Panasonic yesterday announced that the latest firmware updates for some of it’s most popular cameras will STOP the camera from working with 3rd party batteries. This includes a few of their DSLR models. And folks they did it on purpose…
For the protection of our customers Panasonic developed this technology after it was discovered that some aftermarket 3rd party batteries do not meet the rigid safety standards Panasonic uses.
Some of these aftermarket batteries are not equipped with internal protective devices to guard against overcharging, internal heating and short circuit. If these aftermarket battery packs were used, it could lead to an accident causing damage to your camera or personal injury.
Panasonic’s Digital Camera firmware has been updated on this website to detect these aftermarket 3rd party batteries so such serious safety issues can be avoided.
Seems a bit extreme to us, very clearly using a 3rd party battery could void your warranty but do they need to lock them out? What is even more worrisome is that Kodak may be following suit with their Kodak Traceless System.
Kodak aims to pull the plug on counterfeiters exploiting the consumer electronics industry. At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Kodak announced it will deploy its cutting edge KODAK TRACELESS System for Anticounterfeiting on KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Batteries…
With the TRACELESS System in place, KODAK will be able to quickly and easily distinguish fakes from genuine KODAK Lithium-Ion batteries.The TRACELESS System uses forensically undetectable markers that can be placed into printed materials, product packaging or components of the actual products. The markers can only be detected using secure, handheld KODAK readers.
What do you think? We’d love to hear from you.
via|engadget
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3 Comments at "Camera Firmware Stops 3rd Party Batteries From Working"
Well seems like a reason enough right there to not use Panasonic cameras.
Yeah…that doesn’t seem quite right. I have a 3rd party battery that I purchased to use in my S5, I’d be pretty irritated id a firmware “upgrade” made my camera less useful. What about an “upgrade” that restricted you to lenses created by the manufacturer and cut out Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, etc.?
If the 1st party batteries were good quality and affordable, they wouldn’t need to play games like this.
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