larry Posted October 3, 2006 Share #1 Posted October 3, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Forgive me if this topic has been addressed in another thread, but the one thing that makes me a little nervous about the M8 is its Li-Ion battery. Li-Ion batteries have a lot of advantages over NiCad and NiMh, including a much better power-to-weight ratio, no memory problems (as with NiCad) and very high charge/discharge numbers. However, they have a limited shelf life -- typically two to three years -- whether they're used or not. My concern is the long-term availability of this battery if it's specifically made for the M8. I would rather Leica had used rechargeable AA batteries to ensure availability. Maybe I'm off-base; does anyone else have concerns about this issue? Larry Okrend Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 3, 2006 Posted October 3, 2006 Hi larry, Take a look here M8 Li-Ion battery. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
reprobit Posted October 3, 2006 Share #2 Posted October 3, 2006 Larry, your are right. Other manufacturers do concern about this issue. Regarding the M8 I guess that Leica focused on that point that nothing should change in the size of the camera and how it feels. Even the Baseplate has the same procedure to be removed as it was in the past. Therefore for some applications we will miss some features how to powersupply the camera. Additional there are disadvantages in operating the camera on a tripod or copystand because an external power supply is missing, or the camera has to be dismounted to replace the battery. Bernd Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted October 3, 2006 Share #3 Posted October 3, 2006 If on a tripod you can release the base plate and leave that on the tripod than make the battery change and put it back on . Nothing will move if you left the base plate on the tripod Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted October 3, 2006 Share #4 Posted October 3, 2006 I use Li-ion batteries in a video camera that I have had for more than 10 years, now. I take care to keep them charged on a regular, rotating basis, never letting them go into deep discharge. I have 5 of these batteries that have been operating properly for all this time. I have 2 Li-ion batteries for my D2 and have been using them for almost 3 years now. I also alternate them in use and keep them charged. I have not seen a lot of ocmplaints about Li-ion batteries. I spend a lot on non-rechargeable (anyline, or whatever they are) batteries and wish I didn't have to do this. In any case, I have had great success with Li-ion batteries and prefer them to NiCd or NiMh Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ross Posted October 3, 2006 Share #5 Posted October 3, 2006 However, they have a limited shelf life -- typically two to three years -- whether they're used or not. Maybe I'm off-base; does anyone else have concerns about this issue? Larry Okrend Larry, I must have very untipical batteries, because they are all just fine. 2 from 2002, 2 from 2003, 1 from 2005. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted October 3, 2006 Share #6 Posted October 3, 2006 My concern is the long-term availability of this battery if it's specifically made for the M8. I would rather Leica had used rechargeable AA batteries to ensure availability. I agree that the battery is a funny shape. However, I expect that this will be the fault of panasonic and we know the Japanese don't understand the term long-term. I plan to buy a couple of extra units and to keep them in my regular recharge cycle. Isn't photography fun? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry Posted October 3, 2006 Author Share #7 Posted October 3, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Let's hope Leica is buying a high-quality battery that incorporates the latest technology. I've had excellent luck with the Li-Ion batteries for my Sony video camera that I purchased in 1999, but I've had lightly used cell-phone batteries die in less than two years. I'm 90 percent certain I'm going to buy an M8, but the battery issue (and a few other minor questions) could be the deal-breaker. Larry Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grober Posted October 3, 2006 Share #8 Posted October 3, 2006 If the lithium ion battery is bad in your eyes, then don't get the M8! Here's looking at it the other way around: some of us will buy the M8 even if the battery proves to be a problem: we'll find a work-around and keep shooting. (Once bitten by the Leica bug, there's no cure.) Battery technology is a fluid and evolving science these days. I trust Leica to have made the best design decision possible given the range of technologies available at the time. -g Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona!d Posted October 3, 2006 Share #9 Posted October 3, 2006 The camera has a USB2-port (and it´s outside the baseplate!). Powering devices via USB-port is not a big deal, isn´t it? Therefore for some applications we will miss some features how to powersupply the camera. Additional there are disadvantages in operating the camera on a tripod or copystand because an external power supply is missing, or the camera has to be dismounted to replace the battery. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted October 3, 2006 Share #10 Posted October 3, 2006 The camera has a USB2-port (and it´s outside the baseplate!). Powering devices via USB-port is not a big deal, isn´t it? Can you actually power the camera via the USB port? This is possible with equipment such as iPods, but I am not sure whether the M8 was designed to do this. Your experience with the camera would be helpful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted October 3, 2006 Share #11 Posted October 3, 2006 I am sceptical that there will be a problem with the (Funny Shaped) battery. As mentioned, I've had no problems with Li-ion batteries so far. I agree that the ones in cell phones stink, but in general, batteries stink. We need some new technology in this area. If there is a problem, of course, Leica will have no option but to fix it. This is their flagship camera, after all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted October 3, 2006 Share #12 Posted October 3, 2006 I have three batteries for my D2 which all work just fine after 2 1/2 years. I keep them going using them in order and keeping them charged. Can you actually power the camera via the USB port? This is possible with equipment such as iPods, but I am not sure whether the M8 was designed to do this. Your experience with the camera would be helpful. The M8's battery is pretty much like a high capacity cell-phone battery. My Sony-Ericsson uses a 3.6V 900mAh battery, the M8 a 3.7V 1900mAh. My phone charges just fine from my laptop's USB port which according to the specification has to deliver 5V also over the mini type B plug the M8 has. There is a limit to how much juice a device can pull over a USB cable, one of my external harddrives runs off two USB cables, one for the data signal and one to help power it as a single cable can't draw the required ampage from the port, the PC would suffer a black out. This is all theory and I beleivethere would need to be some circutry in the M8 to facilitate it running of the port/charge the battry from the current supplied. The camera being as crampted as it is Leica may have skipped this to save room for the important bits. Most of us is going to get at least one spare battery anyway. Life expecancy and availability of spares might be a worry, but it is jut the way things are. Live with it or stick with film. What we have to hope for is that we see other devices using the same power cell. Panasonic uses the same cell as the D2 in several of their devices (including the D3 I beleive) and this keeps prolongig the availability of that type of cell. - Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona!d Posted October 3, 2006 Share #13 Posted October 3, 2006 Andy, i never tried the USB-port of the camera, but I think it´s not totally impossible to "help" the build in battery at longtime-jobs. Maybe the battery is necessary to run the camera. I will check this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted October 3, 2006 Share #14 Posted October 3, 2006 I don't think there's any reason to be concerned about the M8 battery. It lasts a long time in the M8 and Leica is very serious about supporting the camera. I really don't think we need to be worried about it at all. Ditto with respect to the USB jack cover that some seem to be concerned about. Cheers, Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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