GSN meter and batteries

[ampguy]

Today I was reading Mike Grahams GTN page where he mentioned that the meter should work with battery voltage of 4.6V to to 6.5V which is a wider range than I expected, so I was curious if this also applied to the GSN.

I measured my voltage with the 6V battery in the yashica-guy adapter and it was 5.81V, both with the adapter, and without. My adapter has no resistance, or voltage, so it appears to be just a wire or stick, but who knows.

Anyways, I took some exposure measurements to see where the arrow came on between 4 and 5.6, as I understand, when the yellow arrow points to the right, you need to open up a stop or you're below 1/30th. So I anchored this spot and made up a battery pack with a carboard tube, tape, and a 3V CR2 battery, along with a couple of LR44s (1.5V each) from the cat's laser toy, giving a total of 6.03V. Checked the exposure and it was the same.

So this is good news as to the regulation of this GSN H1015xxx. I've got all kinds of battery combinations that will work in this GSN. Also compared it with some digicam meters, and they were in the ballpark for center weighted mode. Time to put some film through here!

 

[ron1945]

gsn batts

gsn batts

😎 thanks for the info that combination is easy to aquire . any other rangefinder ideas will be gratefully received by this addle pated old fart for one reguards to you ron

 

[ampguy]

No problem

No problem

I made a blog entry on how I assembled my adapters using screws for extenders, and 4 LR44 Alkaline batteries which I get new for about $0.50.

😎 thanks for the info that combination is easy to aquire . any other rangefinder ideas will be gratefully received by this addle pated old fart for one reguards to you ron

 

[titrisol]

I think the yashicas used a bridge type of arrangement for the light meter so that voltage is not so important.

Also, you can always buy a PX32 battery from Radio Shack (they were $8.50 last time) no adapter needed

 

[Pherdinand]

the adapter for the gsn's is only a physical adapter (old mercury batteries were large), not an electronic one.

 

[ampguy]

yeah

yeah

I'm with you. But you do need a zero ohm resistor (some conductor like a wire, pin, spring, or bolt) to get the shorter batteries to touch the ends of the old large cavity and an insulator so it doesn't short out on the sides.

the adapter for the gsn's is only a physical adapter (old mercury batteries were large), not an electronic one.

 

[ARCHIVIST]

It is always a good feeling to make / modify something yourself but in this case why not just buy the adapter that yashica guy sells - already to go and it comes with a new 6v battery.

Peter

 

[Pherdinand]

that's exactly what i used - a bolt. And some cardboard around the thinner battery to make up for the lateral space too.

 

[Pherdinand]

Peter - because buying it takes exactly as long as making your own, less waiting for the mailman, and you can also make it cheaper.

 

[ampguy]

Hi Peter, Pherdinand is correct, the Y-guy adapter is 15x the cost of my last GSN, plus shipping and waiting. Also, the Y-guy adapter doesn't do LR44s, 1/3Ns, or CR2+LR44(2) solutions like the one I made does. That means replacement batteries cost ~10 times more here in the US than LR44s to replace the semi-rare alkaline 6V battery that Y-guy chose to use as a replacement. I don't know of any other camera that uses those currently, which keeps their price up, even at the discount marts and drugstores that I've checked.

 

[titrisol]

I tried 4 lr44 batteries in a home made adapter, works fine if good contact is made with the door.
Thanks for the tip $2 beats $8.50 for a PX32

 

[ampguy]

No problem

No problem

A local dollar store here sells "Sunbeam" brand alkaline LR44s for 8 for $1. So far they seem to be lasting as long as the bigger name brands that sell for much more.

I tried 4 lr44 batteries in a home made adapter, works fine if good contact is made with the door.
Thanks for the tip $2 beats $8.50 for a PX32

 

[ully]

I have both a GT and a GSN. They operate exactly the same and are extremely quiet and accurate.

 

[Joao]

Hello
I'm happy with simple solutions as long as they work, like this
http://public.fotki.com/BlueWind/yashica/yashica2.html
I don't need anything else!
Cheers
Joao

 

[kuzano]

.410 Shotgun Shell

.410 Shotgun Shell

I bought an adaptor a few years ago on eBay for my GSN. It turned out to be a cut down .410 shotgun shell with a rivet where the primer was drilled out. The adaptor used the whole base and was cut off just above the base. It was exactly the outer dimension of the battery chamber and the inner dimension was exactly that of a 6V cell...I think a PX28???? It worked like a charm.

So the next time you go squirrel hunting with your .410, save those shells. I bought two and one is still floating around my abode somewhere.

 

[ampguy]

Joao and kuzano - those are creative solutions! Joao, I used the varta 1.35 batteries in my old CL, and they were not too expensive - about $2-3 USD each, but x 4, that is many times a 4 LR44 solution, at least for me.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Today I was reading Mike Grahams GTN page where he mentioned that the meter should work with battery voltage of 4.6V to to 6.5V which is a wider range than I expected, so I was curious if this also applied to the GSN.

The GSN and the GTN are exactly the same camera. That one's black and one's silver is the only difference.

The Yashica G-series letters mean as follows:

G = grade-up (gold-plated electrical contacts)
S = chrome finish
T = black finish
N - new model (has a hot shoe)
L = luxury (the GL was a delux model with "european" styling).

 

[colyn]

After reading this thread I'll have to break out my Electro 35 Professional and run some film through it.. Bought the Y-G adapter for it last year and never used it..

 

[Joao]

... Joao, I used the varta 1.35 batteries in my old CL, and they were not too expensive - about $2-3 USD each, but x 4, that is many times a 4 LR44 solution, at least for me.

Concerning the price of batteries, some new and cheap batteries from China are entering the market in some parts of Europe. I can buy these batches of ten for 1 Euro ( !!!) in retail shops. Some examples
http://public.fotki.com/BlueWind/baycell-batteries/
I am still very cautious in recommending those, as I don't know their life span and their potential for leakage. The 625A cells that I've been using recently - in another camera - is the "Golden Power" brand and so far I am quite happy with them. They perform nicely and are much cheaper than their equivalent European brands.
Will we all be using Chinese batteries in the near future??
Regards
Joao

 

[btgc]

Tell me what locally made will we use ? In winter we here buy even garlic from China! Not that I'm against Chinese garlic, but it's shame that we import garlic....it's plain garlic, not special China-only grown spice like Kung-Fu root.