bought 2 of their NB2L batteries which are actually Sterlingtek's version of the canon's NB2LH.  
 
work like a charm dont worry..they are fine for rebel xt's  
 
if you go through price grabber you can get them a little cheaper than on their site as well :)  
good products..

I purchased 4 Canon BP-511 replacement batteries (2 for myself, 1 for brother, 1 a backup in case I get a DOA.) and a Panasonic charger from Toronto, Canada.  
 
My biggest concern was the shipping method, as I heard horror stories with UPS, Fedex ..etc ground. So I sent them an email before making an order. I got a really prompt response, but the response was non-comprehensible (it's absolutely not related to what I asked about.).  
 
And then I found the clause somewhere in the web mentioning "standard airmail" for international orders. So I went ahead and ordered the stuff. (And in the 'comment' section, I asked to be contacted if the shipping was not USPS.)  
 
I received 'shipped' notice soon but then it said it was shipping using Fedex. I got the mail too late to call, so I fired off another email. I got responsed the first thing in the next morning, but it said they required more information about the order to answer my question. (I copied in the entire shipping confirmation email, but it didn't contain any of such information to track the order. Brilliant.)  
 
Anyways, so I made a phone call, since they had a 1-800 number. And I was immediately told it was shipped using 'standard airmail'. So, it looks like the shipping confirmation email was made for American residents and used for everybody. (Tolerable..)  
 
And.. I got the stuff a week and a few days later and to my surprise, the mailman just dropped it off in the mailbox and left. I was expecting to pay the tax (GST+PST) and brokerage fee (I was told $5), but there's none of that.  
It looked like it has something to do with the way Sterlingtek ships their packages. (Hallelujah..)  
 
Anyways, regarding the stuff. The batteries came in a paperbox and has no plastic protective cover.(What can I expect for a $12 battery..)  
 
Now, I was a bit nervous about having such cheap batteries and did some research. It looked like the differences between the OEM and cheap stuff are in following areas.  
 
- vent holes. (OEMs or expensive third-party ones have vent holes. Cheap ones don't. I heard that the vent filter costs more than $12 that the batteries cost.)  
- protective circuit : The instruction sheet from the Sterlingtek's batteries (yes, it did have one) says it has some protective circuitry, but I believe how far it goes depend on the price you pay.  
- cells : The construction of the cells (for leaking..etc), and the ingredient (cheaper ones have higher mAh rating to appeal more, OEMs have lower mAh rating for more safety.)  
 
So, the bottom line there seems YOU DON'T PUT THE BATTERIES SUBJECT TO HIGH TEMPERATURE. As cheaper batteries have much less protection against heat.  
 
Anyways, I tried only one of the 4, and it worked fine. One minor problem though was that it seemed a little bit bigger than the OEM battery, and it wouldn't come out of my camera (Canon D60) easily.  
 
The Panasonic charger was a real complex beast (it seems it can charge 100 different models of batteries.) but manageable. Also the charging light seemed to work. (Haven't actually charged anything.)  
 
So, to summarize things:  
 
Highs:  
 
- Very easy to communicate.  
- No extra cost for Canadians.  
- You get what you expected with no surprise.  
 
Lows:  
 
- Emails need to be more accurate.  
- Very minor form factor problem with the batteries.  
 

I ordered two batteries and a charger they claimed would match My Canon camera batteries. not only do the batteries work perfectly, the freight was free and the items arrived on time! I will be doing business with this company again.

My second time ordering from this on-line retailer and the service has been outstanding. The product, BP-511 replacements, are quite good batteries and for the price cannot be beat.  
 
I have went through 3 of thier batteries already and just received three more. My last ones dies, but with good reason. I do alot of late night auroral photography in sub zero temps so the old batteries took a bit of abuse and finally dies, they did however last me 2 years.  
 
On a final note the shipping prices from SterlingTek is wonderful and cheap. 6.99 for FedEx 2 day to Alaska. Not my last order from them.  

Called StirlingTek (on a recommendation) to order a spare battery pack for a Canon 20D and an AC/DC charger. The price was great as the battery and charger together (including shipping) was less than just the OEM battery.  
 
I called on a Weds. afternoon and the phone was answered by a very friendly female voice who was also very helpful. She informed me of the total price with shipping and that the order should be shipped the next day (Thurs.) and be arriving in 5-7 business days. The delivery time sounded reasonable to me and with in the time frame of anything else that I have ordered through the mail. What blew me out of the water was that FedEx showed up at my door the very next afternoon with my order. This may not sound all that off as I have had orders arrive the next day when coming from New York (about a three hour drive from where I live) but StrlingTek is in New Mexico and I live almost literally on the east coast.  
 
I have yet to determine if the battery is as good a quality as it looks (looks just like the OEM battery.) The charger worked fine and came with many adaptors for various types of batteries.  
 
All in all I would say that I am extremely pleased with my dealings with this company and I would definitely order from them again. Once more I would highly recommend them to anyone.  

Very fast service and shipping even to the other end of the world. Placed an order sunday night, received the items friday noon. The items have hard-to-beat prices (BP-511 replacements) and the international courier (Fedex) shipping rate is lower than average. This store deserves its excellent reputation...

I ordered a battery plate for a Mach 1 charger I have. Item arrived promptly! Unfortunately, the item was for an old Mach 1 charger and not the new version that I own.This is where true customer service comes in. I place a call to the company and phone was immediately answered. I explained what happened and he said no problem it's not clear on the web site which version the plate was for. He immediately checked to see if they had the new part and said I'll send it right out to you! I then explained that I needed the part very quickly and he said no problem I'll two day it to you no charge. What service! Don't hesitate to do buisness with this company. I would order again in a heartbeat!

This review was modified by its author, terp01, on 3/17/05 2:48 PM.

These guys provided prompt, correct answers to my questions, and the product they sold are excellent value. Standard international shipping is a little slow, but if you want to pay more you can use FedEx.

All I have to say is wow! Ordered 2 extra batteries for my Konica/minolta camera on thursday at 1pm and it showed up at my door on friday afternoon. FedEX 2 Day was my selected shipping method. Batteries and packaging were both in excellent condition. Immediate order confirmation was provided. The only item that would have been helpful would have been an email with a tracking number but in my case it was hardly in the system long enough.  
Great Job SterlingTEK!

purchased battery for my Nikon digital camera. Great price, reasonable shipping, excellent product. Would recommend

I orderd 2 batteries for a Minolta Digital camera on 1/26/05 and had them in my hands on 1/28/05. The price was excellent and so was the service. I will buy from SterlingTek in the future.

i have to say, i was skeptical of receiving a product of ANY quality for 75% less than the "name brand", but i figured it would be hard to go wrong...  
 
i am now a fan: i ordered three BP-511 compatibles, and chose 2-day fedex... i receievd the batteries the next afternoon (less than 24 hours after ordering) during the last two days leading up to xmas... this, in itself, is impressive.  
 
i've charged all three batteries, but to be honest, i can only talk with experience about the first one: it has lasted me close to six hours SO FAR, and it took over four hours before the camera's meter decided it was "low"... this is nuts, and the weather outside has been close to freezing (or lower) during the entire time...  
 
if ALL of the batteries give me this kind of service, i should only have purchased two, not three (grin)...  
 
thank you, sterlingtek...  
 
00 caren  
http://www.parkgallery.org

This review was modified by its author, carenp, on 1/23/05 8:10 PM.

Ordered batteries through Amazon. Amazon's product description was incorrect. Email communication answered proptly. SterlingTEK refunded full price of items, including shipping. A more than fair solution. Product description has been corrected.

Amazingly good service! I sent them an email asking for a tracking number one day after I ordered my batteries, and when I looked it up on the FedEx site, it had already been delivered. I highly recommend this comany for their work and am definately using them again whenever I need camera accessories.

I ordered three batteries and a charger for less than half the price of the local large electrnics chains. All items were delivered -- free shipping -- two days after my order. I was aprehensive about dealing with a seemingly small company that I'd never heard of, but my experience was excellent and saved a lot.