Short answer: the quickest way to tell them apart is the connector — a genuine NP-FZ100 has no charging port and must go on a dock charger; a YO TNP-FZ100 has a Type-C port on the front face; and a counterfeit “original” usually gives itself away through rough mould seams, soft marking fonts, the colour of the contact plating and the weight of the whole pack. This article only covers what you can see in your hand or under a lamp; it does not involve disassembly or internal measurement.
One caveat first: visual inspection only screens out crude fakes. A good replica can look very close, and in the end the sales channel and the price have to carry the judgement. The value of the checks below is that they let you rule out the obvious suspects quickly, without any special equipment.
First glance: is there a Type-C port?
This is the fastest step. Sony’s NP-FZ100 has five metal contacts on the base and locating slots on both sides, and no charging connector of any kind; charging requires a dock such as the BC-QZ1. So:
- A small USB-C port on the front or side marked 5V input means a third-party direct-charge pack, of which the TNP-FZ100 is the best-known example. That is a legitimate design, not a sign of a fake.
- A Sony logo together with a Type-C port is close to conclusive. Sony has never released an FZ100 with a direct-charge port.
The check works because counterfeiters routinely take an off-the-shelf third-party shell and print a Sony logo on it, or work the other way round. The presence or absence of a port is the hardest physical feature to fudge.
Mould seams and shell finish
Hold the pack up to a side light and look at the joint between the upper and lower shells. On a genuine pack the seam is fine and straight, with no step you can feel as you run a finger along it; the matte finish is even, the corner radii are smooth, and there is no flash or burr.
Fakes give themselves away here more than anywhere else: the seam is wide and misaligned, a fingernail catches in it, the shell reflects unevenly with flow lines or sink marks visible at some angles, and there are fine burrs at the edges, especially around the latch and the contact opening. It is a difference in tooling precision, and cutting cost makes it hard to hide.
A legitimate third-party product such as the TNP-FZ100 usually sits between the two — not as rough as a fake, but not required to match the original’s surface treatment either. Judge it as a third-party pack, not against the original’s standard.
Weight and feel
The genuine NP-FZ100 has a certain heft, and nothing rattles when you shake it — the cell is cushioned and located inside the shell. Fakes usually err one of two ways: noticeably light, because the cell is smaller and there is less filler, or a faint rattle when shaken, because the internal retention is inadequate.
Do not judge on grams alone: shell thickness varies between batches and without a precise scale the comparison is unreliable. What works better is a relative comparison — with a known genuine pack in one hand and the suspect in the other, a clear difference is worth investigating.
Markings and labels: font, depth, completeness
| Observation | Genuine NP-FZ100 | Legitimate third party (e.g. TNP-FZ100) | Typical fake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branding | SONY wordmark, model and capacity specification | Own brand plus a “for NP-FZ100” compatibility note | SONY mark printed directly |
| Font edges | Sharp, with even stroke weight | Legible, in a different typeface | Blurred, ragged, uneven weight |
| Laser depth | Even, with no visible tonal jump in raking light | Even | Patchy, some areas barely legible |
| Capacity | 2280mAh / 16.4Wh / 7.2V | Same specification, or the actual capacity | Inflated, often 3000mAh or more |
| Serial number | Unique, traceable to the packaging | Batch or unique number | Many identical, or none at all |
| Warnings | Multiple languages, tidy layout | Usually bilingual | Grammar errors, inconsistent type sizes |
The most useful line in that table is capacity: the genuine NP-FZ100 is 2280mAh, so anything claiming 3000mAh or 3200mAh while wearing a Sony mark is almost certainly not original. Inflated capacity is the fake’s favourite selling point and also its easiest tell.
Contacts: count, arrangement and plating
The NP-FZ100 base has five contacts plus locating structures on both sides. Look at three things:
- Count and position. On a genuine pack the spacing, width and position relative to the slots are all regular, and the five contacts are the same size. Fakes sometimes sit slightly off, and the pack feels tight or loose going into the bay.
- Plating colour. Genuine contacts are an even pale gold with a soft reflection. Fakes often use cheap plating that is either too yellow and bright or dull and dark, and shows scratches and oxidation after a few insertions.
- The plastic around the contacts. Genuine packs usually have a reinforced structure here with clean edges; fakes show moulding flash, and the contacts may sit slightly recessed or proud of the surface.
Contacts directly affect contact resistance. A poorly plated pack eventually produces the “shows charge, dies on record” behaviour, which is not a capacity problem but a contact problem — clean the contacts and the body’s spring pins before assuming anything else.
Which “authentication tricks” do not actually work
- Checking an anti-counterfeit code: plenty of third-party packs carry one, fakes can print one too, and the page it resolves to is usually their own. It proves very little.
- Judging by the box: packaging is the easiest part to copy, and well-printed fake boxes are not rare.
- Seeing whether the camera recognises it: most fakes now pass basic recognition. A percentage on screen does not make a pack genuine.
- Judging by price: absurdly cheap is of course suspicious, but good replicas sell close to the genuine price, which is precisely what lowers your guard.
What actually holds up is the combination: a legitimate channel, all five visual checks passed, and a price inside a sensible range. If any one is missing, stay sceptical. For compatibility notes and the pitfalls to avoid when buying, the TNP-FZ100 category page has a more systematic treatment.
FAQ
Will the camera warn that a third-party battery is not genuine?
Most bodies do not raise a warning, but they may not show the remaining shot count, or the percentage may jump. That is normal imperfect protocol compatibility and does not affect use. A few bodies tighten the rules after a firmware update; check your camera’s manual.
Can a battery with a Type-C port go on a plane?
Yes, under the usual lithium battery rules — carried in the cabin, and under 100Wh per pack. The NP-FZ100 family is 16.4Wh, far below the limit, and a direct-charge pack needs no special explanation at security. The detailed rules are in this guide.
Will a fake damage the camera?
With the right voltage it usually will not damage the body immediately, but the risk sits in the cell quality and the protection circuit. Poor cells may lack overcharge and over-discharge protection, and the odds of swelling, leakage and abnormal heat are clearly higher. If a pack becomes unusually hot or bulges, stop using it at once and do not leave it in the camera. For the wider picture on original versus third party, see the FZ100 series overview.
How do I confirm the pack in my hand is genuine?
Work through the order above: check for a Type-C port first (a port plus a Sony mark is effectively conclusive), then the mould seam and marking sharpness, then the contact plating, and finally compare weight and feel. If two or more checks are doubtful, do not use the pack for important work.