Batteries for Konica

[DeeCee3]

One of my all-time favorite cameras is gathering dust in a desk drawer because I no longer have a source for batteries for it. Can anyone tell me what the replacement battery is for the old Konica AutoS-2?

DeeCee3

 

[Trius]

Or a 1.4v zinc air hearing aid battery with a spacer such as a #9 o-ring to seat it. That's what I use for my Konica C35, Minolta 7s, Oly RC, etc.

 

[kully]

Trius, I've a 35 RC, I'm currently testing it out with a SR44 1.55v battery and paper padding. I've adjusted for 1/2 stop but it gives very strange variations in meter readings - do you need to take anything into account with the hearing aid batteries or is the 0.05v difference ignorable (I'll be using C-41 and B&W only - no E-6).

cheers,

 

[Kim Coxon]

If you search the threads for "battery" you will find several threads arguing the pros and cons of battery replacement and which is best.

A short summary:
Adjusting the ASA dial is not very effective because the alteration needed is not linear and changes with light intensity.

The chemistry to produce the current in mercury batts, hearing aid cells and Wein cells is very similiar and hence the voltage is similar. In mercury batts, the oxygen is supplied by mercuric oxide. In hearing aid batts, it is supplied by the air. Wein cells are basically a modified zinc air cell. They have less holes the make them last longer and a modified electrolyte. The makers/designers will not say more than that but I suspect it is purely to stop them drying out quite so quickly. Any voltage difference is mainly "nominal" and is unlikely to be noticeable in the exposure.

Adjusting the meter cailbration works in very many cases but use silver cells rather than the cheaper alkaline ones. Silver cells have a stable output voltage but Alkalines don't.

Battery adapters also work in many cases as does a "diode fix" (most batt adapter just use a diode anyway) Again it is important to use Silver not Alkaline cells.

Hope this helps.
Kim

 

[kully]

Cheers for the reply and explanation Kim, I searched and I found out everything I needed to know.

PS The #9 o-ring - is that a US, UK or international size. Could I go into a hardware store and ask for one in England they'd know what I was on about?

 

[Daniel Kreithen]

I think you need to be careful with the S2. On my copy (since sold) I seem to recall that the battery contacts were in the middle (no big deal) and on the rim, but both on the same side of the battery. you may need, instead of an O-ring, a circular piece of wire of correct thickness in order to make the contact.

 

[Kim Coxon]

If you send me a PM with your address, I can send some metal "O" rings. I manage to scrounge a supply of these from my favourite camera repairer. He had a batch made for this very purpose. Much better than the rubber sort and gets over the S2 problem.

Kim

Cheers for the reply and explanation Kim, I searched and I found out everything I needed to know.

PS The #9 o-ring - is that a US, UK or international size. Could I go into a hardware store and ask for one in England they'd know what I was on about?

 

[Bill58]

Go to http://www.criscam.com/ or http://www.kanto-cs.co.jp/english/index_english.html. for adapter and batter-- best solution IMHO.

 

[Kim Coxon]

A member here, John Neal, sells battery adapters that are much cheaper than Cris Cam and are better quality. The trouble with the S2 is the plastic cap and side contact. This can cause problems with some of the adapters.

Kim

 

[Bill58]

I'm aware of John but his mfg. and delivery are a little problematical (at least my experience anyway)--Kanto/ C.R.I.S are not. Also, does anybody know if there is a metal replacement battery compartment cap for the Auto S-2?