SL3: in camera battery charging vs separate charger

[SrMi]

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37 minutes ago, jaapv said:

So the Nitecore charger does not recognize the higher capacity battery and cuts the charging short at the required level of the old battery. Best contact Nitecore and ask. 

Nitecore writes that they support only the old battery.

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[Ken Abrahams]

Does the dual USB C charger that Leica offers, connect to ones power bank or computer etc? 

The usb Power Set charging kit costs $660 aud.  I would prefer a cheaper option but if the "in camera" charging solution is not fully functional then it seems that the Power Set is the only solution. I am not complaining however this seems to be how most selling strategies work now. Like RRS charging me $100 for delivery when most other delivery options cost $20.  

[rfunnell]

Ken,  

I understand the dual charger comes without an adaptor to plug into the wall which probably charges faster.

I have been using the camera USB battery charge on the SL3 and it's pretty slow this weekend so will have to get the kit with the adaptor I feel.

 

 

[Ken Abrahams]

Thanks Ross, I kind of realised the answer to my question not long after posting it 😃. When the iPhone 15 came out, I already had the charger plug rated at 20 watts (usb c) and it charges to full much quicker than any Apple charger from previous models. I have now realised that 20 watt isn't going to cut it for the SL3 and I will need to get a 30+ watt charger, presumably also usb c? Surely it's all standardised to the same usbc? It's all okay in the end and the solution is to spend the money on the kit.   

[rfunnell]

It's a great camera  and I have been very impressed with it this weekend.

Cheers Ross 

[Ken Abrahams]

4 minutes ago, rfunnell said:

It's a great camera  and I have been very impressed with it this weekend.

Cheers Ross 

Good to know Ross, I am waiting until next month for mine. It's great to be first up with new models, very exciting indeed. Maybe I will have time to sort out the battery decisions that need to be made.  Thanks for your input. 

[algrove]

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OP

BTW, the dual charger is also something which needs a study to understand. Depending on if you put in two batteries or one and what the battery charge left in the batteries is it decides to show different LEDs.  There is some "intelligence" involved here.

 

It seems to work fine with one or two batteries. If you have a spare 2 hours the Reddot Forum you tube video is their first look into the SL3 including mentioning that the dual charger automatically gives one or two batteries the same full charge which can take a long time. The instructions included with the dual charger mention 175 minutes for the SCL-6 and 155 minutes for the SCL-4 from a deep discharge. Of course less than fully discharged batteries will take a shorter time. I have charged both new and old batteries in the charger without issue.

Forgot to mention I tried charging batteries in the Q3 single charger to full and then insert same battery into the new charger and it showed 2 lights constant and third one blinking for a while which indicated to me it might give a better charge than the single charger, say the one that comes with the Q3. I have even older pre-Q3 chargers that came with my SL2S and I am not sure if they charge as well as the Q3 charger since they are now mixed up in my cabinet.

Edited March 17, 2024 by algrove

[algrove]

3 hours ago, rfunnell said:

Ken,  

I understand the dual charger comes without an adaptor to plug into the wall which probably charges faster.

I have been using the camera USB battery charge on the SL3 and it's pretty slow this weekend so will have to get the kit with the adaptor I feel.

The Anker 65W single port I use costs with tax US$35 in the US. The camera's dual charger have circuitry to safety use higher wattage chargers beyond the needed 27W Leica mentions.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2024 by algrove

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, Ken Abrahams said:

Does the dual USB C charger that Leica offers, connect to ones power bank or computer etc? 

The usb Power Set charging kit costs $660 aud.  I would prefer a cheaper option but if the "in camera" charging solution is not fully functional then it seems that the Power Set is the only solution. I am not complaining however this seems to be how most selling strategies work now. Like RRS charging me $100 for delivery when most other delivery options cost $20.  

The US $500 kit comes with a battery in the box, a USB cable, and an international wall unit.

You can plug it into a power bank, a computer does not output enough power.

The charging is still 2h to 80% and 3.5h for 100%. In-camera charging is going to be quicker to a 100% true 24W adapter or Powerbank.

[algrove]

34 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

The US $500 kit comes with a battery in the box, a USB cable, and an international wall unit.

You can plug it into a power bank, a computer does not output enough power.

The charging is still 2h to 80% and 3.5h for 100%. In-camera charging is going to be quicker to a 100% true 24W adapter or Powerbank.

One can even use their 140W Apple MacPro charger if desired and the circuitry will regulate the charge down to the needed wattage. Keep in iojhd Leica mentions a 27W minimum needed for normal charging. Guess less wattage means longer charging times.

Edited March 17, 2024 by algrove

[mboerma]

I think the separate dual charger unit is a better offer. Certainly if you have other power adapters and USB-C cables at your disposal. The included SCL6 battery is included but I would get one separately. The included power adapter is nothing special. A cable was included in the package with the SL3. At least that is my thinking. The Dual charger unit is a chunky device. I would have loved to have seen a more travel friendly M11 style charger unit. I'll be in Wetzlar in May so I will ask anybody with a Leica badge or looking like a Leica employee why these choices were made! 😉

[scott kirkpatrick]

My M11 charger is just a bog standard 10W charger with a USB-A female output, and a cable that gives a USB-C plug to the camera.  Open Amazon, ask for chargers, and you will find a whole page with the equivalent.  And charging in the camera works just fine for light use (max shots per outing so < 100).  I measured the battery voltage when the green on the camera button was steady and it was at 8.4 volts, which is the max.  Still, for off-camera charging of the newer high capacity battery, buying Leica's fancy double charger makes sense to me, as apparently the older chargers don't work properly with the new battery (the lights blink strangely).

[mboerma]

Hi Scott,

if you were referring to my mention of the M11 charger I meant the charger block that came with the camera. The thing where you put the battery in. I would refer to that transformer element as the adapter. Because you can use it for other things besides charging, like just powering devices. 
 

I would have loved to have seen a small M11 like charger unit which just needs a USB-c input and has worked flawless for me. 

[algrove]

11 minutes ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

My M11 charger is just a bog standard 10W charger with a USB-A female output, and a cable that gives a USB-C plug to the camera.  Open Amazon, ask for chargers, and you will find a whole page with the equivalent.  And charging in the camera works just fine for light use (max shots per outing so < 100).  I measured the battery voltage when the green on the camera button was steady and it was at 8.4 volts, which is the max.  Still, for off-camera charging of the newer high capacity battery, buying Leica's fancy double charger makes sense to me, as apparently the older chargers don't work properly with the new battery (the lights blink strangely).

Good to hear as I had lights blinking strangely too. Guess the Q3 charger #16065 is nothing special since it is the same charger that came with the SL2'SL2S and Q2.

[algrove]

1 hour ago, mboerma said:

I think the separate dual charger unit is a better offer. Certainly if you have other power adapters and USB-C cables at your disposal. The included SCL6 battery is included but I would get one separately. The included power adapter is nothing special. A cable was included in the package with the SL3. At least that is my thinking. The Dual charger unit is a chunky device. I would have loved to have seen a more travel friendly M11 style charger unit. I'll be in Wetzlar in May so I will ask anybody with a Leica badge or looking like a Leica employee why these choices were made! 😉

Agree since that combo kit is USD550 and as you say the SL3 already comes with the USB-C to USB-C cable which when sold separately sells for USD50. So battery is now USD200+USD50 cable+USD220 dual charger means you pay around USD80 for the wall adapter. Heck I can get two Anker ones for less although no travel adapter plugs included. When traveling I use a six plug+2 USB-C and one USB  item that I just use with one Euro (or country specific) adapter for all devices I plug into it. One never knows how many wall plugs are offered in hotels these days.

Edited March 17, 2024 by algrove

[Chuck Albertson]

7 hours ago, Ken Abrahams said:

Does the dual USB C charger that Leica offers, connect to ones power bank or computer etc? 

The usb Power Set charging kit costs $660 aud.  I would prefer a cheaper option but if the "in camera" charging solution is not fully functional then it seems that the Power Set is the only solution. I am not complaining however this seems to be how most selling strategies work now. Like RRS charging me $100 for delivery when most other delivery options cost $20.  

Ken, I bought the stand-alone charger ($220 in the US). I power it with this Anker 30W unit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2MLRF93/ and an Anker USB-C cable (I think it's rated to 240W) that I also use for charging my phone, iPad and other gizmos. It shows up on Amazon's Australia site for A$40. In a pinch, I could also use my 90W laptop charger. I have a bag of plug adapters from various places. I have quite a few batts for the SL/SL2S, and being able to charge two at once (takes about 2 hours for fully flat batts) is a big time saver.

[scott kirkpatrick]

I went back to the Boston Leica store today for a second battery and the two battery charger.  I'm currently driving it with my M11 charger over the M11 cable.  With such a "weak" (less then 29 W) current source (the M11 charger, plugged into 110 V) the two battery charger charged one battery first, only starting to charge the other battery when the first had reached a steady three dots.  Since the new double battery charger will charge both old and new batteries, I think it is a worthwhile investment.  As the SL2 and SL get replaced, their chargers will also disappear, but I can keep a spare battery from that generation. 

[algrove]

58 minutes ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

I went back to the Boston Leica store today for a second battery and the two battery charger.  I'm currently driving it with my M11 charger over the M11 cable.  With such a "weak" (less then 29 W) current source (the M11 charger, plugged into 110 V) the two battery charger charged one battery first, only starting to charge the other battery when the first had reached a steady three dots.  Since the new double battery charger will charge both old and new batteries, I think it is a worthwhile investment.  As the SL2 and SL get replaced, their chargers will also disappear, but I can keep a spare battery from that generation. 

Leica says they want to see 27W charge for the "6" battery. Did you say you do not yet have an SL3?

FWIW,  Leica Miami suggests one use the USB-C to USB-C cable that comes with the SL3. It not only charges correctly, but also is highly suitable for data transfer which they demonstrated in their SL3 you tube video while transferring DNG's from camera direct to iPad..

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[scott kirkpatrick]

2 hours ago, algrove said:

Leica says they want to see 27W charge for the "6" battery. Did you say you do not yet have an SL3?

FWIW,  Leica Miami suggests one use the USB-C to USB-C cable that comes with the SL3. It not only charges correctly, but also is highly suitable for data transfer which they demonstrated in their SL3 you tube video while transferring DNG's from camera direct to iPad..

I've been shooting with my SL3 since announcement day.  So far I have recharged in the camera, using the cable that came with my M11 charger.  I use the SL3's cable (it's cloth covered and heavy) to download pictures for processing into JPEGs.  The midweek video from Leica Store Miami recommends the 55 W Anker charger for driving the double battery charger, which should be a big step up from the older M11 DC converter.

[erudolph]

19 minutes ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

The midweek video from Leica Store Miami recommends the 55 W Anker charger

I think they recommended the 65w Anker