Advice on batteries for old cameras

[rajmohan-fotograf]

Hi folks,

I have a bunch of old cameras, a couple of which accept 1.5V batteries (SR44), but most of which take the old mercury 1.35V batteries.

I don't want to use the Wein cells because of their relatively short life. I have a Cris MR-9 adapter which takes a 386 silver oxide 1.5V battery that is then regulated to 1.35V by the adapter). I'm trying to minimize the number of different types of batteries I have and carry (not for weight reasons, but just to keep things simple). Since I already have SR44 batteries, can I just use these in the Cris adapter and just move the adapter between cameras? Or will the adapter take only 386 batteries? Are SR44 and 386 batteries different?

Thanks in advance for your advice/recommendations!

 

[rick oleson]

The CRIS adapter should be fine with any silver-oxide cell that fits into it. The most common series, which I think should fit (in fact, I thought this was what the adapter was made for) is 44/76/303/357 (no idea why they have this proliferation of names for the same cell). I am not familiar with the 301/386 cell, though. Is it the same dimensions as the SR44, or is it a different thickness? (in most cases a small difference in thickness will not matter)

You can also use a #675 zinc/air cell (same size as SR44) - not longer lasting than the Wein cell (though I've gotten a year out of them sometimes), but much cheaper so you can carry a spare. This page has some tips on batteries (be sure to check the links at the bottom of the page): http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-111.html

rick

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

The MR9 adapter and SR44 battery combination is too thick to fit in many cameras. That's why Criscam says to use the 386, it is thinner.

 

[rick oleson]

Ah. In that case, some of the other options described on my web page and the attached links may be helpful (though they will not be quite as easy getting started).