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DMR batteries revisited


jaapv

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I just had three batteries restored by the company recommended by Leica. McAkku in Mainz.

I am impressed- it is impossible to see they have been opened - well, mayby the plastic on the joint is a bit less shiny, they work perfectly, although I obviously still have to test the capacity and the turnaround was ten days -billing through invoice upon return. 70 Euro per battery.

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That's interesting Jaap. If they are working well, this seems a very good price. I couldn't make contact with McAkku at all - emails just went into a black hole - so I sent 3 to Michael Bass last summer. The cost in $ was more than 70euro each. They now deliver the same number of shots as the originals did when new though one never shows more than "2 bars" even when fully charged. A couple are an interference fit in the battery chanber but I can't see where the case is just slightly larger than it used to be. All in all, its keeping my DMR going...

 

Graeme

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Well, these showed one bar and flashing when I inserted them. So I probably need to run them down all the way to calibrate. I tried and failed :( After 500 (well, actually 495) shots the camera was still going strong. I have to carry on I guess, but I think I'll just forget about it and leave the calibrating to running them down in actual use....

McAkku was very slow answering my mail, so after consulting with Leica CS I just sent the batteries to Mainz and only got a mail from them a few days after sending the batteries in, instructing me how to send them :D.

This appears to be a business good and fast at their job, but chaotic in communicating. Not an unusual practice in the Leica world.

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As soon as I got them I followed Michael's advice on discharging then charging several times to get them going at 'peak performance'. I can't resist checking the histogram occasionally so I've never had 400-500 shots out of a battery - usually about 120. I try to avoid discharging them completely as I've found the file creation system starts a new count when a new battery is inserted and, despite all attempts to put it back to where it was when the battery died, I can't do it! If these three last as long as the first ones did (bought 2005/2006) and the DMR keeps going as well, I wonder who'll be able to re-cell them in 2016/17???? Watch this space...

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Jaap, Out of curiosity were you shooting JPG or RAW. I believe that shooting JPG allows you to get more shots per charge becasue the processor does less processing with a JPG file. Of course I could be wrong on this. Any thoughts?

 

Dave

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It was on raw, just shooting continuously @ 1/1000th, except for waiting for writing and emptying the card of course. I real life, with the camera running for periods of time, the occasional chimp, changing menu settings etc the real number of shots will be lower. Anyway, I am happy as a clam :) I'll have my other batteries done as well I think :)

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Jaap, thanks for this information. Any idea what the charges might be for shipping, both ways from NYC & how best to manage that with customs.... I've never shipped to Europe before & don't know to expect. Is there a general the frame for the repair? I have 4 batteries & would refurbish 3 of them. Thanks. Ben

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I have no idea about shipping from the USA, Ben, except that customs can be difficult at times. Maybe it would be possible to piggyback on Leica NJ's regular repair shipments to/from Solms. Being helpful to DMR owners is the least they can do imo. McAkku did a ten-day door to door in my case.

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