Battery Charging

[Bobonli]

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Having spent a week with an M11-P rental it seems inevitable that I'll buy one (or an M10P if I can find one). Is there anything special about the wall plug that comes with the charger or can I use any USB-C cable to connect to a different plug? For example, I have an Anker plug that accepts 3 USB-C cables so I can charge multiple devices off the same wall plug. It's more efficient when traveling than brining all the separate wall plugs.

The Leica plug looks like your run of the mill wall wart, nothing special in terms of technology....

Thanks

[Derbyshire Man]

I use an Anker, apple, whatever is available. All seem to work.

When I first got my M11P however it didn't recognise the charger, started to charge and then abandoned. I was away skiing at the time. In the end I plugged it in, let it go through the charging failure and popped the battery out with the cable still in, then re-inserted the battery, pulled out and re-inserted cable. It seemed to reset it and ever since then it's been perfect.

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[Bobonli]

Thanks

[Yoyoid]

Generally, any US-C will work. However, chargers come in different amperages. A charger that ships with a phone, for example, may deliver fewer amps than one built for a tablet, even though both deliver the device a USB-C power connection. So, the phone charger will charge the tablet, but it may do so more slowly than the tablet's own charger. In the extreme, you can overwork an underpowered charger, but even that is usually not a problem. I don't have my M11's charger in front of me right now to reread the rated amperage.  When I got the camera I checked to make sure the amperage wasn't particularly unusual and put it back in the Leica box for future resale; haven't seen it since. 

[Bobonli]

Update/Follow Up question regarding power management in the field. I'm now the proud owner of an M11-P. The shop I purchased from did not have a second battery to sell. They suggested using a USB battery pack to charge up on-the-go. I have one, an Anker, that's rather hefty that should work.

Is there anything to be gained from a combination battery/wall plug, where the brick also has a plug to plug directly into a wall outlet? Obviously it would eliminate needing a wall wart, and in the case of the Anker version its a few ounces lighter but less battery capacity. I've looked at the NiteCore batteries and you don't have to hunt far to find concerns about reliability and build quality of the USB-C ports. 

My inclination is to stick with the 19,000maH brick I have now, not worry about recharging it while walking around....I can always do that when back at home.

Are there any other battery management strategies (other than adjusting the camera's settings, which I've already done) that I should think about while I wait for a 2d battery to materialize?

[marchyman]

How many pictures do you typically shoot between charges and do you make extensive use of live view?   The answers to those questions might help you make a decision regarding batteries and in-the-field power.

I don't even think of charging unless I'm going to be more than a couple of weeks away from a power source.  But I don't take hundreds of shots a day nor do I use live view but once in a very great while.  What is your use?  How much of the battery do you use in a typical day?

[Bobonli]

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I haven’t been out all day yet so I cannot answer all of your good questions. When I rented the camera I ran it down to 35% but I had it on pretty much all day shooting bursts, bracketing and getting familiar with LV and the menus. 
 

Rarely use LV and I don’t chimp after each shot. My concern is an upcoming trip where I will be out all day, and that’s why I thought I should carry the USB battery cell since I won’t have a 2d battery. 

[Kiwimac]

Using the rangefinder and not chimping too often I can walk around for a couple of days easily with an M11-P on a single charge and still have 20-30% left. 
 

M cameras don’t use anywhere near as much battery power as most modern cameras unless you use the screen or optional EVF a lot. 

[jakontil]

M11 even with the EVF wont draw as much power as others..  even less without chimping..i once went on to shoot 1500 more or so images in half a day and it still left like 50-55% battery but i dont chimp much

[BruceRH]

I have yet to go through a fully charged battery on my M11-P. On my M10-R, I would usually use up one and half of another. I keep a small power bank in my bag now but that hasn't been used yet. The better battery is one of things I really like about the M11-P. 

[Yoyoid]

Very long battery life here, too. You can also power down when you don't need it at the ready. 

Maybe it's false advertising, but BH is showing the BP-SCL7 in stock.