Do Canon battery packs internally use 18650-type cells

[oliver88grant]

I’ve been researching camera batteries and lithium-ion cells, and I noticed something interesting about Canon camera batteries that I’d like to discuss.

Most Canon DSLR and mirrorless cameras use proprietary battery packs like the LP-E6, LP-E6N, or LP-E6NH. But internally, many lithium-ion battery packs are actually built using cylindrical cells similar to 18650 lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in electronics, power tools, and battery packs.

This made me curious about how camera batteries are designed. For example:

• Do Canon battery packs internally use 18650-type cells, or are they custom lithium-ion formats?
• How do manufacturers balance capacity, voltage stability, and safety circuits inside such compact camera battery packs?
• Would using different internal cell types significantly affect runtime or cycle life?

Since modern cameras demand stable power for continuous shooting, video recording, and high-speed processing, I imagine the battery design is more complex than just increasing the mAh.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has teardown experience, engineering insight, or technical knowledge about how these camera battery packs are actually constructed. What kind of lithium-ion cells are typically used inside them?

[FloridaDrafter]

Hello, Oliver!

Sorry for the late reply... Been busy 🙂 I've done a few battery tear-downs over the years and the last ones that I did were on a Canon LP-E6N, LP-E6NH, and Wasaby LP-E6. All were basically the 18650 cell design - "jelly-roll" - but are the shorter 18500 form, same diameter, just shorter length to fit Canons battery pack design. 

Now, Canon is pretty hush hush on the details and Panasonic, who makes the cells for Canon, isn't giving up any info so we are left with getting reports from folks who are doing tear downs and/or using other technologies, like CT scans. This really doesn't shed any light on the formulas used, like lithium and other critical materials. It's my understanding that they increased the amount of "critical" materials (stuff that makes the juice) in the higher end LP-E6NH and LP-E6P.

On the left is a Canon LP-E6N but the H, to my eye, is the same. On the right is a Wasabi LP-E6.

Canon LP-E6N (R) and Wasabi LP-E6 (L)Canon LP-E6N Electranics

Newton

[FloridaDrafter]

Here is a video hosted by Adam Savage (from Mythbusters). In it, they examine the 18650 design from various manufacturers. At 20 minutes it's a bit long, but it is a good warning to those who try and save a buck by buying cheap OEM replacement battery packs.

Click Here To Watch The Video.

Newton

[FloridaDrafter]

Some edits to my post: *Panasonic makes newer cells for Canon, but the battery packs are assembled in China.*

*In my first image, the Canon battery pack is on the left.*

Newton