Ordering a spare battery

vedaeddy

I just went on Amazon to order a spare battery for my D3200 but I want to make sure I am getting the right thing. I know I need a EN-EL14, but why do some of the batteries say EN-EL14 and EN-EL14a? And, there is such a price discrepancy. Some are selling for as little as $16 and some for as much as $50 or $70. Am I missing something?

bruto

The EN-EL14a battery is a bit longer lasting. The D3200 at some point had a firmware update that is required to use it; mine can with firmware version 1.03. You can check what version you have in the setup menu (last item). Nikon USA website can provide updated firmware if you need it.

Be careful with batteries. I have heard not all aftermarket batteries work with recent Nikons at all. The one I got from B&H does. Stick with reputable retailers who take returns.

Superfrk

If you get a third party battery from Amazon or ebay or where ever, you will need to look for the words decoded in the listing. The Nikon batteries have a chip in them. This chip allows the camera and battery to communicate with each other such as the level of charge, etc. The firmware update made it so the battery will not use a third party battery that does not have a chip in it. Some of the generic batteries do not have a decoded chip, and some are made cheaply and do not hold a comparable charge to the OEM batteries. This is why you will need to look for reviews and decide for yourself if it is worth it to use a generic battery.
For me, I went with a name brand generic that has made various camera equipment for years. The one I purchased has a two year warranty and a built in internal fuse. It still cost me less that $20. The NIkon brand ones are about 3 times that, so for me it was a viable option.