Rollei 35SE light meter.

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I have had this camera for around 40 years now, not used in at least 30 of them. I exercise the shutter a few times a year as with all of my shutters and decided to run a roll through it. Just searched for a 5.6V battery that the holder says needs to be a Mallory PX37 or a Varna 7150. Done a web search and found nothing, so am I to assume they are no longer made. I use a spot meter usually, so I am not without one but I wanted to see it it’s still working.
Anyone have a solution please.
 
Well I missed that one when I looked, much appreciated, thank you kind Sir.
 
The voltage will be off of course, so compensate for that in the film speed setting. I will tell you that I ordered several of these Exells from some place years ago for my SE, and they were all dead as a doornail upon arrival. Could simply have been a stale batch; who knows.
 
jmpgino said:
I have had this camera for around 40 years now, not used in at least 30 of them. I exercise the shutter a few times a year as with all of my shutters and decided to run a roll through it. Just searched for a 5.6V battery that the holder says needs to be a Mallory PX37 or a Varna 7150. Done a web search and found nothing, so am I to assume they are no longer made. I use a spot meter usually, so I am not without one but I wanted to see it it’s still working.
Anyone have a solution please.
Click to expand...

The correct battery for the Rollei 35SE is a PX27 designation, 5.6V mercury-dioxide battery. These are no longer available. However, the same battery was used for a bunch of other cameras from that era and even later. The Minox adapter for models EC, GT-E and others hold four 386 silver-oxide cells which have the same power curve as the PX27 mercury battery albeit slightly higher voltage total (6V vs 5.6V), and last as long as the mercury cells (unlike the alkaline cell replacements from Exccell and others). The small difference in voltage does not make any difference to the metering; it could shorten the life of the LED display marginally, but you'll likely never see it.

You can get the Minox PX27 adapter from DAG Camera Parts:
https://www.dagcamera.com/store/p66/Battery_Pack_for_Minox.html
or CrisCam:
https://shop.criscam.com/collections/mercury-battery-adapters/products/v27px-mercury-battery-adapter

I have two of these adapters and use them in Minox C, Minox EC, and Minox GT-E cameras. I believe you can also use a pair of Lithium cells (1/3N) stacked in the same adapter. They again have the same power curve (or very similar) to the original PX-27, just slightly higher voltage.

G
 
Well after this lesson from you chaps, I may just use my spot meter and save some money.
 
I had an SE and a stardard Rollei 35 and hated the meter in the SE. Lights in the viewfinder were not good for me. Setting the match needle system was simple and then I had nice, clear uncluttered finder to work with.
 
Franko said:
I had an SE and a stardard Rollei 35 and hated the meter in the SE. Lights in the viewfinder were not good for me. Setting the match needle system was simple and then I had nice, clear uncluttered finder to work with.
Click to expand...

I've had both the 35/35S and 35SE designs. I much prefer the original design with the match needle on the top deck over the SE design as well. The original design was well coordinated for making all settings—focus, focus zone with the aperture control, and exposure—with the camera at waist level, looking down at the controls. The SE design revamp was an attempt to provide more eye-level settings control, which in my opinion never really worked well with the rest of the camera's design: never liked the distraction of the bright LEDs in the viewfinder.

It's notable that Rollei returned to the original design with the 35S Silver Anniversary special edition, and again with the later Rollei 35 Classic of the early 1990s, although that might have been simply the fact that the Rollei 35 Classics were said to have been developed from existing stock of Rollei 35S chassis and lens components when Schneider took over.

G
 
I agree with that ^ -- I found the LEDs were hard to see and it was fiddly to set the exposure right. I have a TE also; same deal. The match/needle is a lot easier. So run the SE without the meter and all will be well.
 
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