have been a bad batch. I’ve had a lot of Nikon batteries, first time one didn’t work.

Is it again a QC issue ? left to the market ?

The trend today with many companies particularly at the lower price point end of manufacturing with volume products is to outsource the QC process, let the field do the QC checking, it’s cheaper to replace or fix 5 to 10% of issues in the field compared to the cost of checking 100% of production in house, it’s a massive cost saving.

Batteries being suspect or older stock released certainly seems to fit the above pattern.

Again the end user wears the issue.

Top shelf companies be it Nikon or Boeing or a list of others, its hard to believe premium brands are falling lower into a generic standard of worshiping the all might...the $.

Sorry its just disappointing to experience or see QC or design issues coming from companies that are supposed to be premium TRUSTED brands.

I guess the end user- public have in ways become somewhat co-dependent maybe enabling these manufacturing practices to happen.

I guess it’s the new way............we have to live with, sadly.


Only an opinion

 

[EricBowles]

To JAJohnson
I have two MH33 chargers, two Z9 cameras, and I have 3 good EN-EL18d batteries that charge correctly so I know the problem is NOT the charger.

To ricardo00
The salesman contacted the head buyer who is a direct employee of B&H. I was given his name but should not publish it here. The buyer told the salesman that he was getting the batteries from Nikon wholesale distribution the same way he buys cameras and lenses. So the date issue is at Nikon, not in B&H.

I checked another East Coast Nikon dealer today and they are having the identical problem of dead batteries and also all batteries received directly from Nikon have old datecodes, as much as 2.5 years old. They were willing and did open all their battery boxes and looked at the datecodes. There was not even one newer than 1.5 years ago.

A few years ago B&H bought batteries through it's normal channels but ended up getting counterfeit batteries. Apparently somewhere in the supply chain someone introduced counterfeits - and it was not Nikon or B&H. B&H replaced the batteries at no charge to their customers.

B&H sources products globally. Not everything is bought directly from Nikon USA. Batteries were apparently being sourced separately through a long time Asian source. I have no idea whether they were bought through Japan, China, or elsewhere - but a normally reliable distributor had some counterfeits. It's a global issue and hard to catch.

Nikon has started shipping batteries that do not have a charge. I saw that with both of my Z8 cameras and my Z6iii. I heard it was to prevent risk of fire, but I don't have any information from Nikon. The genuine batteries are made by Samsung in the same factories that were previously owned and used by Sony before selling to Samsung. Those factories have been used for at least 15+ years. The cells are made separately in another location and assembled in the casing with the required chip. It's possible that there has been a change in the supply chain, or a change in the battery specification. It does make sense that batteries are made in large batches or production runs.

There are several options. You can return the batteries to B&H and try buying through other sources. You can get B&H to replace the batteries. You can get another charger and make sure it is not a charger problem - chargers can fail You can cycle the batteries using the charger with a deep discharge and a slow recharge - and it might well reactivate the batteries.

I think it's impossible for you to know enough to assign blame. Just return any bad batteries and move on. B&H will know if they have a bunch of problem batteries - but they also sell enough batteries that the lack of widespread problems could suggest a problem may be with your charger. It's also possible that there is a very small number of counterfeits - not enough to show up materially at a single retailer - even one like B&H.

 

[Jadiehl]

Yep you are absolutely correct! On Amazon, you need to click reviews according to the most recent, then you will also see that numerous recent buyers received defective EL18d batteries. At least in my quick look, Adorama did not seem to have any recent reviews, not sure why. That two independent suppliers (not sure if Amazon is selling them directly from Nikon) are supplying defective batteries, points to Nikon as the problem. Considering the cost of these batteries, this is very disappointing.

FYI. I tend not to buy Nikon products from Amazon for a couple of reasons: 1 I have once or twice found their price is higher than B&H, and 2) it is always obvious where they are getting the products from. The one time I did buy from them the product was from Adorama and I had to contact Adorama directly to get proof of purchase info for Nikon registration. Now I normally go directly to Nikon-USA for most Nikon branded products. Anything not Nikon I will shop for a reputable dealer and often end up at B&H. Nothing wrong with other approaches, this one is just mine. BTW. I haven’t had any issues with my Z8 batteries…LOL!

 

[O]

Just Curious, has it been confirmed by Nikon that they are sending uncharged batteries going forward for safety reasons.

If that's a requirement by law now that batteries must be sent flat (with no charge) then yes letting inventory of batteries self discharge over time to make them comply to new shipping requirements seems like an out or makes sense, if so it should be reflected by significant change in price.
I have been told by Nikon that bulk loads of batteries are shipped by sea not air as its a safety risk.

Local auto parts supply shops here carrying 100, 200 AH large camping Lithium battery's in quantity need to house them in a designated fire or explosion safe location in store to meet safety insurance requirements.

It puzzles me that Nikon shipping dead, flat, or very old batteries has even occurred, there has to be a reason and running them down to being flat may very well be the case.

Really, i feel the tip of the pyramid needs a sever haircut.

Its very puzzling.

Buying Nikon branded batteries directly from China through a Chinese agent is simply guaranteed to have an element of controversy, a) counterfeit issues b) reject product sold at in cases even as little as 10 - 20 cents in the dollar at auctions in pallet lots, great buying and huge margins if you can get away with it.

My local guy buys all sorts of stuff when he goes on a buying trip to China. Mostly he buys at auctions full of mixed camera products from all sorts of brands.

He had Benro tripods retailing at half price but they all had imperfections, then step up rings that you had to try 10 before one would thread on to your lens, Premium Sandisck SD cards, on the 3rd one returned he gave me my money back, i don’t buy from him now at all.

He buys a couple of 20 foot containers worth, he redistributes at wholesale and retails himself at crazy prices.

Only an opinion

 

[O]

FYI. I tend not to buy Nikon products from Amazon for a couple of reasons: 1 I have once or twice found their price is higher than B&H, and 2) it is always obvious where they are getting the products from. The one time I did buy from them the product was from Adorama and I had to contact Adorama directly to get proof of purchase info for Nikon registration. Now I normally go directly to Nikon-USA for most Nikon branded products. Anything not Nikon I will shop for a reputable dealer and often end up at B&H. Nothing wrong with other approaches, this one is just mine. BTW. I haven’t had any issues with my Z8 batteries…LOL!

With you, i buy genuine from Nikon or very reputable dealers.

 

[O]

Z8 Z9 D850 Nikon batteries have the cells made in Japan then finished in the cases in China.
I got the Z8 in April 24 with battery made in i assume 2023, fair and reasonable.
Could the numbers indicate 13-06-2023

Both items came from Nikon

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[Woody Meristem]

I've recently purchase a couple of new Olympus batteries that were made in 2016 that have been fine.eight years old and they still had a little charge left (very little), they've charge just as well as any and one yielded over 800 photo before it got down to 5%.

 

[Patty15]

Z8 Z9 D850 Nikon batteries have the cells made in Japan then finished in the cases in China.
I got the Z8 in April 24 with battery made in i assume 2023, fair and reasonable.
Could the numbers indicate 13-06-2023

Both items came from Nikon

View attachment 97834

Yes, all my EN-EL15 batteries say that. My EN-EL18d batteries (for the Z9) say "MADE IN JAPAN NIKON CORPORATION" Nothing about China.

 

[ajrmd]

FYI. I tend not to buy Nikon products from Amazon for a couple of reasons: 1 I have once or twice found their price is higher than B&H, and 2) it is always obvious where they are getting the products from. The one time I did buy from them the product was from Adorama and I had to contact Adorama directly to get proof of purchase info for Nikon registration. Now I normally go directly to Nikon-USA for most Nikon branded products. Anything not Nikon I will shop for a reputable dealer and often end up at B&H. Nothing wrong with other approaches, this one is just mine. BTW. I haven’t had any issues with my Z8 batteries…LOL!

I wouldn't buy on Amazon from unknown, 3rd party retailers though the Nikon Store which sells on Amazon appears safe.