ferider
Veteran
Thanks, John.
Found Olympus XA What Modern Batteries?
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David Hughes
David Hughes
Surely, what the OM2N and XA have in common is 1979? Later versions, XA2 and XA3 for example, are LR44 or SR44 users. It might just be something to do with the price or availability of the batteries.
If people started using LR44's because they were cheaper Olympus would be blamed for any shortcomings and so decided to make the circuitry independent - for want of a better word. The word I'm trying to think of is on the tip of my tongue but old age, drink etc are stopping it coming out...
Regards, David
If people started using LR44's because they were cheaper Olympus would be blamed for any shortcomings and so decided to make the circuitry independent - for want of a better word. The word I'm trying to think of is on the tip of my tongue but old age, drink etc are stopping it coming out...
Regards, David
John Hermanson
Well-known
Right. The XA and OM-2/2N were designed around the silver oxide battery. Proper circuit performance requires proper power supply. John
abumac
Well-known
I've got mine a few days ago with batteries inside, which say AG 13. And the little beast works fine.
John Hermanson
Well-known
Similar to the OM-2/2N, the XA may have meter accuracy problems with alklaine and lithium batteries. The camera was DESIGNED around the silver oxide battery. It will work with wrong cells, but shutter may not fire etc. If you ever need a CLA, I am factory trained on the XA line. John
raytoei@gmail.com
Veteran
hi, I mentioned this in a post several months back:
In june/july i used a LR44 on the XA and shot about 3 or 4 rolls, as I developed them in a 2 roll tank I found to my horror that the exposures from roll1 and 2 were okay but it progressively became darker and darker (underexposed), the last roll (either 3 or 4) was too dark.
I have since used SR44. I bought bulk chinese SR44 so that I could afford to use and discard them.
In june/july i used a LR44 on the XA and shot about 3 or 4 rolls, as I developed them in a 2 roll tank I found to my horror that the exposures from roll1 and 2 were okay but it progressively became darker and darker (underexposed), the last roll (either 3 or 4) was too dark.
I have since used SR44. I bought bulk chinese SR44 so that I could afford to use and discard them.
kuzano
Veteran
later in life
later in life
Later in life on the alkalines being 45-60 days, since the alkaline voltage curve starts dropping quite rapidly. Effect of the drop in meter accuracy can be seen quite soon.
I too, use the Silver Oxides.
later in life
Later in life on the alkalines being 45-60 days, since the alkaline voltage curve starts dropping quite rapidly. Effect of the drop in meter accuracy can be seen quite soon.
I too, use the Silver Oxides.
julio1fer
Well-known
If the price is right use silver batteries, because they are more stable, last longer and have better cold weather behavior. However,
I just checked my manual. The manual reference in page 4 is to the ORIENTATION of the batteries when installing them. My version says not a single word about lithium or alkaline types.
I'm a bit skeptic on this issue. I've been using alkalines LR-44 for a long, long time, and have had not a single frame wrongly exposed, including slide film and T-grain B&W, in maybe 50-60 rolls overall.
I understand that the camera uses a comparator circuit for metering, which should be quite immune to voltage differences, as long as there is juice left in the batteries.
Of course batteries must be checked often, whatever the type. Battery life will depend on usage and also on time, since there is a shelf life for every battery.
Another interesting point: the speed shown in the viewfinder may not be what the camera is actually using - it is a separate meter, IIRC.
I just checked my manual. The manual reference in page 4 is to the ORIENTATION of the batteries when installing them. My version says not a single word about lithium or alkaline types.
I'm a bit skeptic on this issue. I've been using alkalines LR-44 for a long, long time, and have had not a single frame wrongly exposed, including slide film and T-grain B&W, in maybe 50-60 rolls overall.
I understand that the camera uses a comparator circuit for metering, which should be quite immune to voltage differences, as long as there is juice left in the batteries.
Of course batteries must be checked often, whatever the type. Battery life will depend on usage and also on time, since there is a shelf life for every battery.
Another interesting point: the speed shown in the viewfinder may not be what the camera is actually using - it is a separate meter, IIRC.
Last edited:
hteasley
Pupil
Just put new batteries in my XA for the first time in 25 years. Duracell 357 batteries from CVS, they're silver oxide, $9 for a pack of 3 (XA obviously only uses two, but singly they were over $5).
not_in_good_order
Well-known
Here is a pdf copy of the manual which states on page 4 to only use 1.5v silver oxide batteries. Though you haven't had any issues, why disregard the recommendation of the manufacturer as well as the experiences of many users? The proper batteries are neither hard to find nor expensive. There is really no reason not to recommend that a new XA user acquire the correct batteries, unless you relish being a contrarian.
http://www.diaxa.com/Assets/Olymp_XA.pdf
julio1fer
Well-known
Please don't get me wrong. I want to mislead nobody. The recommended battery is SILVER OXIDE SR-44 or equivalent.
In some areas you might not be able to get silver oxide batteries, or they might be too expensive. If so, alkaline types (LR-44) will work fine while they have power left.
This is because the electronic circuit that meters exposure in the XA (as opposed to the exposure shown in the viewfinder) does not care about the battery voltage -- as long as it is high enough. It is also my own experience with the XA. No need to get mad about it.
As for being a contrarian, I guess that if it is 2010 and we are using film and discussing cameras of 30 years ago, we must be all contrarians...
In some areas you might not be able to get silver oxide batteries, or they might be too expensive. If so, alkaline types (LR-44) will work fine while they have power left.
This is because the electronic circuit that meters exposure in the XA (as opposed to the exposure shown in the viewfinder) does not care about the battery voltage -- as long as it is high enough. It is also my own experience with the XA. No need to get mad about it.
As for being a contrarian, I guess that if it is 2010 and we are using film and discussing cameras of 30 years ago, we must be all contrarians...
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hmmm, well, all I can say is that the SR44's were recommended when the instruction book was printed in 1979 or earlier. What we need to know to sort this out is when LR44's became available.
Plus I'll add that dud or elderly batteries from shops are not unknown and things like recovery time come into it. Those racks of batteries mounted on card and hanging could have the one at the back a few years old. I've rejected films and batteries in supermarkets as way beyond their "use by" date and have found them still on sale a month or so later. One pack of film (the last box of three APS) in a supermarket stayed on sale from September (end of APS season?) to January this year in a local supermarket...
FWIW, I've had 2 or 3 XA's since they first appeared. One of them failed in France about 10 or 11 years ago and was going to be thrown away but never was. A couple of years later (or even longer) I found it, checked it and the thing worked. So I finished the old film and changed the batteries when needed.
For the record this year I bought a pair of LR44's in a supermarket to test fire a dirt cheap camera I'd found. The batteries have been used in an OM2n, XA, XA3, X-300 and,from time to time, one will be used alone in something. As long as you remember what the "battery check" thing is for and use it, you should have no problems.
Regards, David
Plus I'll add that dud or elderly batteries from shops are not unknown and things like recovery time come into it. Those racks of batteries mounted on card and hanging could have the one at the back a few years old. I've rejected films and batteries in supermarkets as way beyond their "use by" date and have found them still on sale a month or so later. One pack of film (the last box of three APS) in a supermarket stayed on sale from September (end of APS season?) to January this year in a local supermarket...
FWIW, I've had 2 or 3 XA's since they first appeared. One of them failed in France about 10 or 11 years ago and was going to be thrown away but never was. A couple of years later (or even longer) I found it, checked it and the thing worked. So I finished the old film and changed the batteries when needed.
For the record this year I bought a pair of LR44's in a supermarket to test fire a dirt cheap camera I'd found. The batteries have been used in an OM2n, XA, XA3, X-300 and,from time to time, one will be used alone in something. As long as you remember what the "battery check" thing is for and use it, you should have no problems.
Regards, David
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