behavior and duration of M 8/9 batteries

[jamesm1291]

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I bought my Leica M 8 in 2007 and have never quite trusted it since the processor suddenly quit, including battery status, exposure number and playback screen 3 months after purchase. After repair at Leica it has continued to work OK, although I continue to be afraid of breakdown. I have had the same battery that came with the camera, which is lithium but gives no information on milliamperage. Recently, the camera has ceased to turn on despite the previous use showing full charge. After charging, the camera works again for a week or two, continuing to show full charge when turned on until the next time, when it refuses to turn on. I just bought a new battery that shows the milliamperage (1700) and the camera works again. However, I am still worried because of my initial problem with the camera. Since the original battery is now close to 4 years old, has it exceeded its life? Also is the behavior of worn out batteries such that they will show full charge and then suddenly quit? I'm hoping my problem is a battery and not the processor. Any advice?

[ezc203]

If you can shoot one charge for 1 or 2 weeks, I guess you don't shoot that much? How often do you shooting and how many pictures per outing?

 

For me, 1 fully charged battery usually lasts me about one 350+ photos.

[MitchoIankov]

I still use the original battery and it is 4 years old. It lasts for about 350 shots in RAW.

Even when it was new the battery level indicator was never reliable. Will show 2 bars and die within 3 shots (especially in short succession).

I always carry a fully charged spare battery with me (third party brand).

[farnz]

If I was you I would give up worrying about your processor dying otherwise worrying will affect your enjoyment of your camera. It's been 4 years since the original one died and if the 'new' one was going to die it would have already. Plus there is no history of common processor failures in M8 cameras.

 

Battery meters are notoriously inaccurate because they work by looking at battery float voltage, which is the voltage at the battery terminals with no load on the battery. This is a fairly meaningless figure and a useful figure can only be obtained by putting the battery under load and seeing how it reacts. In other words you would be wise not to take too much notice of what the battery meter is telling you. I normally change the battery after the first bar disappears and it's served me well.

 

If your battery is not able to boot up your camera then your battery's capacity may be low but that could be caused by:

- gradual drain through light use over an extended period

- faulty battery

- faulty charger

 

I also have batteries that are 4 years old and they're still fine.

 

Pete.

[wstotler]

<snip> . . . I normally change the battery after the first bar disappears and it's served me well. . . <snip> . . . I also have batteries that are 4 years old and they're still fine. Pete.

 

Completely agree--when I see the first bar missing I assume that means the battery should be changed at the very next opportunity, ASAP.

 

Since I have been using this tactic, I have had only a few times when the M8 just "stopped" working after it shot and wrote multiple shots (fast shooting) to the memory card.

 

I have 5 batteries (2 M8s), all "original" batteries (4 years old) and one that is three years old. No issues. I keep them topped up at all times.

 

Keep your battery topped up--and carry a spare that's full. Not sure what your specific trouble is, but when you insert the backup battery into the camera when you find it's "dead" it should spring back to life. (If not, you do indeed have some form of battery or camera issue.)

 

Cheers!

Will

[LeicaMSeattle]

I have five Leica batteries that I have individually numbered to keep track of and cycle through as I use my camera almost daily. I shoot RAW-JPEG High where the batteries don't last quite as long as it takes more power to save both files. I can get about 250-300 images per battery/charge with minimal chimping. Rotating through several batteries keeps them all evenly charged/discharged cycles.

[ramosa]

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Get another battery. No worries. The batteries won't last forever. I have had an M8 and two batteries for more than three years. One battery has had a limited charge this year. It shows full charge, but then will shoot to no charge in an instant. I need to buy another and relegate the bad battery to use-only-in-dire-situation status. Leica recommends complete discharges on a regular basis. Not sure if that would have helped--but I only became aware of this recommendation a few months back. I think you can trust your M8, but you really should have two adequate batteries.

[lct]

...One battery has had a limited charge this year. It shows full charge, but then will shoot to no charge in an instant. I need to buy another...

Did you try a full discharge i.e. until the camera stops working?

[pgk]

I have 4 x batteries, intermix them completely, use them until the camera stops and all seem to work fine (and one is 4 years old). In my experience batteries do vary and some seem to last far better than others (I had a 1DS a 7 batteries of which 2 always held a far better charge than any of the others - from new). If you have a problem with one simply replace it - there is no other solution.

[epand56]

I still use the original battery and it is 4 years old. It lasts for about 350 shots in RAW.

Even when it was new the battery level indicator was never reliable. Will show 2 bars and die within 3 shots (especially in short succession).

I always carry a fully charged spare battery with me (third party brand).

 

Same here, yesterday evening I had 2 bars on the indicator and wanted to shoot in continuous mode. I made a five pictures burst and the battery was over. I always have a spare with me.

[ho_co]

Enrico--

Just curious: When the camera dies this way, is there any image degregation in the last shot recorded?

 

When this happens with my M8, the final one or two shots show what I've called "Jesus stripes" (due to the situation where I first became aware of them--http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/110417-jesus-stripes.html).

 

I've sent the camera twice for repair of the phenomenon, but it still happens.

[ramosa]

Did you try a full discharge i.e. until the camera stops working?

 

Yes, I tried it on two different occasions. It doesn't seem to have an effect

[Sergius]

Enrico--

Just curious: When the camera dies this way, is there any image degregation in the last shot recorded?

 

When this happens with my M8, the final one or two shots show what I've called "Jesus stripes" (due to the situation where I first became aware of them--[url="http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/

 

 

On my M9 this is happened twice. I think it's normal. There is no energy to write all data.

 

Sergio

[ErikP]

If you can shoot one charge for 1 or 2 weeks, I guess you don't shoot that much? How often do you shooting and how many pictures per outing?

 

For me, 1 fully charged battery usually lasts me about one 350+ photos.

 

I get 300+ on my M8 when saving DNG and fine jpg with a fair amount of viewing. Not outstandning compared with a D700 where I get more files out of à charge but totally OK.

 

Battery seems to be of god quality and durable :-) Since 300 pics some days are done before lunch a spare battery is on my list of purchases.

[Cyril Jayant]

I get 300+ on my M8 when saving DNG and fine jpg with a fair amount of viewing. Not outstandning compared with a D700 where I get more files out of à charge but totally OK.

 

Battery seems to be of god quality and durable :-) Since 300 pics some days are done before lunch a spare battery is on my list of purchases.

 

I get 300+ always with one battery. I have 2 , and they areabout one year old . So far so good . I try to discharge one compleately before I change in to the other.