Canon BP-511 & BP-511A not holding charge very long

[Mazmania]

I have five Canon BP-511 and BP-511A batteries for my Canon D50 camera and they are not holding a charge for any significant length of time.  Is there a way to determine how many cycles a battery has already used and whether or not they can be trusted on a paying gig?  Or, is there a separate power source I could carry that can connect to the camera and power it without depending on the batteries that are presently failing for me?

[normadel]

Good grief! Do you really think a rechargeable battery should have infinite life? 

What product of any kind offers that?

[Waddizzle]

“  I definitely wouldn't trust the old batteries because when capacity declines with age then they will go from having sufficient power to camera shutdown very quickly. “

I would be suspicious of “new” batteries, too.  Are they still in production?  How long have the “new” batteries been sitting in storage?

[Mazmania]

Thanks for your thoughtful response.  I'll have to think twice before investing in several thousand dollars of equipment that are powered by batteries that don't last and are discontinued after several years.  Note to Canon: at least make the friggin' batteries, along with a device that can help users determine cycles and battery health.

[Mazmania]

These are the questions inquiring minds need answered!

[Mazmania]

Not infinite life, but a device that could tell users how many cycles have been expended and approximately how many can be expected, and don't discontinue the batteries.  I'd buy two new Canon batteries if they made them, but they don't.  Where does that leave us as users?  Pay thousands for equipment and a few years from now it will be obsolete.

[p4pictures]

EOS 50D was a great camera and the last one to use the BP-511 type batteries that had been used in Canon DSLRs since the EOS D30 that was introduced in 2000. EOS 60D was announced in August 2010, and used the then new LP-E6 battery. So while you may have invested lots of money on your camera they don’t last forever and fifteen years or more is pretty good for electronics and the batteries that power them. 

[normadel]

Canon doesn't make them anymore. Quit wishing. You've been given two recommendations for batteries from trustworthy companies....Watson and Wasabi. 

[Mazmania]

I was only giving the person who replied the courtesy of a response.  You don't have to be so nasty.  If you don't like courtesy perhaps you should STFU.

[Mazmania]

Thank you.  I said all I had to say about it and I appreciate everyone's perspectives.

[normadel]

Nasty? The point just needed to be made.  Hope your tantrum is satisfied now.