ACK-E5 Dummy Battery for Canon 450D, 500D & 1000D Streaming
Long webcam calls, Twitch streams, and all-day timelapses all hit the same wall on a Canon 450D, 500D, or 1000D: the little LP-E5 battery gives up long before you do. An ACK-E5 dummy battery kit replaces the battery with a mains-powered coupler, so your camera can run for hours without a single battery swap. This guide explains what ACK-E5 and DR-E5 actually are, which bodies they fit, and what to check before you buy.
Quick Answer
For LP-E5 bodies (Canon 450D, 500D, and 1000D), an ACK-E5 AC adapter kit is the standard way to get continuous power. The kit’s DR-E5 “dummy battery” slides into the battery compartment and feeds the camera from a wall outlet, so streaming, webcam use, and timelapse sessions can run for hours instead of dying with the battery. Buy the full kit (coupler + AC adapter), confirm your battery says LP-E5, and remember to also disable the camera’s Auto Power Off — a dummy battery cannot override the sleep timer.
Why Streaming Kills Your Battery So Fast
USB streaming is the most power-hungry thing these old DSLRs can do: the sensor stays active, the processor encodes a continuous LiveView feed, and nothing ever sleeps. In real-world use, a healthy LP-E5 typically delivers well under two hours of continuous LiveView streaming — and an aging battery that has been sitting in a drawer for a decade often manages far less. Swapping batteries mid-stream drops your feed, and on some bodies pulling the battery can even interrupt the USB session, forcing you to restart the software. That is why both our old-DSLR-as-webcam guide and our timelapse guide treat continuous power as a prerequisite rather than an accessory: if the camera cannot stay on, nothing else in the setup matters.
ACK-E5 vs DR-E5: What’s the Difference?
ACK-E5 is Canon’s name for the complete AC Adapter Kit: a mains power adapter plus the DR-E5 DC coupler. The DR-E5 is the “dummy battery” itself — a battery-shaped coupler that slides into the LP-E5 compartment, with a thin cable that exits through the small rubber flap in the battery door and plugs into the AC adapter. In practice, most affordable listings online are third-party kits sold under the “ACK-E5” name that bundle a compatible adapter and coupler together. If you already own a compatible Canon AC adapter, buying the DR-E5 coupler alone is enough — but most people should get the full kit so the adapter and coupler are guaranteed to match.
Which Cameras Does It Fit?
| Camera | Battery | Kit needed |
|---|---|---|
| Canon 450D / Rebel XSi | LP-E5 | ACK-E5 / DR-E5 ✓ |
| Canon 500D / Rebel T1i | LP-E5 | ACK-E5 / DR-E5 ✓ |
| Canon 1000D / Rebel XS | LP-E5 | ACK-E5 / DR-E5 ✓ |
| Canon 1100D / Rebel T3 | LP-E10 | Does NOT fit — needs the ACK-E10 kit |
| Canon 40D / 50D | BP-511 | Does NOT fit — different coupler family |
The rule is simple: match the battery, not the camera name. If the battery in your camera is labeled LP-E5, an ACK-E5 kit fits — regardless of what the listing title says. Not sure which battery you have? Check our compatibility list for your model.
What to Check Before Buying
- Full kit vs. coupler-only. Make sure the listing includes both the DR-E5 coupler and the AC adapter, unless you already own a compatible Canon adapter. Coupler-only listings look cheaper but are useless on their own.
- Voltage. Most third-party adapters are 100–240V universal, but confirm it if you travel or live outside North America.
- Seller reputation. This is a power supply for a camera you care about — buy from sellers with a solid rating history and skip listings with no reviews at all.
- Battery-door clearance. You do not need to modify anything: the cable exits through a small rubber flap built into the battery door.
- Disable Auto Power Off. A dummy battery solves the power problem, not the camera’s own sleep timer. Turn off auto power-off in the camera’s menu or the body will still shut itself down mid-stream on its own schedule.
Where to Buy
Search ACK-E5 dummy battery kits on Amazon — our link pre-filters results to ACK-E5/DR-E5 kits for LP-E5 bodies. Choose a listing that includes both the coupler and the AC adapter, and treat any price you see as a reference only: check the live price before ordering, since third-party kit prices move around frequently. As an Amazon Associate, this site may earn from qualifying purchases — it costs you nothing extra and keeps these guides free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a dummy battery damage my Canon 450D?
No. The coupler delivers the same voltage the LP-E5 battery provides, so as far as the camera is concerned nothing has changed. The only real risk is a badly made third-party adapter, which is why buying from a seller with a solid rating history matters more than saving a few dollars.
Is ACK-E5 a genuine Canon product?
ACK-E5 is Canon’s official name for this adapter kit, and genuine Canon kits exist — but most listings you will find at typical online prices are third-party equivalents that work the same way. Either is fine for streaming; just check the seller’s feedback before ordering.
Does the ACK-E5 fit the Canon 1100D?
No. The 1100D uses the LP-E10 battery, which is a different size and shape — it needs the ACK-E10 kit instead. The same goes for the 40D and 50D, which use BP-511 batteries and a different coupler family entirely.
Can I just run the camera from a USB power bank?
No. These bodies predate USB charging entirely — their USB port is data-only and cannot power the camera. A dummy battery is the only way to run a 450D, 500D, or 1000D from an external power source.
My camera still turns off during streams — will this fix it?
It fixes power-related shutdowns completely. But if the camera is shutting itself off on a timer, that is the Auto Power Off menu setting, and no power supply can override it — disable that setting in the camera menu too.
Should I buy the coupler alone or the full kit?
Buy the full ACK-E5 kit (DR-E5 coupler plus AC adapter) unless you already own a compatible Canon AC adapter. A coupler-only purchase saves a little money but does nothing until you add the adapter.