leica Q EVF battery consumption

[surfmanjoe]

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I just got Q last week, firmware 2.0. JPG only.

tried two modes, EVF extended and Auto.

 

Although did NOT give a serious test, I feel (yes, JUST FEEL) EVF consumes more battery than LCD, 

 

What do you guys think of battery consumption? EVF consumes more than LCD? Thanks. 

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[wda]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Regarding battery life, please remember that a new battery takes a few cycles of recharging to achieve its full potential. Initially it might seem a little disappointing; but eventually it will improve.

[David Dennis]

I got my Q last Saturday, and I knew I was going to have a really long shooting day, since i had a bunch of events to go to.

 

I nursed my battery carefully, turning the camera on only when I was close to taking a shot, and it lasted for 695 pictures before dying ignominiously.

 

The next day, I kept the camera on much of the time so I was prepared for whatever happened spontaneously, and I got under 400 pictures from the battery.  I also think i had the LCD at maximum brightness because the pictures were all taken outside.

 

I took delivery on a  couple of extra third party batteries, so I don't have to worry about battery life now.  Last night, I used a different battery for each event I went to.  So I shot at Green Cay nature center, took about 100 shots and lost a couple of bars, because I was demonstrating the camera to a friend and therefore had the display on much of the time.  But then I went to Churchill's nightclub for Words & Wine, and I fired off over 600 shots without losing a single bar.

 

My conclusion is that the more you use the viewfinder and/or EVF, the shorter battery life is.  Battery life doesn't seem to correlate well with number of shots at all.

 

For what it's worth I think I used the EVF more at Churchill's and that might have been one of the reasons for better battery life there.  However, I also had the LCD turned up to maximum brightness because I didn't think to change it from last time.

 

My battery review might be of interest to some, especially in view of what appears to be a world-wide shortage of official (Leica or Panasonic) batteries: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MEAMBDI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Would anyone be interested in a battery life comparison between Leica and my cheapo third party batteries?  Or do most of us want to respect the warning in the manual that says that if you use third party batteries they will explode and we will send a rep to laugh at your grave?   LOL .

[Iduna]

If you have new batteries they get their full power only after a few circles. but then I notices that these batteries last much longer than in my X1. I have 2 batteries and their are in constant usage, often a day long and I never had problems running out of energy. The quantitiy of Pictures depends on your workflow. Using the Display, liveview, movie etc costs more energy. But I never noticed a good mixture of all being a problem of shortage. Maybe it can be a Problem taking time for recharging the batteries if you have only one charger (geting up in the night to change the batteries    )

[SonomaBear]

I am very old fashioned.  I use my Q as if it were a 60s film camera... up to my eye, fingers know where to change aperture and shutter speed.  I let ISO float.  Shooting RAW, I spend my time in a Lightroom instead of a darkroom.

BUT... my batteries last all day and often multiple days.  I typically run them down to one bar before swapping.  The charger is on my desk next to the monitor.  No battery problems here.

[giuliomagnifico]

DNG + JPG with EVF extended and no battery trouble. It lasts 7/8 hours of shooting (about 50/60 images) with all the 3 bars, check your auto-power off setting, mine is 1 minute.

[Lucena]

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I just shoot little number of times, I kept the analogic mentality...so my battery lasts. Nevertheless I purchased two extra leica batts just in case. I always let battery "die" before charging.

[stevieboy]

I don't think you should worry about battery life, which means of course that you have to carry an extra battery or maybe even two to afford the luxury. I get a good afternoon's worth of shooting out of one battery mostly but having to change to another late to finish the day. I have three but most of the time I only have to carry one extra.

 

But use the camera how you want and how it works for you, take advantage of all its features. If that's using the EVF or the LCD or any other feature, it's an amazing camera, don't limit yourself from using what it can do because of battery life! We will all have different ways of using the camera that suits each of us of course, but I can't see allowing conserving power to rule those things.

 

Or chimping a lot! Reviewing your pictures, that is. Consider how much battery that consumes, it's why we can't say a charge should last this many pictures or so many hours, it's a big variable.

 

The one big and practical thing you can do which doesn't limit you to extend the battery is to use the auto LCD off feature, and the auto shut off too.

[Digitom]

If you have new batteries they get their full power only after a few circles. but then I notices that these batteries last much longer than in my X1. I have 2 batteries and their are in constant usage, often a day long and I never had problems running out of energy. The quantitiy of Pictures depends on your workflow. Using the Display, liveview, movie etc costs more energy. But I never noticed a good mixture of all being a problem of shortage. Maybe it can be a Problem taking time for recharging the batteries if you have only one charger (geting up in the night to change the batteries    )

 

when I bought my Q in Wetzlar I also took a 2nd battery. 1st day the battery was empty jest after only 120 pics! I was surprised. So next day I decided to buy a 3rd one. Better to have one more battery then no power...

After some circles of loading the capacity is more better. I think the Image stabilizer also uses some power, and setting the LCD to 1 minute shutdown can save some energy also.

But when having 2 batteries in stock, it will be enough so one has not to be in sorrow of power and how to save energy. The battery is expensive, but be safe in this was is worth the money.

[Iduna]

when I bought my Q in Wetzlar I also took a 2nd battery. 1st day the battery was empty jest after only 120 pics! I was surprised. So next day I decided to buy a 3rd one. Better to have one more battery then no power...

After some circles of loading the capacity is more better. I think the Image stabilizer also uses some power, and setting the LCD to 1 minute shutdown can save some energy also.

But when having 2 batteries in stock, it will be enough so one has not to be in sorrow of power and how to save energy. The battery is expensive, but be safe in this was is worth the money.

Yes,

you are right it need a few circles before the battery reaches its full power. I am fully satisfied with 2 batteries, I use anything but I do not use video:So I feel quite comfy shooting a day with my 2 batteries. You will not have any problems with your batteries in stock. I admit I keep power low like Lucena mentioned. I switch off the camera after every shot even if the interruption is short and I'll switch it on again very soon .This has to do soemthing with avoiding shutter releases when the camera is dngling from my shoulder.

[Herve5]

I am very old fashioned.  I use my Q as if it were a 60s film camera... up to my eye, fingers know where to change aperture and shutter speed.  I let ISO float.  Shooting RAW, I spend my time in a Lightroom instead of a darkroom.

BUT... my batteries last all day and often multiple days.  I typically run them down to one bar before swapping.  The charger is on my desk next to the monitor.  No battery problems here.

Same behavior here. Bought a single (Leica) spare battery straight with the Q, now switching regularly, and no trouble.

I used to recharge at two bars, but now will dare plunging to one ;-)

[TK!]

Same behavior here. Bought a single (Leica) spare battery straight with the Q, now switching regularly, and no trouble.

I used to recharge at two bars, but now will dare plunging to one ;-)

I also have three. I never had to use the third, but it feels so good to have it when there is just one bar left on the second :-)

 

Anyway, what's better for battery live, recharging at one, two or three bars? Never charging battery nr. three as it is never used...?

 

- TK

[Digitom]

I also have three. I never had to use the third, but it feels so good to have it when there is just one bar left on the second :-)

 

Anyway, what's better for battery live, recharging at one, two or three bars? Never charging battery nr. three as it is never used...?

 

- TK

 

Just yesterday I saw a report in TV about loading Smartphone batteries. The expert said that is is no problem charging half full, 10% full or wait until ii is just empty. Only to avoid long time at power level Zero is not good, and when one store a Li Battery: only full charged and re-load it once a year.

Other thing people talk about is to avoid short loading time due to a restricted amount of loading cycles: but in real life it is no problem, although everytime a battery is put into charger it is a cycle. But good cells have up to several thousands cycles today,

 

Bigger problem is to avoid use noname calls and cells of 3rd party (look at Samsung´s problem with 3rd party product these days).

[Jed Orme]

I just got back from a 3 week car trip where I took over 1500 images with my Q shooting RAW only.  I have 2 of the Leica branded batteries & 2 of the Wasabi ones.  I only changed batteries when I got down to a single bar & always got 1 to 2 days before a change was needed.  I also did not see any difference in consumption between the Leica & Wasabi batteries.  I charged nightly & always had a spare battery in my pocket with 2 more in my camera bag back in the car.  Even with the Leica handgrip on the camera, changing when shooting was never a problem to manage.