Batteries again

[WestMichigan]

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Ohhhh!!!!

Brain Lock! I got locked in on linking your 'meter' comment with 'light meter' and forgot about the battery meter issues people keep encountering!

Thx

RLW

Richard, this had been discussed in length here and on RFF already. I happen to have used 4 third party batteries from different makers which all behave the same way more or less and i've got the feeling that all other posters had the same experience as mine. Reason why i'm much interested by what JeTexas and DWatts said above as it is the first time i read this. I trust them 100% of course but i happen to own a couple of DSTEs (http://tinyurl.com/7a3vr9t) already and they behave the way i describe i must say. More precisely, the battery meter of the camera remains 100% full all the way until the camera stops which is not very useful to say the least. Now i've just ordered one sample from BestBatt.com and will report accordingly.

[Mstephens]

... i happen to own a couple of DSTEs (http://tinyurl.com/7a3vr9t) already and they behave the way i describe i must say. More precisely, the battery meter of the camera remains 100% full all the way until the camera stops which is not very useful to say the least.

 

Interesting, I have one of the DSTE batteries, and it functions perfectly, with the battery indication displaying usage just like the original Leica battery does.

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[lct]

Yes curious indeed. Does it work with M9, M8 or M8.2?

[IWC Doppel]

Guys, I have ordered some DTSE batteries. I have the original and a rubbish replacement that does not register full charge and does not last very long.

 

I'll let you know how I get on in terms of life and registered charge

[Mstephens]

Yes curious indeed. Does it work with M9, M8 or M8.2?

M8 upgraded model.

[designed]

When I got my M8 in 2009, it came with 4 batteries: 2 OEM, 2 non-oem. I quickly realised the non-oems were done for: they lasted for 7 shots or so when fully charged. I recently put them up to be disposed properly.

 

Then I used my 2 OEMs quite, well not happily, but smiling enough. The batteries have a tendency to hate cold (which it is here Finland), go from "Full" to 2/3 and 1/3 very very quickly, and always deplete completely when doing the dark frame reduction on a long exposure shot.

 

When my father got his X1, we decided to order some new batteries. Our local camera shop insisted we get off-brand batteries, but after a half year wait, they hadn't found any. I wasn't too fond of the idea in the first place: why save a few euros on batteries when the camera and lens cost 2000 euros each (used!)? We ended up shopping elsewhere for OEM batteries.

[IWC Doppel]

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The two DTSE batteries are now here and charged. So far they seem to hold charge as well as my Leica work with the indicator as well as factory and I'm very pleased at a fraction of the price of Leica

 

Three good batteries will be all I'll ever need :-)

[lct]

I would wait til your battery meter shows a 80% charge for instance:

- one of mine remains at 100% and stays so until the camera stops;

- the other one shows 80% but if i charge it and put in the camera again, the battery meter stays at 80%.

[IWC Doppel]

I would wait til your battery meter shows a 80% charge for instance:

- one of mine remains at 100% and stays so until the camera stops;

- the other one shows 80% but if i charge it and put in the camera again, the battery meter stays at 80%.

 

DTSE's ?

[lct]

Yes i'm afraid but due to sample variation all hope is not lost hopefully. Would you be kind enough to report your findings for sake of info?

[lct]

...- the other one shows 80% but if i charge it and put it in the camera again, the battery meter stays at 80%.

Same with the bestbatt.com battery i've just received. Last experience for me.

[Bert N]

This implies that the battery from bestbatt.com also requires a full discharge (as do all non-Leica batteries) to show the correct battery charge status?

 

Same with the bestbatt.com battery i've just received. Last experience for me.

[lct]

Yes exactly so there is no exception to this common behavior of third party batteries in my experience.

[Jeff S]

Why not just buy another spare Leica battery if you need one?. Expensive as they are, compared to camera and lenses the cost is peanuts.

 

 

This was the first response to the OP, and IMHO, the only one really needed (except perhaps this repetition).

 

Jeff

Edited February 18, 2012 by Jeff S

[IWC Doppel]

Very happy with the DTSE batteries they are so far every bit as good as Leica, £9.00 vs £70.00

 

That's £120 to blow on something else like 4 bottles of Chateaux Musar

[lct]

Did you do my 80% test above?

[ljclark]

For me, the problem with "clone" batteries is that some are good and some are not so good, and one way to inform your decision is to disassemble the battery.

 

Years ago the price of an Olympus BLM-1 battery (used in the E-1 and other DSLR bodies) in Europe was quite high. One gent ran some actual tests:

 

BLM-1 Lithium-Ion Clone Battery Tests

 

I include this link not for the specifics of BLM-1 batteries, but to show some of the problems related to construction, internal layout, protection circuits, and cell capacity.

 

The conclusion was that some clones are as good (or maybe a bit better) than the OLY batteries, but the consumer had no way, short of surgery or possible meltdown, to determine which was better. Batches of the same brand/model clone may be different.

 

As has been stated before, the price of a genuine Leica battery, even with the depreciation of the M8 body, is pretty small. I choose not to mess around.

[maccaco]

Batteries DTSE for me are wasting money and time (separately, my bad mood). I purchased one 3 months ago at 3-4 uses, she lost all their charge. I sent a video to show that the battery is not recharged, so they kindly sent me another free shipping. The latter endured about 10 refills. Great! No! Now she is dead. I just purchased one in bestbatt and I'll see if it's better than the DTSE.

[jamesk8752]

Batteries DTSE for me are wasting money and time (separately, my bad mood). I purchased one 3 months ago at 3-4 uses, she lost all their charge. I sent a video to show that the battery is not recharged, so they kindly sent me another free shipping. The latter endured about 10 refills. Great! No! Now she is dead. I just purchased one in bestbatt and I'll see if it's better than the DTSE.

 

How many clone failures will you tolerate before buying the genuine article?

 

Regards, Jim

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[WestMichigan]

How many clone failures will you tolerate before buying the genuine article?

 

Regards, Jim

 

After consulting my Abacus, tabulating all factors, and enumerating and classifying the variables pertinent to me: 2.3 failures would be my personal clone failure fatigue indicator!

:-D

Just Kidding!

You make a good point Jim.

 

Richard in Michigan