Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/08/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The batteries are exactly the same but if the word "Leica" on the battery makes one feel better then that's fine too. $130 vs $19. I shot both the M8 and M9 since January 2010 and the only problems I had with batteries were one non-OEM that arrived DOA and another original Leica battery that caused sensor problems and shutter faults. That's a small sample of only 8 batteries but that was my experience. Phil Forrest On Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:07:20 -0400 Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote: > Again I go back to your seven thousand dollar investment. Filled with > delicate electronics and costing seven grand usd. > THEN having spent the 7 grand we don't want to spend another hundred > bucks on a backup battery we want to subject this mechanism to an > unknown entity at cut rate prices.? Not my mentality at all. > The minute I'd see a light blinking faster than I thought I'd > remember it blinking I'd go "quick put the real battery in there > before it shorts out". > > Mark William Rabiner > Photography > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/ > > > > From: Frank Filippone <red735i at earthlink.net> > > Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > > Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2012 10:56:37 -0700 > > To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Battery Report M9 Firmware 1.196 > > > > There is only 1 application for the Leica battery... otherwise > > called the BLI-312. Leica M8/9 cameras. Overall, substantially > > less than 200,000 have been made in the past 6 years or so. ( even > > if I am wrong with the 200,00, certainly no one would think Leica > > made a Million M8 or M9 cameras....) > > > > The market for Leica M8/9 batteries is so small, there is only 1 > > conclusion that can be drawn.... All the batteries, Leica branded > > or otherwise, are from the same manufacturer(s). > > > > The ones that Leica gets are tested and have passed some Leica > > criteria. The batteries you get from aftermarket companies are the > > ones that may have passed, are overruns, or failed some test > > criteria of Leica. You do not know which. > > > > Further, in MOST firmware, there is a check program that looks for > > the current residing version. If the proposed version is more > > recent than the old, you can upgrade. If the proposed version is > > older than the current residing version, you can not upgrade. It > > is likely Leica employed this in the design of the new FW. ( I > > think I remember something on this in this forum in the past.... > > ) If you are going to try this, you will need to have kept on > > your computer or SDHC Card, the old version of the FW, as Leica > > keeps only 1 version available for download at one time.... V1.196 > > currently > > > > More further, if you are chicken to upgrade FW because of your > > supply of aftermarket batteries, remember that the next version of > > the FW will be based upon this version of FW. All the worries you > > have about batteries will be repeated ad nauseum in the future. > > Which means that IF Leica does improve something ( not only an > > added feature, but a real improvement), unless you bite the bullet, > > you are locked out of that improvement. Eventually you will drink > > the Kool Aid. > > > > Lastly... the aftermarket batteries cost 1/10 those of Leica > > heritage. If the aftermarket batteries only last 1/2 as long, and > > cost 1/10 as much, you are 5 times more ahead of the game...... > > Basic logic says that if you need or want a mess of batteries > > ( long trip, remote trip, long shooting session, etc) you are best > > off financially buying the aftermarket ones, cull out he bad ones, > > and keep the good ones..... but they may not last as long..... no > > big deal, remember they saved you $140 each. > > > > Forget the Apple battery comparisons... Apple makes so many > > computers, that it pays an aftermarket manufacturer to make a > > battery from their own designs. Some of these designs will use > > parts that are different, "differently" toleranced, or just plain > > defective. Not true with Leica. Not enough market to be worth the > > production and marketing headaches. > > > > My M9 comes back from the Doctor tonight. I will install the new > > version of the FW, and try out my OEM and old non-OEM batteries and > > report back. Hopefully that will put this to bed, finally. > > > > Frank Filippone > > Red735i at earthlink.net > > > > > > Anyway, all three fit the M charger, work fine in the M9, and > > report a full charge. > > > > FWIW, I have had extensive experience with replacement batteries > > for Apple notebooks. Like Leica, the Apple batteries seem > > over-priced, and the Chinese replacement batteries are way cheaper. > > When you first get one they seem to work okay, and once in a while > > you get a good one that holds its charge and you feel smart because > > you just saved over $100. However, some Chinese batteries have > > small tolerance problems, and don't fit precisely (it might fall > > off). Some don't fully charge, or recharge. In that case you just > > lost your $25 bargain. From this I would say that the suspect > > battery has to be tested in an M9 to be sure. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -- http://philipforrestphoto.wordpress.com/ http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/philforrest