Third Party M8 Batteries

[kidigital]

It looks like generic versions of the M8 battery are now available on ebay. Has anybody been brave enough to try one out yet? In the past, generic batteries that I used for a Canon 1ds and the Epson r-d1 worked well ... maybe these will be the same. $15 is a very nice price compared to $125.

Kurt

[marknorton]

I've bought one to see how it works with my charger but I'll want to do some tests on it before I let it near the camera.

[j. borger]

Kurt,

I never understood people buying a Euro 4000 camera and using non-brand batteries.
I call everybody stupid who dares to try them, especially with the current instability of the M8. Why introducing another uncertainty factor?
I threw my third party batterys for the R-D1 all in the garbage after the first reports of frozen cameras and shutterproblems came to the surface (and they were numerous!!)
(I had to buy the no-brand batterys for the R-D1 because the Epson batteries were not avaliable at first)

So ... no i do not have the guts to try non-Leica batteries

[j. borger]

Originally Posted by marknorton

I've bought one to see how it works with my charger but I'll want to do some tests on it before I let it near the camera.

You have 2 chargers i hope .... just in case

[Jamie Roberts]

I feel the same way about third party batteries; I don't like them. BUT--

My partner bought 2 third party batteries for his 1d2. They have a much longer life than the Canon batteries, cost a quarter as much, and he's had no problems whatsoever.

So there you go: YMMV. Personally, I'm not brave enough One more variable in the M8 chain is not for me either.

[SteveP]

I wouldn't volunteer to be the test platform for 3rd party batteries, but IMHO within a few months of most cameras' release, 3rd party manufacturers can usually provide *better* batteries and chargers.

That's because camera companies (and esp. Leica) don't focus 100% on batteries. They farm out the supply and final design to someone working to a contract price. Now Sony (and we all know their batteries are perfect :-) has in-house teams who push the limits to give the device group the power they need in the smallest package - but even then, once a product is on the market there is never any improvement. The OEM guys will try and sell you a NiCad battery for your portable CD player if they can. They probably have a million left in stock.

Meanwhile, technology marches on and companies that do nothing but create battery solutions will come up with improved designs for existing devices. I'd rather have a nice LaCross charger and cells for my M8 than the Leica device. Have you seen what it looks like inside? Like it was built in someone's garage.

Not using 3rd party camera batteries makes about as much sense as going back to your car dealer for a new automotive battery.

[Laki]

Originally Posted by j. borger

I never understood people buying a Euro 4000 camera and using non-brand batteries.

totally agree!

i wonder what happens with your warranty after saving 40$ and the third party battery damaged your camera.

i never used any thrid party battery, not in my nikons and not going to do that in the m8 as well. i got for all my cameras original spare batteries.

cheers
laki

[rami G]

Originally Posted by j. borger

Kurt,

I never understood people buying a Euro 4000 camera and using non-brand batteries.
I call everybody stupid who dares to try them, especially with the current instability of the M8.

So ... no i do not have the guts to try non-Leica batteries

I actually absolutely disagree. Leica is not a Battery producer. They use one kind or another 3rd party batteries, log them with the magical Leica logo and get another 120$ from their loyal customers. I never minded paying Leica the extra money for getting what they are capable of producing better than others. I have many 3 M bodies, including the M8 and 7 lattest Leica lenses. But I don't find any reason to spend an extra 300-400 dollars to cover myself with "original" leica batteris for times I travel and take many batteris with me. I could get a nice CV lens for that money, and CV lenses are still better than Leica batteries.

[rami G]

Originally Posted by Laki

totally agree!

i wonder what happens with your warranty after saving 40$ and the third party battery damaged your camera.
laki

Well, let me enlighten you. Your warranty is fine, and btw, a third party battery might have some functionality issues with a camera, but it will not destroy your camera.

[rami G]

Originally Posted by rami G

I . I have many 3 M bodies, .

meant: I had many... sold 2 for the M8....

[elansprint72]

Originally Posted by rami G

I actually absolutely disagree. Leica is not a Battery producer. They use one kind or another 3rd party batteries, log them with the magical Leica logo and get another 120$ from their loyal customers. I never minded paying Leica the extra money for getting what they are capable of producing better than others. I have many 3 M bodies, including the M8 and 7 lattest Leica lenses. But I don't find any reason to spend an extra 300-400 dollars to cover myself with "original" leica batteris for times I travel and take many batteris with me. I could get a nice CV lens for that money, and CV lenses are still better than Leica batteries.

First bit of common sense I have read for a while! In our reasearch labs we've used cheapo batteries in all kinds of sensitive electronic apparatus for many years with no adverse results. Currently I have "Leica" Panasonic and "brand x" in my cameras and I can't tell which is which, without looking at the label; neither can any meter I attach.

[boilerdoc]

Where's the listing for the batteries on Ebay?
Thanks.
Steve

[RSL]

Originally Posted by j. borger

Kurt,

I never understood people buying a Euro 4000 camera and using non-brand batteries.
I call everybody stupid who dares to try them, especially with the current instability of the M8. Why introducing another uncertainty factor?
I threw my third party batterys for the R-D1 all in the garbage after the first reports of frozen cameras and shutterproblems came to the surface (and they were numerous!!)
(I had to buy the no-brand batterys for the R-D1 because the Epson batteries were not avaliable at first)

So ... no i do not have the guts to try non-Leica batteries

Sounds like a waste. I've been using third party 1500 mAh third party NP-80s in my R-D1 ever since I got it. Their performance is identical to the Epson battery at a fraction of the price. As someone already pointed out, in most cases all the camera manufacturer does is take a standard battery like the NP-80, put it's brand on it, and triple or quadruple or quintuple the price. The only third party battery I've found unsatisfactory was one I bought from B&H for my D2X. That battery seemed to work correctly as long as I left it in the camera, but if I took it out and then put it back, even if it was almost completely charged, the camera wouldn't see it. I'd have to charge it to 100% before the camera would admit it was there. B&H, of course, took care of the problem immediately with no complaints.

[Laki]

Originally Posted by rami G

Well, let me enlighten you. Your warranty is fine, and btw, a third party battery might have some functionality issues with a camera, but it will not destroy your camera.

you are aware of the exploding batteries in laptops, mobiles and similar stuff, i doubt that your warranty will be still valid while using third party batteries. but your choice to save 40 bucks...and mine not to.

[j. borger]

Originally Posted by RSL

Sounds like a waste. I've been using third party 1500 mAh third party NP-80s in my R-D1 ever since I got it. Their performance is identical to the Epson battery at a fraction of the price. .

Simply is not worth the risk to me ... a few cents on a battery ... i think exactly the same about cheap SD cards .. and do it yourself lenscoding on $3000 lenses.

[dist]

Originally Posted by j. borger

Simply is not worth the risk to me ... a few cents on a battery ... i think exactly the same about cheap SD cards .. and do it yourself lenscoding on $3000 lenses.

or using China made lens adapters made from recycled pressure cookers or bicycle fenders
Really, beats me why people bother to do that.

[rami G]

Originally Posted by Laki

you are aware of the exploding batteries in laptops, mobiles and similar stuff, i doubt that your warranty will be still valid while using third party batteries. but your choice to save 40 bucks...and mine not to.

In fact, I NEVER heard of a third party battery exploding. It was Dell's Batteris, Apple's Batteries, and a while ago Sony Batteries. Not using 3rd party batteries because of the fear that they will explode seems to be a slight over-reaction, but obviously, as you say, it is one's choice, and obviously, it depends on one's resources as well.

BTW, I agree that the fact whether a particular 3rd party battery works with a camera requires some experience and user's input on that, specifying which battery they use and whith what success would be great. The fact is that whatever battery Leica uses, it is very likely that someone sells it under a generic label and with some effort it is possible to save a lot of money. It is worth pointing out that the M8 has or at least had some issues with its electricity which sound simillar to the problems reported in other cameras when using a third party battery, so it is possible that even Leica's own choice of batteries was not the best one.

[Laki]

Originally Posted by rami G

In fact, I NEVER heard of a third party battery exploding. It was Dell's Batteris, Apple's Batteries, and a while ago Sony Batteries. Not using 3rd party batteries because of the fear that they will explode seems to be a slight over-reaction, but obviously, as you say, it is one's choice, and obviously, it depends on one's resources as well.

you might know that all the defective batteries and the defective laptops were exchanged at no cost by the manufacturers. so if your third party battery destroys your m8, ask the seller of the battery to exchange it. good luck on it.

might be in your eyes over-reaction but for me it's the more clever and safe decision.

Originally Posted by rami G

...with some effort it is possible to save a lot of money

and again, if buying a camera for 4000$ then i don't see how 40$ is "saving a lot". but i might have the wrong point of view in this.

[rami G]

Originally Posted by Laki

might be in your eyes over-reaction but for me it's the more clever and safe decision.



and again, if buying a camera for 4000$ then i don't see how 40$ is "saving a lot". but i might have the wrong point of view in this.

Obviously, I am not criticizing your choice, and I myself did buy, by now, the Leica original batteries, as that is what available. THe purpose of the original post is to circulate information about third party batteries for the M8 and the people that are criticized are the ones that choose to use thrid party batteries, rather than vice versa, and I was giving some rational for the choice. I like to travel with full batteris, 4-5. That is, to buy 4 extra batteries. THe difference is of around 350$. Although I do own some expensive stuff, camera and other, 350$ is a significant amount of money for me- not something that I just throw without thinking about.

[kingsley244]

Originally Posted by dist

or using China made lens adapters made from recycled pressure cookers or bicycle fenders

Is that true or is it just some xenophobic slur ?