[Leica] My last aftermarket battery just died

[pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein)]

I have two Leica batteries that came with my M8 order in 2007.  In late 
2010 one would not hold a charge. Later I deep-cyled it twice, and it 
started working again. A charge doesn't last quite as long as it used to 
on either Leica battery, but they still work after 6 years.

I also have two aftermarket batteries. I bought in late 2010, just 
before a trip abroad, because of the above problem with the Leica 
battery. At the time, genuine Leica batteries were unavailable. Like 
Nathan, I bought them from a reputable domestic battery dealer rather 
than an unknown Asian ebay supplier. A full charge on these batteries 
actually lasts a little longer than the original Leica batteries did. 
The one quirk they have is that the M8 battery indicator is accurate 
only if I run the battery almost down to the wire before I re-charge 
it.  I'll live.  Beyond that, no complaints.

The early aftermarket batteries had a lower mAh (milliamp-hours) rating 
than the Leica battery. That, plus the uncertain provenance and QC of 
the Asian ebay suppliers may account for some of the problems. From what 
I've heard on other forums, if the mAh rating is as good or better than 
Leica's, and the supplier is reputable, you're probably going to be OK.

--Peter


 > I have a mix of Leica and aftermarket batteries for my M8, and a mix of
 > Pentax and aftermarket batteries for my K5, and I cannot distinguish 
between
 > them in terms of performance. I have had a few duds, but still have 
saved
 > large amounts of money, even taking that into account. I usually do 
not buy
 > batteries on ebay but rather in good online shops such as 
batteryking.eu or
 > batterier.dk.
 >
 > Nathan Wajsman
 > Alicante, Spain
 > http://www.frozenlight.eu
 > http://www.greatpix.eu
 > PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
 > Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/
 >
 > YNWA
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > On Mar 16, 2013, at 11:39 PM, Mark Rabiner wrote:
 >
 > > I remember the first time I ever tried to lookup something on the 
internet.
 > > And I was paying by the minute!
 > > There I am looking at listing of people talking about it on discussion
 > > groups. Why would I ever want to read those!? Just give me a reliable
 > > source
 > > please! A review from a real reviewer, the manufactures specs. A 
book on
 > > it...
 > >
 > > Later on things changed I was on some of those discussion groups 
and I'm
 > > realizing that when you look at a discussion with 25 people all 
saying a
 > > product  crapped out on them after a year then that's better than a
 > > reference to an encyclopedia or some expert or bloggers opinion or
 > > certainly
 > > the hype from the manufacture.
 > > Its  the direct experience from 25 users.
 > >
 > > This particular thread here  " My last aftermarket battery just died"
 > > opened
 > > with a guy saying that all 25 of his aftermarket batteries are dead 
and a
 > > pile of people all concurred with the exact same experience.
 > > NO ONE came on and said "My aftermarket batteries have been working 
for me
 > > like a brand marked one was for years".
 > > Yet it has never the less evolved into quite a controversy.
 > > It seems that just like the use of UV filter there are people who 
are in
 > > the
 > > mindset that despite all logic and history after buying a premium 
piece of
 > > gear they are going to skimp like crazy on all the stuff which 
makes it go.
 > > So its not logic which is the issue here folks..
 > >