EOS R8 Third-Party Battery Compatibility

[Eaglesnest]

Is it okay to use 3rd party battery for my R8?

The original battery that came with the camera has a very short life. Is there a way how I can extend the charging ?

[Tronhard · Accepted solution]

There are reputable 3rd-party batteries out there: for example, Small Rig, Kingma, Wasabi are three I can think of.  Beware of buying from sites other than reputable camera stores.

Batteries have a limited number of charges to them, and you can reduced that frequency of charging by turning off things that drain the battery, such as continuous focus (as opposed to servo), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, GPS (if available).  Also how much you review images after shooting.   Also, do not leave the battery in the camera when not shooting, it can continue battery drain and is not recommended by Canon.

[JeffreyEttinge]

I own an R8 and agree the battery life is much shorter than with my previous Canons.  I did some research on 3rd party LP E-17 batteries.  Wasabi and Artman make LP-E17 batteries and chargers. There are some issues, however, when you read the reviews.  Their batteries, while they may initially last longer, are reported by some to not continue to hold a good charge for more than a few uses. An even bigger issue is that your camera will not read the battery charge and will not display how much charge is left in the battery, so you won't know when to replace it until it's dead!  

I decided to buy some extra Canon batteries, along with an LP brand battery charger for $14.99, which can be used with a USB-C or micro-USB cord so that I can charge my batteries on the go using a power bank or laptop.  Haven't tried it yet but will let you know how it works.  Jeff.