Why No Outrage Over the M10 Battery?

[gtownby]

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After selling my M10M (which I bought from Leica with a credit for returning my corrupted-sensor M9) I shot a lot of film while sitting out the drama over the M11. I found my dream digital camera in January, however, when I bought a new-in-the-box M10-R from an e-bay retailer in New Jersey. Sure enough, the camera was pristine after sitting in the box for three years. Unfortunately, the battery was completely dead -- it did not even get warm while attempting to charge it. The retailer offered me a credit for the purchase of a new battery - but of course all M10 batteries were out of stock everywhere. The dealer took back the black beauty with no questions asked and I'm now shooting with a Nikon Zf with my Leica M glass and Voigtlander native Z lenses.

I'm keeping my M lenses in the hope that an "M12" might offer some reasons to get back in the game (other than the opinion of some that M lenses work best on M cameras*). But really: I will have a hard time trusting Leica again given the disaster of the M10 battery supply. 

(*I would be delighted if this is just an urban legend.)

Edited March 10 by gtownby
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[LeicaR10]

Gtownby,   I understand your angst about the battery issue.  What I did when the battery shortage occured, I simply asked my Leica dealer for a couple of used M10 batteries that were laying around the back room.  He happily obliged and gave me 2 batteries and these work just fine.  Too bad you returned the M10-R as its a stellar camera, very stable and IMO, renders color almost as good as the SL2-S.  r/ Mark

[Sandokan]

I can understand your frustration at having a camera which does not work as the battery is dead. I wasnt aware there was an issue with M10 batteries ... whenever I purchase a digital camera, I buy two extra batteries to go with it. 

But the batteries will re-appear and what is the cause of the issue, when all other Leica batteries seem to be in stock? 

[charlesphoto99]

12 minutes ago, LeicaR10 said:

Gtownby,   I understand your angst about the battery issue.  What I did when the battery shortage occured, I simply asked my Leica dealer for a couple of used M10 batteries that were laying around the back room.  He happily obliged and gave me 2 batteries and these work just fine.  Too bad you returned the M10-R as its a stellar camera, very stable and IMO, renders color almost as good as the SL2-S.  r/ Mark

Wishful thinking as many dealers/private parties are selling used M10 batteries at a premium above the MSRP. They are woefully out of stock everywhere except the EU so I doubt the dealer would have a couple of sought after $200 batteries just 'kicking around.'

[Siriusone59]

It does make me wonder why there seems to be no shortage of bp-scl7 batteries,  only the bp-scl5.🤔

[jakontil]

Some parts of the world like south east asian, can still get batteries easily…anyway, i dont rage about it, swapping my m10r bp with the m11 bp lol, n happy now the fw is reliable

[Jeff S]

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Not long ago I read here about the M10 battery supply issue in the US.  I wanted a spare for either my M10-M or M10-R, so made calls to a few dealers, not the usual suspects. Had a new battery delivered in 2 days.  
 

Shame the OP gave up on a fine M10-R.  

[gtownby]

Thanks, all, for your thoughtful responses to my somewhat emotional post. Hope Leica finds its way with execution that someday matches its innovation.

[PetPhoto]

2 hours ago, gtownby said:

Thanks, all, for your thoughtful responses to my somewhat emotional post. Hope Leica finds its way with execution that someday matches its innovation.

as the company I work for Magna has been spooling its incessant self back patting advertising in the break room..

"its HOW its designed... not done"

[T25UFO]

To reply specifically to the title, there’s “no outrage” because the battery is freely available.  Maybe other products will gradually go the same way in the interest of making america great again.

[lekitr]

6 hours ago, T25UFO said:

To reply specifically to the title, there’s “no outrage” because the battery is freely available.  Maybe other products will gradually go the same way in the interest of making america great again.

Where.......

[T25UFO]

31 minutes ago, lekitr said:

Where.......

Leica Store Mayfair (UK).  Bought two last week at £145.00 each.  I'm pretty sure they don't ship batteries outside UK, so not much help for Canada.  Sorry 😢

[FarbSpieler]

I picked up a brand-new M10 battery from Leica Store Berlin very recently—no issues at all.

Could it be just some temporary local supply problem rather than a global battery disaster?

If you’re still interested in the M system, it could be worth checking with Leica stores directly or looking in other regions.

[pgh]

I’m not happy about it at all, but I have 4 batteries that all work fine, for now. Lately I have been thinking about selling it all off though…20 years in the system including film, but I don’t like where they are going and the competition is better than ever.

For better or worse, I don’t really expect jack shit from Leica with regards to customer service. Worst in class repair times and no transparency about the issue, they are (and act) like a company that owes customers nothing and make luxury goods for a class of people where 10k is something like a rounding error as opposed to a real sacrifice. I’m still more outraged about the fact that since 2008 I’ve bought 3 new digital cameras from them and all 3 has issues that needed servicing, some problems more minor than others. I only buy used now where someone else is vouching for their function (any seller has been more reliable than the company) and have done much better there.

Anyways, unfortunately, most photographers by nature of the profession fall into the latter category mentioned above, where 10k is a real amount of money, and they make a camera that is very nice to use for lots of photographic purposes, and depending on what you want there really is no other alternative to the M. The price you pay is much higher than the difference between that and a Sony or a Nikon though and every buyer should recognize that going into it. 

To clarify for other posters, M10 batteries are essentially nowhere to be found in North America and have not been for some time, and any store can’t say when they will get more because Leica will not tell them. 

[jaapv]

I'm not sure whether Leica is entirely to blame -

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[jaapv]

On 3/10/2025 at 11:43 PM, Sandokan said:

I can understand your frustration at having a camera which does not work as the battery is dead. I wasn't aware there was an issue with M10 batteries ... whenever I purchase a digital camera, I buy two extra batteries to go with it. 

I concur completely. I would not buy any camera without buying a number of spare batteries at the same time.

The maths are simple.
For a domestic camera: two spares. One in the camera, one in the bag, one in the charge..Fora travel camera: four: one in the camera, two in the bag and two in two separate chargers. I have been known to forget to take a charger from its socket in a hotel room half a continent away… 

[Jsung]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

I'm not sure whether Leica is entirely to blame -

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I’m sure Leica is the one to blame

1. they can license third party manufacturers to produce. which they didn’t 

2. Other camera companies are not having this issue.

they fixed the problem for m11

so this matter becomes very minor to them

 

[Helge]

I don‘t think, Leica is to blame here (not anymore). Since the battery seems to be available everywhere locally, the issue might be similar to toilet paper in Germany during COVID.

There was a shortage, now everybody is buying (ordering) the goods like crazy, which creates a virtual shortage, especially for online orders. Since the batteries are not produced continuously, but in single lots, a lot is out of stock quickly and you have to wait for the next lot, which creates the impression of the next shortage, etc., etc., etc.,

This will only end, when all have at least 3 spare batteries at home. It does not make sense to increase production capacities for a temporary issue.

About the repair times: that have been discussed extensively. Main reason from my point of view: Leica repairs still very old cameras of an age nobody other manufacturer is repairing. This fact combined with the analogue hype we face now for about 5 years is causing a huge request for repairs. Since Germany has a major lack of general work force in virtually all areas and even a lot worse in the area of qualified mechanics this issue will last some more time (has already been relieved partly).

I‘m pretty sure, nobody would like the solution: do it like basically all other manufacturers, and stop repairing camera models with EOP 10 years ago or earlier😉

[jaapv]

11 hours ago, Jsung said:

I’m sure Leica is the one to blame

1. they can license third party manufacturers to produce. which they didn’t 

2. Other camera companies are not having this issue.

they fixed the problem for m11

so this matter becomes very minor to them

 

I doubt that licensing has anything to do with it. Reverse engineering is allowed and some Leica batteries are available from third parties. Whether there exist non-Leica batteries or not depends on whether anybody is interested in producing them. If there were anybody able to produce, ship  and sell high quality batteries at short notice Leica would buy them and sell them at a profit. 

The EV industry is a glutton for raw battery materials, so the challenges in the supply chain are huge, especially for smaller end distributors like Leica. No wonder that there are hiccups. 

https://www.anl.gov/access/article/directors-message-todays-battery-supply-chain-challenge

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Hallo,

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[jaapv]

7 hours ago, Helge said:

About the repair times: that have been discussed extensively. Main reason from my point of view: Leica repairs still very old cameras of an age nobody other manufacturer is repairing. This fact combined with the analogue hype we face now for about 5 years is causing a huge request for repairs. Since Germany has a major lack of general work force in virtually all areas and even a lot worse in the area of qualified mechanics this issue will last some more time (has already been relieved partly).

There are indications that Leica is getting to grips with repair time problems - slowly. The upgrading of the USA repair facility is starting to take effect.