M8 charger reliability

D

double-m-7

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How reliable is the Leica M8 charger?

I am packing for a 4 week photo-trip to Eastern Africa and I am wondering if the Leica M8 charger (the brick) is reliable enough or if I need to take a backup charger.


Thanks!
 
i have used it for a couple years now and have had no problems. i use two batteries with it. you may want to search around RFF to see if there are any comments about related problems. i do not recall seeing any, but haven't looked for such posts. importantly, have a great trip to east africa. should be a great experience!
 
The "brick" is very reliable - more than can be said for the new, streamlined "travel" charger that is very picky about batteries. Given the size of the "brick", taking a backup is probably for those with a First Class baggage allowance.
 
runny said:
The "brick" is very reliable - more than can be said for the new, streamlined "travel" charger that is very picky about batteries. Given the size of the "brick", taking a backup is probably for those with a First Class baggage allowance.
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That's why I needed some advice, my bagage allowance is just 12 kg because of some domestic flights on light aircraft. So far the replies here and on other fora are positive so I will take my chances and just take the brick.

Back up is always good idea, especially with Leica product.
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Exactly, a Canon G11 just arrived as a backup for my M8.....
 
I answered your thread on the Leica Users Forum.

Basically, the charger is fine - the power socket adapters are easily broken when backpacking around. Solution - buy a spare and when moving about, seperate the adapter from the charger and keep the adapter in a hard-sided box so it does not get squished.
 
Actually the adapters are fine too - but you are supposed to remove them when tarnsporting the charger. I go to AfrIca each year. I have never done so without an extra charger. It is not as if one can get hold of a spare one straight away and even if it is reliable - it is not immortal. I recall about five instances in these forums of one duying, among which mine in 2006 and another that blew a fuse reported in LUF a few days ago. As the charger is often used in a separate location in bush settings it is prone to be forgotten when changing camps. You will get it back after some time - there is a whole circuit reuniting chargers and binos with owners all over Africa, but it will take time....
 
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Thanks for the info, I will take an extra socket adapter to minimize problems. I never had problems with Canon chargers, it's only because someone recently reported a Leica charger problem that I started thinking about this.

If I had asked "how reliable is the M8" I think we would hit page 25 right now, the fact that the number of replies is so minimal is some indication about the reliability.

You will get it back after some time - there is a whole circuit reuniting chargers and binos with owners all over Africa, but it will take time....
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Maybe I return home with a couple of extra M8 chargers....
 
I bought an Ansmann (the same company that makes the chargers for Leica) Digi Charger Vario. It's very small and light and it has movable contacts to charge any shape battery, even AA, so it serves as backup charger for all my devices.
 
besteyes said:
Given the size of the "brick", taking a backup is probably for those with a First Class baggage allowance.
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If you fly NorthWest-KLM-Air Kenya into East Africa, you get the USA allowance, even if departing from Schiphol: two pieces of 23 Kg each plus 12 Kg of hand-luggage. Surely a rather light, if bulky, charger won't make much of a difference.;)
 
jaapv said:
If you fly NorthWest-KLM-Air Kenya into East Africa, you get the USA allowance, even if departing from Schiphol: two pieces of 23 Kg each plus 12 Kg of hand-luggage. Surely a rather light, if bulky, charger won't make much of a difference.;)
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On the 777 it doesn't make a difference, on the Cessna 152 that flies me to my destination it does.....max payload 2 adults,1 goat and a backpack....
 
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