In particular the ones designed to get around Sony's battery filter.

If you try and fit aftermarket batteries to some Sony's the camera detects the discreet ciruitry within them and a warning comes up telling you can't use it. To get around this the aftermarket people provide you with a lead that plugs into the back of the battery, then into your charging socket, so the camera now thinks it's an external power supply and it all works. Well, for a while at least.

I've been using one for months, but it's now fried my HC5 external supply function. I know it's the battery that's caused this as it emitted a crack, a little puff of smoke, and is now completely dead from a fullly charged condition. The external power function is now goosed, I can't power it up that way or use it to charge battteries on the camera.

Be warned.

I use Swit batteries on my Sony z1e and they are absolutely brilliant. 47.5 amp hour battery around eighty quid and worth every penny. Lasts for 7 hours fully charged, even with screen out.

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Yes, I'm sure it's limited to cheap Chinese batts like that one I had. My problem is, on the HC5, if it ain't Sony, it won't work.

EDIT: Deep joy! I've tried the charger into the camera again today, and it's fine. I'm guessing the camera has overload/short circuit protection, possibly thermal, so it's cooled down and reset itself. Which is good. On the hunt for some decent batts now.