Llano sent me a 2-pack of their EN-EL15c compatible "fully decoded" batteries, which are designed as replacements for Nikon cameras. Keep in mind they had to agree to my collaboration terms, meaning they have no say in the video content and aren't allowed to preview it.
Check out all of the information that this article is based on in the video on YouTube:
Read my company collaboration terms here so you understand the context of videos like this where I receive product samples at no cost:
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| The Llano EN-EL15c camera battery 2-pack box. |
One of the most interesting features right off the bat is that these batteries have USB-C connection ports directly on them. They should also be fully compatible with Nikon cameras and chargers, which I'll be testing.
Unboxing and First Impressions
Opening the box, the packaging is pretty simple and to-the-point.
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| Contents: two batteries, a special USB cable, and a paper manual. |
Inside, there's a basic paper manual, a USB cable, and the two batteries themselves. I compared them to an official Nikon EN-EL15c battery I have for my Nikon Z5.
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| The Llano next to an official Nikon EN-EL15c battery. There are a few clear differences. |
Comparison of the Llano EN-EL15c and official Nikon battery specifications.
Physically, the Llano batteries feel similar in weight and the material used on the exterior to the official Nikon battery. There are some minor differences; for example, the official battery has some text on the top, and a small indentation is a bit larger on the Nikon version. When comparing the contact ends, they look pretty similar.
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| Side-by-side comparison of the contact points on the Llano (top) and official Nikon (bottom) EN-EL15c batteries. |
Key Feature: Built-in USB-C Charging
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| The built-in USB-C port on one of the Llano batteries. |
The standout feature is definitely the ability to charge these batteries via their onboard USB-C ports. This means you don't necessarily need a separate battery charger, which could be handy for travel. A lot of cameras these days don't come with a dedicated charger so it could be a big benefit. Batteries like this could allow you to keep them topped up while still using the camera in those situations.
The included USB cable is unique. It's a USB-A cable that splits into two USB-C connectors. This allows you to charge both batteries simultaneously from a single USB-A port.
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| The included dual USB-C to single USB-A charging cable for the Llano batteries. |
When I plugged them in, a red light illuminates on each battery to indicate charging.
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| Llano EN-EL15c batteries charging via their built-in USB-C ports, showing red indicator lights. |
Using my USB power meter with both batteries connected through their custom cable, they were pulling about 4 amps, around 20 watts in total. That's a decent charging speed for two batteries at once. The paper manual states that the USB-C input for each battery is 5V at 1 to 2 amps.
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| USB power meter showing both Llano batteries drawing a combined 20.8W (4.0A at 5.2V). |
Compatibility with the Z5
I tested these Llano batteries with my Nikon Z5.
Fit and In-Camera Use: The battery fit into the camera very easily, with no issues.
Battery Level Reporting: With one of the Llano batteries in the camera, the battery indicator on the Z5's screen showed around half charge from the factory. This is good, as it means the battery is reporting its state of charge correctly to the camera.
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| Nikon Z5 screen showing the Llano battery level indicator reporting a partial charge. |
In-Camera Charging: The Nikon Z5 supports in-camera charging via its USB-C port. I tested this with a Llano battery installed. The camera was pulling about 1.4 amps at 7.2 watts, successfully charging the Llano battery.
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| Nikon Z5 charging a Llano EN-EL15c battery internally, with a power meter showing 7.2W draw. |
Charging with Official Nikon Charger: I also have an official Nikon MH-25A battery charger. I placed a Llano battery in it, and the charger's light started blinking, indicating that it was charging the battery. So, they seem compatible with the standard Nikon charger as well.
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| Official Nikon MH-25A charger with a Llano EN-EL15c battery, charge indicator light blinking. |
Photo and Video Tests: The Llano batteries came from the factory at around 50% charge. I did a few tests:
Burst Photos: I took a burst set of photos. The camera worked fine. The battery level indicator did drop one bar after a full burst of RAWs to the buffer plus extra after the camera slowed down (I was using a slow 32GB SanDisk card so it took a while to write).
Video Recording: I switched to video mode (1080p60, high quality). With two bars of power left according to the indicator, the camera seemed to be acting normally, and I didn't encounter any immediate issues. The camera stayed on two bars of power the entire time.
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| Nikon Z5 in video mode with a Llano battery, screen displaying settings and remaining battery. |
Battery Specifications according to the labels. I don't have any way to verify capacity.
- Llano EN-EL15c:
- Typical Capacity: 2400mAh / 17.3Wh
- Rated Capacity: 2300mAh / 16.6Wh (Minimum)
- Official Nikon EN-EL15c:
- Capacity: 2280mAh / 16Wh
A definition of battery capacity from Google Gemini 2.5 Pro: "mAh (milliampere-hour) is a unit of electric charge, often used to describe the energy capacity of a battery and, consequently, how long a device might run before needing a recharge. Wh (watt-hour) is a unit of energy, representing the amount of power (in watts) delivered over one hour. For batteries, Wh provides a comprehensive measure of total energy capacity because it considers both the current (amperes) and the voltage (volts) of the battery." This sounds correct to me based on my limited knowledge of the subject, but take it for what it is.
The Llano batteries are rated slightly higher in capacity on paper, though these are manufacturer ratings, and I don't currently know of a way to test the actual delivered capacity. I'd will potentially update this article in the future and/or produce a video on how they hold up over time after having multiple photography outings of real world use with the Z5.
Warranty and Manual
The paper manual provides some information on warranty and cautions. The batteries come with a one-year warranty, and the manual details what's covered.
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| The paper manual. |
Conclusion
Overall, the Llano EN-EL15c batteries seem to work well with the Nikon Z5. They appear to be fully decoded, allowing for in-camera battery level reporting and charging, as well as charging with the official Nikon charger. The built-in USB-C charging with the dual-headed cable is an interesting addition. You could use your own cables as well if you don't have a charger that can output 4 amps of current.
Long-term performance is something I can't speak to from this initial overview. As with any third-party battery, it's a consideration whether you want to use them over official manufacturer batteries. But based on my initial tests, they function as advertised.
If you're looking for an EN-EL15c replacement with the added flexibility of USB-C charging, these batteries seem like an interesting option.
Check out the LLANO EN-EL15c batteries through my link:
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