Used M240 issues

[EpicRavenLord]

Hey everyone! I stepped back into rangfinder photography with a Leica M240 purchase. Couple questions here that I can't quite figure out. The frame lines don't change when I attach my Voigtlander 50 1.1 it says with the 28/90 combo...not sure why is there any thing I can do to get the 50 lines? Im thinking maybe the lever is stuck or something?

I have 2 batteries and even though the charger says 100% charged one of them reads 50% when I put it in the camera? Any help would be appreciated. I love the rangefinder focusing and Im so happy to be back to that! I got a great deal but need to clean the sensor...which I've done with other cameras and practice my focusing!
Thanks

 

[a.noctilux]

Welcome to M240 world.


I see that you own two M lenses.
How about the other I think that it's 35mm and not "34", as in your signature.


Concerning the batteries:
Are they Leica 14499- BP-SCL2 ?


If yes, you can check for the date coding engraved on the battery as " 1916VB" on one of mine, for example (not on stickers ) means week 19 of 2016 (meaning of VB, I don't know, maybe Varta Battery ?).


In my M240 manual, Leica recommand to replace them after four years of use.

 

[Gregm61]

Yeah, M240's have now been around for 7 years, so many of the batteries should start seeing the end of their useful lives. I have two M9 batteries that don't charge beyond 50% whether I leave them in the charger for 2 hours or 10 hours. My M262, the only M I've even purchased new and an M240 variant that uses the same M240 batteries, is now 3 years old and those batteries are still going strong and fully charging to 100%. I would anticipate seeing that start to decline within the next couple of years or so.

As far as the frame lines now showing correctly, that may be something that requires a trip to the Leica service. The standard M240 does not have the preview lever for you to check if the lines switch as you review all of the focal lengths and that can go out on even standard M models that operate with the mechanical/optical system vs. the electronic lines introduced in the M240.