Update for Panasonic digital cameras: third party batteries blocked

Panasonic Lumix FS4 : the battery costs 40% of the total for the camera itself.

Panasonic has announced an update for a piece of micro-software for no less than 14 of its compact digital cameras. This has a single goal: to block the use of third party batteries on its Lumix.

As we all know, batteries can be a significant additional cost for your digital camera. Whether you want an extra one so as to have a spare when you're out shooting or whether you need to replace the original after serveral months of intensive use, it isn't rare for the battery to cost up to a third of the total price of the camera itself.

The DMW-BCR10 for example that equips most Panasonic compacts (FX, FT and FS series) costs around 50 euros. The FS4 (on the right) however, that uses this battery, costs less than 120 euros! It isn't surprising then that some customers prefer to use third party batteries that they can buy for around 15 euros.

Panasonic isn't happy about this. Some of these batteries, according to the manufacturer, are not equipped with internal protection mechanisms to avoid overcharging, overheating or short-circuiting. The use of such batteries, they say, can lead to damage to your camera and even to personal injury.»

Of course, the fact that they’re losing money due to this cut price competition might just also have a say in Panasonic's desire to eradicate third party batteries.

The micro-software version 1.1 for the FX40, FX550, FS4, FS6, FS7, FS8, FS15, FS25, FS42 and FS62, as well as versions 1.2 for FT1, TZ6 and TZ7, do not modify the functioning of the camera in any way. The only innovation is that it will now verify the authenticity of the battery and refuse to work with any battery that is not from Panasonic.

Download the firmware and instructions here