New Leica battery-no charge display in camera

[Ernstk]

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I've just bought a new Leica battery for my M8. When it's in the camera, there is no charge level displayed where it would normally be,under the image counter.

 

There is nothing at all. The camera works perfectly, it's just that there is no battery level being displayed. When I use my old battery, the charge level is shown, so it's not a camera fault.

 

Has anyone else come across this?

[david strachan]

That's an odd one Ernst.

In my extensive M8 reading, I've not come across that one.

I can only suggest giving all the battery terminals a good clean...somehow.  They are quite recessed.  There are spray on electrical cleaners, or you may be able to get in with a knife, for a very light scrape.

 

I'm assuming it's a Leica brand battery. After market batteries are notoriously dodgy in the M8 giving crazy capacity readings.

 

If it were me, and could not fix the problem, I'd send the (expensive) battery back for replacement.

 

Let us know how you get on.

 

All the best Dave S

Edited April 18, 2016 by david strachan

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[Ernstk]

Hi David

 

Yes, it's a Leica battery, bought from an authorised Leica store (Ffordes in Inverness).

 

I've cleaned the contacts with electrical contact cleaner and given it a full charge on the original M8 charger. Still no battery level display!

 

It's weird, as the camera works perfectly apart from the level display, which is actually quite a setback in terms of using the camera.

 

Ernst

[Manoleica]

I've just bought a new Leica battery for my M8. When it's in the camera, there is no charge level displayed where it would normally be,under the image counter.

 

There is nothing at all. The camera works perfectly, it's just that there is no battery level being displayed. When I use my old battery, the charge level is shown, so it's not a camera fault.

 

Has anyone else come across this?

Have you called the Store direct? 

[david strachan]

It sure is a setback, because you'd always have to carry a spare.  One of the beauties of the M8 is it's slow rundown of the battery unlike other camera brands...so I can take my cam often without worrying about a spare.

 

But you can't in this situation.

 

Just to be clear...you have put the older battery back in and it DOES show on the LED?

 

Your new one doesn't.

 

And you've cleaned everything...I can only think you have a defective battery.

 

I really can't think of any other source problem.  But I'll put some more thought into it.

 

cheers Dave S

[david strachan]

Might like to try cycling the battery a couple of times. Full charge-full discharge...it may come good.

 

To do this, I do it this way...

camera settings "Auto Off" set to Off.

Just leave the camera for about 24 hours or more set to ON,,,usually this will exhaust the battery, and the camera will not turn on.

Don't leave the camera On with screen displaying anything...just let the camera naturally dissipate the charge.

[Ernstk]

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Manoleica: this only happened today and I wanted to check all the possibilities (such as giving it a complete charge and some use in the camera) before contacting the store.

 

David: yes, the old battery brings up the battery level display. I've swapped them around several times with the same result.

 

I can only think that there is a circuit in the battery that drives the level display on the camera and it's faulty in my new battery.

 

Ernst

[Ernstk]

Might like to try cycling the battery a couple of times. Full charge-full discharge...it may come good.

 

To do this, I do it this way...

camera settings "Auto Off" set to Off.

Just leave the camera for about 24 hours or more set to ON,,,usually this will exhaust the battery, and the camera will not turn on.

Don't leave the camera On with screen displaying anything...just let the camera naturally dissipate the charge.

David

 

Unfortunately my screen has gone on my M8 so I use it in 'film' mode (It's effectively an M60). Thanks for the suggestion, I'll find another way to drain the battery...

 

Ernst

[Ernstk]

UPDATE: Just heard from a London Leica dealer that he had to send back an entire batch of M8 batteries for exactly this fault.

 

So clearly a battery issue.

[david strachan]

Aaaah! Always good to have an answer you can trust.

 

We always thought it was a battery problem...so now just get a refund/replacement.

 

By the way I admire your tenacity with the M8 not having a working LCD.

 

What went wrong there?

 

all the best Dave S

[Ernstk]

Dave

 

I dropped the M8, breaking the screen in the process. It's actually quite an interesting experience using it without a screen; almost like film shooting (but with more instant development of the images).

 

Luckily, the settings in place at the time of the damage were those that I'd use most of the time, the notable exception being that it's set to overexpose by 0.7 EV. I have no ability to dial in lens changes (none of mine are coded) but that doesn't seem to be too much of an issue.

 

Ernst

[david strachan]

Goodonya Ernst, I really admire your attitude.

I've got two M8's and luv them.  If I had my time again I'd get another, an 8.2 black paint so it brassed.

 

Do you hanker to have a full working, perhaps buy another M8, or are you happy bumbling along?

 

all the best Dave S

 

 

 

Edit: Just checked your page and see you have the 240 so I suppose that's your main camera and the M8 is very secondary...so you'd be unlikely to buy another.

 

Out of interest why do you use the M8 when you have a 240?? The latter is a far more flexible camera, with live-view, etc

Edited April 19, 2016 by david strachan

[Ernstk]

Good question!

 

The M8 was my first digital M and I feel quite attached to it. I also really like the images, particularly B&W.

 

It has no value now but I don't want to discard it. I tend to carry both cameras, with different lenses attached and I enjoy the 'film' engagement that I need to use with it.

 

The 240 feels very different. I can't quite put my finger on it but it feels less 'M like' than my M8 or M2

 

Ernst

[whisky]

Hello,

 

Just wanted to chime in and say the same thing has happened to me in hopes of helping other future users with the problem.   I just purchased a brand new Leica 14464 battery for my Leica M8 and there is no battery level displayed on the camera when using it.   The battery level display does comes back in my other (older) batteries.  

 

I contacted the seller, purchased through Amazon and sold by Willoughby's Camera.  They confirmed they are a premier authorized Leica dealer and only sell items direct from the manufacturer.

 

I think I'll contact Leica directly for a replacement battery.

 

Whisky

[Ernstk]

Hello,

 

Just wanted to chime in and say the same thing has happened to me in hopes of helping other future users with the problem.   I just purchased a brand new Leica 14464 battery for my Leica M8 and there is no battery level displayed on the camera when using it.   The battery level display does comes back in my other (older) batteries.  

 

I contacted the seller, purchased through Amazon and sold by Willoughby's Camera.  They confirmed they are a premier authorized Leica dealer and only sell items direct from the manufacturer.

 

I think I'll contact Leica directly for a replacement battery.

 

Whisky

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Shouldn't Willoughby's be replacing the battery? It's a known problem...

 

Ernst

[whisky]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Shouldn't Willoughby's be replacing the battery? It's a known problem...

 

Ernst

 

Willoughby's Camera didn't acknowledge the issue directly, but they did offer me a return.  I felt like I'd rather just get a swap for a good battery, which is what I need.  I'll be sending it to the Leica NJ office after they confirmed the battery I had was part of the bad batch.   Sounds like I'm good to go!