"Check Battery Age"

[Heilbron]

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I received the warning today with respect to one of my two M240 batteries. Camera purchased in Toronto August 2013 -- among the first to be sold in Canada I believe. Looking at this thread, I think that the issue is not related to the actual condition of our respective batteries -- too many individuals getting the same warning at around the same time for it to be a usage issue, no? So it would seem to be related to the date of manufacture.

[ronaldh]

Same thing happened to me yesterday. I bought my M in November 2013. I cycle between two batteries, one of which I bought much later (I think). I am an amateur and the camera has had fairly light use most of the time.  But the "check battery age" message came up on both batteries on the very same day. Something strange going on here it seems. 

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[Rand]

Got the same message today.

 

Camera purchased in Oct 2014, usage very light.

Unbelievable that this is happening to a bunch of us all around the same time.

 

Just another wonderful part of the "Leica experience"

 

Love the lenses - HATE the camera!

[Guest JonathanP]

Mine hasn't gone yet, but just curious - there appears to be a week+year date stamp on my battery:

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which in this case would be week 17 (end of April) 2013.

 

For those that have batteries with this warning, what does your date stamp say? I wonder if its time bombed for 3 years (I guess I'll know in April)?

 

Jonathan

[of course the chip in the battery may not have the same date stamp as the label...]

Edited January 3, 2016 by jperkins

[Peter Kilmister]

On my battery it has all the same markings except for the bottom right hand corner which is blank, i.e. no white panel with NNNNNAA on it.

 

1713VB could mean 1st July 2013 Very Bad. There are so many symbols and hieroglyphics on the thing it may be a message to aliens. Who knows?

[jmahto]

Mine says 1013VB. No warning yet.

[jdlaing]

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On my battery it has all the same markings except for the bottom right hand corner which is blank, i.e. no white panel with NNNNNAA on it.

 

1713VB could mean 1st July 2013 Very Bad. There are so many symbols and hieroglyphics on the thing it may be a message to aliens. Who knows?

 

Counterfeit.

[Peter Kilmister]

Counterfeit.

 

It would be really helpful if you would explain exactly what you mean and what leads you to that conclusion.

[larsv]

I got the same message upon the return of my M from repair in Wetzlar. 

[jdlaing]

It would be really helpful if you would explain exactly what you mean and what leads you to that conclusion.

 

If markings are missing the battery would make me suspect that it was not genuine.

[jaapv]

Weird - I even use a couple of 2006/2007 batteries, and they are getting weak, but I have never seen this warning.

[Peter Kilmister]

If markings are missing the battery would make me suspect that it was not genuine.

 

Well the battery came with the camera which was brand new. Before buying the camera I checked the serial number with Leica Mayfair and they confirmed it was genuine.

Subsequently I registered it in the 'My Products' section of the owners area on Leica's website.

[Paulus]

Mine hasn't gone yet, but just curious - there appears to be a week+year date stamp on my battery:

IMG_0042.jpg

which in this case would be week 17 (end of April) 2013.

 

For those that have batteries with this warning, what does your date stamp say? I wonder if its time bombed for 3 years (I guess I'll know in April)?

 

Jonathan

[of course the chip in the battery may not have the same date stamp as the label...]

Mine are 0213VB and 1013VB until now no "warning" signs.

[pedaes]

Weird - I even use a couple of 2006/2007 batteries, and they are getting weak, but I have never seen this warning.

 

I think it is only a M(240) thing.

[Reds]

Ha! Add (one of) mine to the list tonight and possibly the other one when I get to plug it in next, if it's a time based thing.

 

With all the things we have to take care of these days, housekeeping batteries on cameras in regular use isn't one I care to add to my list! I'm sure it'll be fine anyway. My M might speak better for optimum performance if the message said "Check owner age" to be honest.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Reds

[lawman]

My two batteries both started to show this message - time for Leica to speak up and explain - has anyone received an official response yet from Leica ??

[rocheung]

I think it is only a M(240) thing.

No, that's the same on an M246

[HeinzX]

When I bought my M 240 I bought two batteries. One I used often, the other occasionally. Therefore the often used one has undergone a lot of charging cycles. For it  I got the message recently - not for the other -  and I contacted the Leica support. Answer was, this message means, that in a couple of months - app. up to 3 - problems might arise, but I can try to discharge the battery completly und to recharge it fully - this might help but not for sure. I did it - but with no positive result. The message remained. In the meantime I used the battery further on and in fact I had to observe signs of weakness and loss of power after shorter series of taking pictures as before.  Therfore I replaced it.

[EricC]

Was checking mine and received the warning for the first time this morning.

I remembered seeing this thread so i decided to look it up.

After checking i have found that both of my batteries give this warning, rather worrying.

Both are marked 0213VB.

 

I do hope that Leica issue an update that corrects this, and quickly. 

Edited January 5, 2016 by EricC

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[pedaes]

No, that's the same on an M246

 

Has anyone with a 246 had this message using its own (supplied with)  battery?