"You cannot use third-party batteries" on the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, even with a battery grip, finds reviewer
(Image credit: YouTube @JCustom)
It appears that third-party batteries cannot be used in the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II, with a YouTube reviewer declaring, "if you're a third-party battery fan, this is not for you" as he unsuccessfully tries to use non-Canon batteries in the camera.
As an ultra-high power camera – between its 8K 60p video, 45MP resolution and 40fps burst speed, Neural network Image Processing and AI-powered autofocus modes – the R5 Mark II makes use of a new battery, the Canon LP-E6P. This is required to use the camera's full suite of features.
The camera can, however, still use the previous-generation LP-E6N and LP-E6NH batteries used by the original Canon EOS R5, but some of the more demanding features become inaccessible. Standard LP-E6 batteries cannot be used.
But it seems that only official Canon LP-E6N and LP-E6NH batteries are recognized by the camera; in the video, third-party alternatives by Neewer and Powerextra did not work in the R5 Mark II.
"Look at the new battery, which is the Canon LP-E6[P]. So this is supposed to be higher voltage than the other battery, so it's 2130 milliamp," says JCustom in his video (embedded below).
"If we look the old one – this is the one that came with the R5, the LP-E6NH – you'll notice that this one's 7.2 volt, and the new one's 8.4 volt, and also same mAh, so no extra capacity but higher voltage."
Canon R5 Mark II with BG-R20 Grip on hand look, raw images at high iso and quick thought so far. - YouTube
After remarking that he experienced no noticeable difference between the two Canon batteries, he explained that the story was quite different with his third-party batteries.
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"For those of you folks that like to use third-party batteries, I don't suggest you use these… With third-party batteries the camera will not power up. I didn't notice the R5 or R6 doing that, but you'll notice that – it's not because this battery is dead, trust me it's not – you cannot use third party batteries."
He went on to try the Neewer and Powerextra versions in the BG-R20 battery grip. Even with one official Canon battery next to one of the third-party batteries, the camera wouldn't operate; it required two official batteries.
"You see that – it requires authentic batteries in both [battery slots]," he noted, concluding, "if you're a third-party battery fan, this is not for you. You're gonna have to buy some [Canon] batteries."
I've reached out to Canon for clarity on the subject. It could simply be that these two specific batteries are not compatible with the R5 Mark II. If, however, the camera does not support any third-party batteries, some accessory makers (and customers) are likely to be very unhappy.
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
