Rating

The battery bought is a much better quality battery than the battery that came with my camcorder. I was recording a concert that lasted 75 minutes and the battery indicator still showed a full charge.

Rating

Fantastic battery,delivered in excellent condition,delivered performance for more than one and a half hours without falering.

Rating

I was looking for two spare battery packs at a excellent deal price for my new Panasonic mini DVD camcorder model VDR-D50P. I have used after market products before with brilliant results. I chose this battery and ordered two of them. They were listed as repalcements for my model.Panasonic CGR-DU06A/1B Rechargable Battery for most Panasonic Camcorders THEY DO NOT FIT. Panasonic has changed ever so slightly the size of the bracket the batttery mounts into on the cam and the charger. I was able to return the batteries to the company for a refund. After futher research on the Panasonic battery I needed, I returned to Amazon with a Panasonic part number (VW-VBG130). I did a search and it came back with more of the same thing I had bought before that did not fit. But, in the mix were several companies that listed the battery as this part number and as being an ORIGINAL, Panasonic part. This battery sells locally for AROUND $125.00 but I found it on Amazon for $55.00 plus shipping but NO TAX. I ordered two of them and they indeed are Panasonic batteries with the right part number and they fit my camcorder. Here’s the AMAZON.COM link to the Right battery For the Panasonic VDR-D50P camcorder; http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000SCUWOY/ref=dp_olp_2

BY THE WAY, the link shown at the right of this review is the link to the right battery for the VDR-D50P Panasonic. To get to the $55.00 price look down a small and to the right of the ZOOM option for the photo of the battery. you will see the link to the dealers selling them for $55.00 or so. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you contact the company before buying to get a gut feeling for the company and their attitude before you order, there are usually several optional companies selling the item if you don’t get that desired “fuzzy” feeling at first.

Apparently the so called “after market” has not caught up with the fact that Panasonic has changed the mounting bracket size sligtly for the newer size batteries. This was indicated by the dealer when I returned my original buy. I’m sure in time they will learn this change and produce the right battery. For now, 9-30-08, apparently we have to use the ORIGINAL.

NOTE: The battery, VW-VBG130, also fits the New Panasonic SD memory card type camcorders also. I did some research on this. With the new SD card camcorders this battery will run the cam for about 60 to 70 minutes. On the mini DVD recorders like mine you will get about 50 minutes because the battery is having to go the laser head and mechanism as well as the motor that spins the DVD itself.

By the way, at this writing, 9-30-2008, there are some excellent deals to be had on the nice Panasonic SD card camcorders from last years models which are wonderful units and got very high user ratings. The newer units this year have no appreciable improvements over last year’s model. Try looking at circuitcity.com in the “OUTLET” section. If you do not see the “OUTLET” link on the main page, simply type OUTLET in the search bar and click GO and presto you will be there and you can do a search for Panasonic Camcorders. The nice THREE CHIP model HDC-HD5 is below $500.00 at this time (9-30-2008) when you place it in your shopping cart. Wish I had one

Rating

I use small camcorders for my business, doing a lot of small clips in my shoots to cover public events, and grab just highlights. (Usually around 200 video clips per job, constantly record-and-pause, no recordings more than 5 minutes.) In buying this extra battery, this one really goes way beyond than the “1 hour”, and is definately a lot of bang for your buck. PERFECT for the SDR-H40 camera, I have only used the entire life of this battery once, during a 4-hour event and shooting about 90 minutes of footage. If you have a compatible Panasonic camera, this is a MUST BUY! I got it on sale here at Amazon for $60, they cost #100 everywhere else. NEVER use generic batteries for your name-brand cams. You will pay for it in the end!