The Achilles Heel of Classic Digital Cameras.

 

The camera I used to take this photo did not have a battery. No battery.

But then again, they could stop making medium format film so there's always something

to worry about...

There are a lot of older digital cameras I really like. But some of them have a fatal flaw; at least for long term users. And heavy users. And careless users. They take proprietary batteries that are no longer available. Or, perhaps only available to millionaires who can commission companies to custom make batteries for them.

Why am I writing this now? Well, I own three of Leica's most widely distributed digital rangefinder cameras, the M240 family. The battery in that camera is pretty miraculous, by modern digital standards. It's heavy and chunky and I'm betting I could use one of my M240 cameras for a week on just one battery charge. Of course that would hinge on using the camera in the "correct" way. You'd need to shy away from live view. Live view crunches through even the best batteries pretty quickly. You might also want to be very sparing in your use of an accessory EVF as those are also accomplished battery draining devices. But if you use an M240 as the photo gods intended (rangefinder focusing, viewing through the optical viewfinder window, less chimping) you'll likely be astounded at the battery life. 

When I bought my third version of the M240 (the M-E, released in 2019) and also realized that no third party makes or ever made a replacement battery for the M240 series I thought it might be wise, if I intended to keep the cameras, to invest in one back-up battery per camera. Since I felt committed to using those cameras for a long time I bit the bullet and splashed out for three new, additional batteries for the system. A total of about $675. I figured that there may come a time, on a job or big self-assigned project, when I might want to shoot in the "old school" rangefinder/photojournalist method of putting a 90mm lens on one camera, a 35 or 50mm lens on a second camera and a 28mm lens on a third camera and spend the day shooting and "zooming" with my feet and my collection of three widely spaced focal length lenses. I might also want to add a 21mm lens to the mix at some point and that would definitely want to ride around on its own camera, along with a 21mm finder. 

Tradition requires that I have at least one back up battery for each camera in use. Ergo, to wit, QED, six batteries --- at a minimum. I'm also careful to sequence the batteries in use. I number them and then make sure I use them in order and charge them in order. A constant rotation of the battery stock. 

I do this because I somewhat believe that most batteries die because they sit in drawers, unused, for years at a time while whatever battery is currently in one's camera gets all the love and attention. No love for the back-up? Eventually this disregard will be paid back. 

For now everything is fine. Or was. Then I read on a forum for Leica users that the batteries for the M240 system were being discontinued. That sparked a bit of panic on my part so I rushed to the Leica Store Miami Website to order a few more. Nope. Then B&H? Nope --- no longer even a listing. 

With good maintenance I can probably keep my collection of batteries alive for at least five more years. But what happens after that? Will a vendor spring into action and make us some replacements? Will the European Consumer Protection laws mandate the batteries as a "replacement" part for seven years from the discontinuation of the last M240 variant (the M-E)? Will I use a 3D printer to make a "dummy" battery that will allow me to continue to use the cameras albeit with a very kludgy add on? Inquiring minds want to know. 

This battery ghosting first happened to me back in the days when Kodak's professional digital cameras used big and (for the time) quite expensive metal nickel hydrid batteries. The cameras I used, the DCS 760C, absolutely sucked down battery power when in use. Hell, even when just sitting on the desk. And having a stack of $125 batteries (2003 dollars!!!) was mandatory for commercial work. The batteries were no where near as long lasting as current lithium based batteries and the use case for one of the old Kodak batteries was about a year before their ability to hold a charge diminished month by month, week by week and, at the end, day by day.

It was disappointing because, at least in the studio, the camera and its sensor were wonderful. Well, wonderful at ISO 80, and even all the way up to ISO 100. Okay, CCD tech had some stumbling blocks...

I'll remain optimistic that market demand will resurrect the supply of M240 batteries and when they do return I'll be sure to bust open my piggy bank and buy one more set of three. Just to be sure. 

The funny thing is how much different the situation is with the nearly as aged (introduced in 2015) Leica SL (type 601) camera and also the Q2 (2019). Both of these were delivered with the SCL4 battery from Leica and it's pretty much mandatory to use that battery type in both cameras because of the physical interlock system for securing the battery in the camera. There are no third party solutions here either. And it feels like they realized how locked in the market was since the replacement batteries were priced, in the USA, at $285 each. Under the skin they seemed electrically identical to the Panasonic S5 batteries....

But here is the interesting thing, when Leica introduced the new SL3 and the new Q3 both cameras came with a new battery, the SCL6. It provides about 20% more power than the battery from the previous cameras models AND/BUT it's $85 cheaper and will work perfectly/interchangeably with the SL, the SL2, the SL2s and the Q2 cameras. No battery obsolescence. Plug and play. Amazing. 

The new batteries offer benefits to the older cameras. Longer run times and, in the SL2, much more stable 4K full frame video performance. 

If you are one of the lucky photographers who snapped up one or more Leica CL cameras (so cute!!!) you not only got a great camera you also got a huge range of replacement batteries to choose from that seamlessly (in most cases) take the place of the $140 Leica branded battery. Like the $50 Panasonic branded version that is, for all intents, purposes and trade dress, is identical to the Leica battery. Better yet, the Sigma fp and fpL both use an identical battery, also made by Panasonic, which cost me $40 each. And if you are feeling especially miserly you can pick up Watson or some other off brand batteries for your CLs for about $20. Usually with a rudimentary charger included. 

So, while the M series cameras seem to change their battery configurations and available power levels with every new generation of cameras, obsoleting, over time, their previous batteries, the other models in the Leica line up ---either by good planning or dumb luck --- soldier on unencumbered by the threat of landing their owners into a battery desert. 

If you are buying mainstream cameras you'll probably have better luck. Nikon cameras seem to have an endless supply of replacement batteries available in the camera universe as does Canon. Many Sony cameras all shared a really shitty small battery across their A7 line for years but even though they have the power reserves of Jello they are available everywhere and the third party vendors were thrilled to join in the delivery of a very underpowered and mediocre power solution for what can be very good cameras. If you are an A7, A7ii, A7r or A7rxx user you probably already know about their battery needs and likely have a bucket full of replacement batteries that you carry around on jobs with you...

But battery obsolescence really is an issue for many of us. Especially for people with older, favorite cameras. Just because the menace hasn't affected you yet doesn't mean it won't. It's the Achilles Heel of technology. And..... just out of curiosity, when will CF cards exit the market? That should be interesting to read about.

If you find a Leica authorized dealer out there with new M240 batteries please drop me a line and let me know. I'd hate for these darling cameras to lose their power sources and become beautiful desk ornaments.... That would be tragic.