Real or Fake batteries?

[laislinns]

So I have realised that I need a second battery for my Canon 550D. I have been doing a little research into it but there aren't too many resources on this subject.

I am not sure whether I want to buy a genuine Canon battery or a fake one. I have found fake ones for ridiculously low prices, and I know that the quality and battery life are definitely worse, but I also know that I would only be using the secondary one as a backup while my original Canon battery is charging.

What are the negative aspects of buying a "fake" battery compared to buying a real one and what would you do?

[sk66]

I haven't found any real negatives...

[Matthias099]

I wouldn't call it a 'fake' battery... I use those after market batteries for my camera with no problems. The only thing that I have noticed (and that might not be the case for all of them) is that they seem to drain a bit faster than the original one, even though they are supposed to be the same capacity. But that's really not a problem for me....especially if you use them only as a backup. But you can save some serious cash.

[graciousness]

Agree with everyone else.

What is more important is your battery charger. If you have one of those turbo ones, that will actually kill the life of any of your rechargeable batteries quicker than the slow chargers.

[High_Speed]

I bought an aftermarket battery grip on eBay that came with two "after market" batteries. I use them primarily with no problems, and they seem to last quite a while before needing a recharge. Personally, I wouldn't waste my money on Canon branded batteries. After all...it's a battery.