M10 battery life

[erl]

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Not to worry, it's a bad weather day!

When it changes, everyone will go out and shoot pictures, won't they?

 

I used to carry, habitually, 50 rolls of film, at least one backup camera, and I can't remember what else, on a big shoot.

Yes it was character and muscle building and worthwhile.

Now carrying an extra battery (and SD card) is a dream for a days walk around. And in my case, almost never necessary, but I have old reflexes of "cover yourself" for what you don't expect.

Suffer for your craft or you are not serious, IMO.

[01af]

"... the M10 electronics are reputed to be 20 % or so more efficient so the actual reduction in exposures per charge ..."

When the Leica M (Typ 240) was new, battery life seemed short—say, 300 or 400 frames per charge. Later, it got better—more than 1,000 frames per charge with no or minimal use of live-view. With a new digital camera, there's always a lot of playing, trying, menu browsing, chimping, etc which tends to drain the battery. I had two batteries for my M (Typ 240) and only occasionally needed the second in one day.

 

The Leica M10 now has reduced battery capacity but also reduced power consumption. Once the excitement about the new toy wears off and using it as a tool becomes routine, the number of frames per charge will be the same as, or only slightly less than, what we got out of the M (Typ 240). I have two batteries for the M10, and for the time being, I don't feel I need a third.

 

The M10's battery is much less of a problem in real life than the fuss made about it in the forums.

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[david strachan]

You are misquoting me here, O1af.

 

It is a question I asked of another member...please see posts 15 and 16.

 

cheers...

[UliWer]

When the Leica M (Typ 240) was new, battery life seemed short—say, 300 or 400 frames per charge. Later, it got better—more than 1,000 frames per charge with no or minimal use of live-view. ...

 If the "old" things would not suddenly become better when something new apperas on the market, it would be bad for the price one may get selling the "old" product.

[dasjak]

I am on a job in the mountains with my M10 at the moment.

Yesterday I pulled 529 shots out of one battery. It lasted the whole day and I was carrying it on the outside all day (at about 5degree celcius).

Of course not as good as the M240 but more than enough for me as I didn't have to use my other two spares.

 

Oh and I was chimping a lot but no live view.

Edited February 17, 2017 by dasjak

[Guest]

In my 1st Impression review of the M10 and again two week later in my 2nd Impressions review I criticized the M10 battery, having gotten only 400 to 500 exposures on a full charge, less than half my M240 gives.

 

 

In my view getting so many exposures as you claim (400 to 500) with the M10 is fantastic if I compare it to my present SL. There out all day taking Classic cars - so around about 8 hours in total and around 500 shots total on two batteries, then I think I will do just fine with the 'smaller' M10 battery.

[Guest]

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I am on a job in the mountains with my M10 at the moment.

Yesterday I pulled 529 shots out of one battery. It lasted the whole day and I was carrying it on the outside all day (at about 5degree celcius).

Of course not as good as the M240 but more than enough for me as I didn't have to use my other two spares.

 

Oh and I was chimping a lot but no live view.

 

Excuse my ignorance but I thought to chimp you had to use the screen (LV) to see what you were chimping? So if no LV what is 'chimping' exactly? Presumably not jumping up and down like a chimp!

 

I ask because Wikipedia has this:

 

Chimping is a colloquial term used in digital photography to describe the habit of checking every photo on the camera display (LCD) immediately after capture.

 

Not that I believe everything I read on the internet!

Edited February 17, 2017 by Guest

[pop]

Excuse my ignorance but I thought to chimp you had to use the screen (LV) to see what you were chimping? So if no LV what is 'chimping' exactly? Presumably not jumping up and down like a chimp!

 

I ask because Wikipedia has this:

 

Chimping is a colloquial term used in digital photography to describe the habit of checking every photo on the camera display (LCD) immediately after capture.

 

Not that I believe everything I read on the internet!

You should have consulted the Wikipedia for the term "live view" as well. Live view means that the sensor is permanently on and that the display permanently shows what the sensor is seeing. Live view is not viewing the last frame taken on the display.

[Guest]

You should have consulted the Wikipedia for the term "live view" as well. Live view means that the sensor is permanently on and that the display permanently shows what the sensor is seeing. Live view is not viewing the last frame taken on the display.

 

Thank you another lesson learnt. So when I press play and flick through the last shot or shots, it used less power than LV, where the sensor is on 100% of the time. Did not think there is a difference, so that is interesting.

[Robert Q Wong Jr.]

With about 400 shots per day, I still have at least 30% left at the end of the day. I chimp sparingly, don't use LV, and don't use the light-meter.

 

I also don't need a bigger battery, but a spare one in the pocket is always a good idea.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Fireboy]

Chimping

 

Check

Image

Preview

 

Chimp

You chimp more than once, it's chimping

[Herr Barnack]

The M10 battery has 28% less capacity compared to the M240 battery (LFI #2 2017, p. 88) which is a significant drop in capacity.  At first, this was a concern in my mind; now I am slowly coming to the outlook that perhaps the M10 battery capacity worry is much ado about nothing. 

 

Robert (post 30 above) states that "with about 400 shots per day, I still have at least 30% left at the end of the day."  That statement makes it sound as if the battery is capable of 500-600 images or possibly more before one would really be forced to change batteries.  If I can get 500+ images out of a fully charged battery, it's not an issue. 

 

Unless a person is shooting a wedding or some other several hours long event, does the M10 battery capacity really become a problem? 

[ramarren]

... Unless a person is shooting a wedding or some other several hours long event, does the M10 battery capacity really become a problem? 

 

 

Not for me. I just look at the model of performance I get with both the SL and M-D: my usual shooting exercise is an hour's walking time or a couple of hours shooting an event. I will sometimes make up to 400 exposures at a longer, event session, but more commonly I make less than 100 exposures in any given session. I always have a spare battery in the bag for either camera ... I've only once had to change the battery in the field; I should have changed it before I left home. I charge a battery for either about every third to fourth week. When on a particularly busy event with either, I have made up to 1000 exposures with a fresh battery at the start and non-stop shooting to an exhausted battery at the end. 

 

The M10's battery performance sounds like it would fall right into the same category of "usually charge every third to fourth week" for me. 

[jdlaing]

If the camera uses 28% less power the capacity drop is academic. You are not powering the M240 with it. Apples and oranges.

[Overgaard]

ELAN, what was your metering mode?

 

If you use the Center-weighted you are not in Live View, but if you use Spot or Multi-field your are in fact using Live View (as the metering reads off of the picture in preview).

[UliWer]

...

If you use the Center-weighted you are not in Live View, but if you use Spot or Multi-field your are in fact using Live View (as the metering reads off of the picture in preview).

 

Is the manual wrong?

 

On p. 168 (German/English version) I read:

 

Selecting the Live View metering methods

Setting the function

1. 2.Select the menu item, and in the sub-menu the desired metering method:

- Spot: Only a small area, indicated by a circle in the middle of

the monitor image, is captured and evaluated.

– Center-weighted: This method takes account of the entire image field, although the parts of the subject situated in the center have more influence on the exposure value calculation than the areas at the margins.

– Multi-field:  This metering method is based on detection of multiple metered values. The values are used in an algorithm to calculate an exposure value appropriate to the situation, resulting in correct reproduction of the assumed main sub- ject. 

[ELAN]

ELAN, what was your metering mode?

 

If you use the Center-weighted you are not in Live View, but if you use Spot or Multi-field your are in fact using Live View (as the metering reads off of the picture in preview).

Center-weighted. I don't use Live View.

[reddawn]

In my 1st Impression review of the M10 and again two week later in my 2nd Impressions review I criticized the M10 battery, having gotten only 400 to 500 exposures on a full charge, less than half my M240 gives.

 

My usual style of photography is to compose a lot and wait for the right moment to press the shutter release. I could be looking through the viewfinder for a while and only make a few exposures. During this time, as I half press the shutter to recompose and meter, the camera's electronics and metering are on and the camera hardly sleeps (my camera is set to fall asleep after 2 minutes of inactivity).

 

Yesterday I had a situation that called for firing rapidly. In a little over an hour I shot 365 exposures, and lo and behold, the battery charge was down only 20%. After a break we resumed and once again I shot 320 frames in a little over an hour, and once again the battery was down only 20%. At the end of the day I had 732 images on the card and the battery still had a 50% charge. A pleasant surprise.

 

It appears that the M10 electronics and metering, while the camera is awake but idle, consume much more power than the M240. I wonder if others had similar experiences?

 

(p.s., RF use only - no EVF, no LV, review off, a few quick chimps. FW 1.0.2.0)

Hi

 

No M10 here yet but your description of how the M10 batteries work mirrors exactly how my other camera, the original Sony A7 works.

 

I have been complaining about the A7 lasting only 200 plus photos on a single battery, at most 300, but I realised I can squeeze 600 shots, with more to spare if those shots are taken within a short span of time, for example, photographing award ceremonies involving over 200 students, with about 2 to 3 shots per student.

 

Conversely if I use the camera over a longer span of time, battery performance drops dramatically. I think this is probably how the electronics are wired.

 

My M240 battery life is stellar - I can get nearly 1000 shots on a single battery charge no matter how I use it. This is the "DSLR" like level of performance I much prefer.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[erl]

reddawn, I understand your comments and desires. They are part of a constant progression through technological development that we are all enveloped in. 'It' is never good enough, but it is what 'you got' at present. deal with it, that is part of your job. Because you can, and do, is why you get the job.

 

Not all that long ago, I was in your situation, pre digital, shooting multiple shots (grads etc), but I was shooting film, changing every 36 exp and managing to keep up with the progression on stage (which was not going to wait while I changed film!). I did it because I had to! There was no other way then. I always got the work because I managed to deliver, despite the hassles.

 

So my point is, re M10 (and Sony) batteries. Carry as many spares as you will need, based on the assignment demands. That will be a hell of a lot faster than changing film. If that does not work for you, choose another camera that will deliver. I have ordered an M10, hope to get it next week, but my current demands will not require heavy battery use so I am relaxed.

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[LesT]

Hi,

Could I ask a question of the people who are managing to get >400 exposures from a battery charge.

 

A understand the no live view and chimping. But do you turn the camera OFF between a sequence of shots or allow the camera to 'sleep' after 2 minutes?

 

I tried leaving the camera on but in sleep mode over night and there was minimum battery drain. So I know once  in that mode its very efficient.

 

I usually do street, architecture and landscapes photography by walking around an interesting location. So I'm not shooting continuously.  I have a Fuji X series camera and they can have poor battery performance, The Fuji shooters recommended turning the camera off as much as possible between shots. 

 

Not having an accurate means of measurement I think the startup Off to On is about the same as waking it up from Sleep mode.

 

With the M240 I turned it on at the beginning of a photo session and left in on for hours. But that was the larger battery. I may have become spoilt by its capacity.

 

Regards,

    Les