Just saw this thread! NGL, the jump to the RF system is absolutely FANTASTIC—the performance is next level—but those OEM battery prices? Total mood killer. Before I give my full advice, can you clarify if you'll be doing much video (like 4K60) or if it's strictly stills for the landscapes? Also, which specific body are you on? The R5 is way pickier about voltage than the R6 for keeping that green H+ icon alive... If you're looking for pure value, these are my go-to budget picks: * BM Premium LP-E6NH 2250mAh High Capacity Battery – You can usually snag a 2-pack for like $35. Absolute steal.
* Watson LP-E6NH Li-Ion Battery Pack 2250mAh – Around $50. A bit more spendy but build quality is honestly top-tier for a third-party cell. Yeah, I've run these through literal thousands of cycles. Let me know those details and I'll help you pick the best one for the trip! Peace.

Sooo, I totally get the struggle cuz those OEM prices are insane. I've been using these for months: 1. Neewer LP-E6NH 2250mAh Replacement Battery 2-Pack – roughly $60 for two. Total steal!
2. SmallRig LP-E6NH USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery 2400mAh – super handy for travel. But realy, be careful... they dont always support H+ mode once the juice drops. I've seen them throttle performance, so just watch for swelling, ya know? peace

Warning: DONT trust the mAh numbers on the label! Most third-party cells cant maintain the high voltage needed for that green H+ icon to stay active. Honestly, I went through this last year when I got my R6. Story time: I tried to save cash with generic brands, but it was kinda a disaster. I had some Wasabi batteries that worked okay on my old DSLR but basically turned my R6 into a slow-motion camera because the frame rate dropped during bursts. Plus, I noticed some swelling on some cheap BM Premium cells after a long day... seriously SCARY stuff. Idk, I guess the technical trade-offs just arent worth it sometimes. Tip: Talk to a professional gear shop about 'fully decoded' options before buying bulk for a big trip. I was really disappointed with my results. Be careful! 👍

Honestly, that point about the voltage drop is so spot on. From what I’ve seen in all the market research and forum deep dives lately, the RF bodies are basically tiny computers that freak out the second the power curve isnt perfect. I’ve done a ton of digging into how these brands compare and it really feels like most of the super cheap ones are just the same generic cells with different stickers, which is why they fail so fast. If you want to avoid the total bottom-of-the-barrel stuff but still save some cash, I’d say just look at anything from Watson or maybe ProMaster. They tend to have way better quality control and reputation than the random brands you find on Amazon. Tbh, they usually cost a bit more than those super cheap multi-packs but youre paying for that extra layer of "it wont swell up in my $3k camera" peace of mind. Just stick to those mid-range reputable brands and youll probably be fine for landscape work where youre not necessarily blasting 20fps all day anyway. Reallyyy better than gambling on the absolute cheapest option imo!

My buddy told me the exact same thing last week. Guess he was right lol.

This thread is gold. Bookmarking for future reference 🔖

I've been shooting with the RF system since it basically came out and honestly, I just get the packs from Watson. You really cant go wrong with their gear if you're buying from a real camera shop. They aren't 100% perfect because the voltage usually dips faster than the official Canon ones, which means that green H+ icon might turn white sooner than you'd like... but for landscape work where you aren't shooting high-speed bursts? They're totally fine. Had a bunch of their batteries in my kit for over two years now and haven't seen any swelling yet, which is the big thing to watch for with those super cheap generic cells. Just grab a matching charger from them too because sometimes the in-camera charging is a bit hit or miss with third-party chips. Its a decent middle ground between the overpriced OEM cells and the random junk you see online. Definitely worth a look if you want to save some cash without your camera acting up. Let me know if you need help finding them.