Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/03/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I thought that the real problem with the silver or alkaline batteries is not the slightly different voltage compared to the original mercury cells--that is indeed inconsenquential--but the way the voltage goes down smoothly as the battery is depleted, so your readings become less and less accurate over time. That is where the mercury cells supposedly had an advantage--they retained full (or close to full) voltage until they died. Nathan Lawrence Zeitlin wrote: > > > > You don't need no stinkin Wein cells or adapters! > > The Leica CL originally used a PX625 mercury cell. At the advice of a > Leica, N.J. factory technician, I substituted a Duracell 625A alkaline > cell. He claimed that the 12% difference in voltage is inconsequential > given the variability and tolerances of mechanically controlled > shutters. So far he has proven to be correct. I use either color > negative or B&W film in this camera, both of which have enough > latitude to deal with minor exposure variation. The Leica meter is > turned on when the winding lever is pulled away from its rest > position. I am a left eyed photographer so the lever would poke me in > the right eye. Soon after I got the camera, Leica modified the meter > switch for me so that it remained on full time. This obviated the eye > poke problem but means that I have to replace the battery every 6 > months. Fortunately the 625A battery is cheap. > > The Rollei 35SE came with an Eveready EPX27 mercury battery of 5.6 > volts. I buy a reasonable substitute from MD Battery (eBay). It is the > Excell S27PX, a silver cell delivering 6 volts. The battery costs me > $4.50 and lasts more than two years. The 7% difference in voltage > between the silver cell and the mercury cell hardly makes a > difference. Remember that in photography measure of light level to > within plus or minus 1/4 stop is considered right on. > > Larry Z > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- Nathan Wajsman Almere, The Netherlands Opportunistic Image Acquisition General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com and http://www.greatpix.eu Picture-A-Week: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507 Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUY DANISH PRODUCTS!