Digital cameras: Heads-Up on Panasonic Battery fix.
- 6/17/09 7:34 AM
Heads-Up on Panasonic Battery fix.
by snapshot2 - 6/17/09 7:34 AM
Panasonic has released firmware updates for some of its digital cameras.
When the update is installed in the camera, you will be unable to use any third party batteries in that camera.
You must use a genuine Panasonic battery only.
You have probably heard of laptop batteries catching on fire.
Apparently those same type of faulty batteries are now a hazard for digital cameras.
Most third party batteries are made in China.
Here is a link:
http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/info/dsc_battery.html
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Thanks for this.
by R. Proffitt - 6/18/09 6:24 PM
In reply to: Heads-Up on Panasonic Battery fix. by snapshot2
I think this is important reading for all of us. Let's put it on the sticky area for a few weeks!
bob
Panasonic Battery Information
by snapshot2 - 6/18/09 7:23 PM
In reply to: Thanks for this. by R. Proffitt
I have already added it to the "Welcome to the Digital Camera Forum" thread.
It will be one of the permanent posts there.
I can foresee this becoming a future question.
I wonder if any of the other camera makers will follow this path with their batteries.
I will leave this post sticky for now and cut it loose in about two weeks.
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I'll take that bet.
by R. Proffitt - 6/19/09 6:02 AM
In reply to: Panasonic Battery Information by snapshot2
The possible bad press and lawsuits over this carries too much risk for any company to not implement this. I expect all the names to do this on all "smart" battery packs.
Bob
panasonic batteries
by jean harrington - 6/21/09 7:08 PM In reply to: Heads-Up on Panasonic Battery fix. by snapshot2
I hope it does not apply to tz1.
I bought in 2006 and can report that it's just not breakable.
Exactly which models?
Panasonic Batteries
by snapshot2 - 6/22/09 3:16 PM
In reply to: panasonic batteries by jean harrington
The model numbers were listed in the link I provided.
The TZ1 is not listed.
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panasonic batteries
by jean harrington - 6/22/09 3:27 PM In reply to: Panasonic Batteries by snapshot2
Great!
and thanks for replying
Panasonic facing PR meltdown in Europe ?
by fihart - 6/25/09 3:32 PM In reply to: panasonic batteries by jean harringtonReaders of the UK "Register" site have shown that they are not amused by Panasonic's crass move to increase its income.
Some interesting speculations on Panasonic's move -- including that as cameras' megapixel counts begin to reach point of diminishing returns, locking you to a battery and then discontinuing that battery will be a handy way to force you to replace the camera prematurely.
see comments here: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/06/25/panasonic_battery_drm/comments/
I've posted a comment on Tom's Hardware forum and suggest everyone posts similar on others. Hopefully we can force a climb down by Panasonic before the rest of the industry does the same.
Batteries
by snapshot2 - 6/25/09 7:29 PM
In reply to: Panasonic facing PR meltdown in Europe ? by fihart
How long do you think it will be before the Chinese battery industry figures out a way to produce a battery that will pass the Panasonic test?
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Typical corporate mentality.
by fihart - 6/25/09 8:36 PM In reply to: Batteries by snapshot2
Panasonic focusses on "fake" batteries, but it's the inflated price Panasonic charges that creates the market for cheaper substitutes.
They could solve any alleged safety issue at a stroke by cutting their own prices -- instead they try to coerce the customer.
There's nothing unique about "original" Panasonic, Nikon, Pentax batteries or LG, Nokia, Motorola batteries -- in fact many are made in the same factories in China.
It's a similar situation with printer refills -- dire warnings about fakes, chipped cartridges -- again just cut the price of originals.
At least in Europe we can look to the EU. They need to tell the US, Japanese and Korean manufacturers that if they want to sell in Europe they must standardise on a few battery and refills sizes which fit the whole range of products and brands -- if only because there's so much waste produced by the current situation.
It's hardly difficult -- they cope, for example, when it comes to AA and AAA size batteries which cover a range of different technologies and prices and work in millions of products from thousands of manufacturers.
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