[Leica] Mercury battery solution for M5, Leicaflex, etc.??

[rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig)]

Simon,

All "new" mercury batteries I had went down after a short time. The best is 
to modify the camera's battery tray from 1.35V to 1.5V for the newer 
alkaline batteries (there are some in the PX625 size). The job is to solder 
a little electric resistance module that reduces the voltage for 0.15V. I 
had let this done with a Konica Auto-S3 and a Rollei XF 35, for CHF20 ($16 
or ?9) each camera. Before that I had used the 1.5V batteries and corrected 
it with the ISO setting (don't remember how much, I had compared it to my 
M6's lightmeter).

Weincell has alternative 1.35V mercury-free batteries, but they are quite 
expensive. 

Didier

>Is it still possible to get hold of 'fresh' mercury batteries for the
>cameras?
>Many thanks,
>Simon.
>Cambridge, UK.