A "mercury-free" replacement battery?

koniczech said:
does anyone know if this battery actually works "in cameras such as Yashicas (Electro 35GL, Electro GSN, Electro GTN, Electro AX, MG-1)"
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It's the right size and the right voltage, so it should work fine. I used to use Duracell PX32A batteries until they stopped making them (years ago now) and since then, I've been using the Yashica Guy adapters or (like everyone else here) PX28A batteries, wrapped thickly with tape and with an aluminum foil plug in the bottom of the roll. Nice to know PX32As are in production again.
 
xwhatsit said:
The Minister D and Lynx 1000 are holding much more charm for me, despite taking objectively worse photos.
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If possible, I'd look for a Lynx 14e or a Lynx 5000 instead of the Lynx 1000. The 1000 is powered by a selenium cell, which is (almost certainly) dead by now, since selenium cells only had a typical lifespan of 10 years. BTW, if it is working right, and you know how to use it, a Lynx will absolutely NOT take worse photos. A Lynx is a much better camera.
 
FallisPhoto said:
If possible, I'd look for a Lynx 14e or a Lynx 5000 instead of the Lynx 1000. The 1000 is powered by a selenium cell, which is (almost certainly) dead by now, since selenium cells only had a typical lifespan of 10 years. BTW, if it is working right, and you know how to use it, a Lynx will absolutely NOT take worse photos. A Lynx is a much better camera.
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I dunno, I'd like the extra fast lens of the Lynx 14, however they're pretty thin on the ground. No doubt I'll snap one up if I see one, but it won't replace the 1000. The 1000 has got the extra shutter speed (how accurate the 1/1000 is I don't know though) and can also stop down to f22, so it has its place. Plus, it's quite a bit more compact than the Minister D and the 14 and the 5000. The selenium cell still functions, although it's rubbish in low light -- for that I have a Sekonic meter. Would like to learn how to better shoot meterless -- I read available light photographers from that era tended to just leave their cameras wide open, set shutter to 30 or 60 and push-process their film mercilessly when shooting indoors. The worse image quality is from the scratched coating on the front lens group of the Minister and the fungus-etched rear lens group on the Lynx 1000, leading to some softness around the edges at f1.8. The Minister also seems to be slightly off when focusing down to 0.8m, despite calibrating the rangefinder for infinite focus precisely.
koniczech said:
Thanks for all the help, guys! I got the roll back from CVS today with 37 completely developed photos!

Here are some cheap CVS scans:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46940818@N06/4462408077/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46940818@N06/4463200364/

Thanks again!
koniczech
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Congratulations man -- glad you sussed out the loading, it's not always intuitive for digicam P&S refugees in their early 20s such as me :p
 
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xwhatsit said:
I dunno, I'd like the extra fast lens of the Lynx 14, however they're pretty thin on the ground. No doubt I'll snap one up if I see one, but it won't replace the 1000. The 1000 has got the extra shutter speed (how accurate the 1/1000 is I don't know though) and can also stop down to f22, so it has its place. Plus, it's quite a bit more compact than the Minister D and the 14 and the 5000. The selenium cell still functions, although it's rubbish in low light -- for that I have a Sekonic meter. Would like to learn how to better shoot meterless -- I read available light photographers from that era tended to just leave their cameras wide open, set shutter to 30 or 60 and push-process their film mercilessly when shooting indoors. The worse image quality is from the scratched coating on the front lens group of the Minister and the fungus-etched rear lens group on the Lynx 1000, leading to some softness around the edges at f1.8. The Minister also seems to be slightly off when focusing down to 0.8m, despite calibrating the rangefinder for infinite focus precisely.
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Did I understand this right? You're picking a pair of cameras with bad lenses to get another shutter speed?
 
I simply soldered a small spring to the battery compartment cover. Then you just need to fill the interior space to make it narrower. Or not worry about it. You can use the PX28 or 4LR44 battery, and it will work fine.

That's what I did for the last two Yashicas that I sold, and that's what I intend to do with the other one that I just bought for myself.
 
FallisPhoto said:
Did I understand this right? You're picking a pair of cameras with bad lenses to get another shutter speed?
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No, don't be facetious. When my lens spanner arrives, I'll be doing the cold cream or ammonia trick. Next time I see either one (they're common here in NZ) I'll buy one for parts and see if the lens elements are usable.

I didn't pick either one over the Lynx 14. I just haven't found one yet, and I'm pointing out that the Lynx 1000 has its own set of advantages over the 14, so even when I get a Lynx 14 (it's only a matter of time) I won't be throwing out the 1000. A good Lynx 1000 is neither worse nor better than a good Lynx 14, it's simply different (f22, 1/1000 = bright daylight whilst leaving 400/800ASA film in; as opposed to f1.4 = getting to use nice 100/200ASA film in low light).
 
I've had 3 GSNs, but only thoroughly tested the last one I have now. It does have a bit of focus shift at f1.7 to f2.0 at min. focus distance, so I always use it at f2, though 1.7 is great at closer distances.

Not sure if all GSNs are like this, I wish I tested my other two.
 
battery adapter fabrication

battery adapter fabrication

I've been using 675 zinc air hearing-aid batteries for my Gossen Luna Pro meters for the last decade and they've always worked fantastically. They provide very stable 1.4V then drop off quickly to dead. They are used up just a bit quicker than alkalines but at just a few dollars for 8 batteries with no tax (here in the US) it's a hard deal to pass up.

So I was snooping around in this forum a bit and was looking up some repair info for my GSN which was recently given to me. I thought I had corroded battery contacts when in reality the Varta V164PX was just dead. I haven't seen a mercury battery in years!

Anyways, I was looking around my desk for my calipers to measure up the battery dimensions and there it was: a little tube of Blistex lip balm. Almost exactly the same width as the battery, made of hard, non-conductive plastic and with a space inside that fits 4x 675 cells just perfectly. I de-constructed the lip balm tube, widened the hole in the bottom of it for the - lead and chopped off about 13mm of the top.
Batteries slipped right in and tended to flop around a bit. I taped the four together & was good to go.
I found a perfectly sized bike part (female chainring bolt) and a quick release spring to make up the size difference.
Popped everything into the new adapter and it works!
Now to go finish this roll of film.

I just wish Leica had taken the GSN meter and put it into the M8 (what I'm usually shooting with these days)

Phil Forrest
 
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