Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/07/17

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Subject: [Leica] 1.35V to 1.5 V battery options
From: bruent at shaw.ca (B Entus)
Date: Sun Jul 17 12:26:54 2005

 > I've got a large collection of approx. 30 yr. old RFs made for the 
outlawed 1.35V Mercury battery.
 > As I see it, there are 4 options: use a handheld meter and manually 
set aperture; use a Kanto adapter/ new battery;
 > use a new wein cell/ zinc-air battery; have the camera meter 
permanently modified.
 > Can anyone opine as the best of the options to take from their 
experience.
 > Bill
Some of them (especially simpler cameras with low power demands) will 
work with the similar size 1.5V alkaline or silver battery.
A Konica C35 and an S3, both tended to under-expose by 1 stop (can 
compensate by adjusting the film speed setting).
This was checked by comparing the camera read-out with another meter at 
various light levels- if the difference is
consistent then it is feasible to substitute. If this is done you need 
to pay attention to battery aging- as the cell is used
the voltage drops sooner than with the original mercury cells.