johnbuckley
Member
I've seen sporadic reference to others having this issue, but since there hasn't been a comprehensive thread, I thought I would ask if others have had the same experience, and if so, what they think the cause may be.
Yesterday, with what I believed was a fully charged battery, I went out to take some photos with my M8. After approximately five shots, it suddenly went dead. I had to take it home and recharge the battery. Did not have problems subsequently. But still...
Anyone have the same issue? Is it likely that this relates to the fact that it was the battery's first charge, or potentially something more nefarious?
Yesterday, with what I believed was a fully charged battery, I went out to take some photos with my M8. After approximately five shots, it suddenly went dead. I had to take it home and recharge the battery. Did not have problems subsequently. But still...
Anyone have the same issue? Is it likely that this relates to the fact that it was the battery's first charge, or potentially something more nefarious?
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Other digital camera's (including Leica's) have connection cords to run the camera directly off the charger 
Where are the spare batteries!!
Where are the spare batteries!!
rogue_designer
Reciprocity Failure
Admittedly frustrating, I don't know what may have caused it. (You tried reseating the battery, etc.?)
It's a fact of life with digital cameras. I never ever shoot with a digital unless I have at least one spare charged battery in the bag. Just as I don't shoot without an extra roll of film handy in an analog body. It's part of the routine.
Doesn't help you tremendously, I know. I would be suprised if leica did anything radical with battery technology, so I doubt it's something serious (or systemic). But do keep us updated if the problem repeats itself.
It's a fact of life with digital cameras. I never ever shoot with a digital unless I have at least one spare charged battery in the bag. Just as I don't shoot without an extra roll of film handy in an analog body. It's part of the routine.
Doesn't help you tremendously, I know. I would be suprised if leica did anything radical with battery technology, so I doubt it's something serious (or systemic). But do keep us updated if the problem repeats itself.
caoimhin
Newbie
Battery Charging Problem
Battery Charging Problem
My challenge is more severe.
I plugged in the charger overnight (6+ hours). In the morning it was still showing charging. I put the battery in the camera and it showed only one (of three) bars. I took about twenty photos and it died. I have the battery charging now and have my fingers crossed.
kevin
Battery Charging Problem
My challenge is more severe.
I plugged in the charger overnight (6+ hours). In the morning it was still showing charging. I put the battery in the camera and it showed only one (of three) bars. I took about twenty photos and it died. I have the battery charging now and have my fingers crossed.
kevin
Susan_NYC
Member
battery problem here, too
battery problem here, too
My M8 is almost two weeks old, and yesterday for the first time the battery starting going dead between shots. I knew it was charged, so I turned it off and took out and reinserted the battery. That worked. But it happened a few more times within a few hours.
Today the battery was fine.
Are you reporting each problem you have to anyone? If yes, to whom should I report this?
battery problem here, too
My M8 is almost two weeks old, and yesterday for the first time the battery starting going dead between shots. I knew it was charged, so I turned it off and took out and reinserted the battery. That worked. But it happened a few more times within a few hours.
Today the battery was fine.
Are you reporting each problem you have to anyone? If yes, to whom should I report this?
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
AGeoJO
Established
After about 30 shots on a full battery charge, the battery indicator of the camera showed only two bars instead of the full three. I recharged the battery, which took only a few minutes and after the indicator showed that the charging was done, I inserted the fully charged battery into the camera. But again, only two bars are showing, indicating that the camera didn't see that battery was fully charged. Maybe it is a matter of the battery indicator not functioning properly. I will try to use up the battery charge this time without paying too much attention to the display. I'd like to know how many shots I can get with a fully charge battery.
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Ronald M
Veteran
Buy an extra battery. You need one anyway. If it behaves the same, send it all in. If not, the first battery was bad.
roblumba
Established
It's a small battery
It's a small battery
With my 1D MarkII the battery can last for days. I've done weddings, shooting over 1000 pictures and the battery still shows a full charge. However, if you take the 1DMarkII battery out, it's a monster. The M8 has a tiny battery. Looks a lot like a cell phone battery to me.
Sometimes batteries show a full charge when they are first pulled off the charger. I'm suprised the charger shows a full charge and the camera shows only 2 bars. Perhaps leave the battery on the charger overnight and see if it does the same thing.
If there's a refresh function on the charger, it will drain the battery completely before recharging it. That might help to do once in a great while.
It's a small battery
With my 1D MarkII the battery can last for days. I've done weddings, shooting over 1000 pictures and the battery still shows a full charge. However, if you take the 1DMarkII battery out, it's a monster. The M8 has a tiny battery. Looks a lot like a cell phone battery to me.
Sometimes batteries show a full charge when they are first pulled off the charger. I'm suprised the charger shows a full charge and the camera shows only 2 bars. Perhaps leave the battery on the charger overnight and see if it does the same thing.
If there's a refresh function on the charger, it will drain the battery completely before recharging it. That might help to do once in a great while.
venchka
Veteran
Canon batteries are good. I've got 3 for my Canon video camera. They charge fast and last a long time.
Are the Leica batteries Li-ion (lithium ion) ? If not, they should be. I hope this isn't another case of making sure the camera with battery didn't weigh a gram more than the M3 for fear of repeating the M5 fiasco. Face it, if you want digital ya gotta have horesepower. Maybe somebody will rush a battery grip to market. Leica should be buying the whole battery sub-system from Canon, Nikon, etc.
No, I don't own an M8. Yes I do own cameras that rely on rechargeable batteries. If you want staying power you have to have decent sized batteries.
It also helps to charge-discarge-charge these batteries when new.
Good luck y'all!
Are the Leica batteries Li-ion (lithium ion) ? If not, they should be. I hope this isn't another case of making sure the camera with battery didn't weigh a gram more than the M3 for fear of repeating the M5 fiasco. Face it, if you want digital ya gotta have horesepower. Maybe somebody will rush a battery grip to market. Leica should be buying the whole battery sub-system from Canon, Nikon, etc.
No, I don't own an M8. Yes I do own cameras that rely on rechargeable batteries. If you want staying power you have to have decent sized batteries.
It also helps to charge-discarge-charge these batteries when new.
Good luck y'all!
stanley
Newbie
Susan_NYC said:
My problem is the M8 only shows 2 bars for a freshly charged (4 hrs) battery. I was told to send everything back to Leica after 12/6 registration.
Susan_NYC
Member
it'll be hard parting with the camera, even for a little
it'll be hard parting with the camera, even for a little
I don't want to part with my camera - though I imagine turnaround time will be fast. And I have the flares, the streaks, etc. - and will have to do it...
it'll be hard parting with the camera, even for a little
I don't want to part with my camera - though I imagine turnaround time will be fast. And I have the flares, the streaks, etc. - and will have to do it...
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Susan_NYC said:
How is it doing now? it sounds like dirty or greasy contacts. If so : sopropylacohol.
Susan_NYC said:
Exactly my feelings... I am in no hurry. No streaking and only twice the star-wars flare.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Ronald M said:
We would if there were any available- not even in Solms...
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
You know what's funny (in a sad way, sometimes)? I have a spare battery. But that's all I have. Who knows how much longer I have to wait.jaapv said:We would if there were any available- not even in Solms...
rvaubel
Well-known
Gabriel M.A. said:You know what's funny (in a sad way, sometimes)? I have a spare battery. But that's all I have. Who knows how much longer I have to wait.
Yah, and I have a Heliopan IR filter but no M8
I am also waiting Rex
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Offer:95 Euro?Gabriel M.A. said:You know what's funny (in a sad way, sometimes)? I have a spare battery. But that's all I have. Who knows how much longer I have to wait.
thawkins
Well-known
Hi-Tech is great until the battery goes down!!!
Susan_NYC
Member
As early as 2 wks old my M8 was acting up; at 2 months it died
As early as 2 wks old my M8 was acting up; at 2 months it died
I see above that I posted about the battery failure when my M8 was 2 weeks old. The M8 kept having problems, and when it was 2 months old (almost to the day) it died entirely. I've been without it since January 12, when it went to Germany for upgrade and repair.
As early as 2 wks old my M8 was acting up; at 2 months it died
I see above that I posted about the battery failure when my M8 was 2 weeks old. The M8 kept having problems, and when it was 2 months old (almost to the day) it died entirely. I've been without it since January 12, when it went to Germany for upgrade and repair.
SteveT
Newbie
This is definitely a problem...I measure it by 2gig SD cards...A battery gets at most two cards if you do no reviewing. If you review, you just eek out about one card.
But my battery will just up and die whenever it wants. Totally unreliable. You need a whole stack of them when you go out on a shoot!
But my battery will just up and die whenever it wants. Totally unreliable. You need a whole stack of them when you go out on a shoot!