New Nikon camera updates breaking third-party battery support

The latest Nikon camera updates are reportedly breaking third-party battery compatibility, rendering the batteries useless unless the users decide to downgrade to an early firmware.

Nikon and other DSLR camera manufacturers are going through some rough times and they certainly do not need another marketing fiasco. Well, it appears that Nikon has missed the memo and a new bad decision has been made, according to its long-time fans and users.

Latest Nikon camera updates allegedly breaking third-party battery support

The Nikon EN-EL14 battery is the only one which will continue to be compatible with the D3200, D3100, D5200, D5100, and Coolpix P7700 cameras, as the latest update breaks third-party battery compatibility.

Recently, the company has released a firmware update for several cameras in order to fix some bugs. Usually, users are pleased when an upgrade is available for download, especially considering the fact that this particular version should have fixed a problem that was causing the battery life to be displayed improperly.

The following devices have received the update: D3200, D3100, D5200, D5100, and the Coolpix P7700. Now, the remaining juice in the EN-EL14-type batteries is measured properly. However, the cameras will accept only EN-EL14 and EN-EL14a batteries, while the ones made by third-party manufacturers will no longer work after installing the update.

Cheap third-party batteries will no longer work with some Nikon cameras

This is a major blow for accessory makers, but the biggest issue here is that users who have purchased batteries from other manufacturers will not be able to use them. This means that they will have to buy Nikon-made models. One of them is available for $59.95 at Amazon.

In order to put things into perspective, a popular replacement for this accessory is available for as low as $17.99 through the same retailer. Moreover, there are other versions, such as the Wasabi model, which costs $19.90, while the ButterFlyPhoto unit costs $19.95.

What can you do?

If you are not going to buy a Nikon battery, then you can always downgrade to an earlier firmware. The updates can be downloaded from the company’s official support website. Nevertheless, it is a risky business and users could damage their cameras.

The second thing is to follow Nikon forums closely as some users are reporting that their batteries are still working even after installing the latest firmware update. As some third-party batteries might still be compatible, then you could buy those instead.

For the time being, the Japanese company is keeping quiet on this issue and some angry users are still waiting for further clarification. Some believe that this is for the best as third-party batteries can cause problems, but some disagree as warranties will soon expire and there is no need for Nikon to worry about losing a few pennies.