M11 battery catch is not consistently catching the battery when released

[hdmesa]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have noticed this behavior on two M11s so far, one silver, one black. I can flick the battery release in such a way that the battery literally launches out of the camera without the catch engaging. I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing to cause the behavior, but it seems to happen more often when I flick the release the battery with more than average force using the far end of the lever with a fingernail.

[hdmesa]

Discovered I can do the same with the Q2 – if the latch is flicked a certain way, whoosh, out flies the battery. On the Q2, it seems to be limited to only randomly flying out when the camera is upside down and the battery is facing upward (not really an issue), but the M11 will let it fly out while the camera is in the normal orientation and the battery is coming out downward.

Just a heads up to keep your hand under the M11 battery when you eject it just in case.

Edited May 1, 2022 by hdmesa

[maxpower]

That's interesting!

When I got my M11 I was curious how this mechanism worked, so I inspected the capture "maze" and played around to figure out how it works and how I could circumvent the protective capture mechanism. Turns out it is relatively easy to get the battery out without it, but it can only be done if the battery release switch is back in its original position before the battery sticks out too much.

I have never had this happen in regular use thus far, however after reading your message I did some quick experiments by trying to do very quick release-and-let-go of the battery release switch again, and I can do that pretty reliably when using just my fingernail and let go as soon as I can. Doing this I can get the same behaviour, but that is not how I would normally use this. I normally just slide it with my finger (not just the fingernail) and that gives it enough resistance to not pretty much immediately snap back to first position, making it skip the capture. So it requires effort on my part to replicate this, but it is definitely possible as you said. Maybe just slow down a little bit lol 

If it really always happens even when you are not trying to be lightning fast I wonder if maybe there is some resistance in the spring or locking pin. 

But it's probably always a good idea to just in case keep a hand underneath, or do upside down replacements so it can't fall anywhere.

[hdmesa]

7 hours ago, maxpower said:

That's interesting!

When I got my M11 I was curious how this mechanism worked, so I inspected the capture "maze" and played around to figure out how it works and how I could circumvent the protective capture mechanism. Turns out it is relatively easy to get the battery out without it, but it can only be done if the battery release switch is back in its original position before the battery sticks out too much.

I have never had this happen in regular use thus far, however after reading your message I did some quick experiments by trying to do very quick release-and-let-go of the battery release switch again, and I can do that pretty reliably when using just my fingernail and let go as soon as I can. Doing this I can get the same behaviour, but that is not how I would normally use this. I normally just slide it with my finger (not just the fingernail) and that gives it enough resistance to not pretty much immediately snap back to first position, making it skip the capture. So it requires effort on my part to replicate this, but it is definitely possible as you said. Maybe just slow down a little bit lol 

If it really always happens even when you are not trying to be lightning fast I wonder if maybe there is some resistance in the spring or locking pin. 

But it's probably always a good idea to just in case keep a hand underneath, or do upside down replacements so it can't fall anywhere.

Yes, it's only when the lever is flicked quickly. I did discover it by accident, so it's possible to accidentally flick the lever too fast without trying. I for sure keep my hand on the battery when releasing it now  

[Tailwagger]

Had this happen several times with the SL2.  Yet to have it happen with the M11, likely as the release is a bit harder to get to, especially with the grip installed. On the whole, I suppose I'm happier that the spring is strong enough to shoot the battery across the room as opposed to it being so weak that a few years down the road it might not release at all.

[darylgo]

The S series has this possibility also, it happened  once in the field to me.  Since then I tape over the lever on my S.

[Guest]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Opposite problem here (M11 purchased in April 2022): I tried for the first time to remove the battery from the camera (so far had been charging via USB-C in camera).

The battery is partially ejected and then catches on something and cannot be removed (even with careful prodding/nudging). So the M11 has now become a 'fixed one battery' camera for practical purposes.

Since my M10M is currently with Leica Service New Jersey (5 days after purchasing the new camera) I hate the idea of sending in the M11, given current minimum repair times of 4 weeks. Implication could be summer vacation in Europe with both of my brand new Leicas out of service.

After bad luck with the M10P (repeated rangefinder alignment problems, it would never stay fixed) I would love to figure out a way to work around these issues without adding even more bodies as 'spares'. If there was an SL3 available today I would buy that as a backup but not as excited to spend money in SL2 towards the end of the product cycle; also not right now feeling great about having another M11 sitting in the shelf just for backup duty, it just feels wrong to pursue duplication without differentiation.

I just don't know. I am not a professional photographer, but not having a camera I can depend on (even with a 2 body 'strategy', M11 and M10M) makes me sad.

[Photoworks]

3 minutes ago, mzbe said:

The battery is partially ejected and then catches on something and cannot be removed (even with careful prodding/nudging). So the M11 has now become a 'fixed one battery' camera for practical purposes.

You should read the manual how to replace the battery. M11, SL2 SL2s and Q, Q2 have the same mechanic .

flip the eject. the battery comes out to a stop. press battery back in a little, the battery comes out all the way.

BTW the SL3 is probably 2 years out, no need to wait. SL2 is a great camera. I use it professional every day.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Photoworks said:

You should read the manual how to replace the battery. M11, SL2 SL2s and Q, Q2 have the same mechanic .

flip the eject. the battery comes out to a stop. press battery back in a little, the battery comes out all the way.

BTW the SL3 is probably 2 years out, no need to wait. SL2 is a great camera. I use it professional every day.

@Photoworksthank you!!! Indeed as you suggested pushing in the battery a bit after pulling the lever unlocked the mechanism and allows for a replacement. I am beyond relief that this is not another repair case!!!

[Jeff S]

3 minutes ago, mzbe said:

@Photoworksthank you!!! Indeed as you suggested pushing in the battery a bit after pulling the lever unlocked the mechanism and allows for a replacement. I am beyond relief that this is not another repair case!!!

The feature is to prevent the battery from falling out. The manual probably contains a lot more that would provide for a better user experience. 😳
 

Jeff

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Jeff S said:

The feature is to prevent the battery from falling out. The manual probably contains a lot more that would provide for a better user experience. 😳
 

Jeff

Agree, I deserve this 🙂

[LEGEND]

On 5/1/2022 at 4:53 AM, hdmesa said:

Discovered I can do the same with the Q2 – if the latch is flicked a certain way, whoosh, out flies the battery. On the Q2, it seems to be limited to only randomly flying out when the camera is upside down and the battery is facing upward (not really an issue), but the M11 will let it fly out while the camera is in the normal orientation and the battery is coming out downward.

Just a heads up to keep your hand under the M11 battery when you eject it just in case.

One time I tried this with my M11 and the battery hit me in the head...

I was stupid enough to look at the camera holding her upside down and 
releasing the battery... What a surprise that was...  

From that moment on I always have my hand over the battery when I move the leaver to release her out...
It almost sound like a war story in some tabloid...
Photographer killed by flying battery from his Leica M11 camera...  

Nikola