Amazon Has $14 AmazonBasics Canon and Nikon Camera Batteries

Did you know that you can buy AmazonBasics-branded batteries for certain Canon and Nikon cameras on Amazon? They’re significantly cheaper than their Canon and Nikon-branded counterparts.

AmazonBasics is Amazon’s private-label product line — you can find all kinds of electronics accessories at great prices. In recent times, Amazon has expanded into camera accessories: last year we shared how there’s now a sub-$30 AmazonBasics flash for Canon and Nikon DSLRs.

Well, in late 2017, Amazon also launched two AmazonBasics lithium-ion batteries as well. One is the equivalent of an LP-E8-style battery for Canon cameras, and the other is an EN-EL5-style battery for Nikon cameras.

Canon entry-level DSLR cameras compatible with the LP-E8 battery include the Rebel T5i, T4i, T3i, and T2i (AKA the EOS 550D, 600D, 650D, and 700D; AKA the Kiss X4, X5, X6, and X7).

The compatible Nikon cameras aren’t DSLRs. They’re the CoolPix 3700, 4200, 5200, 7900, and S10; and the P Series 3, 4, 80, 90, 100, 500, 510, 520, 530, 5000, 5100, 6000.

Both AmazonBasics batteries cost $14. The official Canon LP-E8 battery costs $46, so you get a 70% savings. The official Nikon EN-EL5 battery costs $33, so you have a savings of about 58%.

The AmazonBasics batteries have a customer star rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon. That’s actually better than the 3.8 stars of Nikon’s official battery on Amazon, though it does trail the 4.6 stars of Canon’s official offering.

But given that you can buy three AmazonBasics batteries for the equivalent of one Canon one, any difference in quality and/or battery life may be a worthy trade-off for budget-conscious photographers.

It’ll be interesting to see whether Amazon one day expands the line to include batteries for prosumer and professional cameras as well.