Will 1.5V alk instead 1.3V merc cause damage?

[the.ronin]

Will using today's 1.5v alkaline batteries in place of the banned 1.3v mercury batteries potentially result in damage to a vintage camera designed to use 1.3v mercury?
I'm aware of the effect on metering as well as the various alternatives from Wein cell (and how to plug holes to extend life) to the #9 (?) o-ring ala hearing aid workaround and of course the $40 Chris adapter.

I'm just wondering, if one were to be fine with the off metering, would leaving a 1.5v alkaline cause damage in the long run.

 

[konicaman]

Never heard of it. I have used a lot of alkaline batteries (before I discovered Wein cells and hearing aid batteries) in many different cameras without any problems, apart from the wrong and unstable meter readings.

Only thing I am aware of (and it is not really related to your question) is not to use rechargeable batteries for the motor drive on the Konica Autoreflexes, as these will fry the motor - but that's AA batteries...

 

[the.ronin]

Thank you Konicaman. I figured as such especially such a small voltage difference but want to make sure in the event I want to sell my cameras down the line. I am trying to get more comfortable with sunny 16 so I don't think I will be using it much anyway. Thanks again.

 

[sevo]

I'm just wondering, if one were to be fine with the off metering, would leaving a 1.5v alkaline cause damage in the long run.

In general, only in terms of poor exposure... It would be rather unusual for an electronic circuit to be killed by a voltage increase by 0.15V from nominal, or indeed by 1.5V at all, even more so when we are talking of low density electronics that is more than twenty years old (when just about anything was inherently either 5V or 15V safe by design).