Nikon F batteries

[KevinVH]

Hi everyone.

I'm receiving my Nikon F with FTN from KEH. I'm not sure if they included batteries. I'm living in Ecuador and want to buy the batteries. From what I understand it takes 1.3 volt which aren't available anymore. What type of batteries should I go look for?

 

[Vickko]

they took PX625 1.3 volt mercury.

Plenty of alternatives, maybe start with this thread to learn:
http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00aXCO

 

[KoNickon]

There is an alkaline 625 (625A) that should be available from a camera store -- 1.5V, so just compensate by setting your film speed one stop slower (so, ISO 200 if using 400 speed film, for example).

 

[Fraser]

I have a few Nikon Fs with metered prism and found after a while I could guesstimate the exposure better they are all getting a bit old to be that accurate, so I wouldn't worry to much about the battery.

 

[KevinVH]

Well I'll take a look at the 625a, I also found 675 should work? I'm going out now to see if I can find the batteries. I'll let you guys now! I'm pretty confident using the Sunny16 rule, but it would be nice to have an old camera that's fully functional.

 

[Dez]

The Photomic meter head uses a bridge circuit which is generally insensitive to battery voltage. A silver cell or alkaline should be fine.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[KevinVH]

But from what I read the meter needs to be adjusted then?

 

[bsdunek]

I use Wein cells in my FTN's. I don't know if you can get them there or not. They work very well, and last quite a while.
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/990120-Wein-Cell-MRB-625-1.35V-Zinc-Air-Mercury-Replacement-Battery

I also use the #675 hearing aid cells with adapter rings. They cost a little less, and are more available, but don't last very long.
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum45/80572-review-jon-goodmans-tri-dot-battery-adapter.html

 

[mwoenv]

You could use 675 batteries in an inexpensive adapter:

http://www.paulbg.com/Nikon_F_meter_batteries.htm

I don't have a Nikon F but I use 675 batteries and this adapter in all my cameras that use the old 1.3 volt mercury batteries.

 

[KevinVH]

Well the thing is I live in Ecuador, and getting anything shipped here costs me a ridiculous amount of money. Even for a roll of film I have to pay the national postservice 11 dollars and wait 3 weeks for it to go through customs etc.. So I'd rather look at something I can make myself ( some kind of duct tape contraption) or some type of available battery that requires a little different metering. I went to the local photostore last saturday but they didn't have 675 oR 625 batteries. I'll go look for those at some other places..

 

[sevo]

There are adapters for 675 zinc-air batteries around - these are a common type for hearing aids, and should be available anywhere on earth.

 

[KoNickon]

What I do not know is whether a 675 will work without the need for a spacer, given its smaller size. I forget where the contacts are in the battery compartment. Certainly it's the correct voltage. A metal washer around the 675 battery will do the trick, though I forget the size -- something tells me it's a #9? The outside diameter of a 675 battery is 11mm, so the washer would need an 11mm inside diameter. Washer outside diameter is 15mm -- that's the outside diameter of a 625 battery.

 

[mllanos1111]

I bought a voltage converting adapter from this guy to use in my Leicaflex and it's spot on.
I'm sure I could have made one with the kit but I have other things to do.
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/batt-adapt-us.pdf

 

[sevo]

The 675 is smaller in each dimension (11.6x5.4mm vs 16x6.2mm), so it can be trivially adapted - you can usually ignore the half millimetre of height difference, as the battery compartment spring will account for it. A bit of 16mm wide plastics tube with 2mm wall strength would do the job on cameras that have a contact on both top and bottom. For the Nikon F you will need machined brass adapters matching the (somewhat odd, stepped) outer shape of the 625, as its battery compartment uses a edge contact tab.

 

[KevinVH]

So I'm out of luck. I'll guess I'll use it meterless until I get the adapter later this year..

 

[sevo]

I don't know. There sometimes are Chinese or Hong Kong sellers of these adapters on ebay - mine were less than 10€ for the pair, plus 0.70€ for the shipping to Germany. And there ought to be some mechanic with a lathe in town.

 

[mllanos1111]

I purchased a couple of those El Cheapo ones and they were just copper machined shims.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Get a criscam converter and batteries. If you want to make your own converter there is an essay on the net under Butkus.org.

 

[bsdunek]

What I do not know is whether a 675 will work without the need for a spacer, given its smaller size. I forget where the contacts are in the battery compartment. Certainly it's the correct voltage. A metal washer around the 675 battery will do the trick, though I forget the size -- something tells me it's a #9? The outside diameter of a 675 battery is 11mm, so the washer would need an 11mm inside diameter. Washer outside diameter is 15mm -- that's the outside diameter of a 625 battery.

The upper contact is on the side in a FTN. That's why you need a ring on the 675 cell. They are just a ring. Perhaps a piece of copper wire around the cell would work. It needs to be kept centered and contact the side contact, that's all.

 

[KevinVH]

Well I still haven't received the camera yet since it's a birthday gift, and my birthday is due next Wednesday. I'll go look for the 675 batteries and see if I can come up with something. If not I'll just wait until I can get the adapters, but I don't feel like paying 5 dollars for something online to have it shipped to Miami, to my PO box, where I have to pay a 11 dollars to get it shipped here, after 3 or 4 weeks of going through national customs here.