Effects of using LR44 on XA

[raytoei@gmail.com]

hello,

I should have read the manual and suggestions before poping in the LR-44 into the XA.

I spent 2 weeks and 8 rolls of film on the XA. The first 4 rolls were exposed at EI of 400, and they came out right.

The next 4 rolls were exposed at an ei of 800, and the first 2 rolls came out okay, the last 2 rolls showed increased grain to the point were it seemed to be severly underexposed, and highlights were blown.

Not a question really but just wanted to share this.

In summary:

LR44 or Alkaline batteries: Non!
SR44 or Silver Oxide 357 : Oui!

raytoei

 

[sepiareverb]

I've run into this with some cameras too- but not all. An FE2 won't work with one vs the other (can't remember now which is OK), nor will some Minolta SLRs.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Hi, I heard of this a lot of times before, but I thought it was not true...

I tested (a few months ago) my XA with LR44's and it worked and works perfectly, even with slide film. And I have used my FE2 with LR44's only, for many years... I have never felt those cameras start underexposing after some rolls... I bought lots of LR44's for my Bessas and currently use 6 cameras with LR44's only... I was worried after some reading, but I'd say all my cameras are working fine even when LR44's are about to get exhausted... (Maxell ones by the way, not cheap chinese ones...)

¿Has someone else a clear opinion on this subject?

Cheers,

Juan

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Juan,

if you are rite, then i am in trouble, the problem could be a failing shutter, regardless of the battery type.
here are the pics taken from the 4 rolls, in progressive sequence of graininess.

http://retro.ms11.net/lr44-begin.jpg
http://retro.ms11.net/lr44-middle.jpg
http://retro.ms11.net/lr44-end.jpg

They are in large jpg format.
The batteries are el cheapo china lr44

thanks
raytoei

 

[btgc]

I suspect el cheapo button cells are not up to standards of expensive LR44's, surprise.

 

[Mablo]

My experienced camera service guys always tell me to use SR instead of LR cells with all photographic equipment.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Alkalines exhaust too fast in Olympus' OM-slr cameras, but they work and give proper exposure with the OM bodies...at least till they die.

The XA uses a CdS meter and I suspect its like the old cameras from the 60s that required a battery with a constant voltage (like a mercury battery or silver oxide), and alkaline's get weaker the longer they're used, which throws off the exposure with CdS meters

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Yes, the problem is using batteries that give non stable output... It seems there are good and bad LR44's... Good ones seem to work just fine...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Mister E]

The FE2 will for sure take both LR44 and SR44 as will every other camera I have ever tried both in.

 

[sig]

Instruction manual (as far as I understand it) says SR batteries only, and not alkaline. So if you get some new batteries your camera is fit for fight again.

You can of course use LR batteries to but when the voltage drops the exposure will be off. So if your SR batteries have died and you can only get LR batteries use them, but change often.

 

[btgc]

There are cameras and cameras. Some can go well with both SR and LR types, and some are picky and require SR type only (I'm not mentioning CR1/3N lithium cells here, one 3V cell can replace two SR/LR44's on some cameras and even can be listed as primary choice).

XA with it's two meters needs SR44 while XA2 will accept LR44 as well as SR44 (sure I feel better with SR44's in my XA2). Probably Olympus modified circuit in subsequent XA models, or decided "oh well, most people replace batteries once a year, so risk of underexposure is quite low" - I don't know.

As we say in IT - when nothing works, it's time to look up manuals and start reading 🙂

 

[kuzano]

The reason I persist on Wein Cells...

The reason I persist on Wein Cells...

I buy the Wein Cells for my OM-1 cameras for all the reasons discussed in this thread.

Wein Cells may die a bit sooner, but they are not all that expensive and the voltage curve is flat... 1.35V until they die.

Alkalines particularly have a voltage curve that drops off considerably while still lighting the test light on most older camera's long past when they are delivering voltage adequate for proper metering.

Furthermore, I think the world is overstocked on Alkaline because of all the media devices developed over the years and too many time, the shelf life is depleted before they are sold.

 

[John Hermanson]

When the XA was new and we couldn't make them fast enough, Olympus factory said alkaline (LR44 & A76) are wrong for the XA. We saw the affects in the Olympus service department when XAs came in with the wrong batteries. They can cause meter needle position errors and sometimes shutter lock. They are also wrong for the OM-2/2N, cause meter errors and shutter lock (these batteries came out after the camera was designed, 2/2n were designed around the silver oxide). I have found that using alkaine in the XA has a very slight affect on actual auto exposure, though I've never experienced shutter lock. I see no reason to knowingly use the wrong batteries, though people seem to have success with them. CR1/3N lithium battery is also wrong type. John

 

[Richard Ross]

Alkaline batteries (LR44) have a lower voltage which drops gradually as they exhaust. Silver oxide (SR44) produce a slightly higher voltage which is highly stable until exhaustion when it drops very quickly. Most camera meters are dependent on battery voltage, which is why it's important to use silver oxide cells to avoid exposure errors.

Regards
Richard

 

[rolleistef]

Ahh so when after a few shots an OM2n sticks, it's just because LR44 have been used?
And what Minoltas have problems with them?
Thanks,
Cheers,

 

[Avotius]

My friend has an XA and he had the same problem using cheapo batteries here in China, like the ones you can get on the street corner and cost two for a yuan. The good batteries from China are the GP ones. I use those in all my cameras that take button cells and they last much longer than the whatever ones.

 

[Spyro]

I have an XA and I use A76 batteries (not sure if these are LR or SR?)
The result is that the camera overexposes by 1.5 stops... I always thought it is because the lightmeter is probably dying, should I change to some other type of battery and try again?

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Besides being more stable and reliable silver cells last longer.
I don't use alkaline button cells in any camera.

Chris

 

[sig]

A76 is an alkaline battery. But a fresh LR battery has the same voltage as a fresh SR one so the over exposure can be other things than the batteries.... However since the user manual states SR use SR.

But if your camera can use LR there is no gain in using SR batteries, LR batteries are cheaper and much easier to find.

 

[Keith]

I test my camera's meters fairly regularly and I noticed my OM-2 was almost a stop out the other day but the batteries seemed fine. However a new set brought the meter back to spec so alkalines obviously need to be very fresh.

I test my cameras by aiming them squarely at my computer monitor with a specific flat grey image that I can increase or decrease the EV of with the exposure slider in ACDSee Pro. It's a simple but very accurate method provided you have an accurate hand held meter to set a base reading!