Leica M240 series battery scarcity

Last week I called The Camera Shop of Santa Fe and asked if they could get a BP-SCL2 for me. They said that they could but that it was currently on back order. I paid the $99.95 and stepped into line. Nobody could say how long it will take but I'm OK with the wait. The pack I have is working fine.

I didn't know that we had a Leica camera dealer in New Mexico until now.

www.camerashopsf.com

Camera Shop of Santa Fe

The Camera Shop of Santa Fe has been in business since 1937 providing the best photo development and camera services in New Mexico. Our store can satisfy all your photography/videography needs.
www.camerashopsf.com www.camerashopsf.com
 
I had orders in with a couple of Leica stores plus B&H, and Leica Store Boston came through first. It’s out for delivery right now.

I hope B&H comes through with their less expensive one.
 
Ken Ford said:
I had orders in with a couple of Leica stores plus B&H, and Leica Store Boston came through first. It’s out for delivery right now.

I hope B&H comes through with their less expensive one.
Click to expand...

You guys are getting me "nervous in the service." I have two batteries for the M240 and 12 - 15 for the M8.2 and M9 but fear and paranoia reign in this house. So the BP-SCL2 is back-ordered at B&H. I've done business with them for 20+ years so they got the nod. I am using the M240 more and more, it marries well with the Thypoch Simera 40mm f/1.4. I just like the M240 with its less-in-your-face color. A matter of taste and as always, YMMV.

Thanks for the nudge. ;o)
 
I have two batteries each for my M10-M and M10-R (code BP-SCL5). Each battery essentially powers one of these bodies for about six walking photography sessions. They were in short supply, out of stock most places, in January, but a query to Leica USA surfaced a battery for me a week later.

Unless you're shooting a heck of a lot, you shouldn't need more than two batteries for any given camera, three in the extreme case (one in the camera, one charged and ready, one on the charger...). And these Li-Ion batteries last a long time cycle-wise, much longer than the older NiMH batteries did.

G
 
boojum said:
You guys are getting me "nervous in the service." I have two batteries for the M240 and 12 - 15 for the M8.2 and M9 but fear and paranoia reign in this house. So the BP-SCL2 is back-ordered at B&H. I've done business with them for 20+ years so they got the nod. I am using the M240 more and more, it marries well with the Thypoch Simera 40mm f/1.4. I just like the M240 with its less-in-your-face color. A matter of taste and as always, YMMV.

Thanks for the nudge. ;o)
Click to expand...

Leica Store Boston is $180 for the new batch of batteries which I assume is the new normal. Mine came in a plain brown box hand labeled, I think this is how the parts department sourced ones came. I suspect “real” retail packaging is coming.

I’m keeping my B&H preorder in place, but I fully expect them to jack the price up - I want to say it was $90.

Godfrey said:
I have two batteries each for my M10-M and M10-R (code BP-SCL5). Each battery essentially powers one of these bodies for about six walking photography sessions. They were in short supply, out of stock most places, in January, but a query to Leica USA surfaced a battery for me a week later.

Unless you're shooting a heck of a lot, you shouldn't need more than two batteries for any given camera, three in the extreme case (one in the camera, one charged and ready, one on the charger...). And these Li-Ion batteries last a long time cycle-wise, much longer than the older NiMH batteries did.

G
Click to expand...

Agreed. The M240 series bodies are amazingly battery stingy, but I tend to use the Visoflex quite a bit which reduces runtime. Even then, I’ve never gone through more than half a battery in a day’s shooting.
 
Ken Ford said:
...Agreed. The M240 series bodies are amazingly battery stingy, but I tend to use the Visoflex quite a bit which reduces runtime. Even then, I’ve never gone through more than half a battery in a day’s shooting.
Click to expand...
The M10-R and M10-M are also proving to be pretty efficient on power: after three weeks of photo walks use with the M10-M, starting with a freshly charged battery, it's now registering 50% consumed. I usually recharge when I see the charge level get down to 25% or so.

I think the winner, however, was my M-D 262. No LCD, no menus, etc, it seemed a charged battery lasted near forever... 🙂

G
 
If only they offered one for the M240. I only have one battery for my 240 and it's started to only charge to 85% lately. Feeling anxious.....
 
Reminds me, I will cycle through my M9 batteries again in the coming months. I never let them run down all the way, and they seem to hold charge for a long time. Can't say the same for the SCL6 used by the SL3/S and Q3, though. They run out faster than a cat through an open door.
 
filmtwit said:
This is a little off topic, but it appears you can get M10 knock off's on Amazon right now for just under $40.
Shipping times are not great, but under a month (mine took about 2 weeks).
Works with my camera and charger.

Amazon.com: FYIOGXG Battery for Leica M10, M10P, M10R PN:Leica 24003, BP-SCL5 1200mAh / 8.88Wh : Electronics

Amazon.com: FYIOGXG Battery for Leica M10, M10P, M10R PN:Leica 24003, BP-SCL5 1200mAh / 8.88Wh : Electronics
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
There is a BP-SCL5 thread here: M10 Battery BP-SCL5 availability

I am, if things go well, going to post a long-ish review about the third party BP-SCL5 batteries this weekend.

Marty
 
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