3rd party batteries on VIXIA

[stahld]

I ordered an extra battery with my VIXIA HFG10 because the one it comes with does not last long enough.  However the extra battery I received is a 3rd party battery and it WILL power the camera, but shows me a message that it cannot communicate with the camera.  That means I cannot know how much time I have on the battery before it needs recharging. Is this something I just have to live with?  Or is there a firmware update that will communicate with my spare battery.

Thanks

[Stephen · Accepted solution]

Hi stahld!

Welcome to the Canon Forums, and thanks for your inquiry! Canon does not support third party batteries since Canon can't control the quality of battery that other companies produce. Our batteries are "smart" batteries that communicate with your camcorder so that it knows exactly how much charge is remaining. It seems that your third party battery does not support this communication and this could be why the camera shows the error message. We recommend only using Genuine Canon batteries for this reason, and for the safety of you and your camcorder! You can learn more about using third party and counterfeit batteries here: http://bit.ly/CanonCounterfeit

We hope this helps!

[tuckerdognc]

I have tried three different brands of third party batteries with my Canon HFS20. I need to know where I can find a BP-819 or BP-827 Canon "I" battery, then, since these will not charge, for under $150. The camera is five years old. I don't think it should be a doorstop already.

[Tim]

Hello tuckerdognc,

For further assistance, please call our Canon Sales Department at (800) OK-CANON (652-2666) between 8:00 am and midnight EST, seven days a week. Sales agents can assist you with product information and dealer locations.

For further information, please visit the Canon website at:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer