Did the most recent Nikon firmware block third party batteries?

 

 

In November, Nikon released a firmware update for the D5200, D5100, D3200, D3100, and P7700, tweaking battery performance with the EN-EL14a. But it seems there was something else going on in that update — it may have killed support for third party batteries.

That's according to a report on Nikon Rumors, which is citing numerous complaints of people who have found their third-party batteries no longer functional after the update. That also means that aftermarket battery grips are likewise no longer working properly.

At this point, it's not clear how widespread the problem is. There are some reports of certain batteries working, and others not, so we don't know what's the deciding factor. Some people have also managed to roll back the firmware to a previous version by directly downloading older firmware from Nikon's site.

Third party batteries have previously been critiqued for not holding charge as well as originals — but for many, they're a viable, more affordable option to the rather pricey ones that the manufacturer makes themself.

We still don't know just how real this problem is. The forum threads on these reports are filled with righteous indignation, but not much in the way of people chiming in saying they've noticed the problem. So if any of our readers that are Nikon shooters have upgraded to the most recent firmware, and have third party batteries around, have you encountered this problem? Are your off-brand batteries working after updating? Let us know.