SLR's that can take 1.55V batteries and expose correctly?

[johannielscom]

Hi,

my daughter is looking for a replacement SLR camera and the options got me wondering, which 1.35V designed cameras (both SLR and RF, or MF) are known to expose correctly with a 1.55V battery?

Trying to compile a list for future reference here, so any and all cameras that are known to expose correctly are welcome to mention!

 

[Scrambler]

Pentax Spotmatics - have a built in bridging circuit.

 

[sevo]

All Nikons from the F2 Photomic/Nikkormat FT2 on - strictly speaking they were designed for silver oxide cells, but (at least up to the FE and FM2n) they will also cope with mercury cells (if you can live with the battery indicator always alerting you of a marginal battery). The EL departed from mercury even earlier, but takes a 6V battery (which has no mercury counterpart).

 

[johannielscom]

All Nikons from the F2 Photomic/Nikkormat FT2 on - strictly speaking they were designed for silver oxide cells, but (at least up to the FE and FM2n) they will also cope with mercury cells (if you can live with the battery indicator always alerting you of a marginal battery). The EL departed from mercury even earlier, but takes a 6V battery (which has no mercury counterpart).

Ah, so the Nikkormat FT-N or Nikkormat EL are off the table... too bad, they were contenders

 

[Mackinaw]

Canon EF.

Jim B.

 

[CliveC]

Or use 1.4V Zinc Air hearing aid batteries? They don't last long, but they're cheap and have a good discharge curve.

 

[Graybeard]

Pentax Spotmatics - have a built in bridging circuit.

This is true of the earlier Spotmatics but I don't think this is true of the Spotmatic F.

Other readers please correct me if I wrong here.

 

[Graybeard]

Hi,

my daughter is looking for a replacement SLR camera and the options got me wondering, which 1.35V designed cameras (both SLR and RF, or MF) are known to expose correctly with a 1.55V battery?

Trying to compile a list for future reference here, so any and all cameras that are known to expose correctly are welcome to mention!

It is worth mentioning that there are adaptors available that will drop the silver oxide cell voltage to 1.35 volts (check eBay).

If you buy such an adaptor you can choose a camera on its mechanical and/or optical performance rather than battery requirements.

I prefer a Leicaflex SL myself.

 

[mpaniagua]

I think K1000 too.

Regards

 

[johannielscom]

It is worth mentioning that there are adaptors available that will drop the silver oxide cell voltage to 1.35 volts (check eBay).

If you buy such an adaptor you can choose a camera on its mechanical and/or optical performance rather than battery requirements.

I prefer a Leicaflex SL myself.

Okay, would that be possible for the Nikkormat FT-N at all?

Or what about the Minolta SR-T101? Does that need an 1.35V battery or can a 1.55V be adapted?

 

[johannielscom]

Any link to an article that can explain the options on voltages, reliability and adapters in a complete and coherent way is greatly appreciated, by the way

 

[Graybeard]

Okay, would that be possible for the Nikkormat FT-N at all?

Or what about the Minolta SR-T101? Does that need an 1.35V battery or can a 1.55V be adapted?

This really isn't an intractable problem.

The information isn't difficult to find on the web but you will probably have to search by individual camera model.

Virtually any camera than originally required a mercury cell will work just fine with an adaptor for the silver oxide cell.

The Nikkormat FT2 uses a silver oxide (1.55v) cell. Earlier Nikkormats were designed for a mercury cell (1.35V) and, these days, will require a battery adaptor or a hearing aid battery.

If you plan to have a newly-purchased camera serviced (CLA), have the technician recalibrate the camera for a silver oxide cell. Ordinarily, there is not additional charge for this if done as part of a CLA.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Most SLRs from the boom years of 1975-1985 used the ubiquitous 44/76/357 battery.
Later the increased power demands of electronics required higher capacity batteries.

Chris

 

[johnf04]

This is true of the earlier Spotmatics but I don't think this is true of the Spotmatic F.

Other readers please correct me if I wrong here.

I found this on a Pentax forum, about cells for Spotmatics:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/to...nt-iso-compensation-for-accurate-meter--53552

 

[Tim Murphy]

They'll all work passibly for print film.

They'll all work passibly for print film.

Dear Johan,

Before I went digital I used a Nikon FTN with 2 Alkaline PX-625's in it for years and it worked just fine. .3 VDC is not that great of a variance with most print films.

If you want to be more exact with voltage matching the 1.4 V hearing aid batteries are definitely close enough. You can buy adapters for them or adapters for PX-625's but to me spending $ 45.00 to voltage equalize two .99 cent batteries is a waste of money but I don't expect everyone to feel that way.

With my Canon F-1 and a 675 hearing aid battery the meter matches every camera and handheld meter that I own. With the 675's there is sometimes a physical issue with the battery in the camera's battery compartment because they are much smaller in diameter but the diameter can be equalized with a rubber "O" ring or wrap of bare wire or solder around the battery. The use of which depends on whether the battery compartment is metal and uses the ring of the larger battery to establish the circuit or a plastic cylinder where only the positive and negative terminals make the contact.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA 🙂

 

[Tim Murphy]

And if you like Pentax K mount cameras you're in luck!

And if you like Pentax K mount cameras you're in luck!

Dear Johan,

If your daughter would be interested in a Pentax K mount camera other than the grossly over-rated and even more grossly over-priced K-1000 there are many to choose from that use the LR44/357 batteries.

I bought 2 working Pentax P30T's, one with a 50mm/f2 A lens and one with a 50mm/f1.7 lens for less than $ 30.00 including shipping in on-line auctions. They are plastic pieces of junk if you are a fan of metal cameras, but they offer aperture priority auto exposure along with full manual control and allow the use of all the K-mount lenses.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA 🙂

 

[David Murphy]

Here's a vote for the K1000 - simply reliable metering, and a very reliable camera overall.

I'm pretty sure the Pentax MX takes silver oxide batteries too - another quality camera and not too expensive.

 

[dmr]

Here's my not so humble opinion.

I've used the "wrong" battery in several cameras. If you use the meter as a suggestion and not as a mandate you'll probably be fine. One the Canon GIII (one recalibrated to use the "wrong" battery, the other as-is), there's maybe 3/4 of a stop difference, well within the latitude of negative film.

 

[rbiemer]

Johan,
This page seems to be fairly comprehensive:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/batteries.html

Rob

 

[BillBingham2]

The Nikkormat FT3 would be my pick, followed closely by any Nikon F2.

Both built like a tank.

B2 (;->