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Major SL2 battery problem with (some?) Sigma lenses


tom0511

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Totally enjoying 4K video on the SL2 but I have to say I am feeling short changed that this battery issue is not on a priority list with Leica.

Knowing that high battery power is required for 4K shooting they should have enabled the battery to be charged (while camera is working) by an external source via USB-C (just like the TL2) - classic! - they had a good idea years ago and then dropped it.

 

 

 

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On 3/9/2020 at 5:26 AM, tom0511 said:

Yesterday I wanted to shoot handball with the Sl2 and the Sigma 135/1.8mm lens. The battery had 4 "stripes"-but the camera showed an error: "battery too low for 4k and for burst-shooting". I put the Leica 24-90 on the camera and there was no problem.

I know at least one guy having the same problem. I really really hope Leica and Sigma can offer a solution for us fast.

Happens with my SL 90 Apo as well. Biggest waste of 12K. Leica should be hawks accountable for Releasing a camera that doesn’t work to spec. WHAT A DISGRACE!

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Did anyone find a solution for this? I am getting the error with the Lumix 70-200 2.8. It is so frustrating. I just sold off all of my Canon gear assuming this was going to be THE camera and now this. I barely made it through 3 innings of my son's baseball game before getting the error. I was so frustrated, I just stopped shooting at that point. And yes, all firmware is up to date.

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 Just carry an extra battery, the other option is to purchase an SL2 Battery Grip. I've  purchased a couple of extra batteries and carry on. 

I also carry a Nitecor USB Travel Charger charger in the bag which charges the batteries off the Zendure Power Bank 

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9 hours ago, Diem said:

Did anyone find a solution for this? I am getting the error with the Lumix 70-200 2.8. It is so frustrating. I just sold off all of my Canon gear assuming this was going to be THE camera and now this. I barely made it through 3 innings of my son's baseball game before getting the error. I was so frustrated, I just stopped shooting at that point. And yes, all firmware is up to date.

you probably need to invest in a $1000 battery grip..

what a racket!

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I Have been chasing this issue for a long time.   I like the 70-200 lens, Diem ,but it is the worst one on the SL2 for 4k Video.

75% battery and it stops.  The lenses can seem to go till about 35%.

Leica lens seem to last the longest but also give up by 25%

I finally tried the GRIP.  with 2 batteries you can get to about 25% on each.  they seem to go down at the same rate.

So the Grip is the answer BUT the weight and size is terrible then and of course the cost.

Have tried an external battery but the trickle charge wont keep up with the battery drain.

 

Honestly the best answer is for Leica to just work on the firmware - the SL2 i about to hit 1 year - this should have been a priority!

 My SONY will work right to till 0 without problems.

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1 hour ago, jmm1 said:

 

 My SONY will work right to till 0 without problems.

Sony's engineers are wizards with electronics, Leica's are not.

Remember my M240 had issues as well, got rid of piece of junk.

Probably Leica will fix this problem with the SL 3 and a new battery.

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8 hours ago, jmm1 said:

I Have been chasing this issue for a long time.   I like the 70-200 lens, Diem ,but it is the worst one on the SL2 for 4k Video.

75% battery and it stops.  The lenses can seem to go till about 35%.

Leica lens seem to last the longest but also give up by 25%

I finally tried the GRIP.  with 2 batteries you can get to about 25% on each.  they seem to go down at the same rate.

So the Grip is the answer BUT the weight and size is terrible then and of course the cost.

Have tried an external battery but the trickle charge wont keep up with the battery drain.

 

Honestly the best answer is for Leica to just work on the firmware - the SL2 i about to hit 1 year - this should have been a priority!

 My SONY will work right to till 0 without problems.

A much cheaper solution is to use a battery bank with USB PD. The camera runs from the external device. This works ok with USB PD, but I could not make it work without PD. So this is the critical element. Works for many hours and costs only about 10%.

I use the Anker 26800 PD + . But the smaller Anker devices will probably also work. With the 26800 the internal battery stays more or less full. (It is not used).

Of course I did not test with all possible lenses. 

In comparison to the grip it is very low cost. Why don’t you simply give it a try ?

Edited by caissa
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10 hours ago, jmm1 said:

 

 My SONY will work right to till 0 without problems.

No Lithium-Ion battery (LiB) ever goes to 0. If you completely drain a LiB that will severely damage the battery’s chemistry. The battery management system (BMS) prevents you from completely draining a battery.
A few possible explanations:

* Leica might give you a more accurate reading than other manufacturers

* Leica might set a higher minimum level than other manufacturers thus extending the lifetime of your battery

* Leica electronics might be less efficient than others (higher leakage current, older technology node, less optimization, etc.)

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for the responses. As far as the grip, the additional weight nullifies that option for me. I am already at my limit as I primarily shoot handheld with the 70-200. I guess I will have to go purchase additional batteries or an external charger.  I am just disappointed as I have the CL as well and it performed so well that I couldn't wait to get the SL2.  To have to keep throwing more money at it after such a big investment is frustrating. I am going to take the 24-90 Leica out tomorrow to see if I have the same issues. 

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Totally agree, @Diem, the weight and size of the Grip turned me off.  

At the same time I did test out the 24-90 - it will work down to 25% battery (using the GRIP) before it gives up - so it appears that leica lenses will allow a lower battery level.

For now my solution will be to use the an external battery - which will be the lightest option.

I may even test the Lumix S5 - as I can rent one fairly soon for a large project I am starting.

For video - how do you find the CL vs SL2.  Does the CL allow longer shooting? But it only goes up to 4K 30P - which is the same as the TL2.

The TL2 will allow shooting down to a very low battery level but it also allows the use of an external battery - that is a positive.

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5 hours ago, caissa said:

 

I use the Anker 26800 PD + . But the smaller Anker devices will probably also work. With the 26800 the internal battery stays more or less full. (It is not used).

 

Thanks @caissa, I have been using a Cygnett Type-C 20000mah. I will check out the Anker.  I wonder if the Anker is faster than the Cygnett or would they all charge at the same rate?

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Important is PD. Power Delivery is a protocol that makes sure both sides talk to each other. Then they agree on the best possible voltage and amperage. Anker has both devices with PD and without PD. Check carefully. Other suppliers as well.

Ideally all devices with PD should find the same optimum, if they are powerful enough. The Anker 26800 is very strong and fast charging. But in this case the device is not for charging, but for providing energy directly to the camera. (The SL2 can just do one thing or the other, not both simultaneously. If the camera is off the internal battery is charging. If the camera is on the power comes directly  from the battery bank, and no simult charging is taking place.)

If one side does not support PD then they cannot talk and usually a base option is used, the lowest. This is usually too weak to supply enough energy for the camera (and so typically the internal battery has to provide the missing energy and you see a reduction over time).

Generally, charging the batteries from a power source is faster than from a battery bank. So I use the Anker for running the camera, but for charging of the battery I use the battery loading device. (I normally charge them externally, not in the camera.)

Edited by caissa
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26800 is about 5x to 10x (maybe more ?) the capacity of an internal battery.    The BP-SCL4 has 1860 mAh at 8.4 V

I don’t know if you can simply divide the numbers (26800/1860) or if the voltages do also need to be taken into account. Anyway it is much bigger than the Leica battery.

The battery looks as if it contains two lithium cells, while the 26800 contains probably eight. PD is the best one because PD means in the end faster charging.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RSid4Z8NUSs

She thinks it’s expensive at 129.99, but I think it is worth it. Actually cheap compared to the SL2.

 

Edited by caissa
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22 hours ago, hamey said:

Sony's engineers are wizards with electronics, Leica's are not.

Remember my M240 had issues as well, got rid of piece of junk.

Probably Leica will fix this problem with the SL 3 and a new battery.

Sony seem to be .

I was on the brink of selling two systems (Canon and a Sony) to purchase an SL2 .

I shoot a lot of equestrian stuff and although my CL can keep up I was thinking I`d be better with an SL.

Think I`ll pass on that after reading this thread and run my CL along side one of the other two instead.

Edited by Michael Markey
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4 hours ago, Michael Markey said:

Sony seem to be .

I was on the brink of selling two systems (Canon and a Sony) to purchase an SL2 .

I shoot a lot of equestrian stuff and although my CL can keep up I was thinking I`d be better with an SL.

Think I`ll pass on that after reading this thread and run my CL along side one of the other two instead.

Hello Michael.

One of the great things that comes out from this forum is the good, the bad, and the ugly from forum members about Leica equipment in general.

So that might be a wise choice to keep your Canon and Sony, however if you can, why not hire an SL-2 for the week and see how you go.

I wished I did that with the M240, could have saved a lot of money, I have owned a lot of cameras over the years, the M240 was the dearest and the worst performer.

I was also on the brink of getting the SL-2 for my R lenses as a lot of praise on it's performance but it's to much menu driven for my liking, also not interested in the SL Lenses, so in the mean time I will hang on the Canon 70D, in the last 6 years, It has never given me any problems I would have loved the full frame EOS but their mirror hits the shroud on some of my R lenses.

So at the ripe old age of 71 I think enough is enough, but if I'am still on this earth I can always check out the SL-6 Leica might have got their act together by then...lol.

Good Luck on your decision. 

 

Edited by hamey
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