11Dec Canon 6d decoded battery issues
Over the last week of testing the Canon 6d I didn’t release I had only been using official Canon batteries. When I went to change one out last night I got a “Communication with Canon LP-E6 battery is irregular”. I checked the battery in the Canon 5d mark III and the Canon 7d and both gave proper battery level indication with the same decoded battery. The 6d repeatedly brought up the same error with multiple decoded batteries.
I’ll do some more testing but it looks like Canon has found yet another way to block aftermarket batteries from giving proper indication. The batteries still work but the indicator reads empty, not a big deal, just another small disappointment to a camera that could be great.
December 11th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
the 60D also does the same exact thing with “some” of my aftermarket batteries….
December 20th, 2012 at 5:54 am
I’m having the same issues. I’m presently emailing back and forth with the retailer I ordered from to see if we can work something out. The last email mentioned a ‘solution’ so I’m eagerly anticipating that. Do you think the firmware update will have any effect?
December 20th, 2012 at 6:25 am
I’ve updated the firmware on the 6d and I still get the same battery issue. Let me know if you find anything else out.
January 12th, 2013 at 9:31 am
Same thing for me with a battery purchased from BattDepot(Ontario) model LP-E6 # DCA-205 Brand: Dr. Battery.
(no communication).
It is unacceptable that Canon installs the generic limits.
May 12th, 2013 at 3:59 pm
It’s not only the 6D. I’m seeing this on my 5D mk III with a genuine Canon (albeit aging) battery. I’ve also seen it on a colleague’s 5D mk III with an aftermarket battery
May 12th, 2013 at 4:54 pm
I haven’t had any problems with decoded batteries on the 5d mark III up to this point. But every generic battery I tried gave me the warning on the 6d. I’m guessing Canon is just cracking down on new cameras so that you spend $50 a battery and they make $40 profit.
July 15th, 2013 at 9:43 pm
There is a problem with the chips in the batteries being compatible with the firmware in the 6D body. Many 3rd party batteries, since they have no been updated yet may not work with the 6D. Even Canon LP-E6 batteries fresh from the factory are having trouble both charging/recharging and with the 6D.
If you have a problem with your LP-E6 batteries, take them back to your local dealer and request a replacement, Canon will replace them to the dealer. We have had several batteries so far which are ‘defective’. Canon is replacing them as we send them. This is a known problem among any savvy canon retailer, though Canon denies the problem is as widespread as it appears to be.
3rd party mfrs are updating the battery chip software to be compatible, though it may take while for the old stock to move through the supply chain.
These days, cameras are not cameras in the old sense, they are a computer which happens to record light, lenses are computers which pass light and the same for flashes. Batteries for camera bodies have chips between The actual battery and the camera for various purposes, too.
Perhaps we have gotten too clever for own good, progress, in this case, comes with a high nuisance factor. Dealers bear the $4-$7 shipping cost to send back batteries. We are not reimbursed for outbound freight by Canon – which has not made us officially aware of the problem, it has been a figure-it-out thing.
Couple this nuisance with the vanishingly small gross profit margins (5%-10%) and dealer-participation rebates – 20% of the rebate amount is borne by the dealer ($20 of a $100 rebate for example), less credit card fees and employee commissions, makes the camera business a marginally profitable enterprise in the best of times these days. That is why your last local favorite camera store went out of business last month – hard to survive on net profit margins of 1-3% on expensive hard goods.
Anyone want to buy a camera store these days?????
January 17th, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Just talked to Canon, as i am having issue with CANON batteries as well….
they have no idea they say that people are having this issue.
Also the charging problem is they have put a chip in the 6D charger to stop 3RD party batteries from charging and the side effect is that you need to take the CANON batteries out for 5-10 secs and reinsert for correct charging.
Very dissapointed with Canon again.
January 17th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Besides the decoded battery issues, i’ve also had problems with actual Canon batteries both in the charger and in the camera. Canon is completely unhelpful in the mater.
January 17th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
I agree ..Canon has about the worst service. They make it very hard to like them. If i didnt’ have some much gear, i think i would move to another brand out of spite.
When i talked to CANON, they said they know of no such issues.
I said, have you heard of this thing called the internet, type 6D battery problems into another thing called GOOGLE. You might learn something..
Yikes. Can’t believe they are either that rude or ignorant to their products.
March 25th, 2016 at 1:26 pm
I purchased an ex demo Canon 6D today from my local friendly camera shop, and was disappointed to get the message “Communication with Canon LP-E6 battery is irregular” after the first charge, the battery indicator on the camera showed an empty battery. This is a real nuisance for expensive professional camera equipment. I have reported it to canon, hopefully they will have a sensible solution.
March 25th, 2016 at 7:07 pm
It sucks when you use official Canon batteries and have the same problem.