Batteries for Rollei 35

Rogrund

Rogrund

Antti Sivén
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To all Rollei 35, 35S and 35T owners: what kind of battery do you use? PX 625 Alkaline, Wein cell or maybe an adapter + Alkaline? Do you use the built-in meter at all?

Last week, I bought a black Rollei 35 in decent shape. Everything appears to work just fine, except I can’t seem to get accurate readings from the meter. The seller had a Alkaline battery in the camera, which I immediately replaced with a Wein cell ($23 at the local camera store :eek:) before I put the first roll in. Of course, the meter may have been calibrated for a Alkaline battery, but the seller didn’t know anything about this.

Since I can’t change the battery in mid-roll, I’ll have to finish the roll with the Wein cell before I can put back the Alkaline and compare… :eek:


So, please tell me about your experiences with Rollei 35 meters and batteries!

BTW: A wonderful little camera, isn't it? :)
 
I second Richar_1. It's just simplier that way. Don't need to search for batteries. Also, a lot of older slr cameras need to be converted over.
 
I use a Weincell in mine and I have checked the meter against my VCII and it matches perfectly and the battery has been in the camera a year or so! :)
 
The meter in my 35S is dead. So no point in looking for batteries :D

It remains a wonderful, cute, excellent, cute, amazing, cute little pocketable camera...uh, did I say that the 35s is cute? :D
 
Unashamed plug

I make a PX625 adapter that is half the price of the Cris one, and will work in any application (the Cris one is less than ideal for a GIII QL17, and will not work a Nikon F or any light meter).

I'm now back in small scale production - PM me if you are interested.
 
Hi guys,

I recently bought a Rollei 35S from KEH and installed a wein cell. The meter does work but it is off by -1 stop compared to my hand held meter. Is this normal or should I return the camera?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Nelson
 
I had a local shop here adapt the meter to alkalines & it is quite accurate for print film. Perhaps you have a shop there that can do the same?
Cheers
 
Alkaline cells are unreliable as the voltage drops as the cell is used. The original mercury batteries did not do this so their output was the same until it died.

I used the CRIS mr9 adapter and the same silver batteries I use in my Leica SLR and RF. It works fine in this application. Some applications it does not work where heavier current draw is required, Leicaflex SL for example. There it worked fine in bright light, not dim or the opposite, I don`t remember.
 
Absolutely, as Ronald M states, do not use an alkaline battery with an adapter. The only way to use an alkaline battery in a camera meant for a mercury or silver-oxide cell is to have the circuit modified to compensate for the gradual voltage drop of the alkaline cell.

For all my cameras that took the mercury cells, I have them modified to take the silver-oxide 1.55v batteries. If I can't do that, or have to wait, I use a Wein cell or the smaller hearing aid zinc-air battery with an appropriate spacer in the battery chamber.

For the Rollei 35, I would use the latter strategy (as the hearing aid batteries are MUCH cheaper than Weins) until I decided whether I really wanted to invest in a CLA with circuit modification.
 
I remember a website that sold Mercury cells - bought one from them a couple years back for a Canonet. Anyone remember/know about them?
As for the voltage drop issue w/ alklines, it was something I was initially concerned with. Concerned enough that I used gaffer's/electrical tape to cover the meter when when not in use. However, it's been 3 years of intermittent use & no signs of voltage drop yet.
I don't think my local shop did anything to the circuit - believe he just calibrated the meter for the new bat & as I mentioned, it's quite accurate w/ sunny 16.
Oh & cheap to do to... at least where I had it done.
Cheers
 
Do you need built-in meter?

Do you need built-in meter?

I go back to the days when meters were not built in. I started using a Rollei TLR MX back in the 50s as well as a Leica IIIb. You can use a handheld meter if needed or, if you shoot frequently, you learn to guess exprosure correctly. Today's films have great latitute.

My 2c is: Forget about batteries.
 
I think the website was www.px625.com ... their main page is no longer found on their hosting service, and I recall a year or so ago when the page was still up that they were out of stock. Global production has stopped, AFAIK, so it's probably no longer possible to mercury batteries unless they are NOS.
 
Trius said:
... the smaller hearing aid zinc-air battery with an appropriate spacer in the battery chamber.

For the Rollei 35, I would use the latter strategy (as the hearing aid batteries are MUCH cheaper than Weins)...
Click to expand...

For Rollei 35S, which size zinc-air hearing aid battery? And what is the spacing procedure?
 
I don't think you can find hearing aid batteries in the 625 size. Get the 675 size and find yourself a washer (#9 size?) to space it properly.
 
FWIW, I talked to Harry Fleenor of rolleirepairs.com.

He recommends having the metering system adjusted for the silver oxide cells, then using a 76 silver oxide cell with an O-ring from the hardware store to make it the same diameter as the 625 mercury.

I'm going to go this route.

To me, having a small camera like the Rollei 35, then having to carry a light meter defeats the point of having a small camera. I'd spend the money and have the meter fixed, and while they're at it, get it adjusted for silver-oxide voltage levels.

Let's not forget that the reason mercury batteries were outlawed is because people were throwing them in the trash. They would eventually get crushed or start leaking into the ground, and poisoning the water supply. So if you do use mercuries, be responsible and bring them to a recycling center when they're done.
 
darkprints said:
Do you mean a #9 battery?
Click to expand...

It's #9 rubber gasket meant for faucets and sells at hardware stores, 10 for $2. A slim section of 1/2" ID clear vinyl does the trick too. And it's free! Just walk into a hardware store with a pair of scissors...

Zinc-Air is inexpensive (generic brand, 8 for $6). I've heard myths about drilling a tiny hole on the battery cover to make them last longer. Personally I wouldn't recommend it. Especially on a Rollei 35. Might cause a light leak.
 
jky said:
I remember a website that sold Mercury cells - bought one from them a couple years back for a Canonet. Anyone remember/know about them?
As for the voltage drop issue w/ alklines, it was something I was initially concerned with. Concerned enough that I used gaffer's/electrical tape to cover the meter when when not in use. However, it's been 3 years of intermittent use & no signs of voltage drop yet.
I don't think my local shop did anything to the circuit - believe he just calibrated the meter for the new bat & as I mentioned, it's quite accurate w/ sunny 16.
Oh & cheap to do to... at least where I had it done.
Cheers
Click to expand...

I'm confused, which is the alkaline part of your sunny 16?
 
shutterfiend said:
It's #9 rubber gasket meant for faucets and sells at hardware stores, 10 for $2. A slim section of 1/2" ID clear vinyl does the trick too. And it's free! Just walk into a hardware store with a pair of scissors...

Zinc-Air is inexpensive (generic brand, 8 for $6). I've heard myths about drilling a tiny hole on the battery cover to make them last longer. Personally I wouldn't recommend it. Especially on a Rollei 35. Might cause a light leak.
Click to expand...

How long does a zinc-air last in your Rollei 35S? And which # zinc-air?
 
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