CRISS adapter?

[JeremyLangford]

I have a Minolta SRT-101, with the old mercury battery still being used. Although it isn't dead yet, I think I should upgrade the battery in case it goes dead in the middle of shooting.

Should I go with the C.R.I.S.S. adapter, or should I send my camera in to John Titterington so that he can put in a diode to correct the voltage to fit a modern 1.5v battery. Or are there any other better options?

[colyn]

Take a look here for a cheap DIY fix..

http://www.colyngoodson.com/minolta.html

[Chris101]

Have you tried zinc-air, 1.4V batteries?

[JeremyLangford]

Have you tried zinc-air, 1.4V batteries?

No, but I want more of a permanent fix, and I heard those only last months at a time.

[rogue_designer]

I use the CRIS adapters - and quite like them. They are not cheap, but they are handy.

I have three of four and I swap them around to the various vintage cameras I have, depending on what I'm using.

No issues with them as a solution from my standpoint.

--

If you're not terribly squeamish - its generally not difficult to put a shottke diode in yourself either. I've done that on a few bodies in the past - but most of the time it's just easier to grab the adapter (since I already have them).

[kuzano]

Wein Cells (Zinc Air) in the correct size are available and fine, if a little spendy. I think they are $9.00 for a blisterpack of two. I have a technique which makes them last well over a year each. It's simple:

1) Reduce the draw whenever possible... turn off the meter, keep the lens cap on or the meter cell covered when not in use. This is only good habit. It should be done regardless of the battery.
2) When the camera is in the closet, take the battery out and tape the battery holes closed. The battery does not lose charge if the air is not reaching the zinc. Again, only good habit. How many camera's have been ruined by corrosion left in camera's that go unused.

Zinc Air cells are not nearly as short lived as some make them appear to be.

If that doesn't work, then $29 for the CRIS adaptor probably makes sense.

[payasam]

Rather less expensive than the CRIS adapter is the one that used to be made by a Dutch fibre optics engineer named Frans de Gruitjer. It is a hollowed out 675 shell with a diode and insulation put in, and a 1.55V silver oxide cell fits perfectly. I have three of them, and all work perfectly. Possibly he still makes them. If you want to make any yourself, I can send a PDF file of instructions. Having the circuitry of the camera modified may be the best solution, though I understand that this cannot be done with all cameras.

[edit] Sorry, the name is Frans de Gruijter. Google should find him.

[Kim Coxon]

John Neal (One of the members here) used to sell adapters at a fraction of the cost of the Criss ones. Jeremy, I think you are in the UK, in which case another source is the UK based firm "The Small Battery Company" who also make adapters. http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mercury_catalogue.htm

One of the problems of the Criss adapters is that there are not asuitable in high current drain devices. I am not sure of the drain from the SRT1 but it is worth checking.

Kim

[Seele]

I tried the diode method for one of my Minoltas and found the meter response non-linear.

[rxmd]

Frans de Gruijter's article is at http://butkus.org/chinon/batt-adapt-us.pdf. It also gives a very good guide to building your own adapters and a mercury battery FAQ.

[shadowfox]

Criss adapter - $40
Jon Goodman (jon_goodman@yahoo.com) - $10

take your pick...

[JeremyLangford]

Criss adapter - $40
Jon Goodman (jon_goodman@yahoo.com) - $10

take your pick...

So he will recalibrate the meter for me or whatever to make a 1.5v battery work?

Would you reccomend him over John Titterington?

http://www.geocities.com/~titterington/camera-repair/index.html

John Titterington did a great job of cleaning out my entire camera and fixing my self-timer.

[Ronald M]

My CRISS adapters work fine in some cameras/meters, not in others depending on current draw required. I do not have an SRT.

[steverett]

I just got a Leitz-minolta CL that I need an adapter for. Is Jon Goodman's adapter similar to Frans de Gruijter's homemade one?

[Nokton48]

Jeremy,

I've been using the Wein Cells in my SRT's, which gets kinda expensive over time. I still have -one- still working Mercury battery.

So I have ordered eight of the diodes on ebay, and I'm going to install them myself.

Luckily I have a Father-in-Law who used to work for Bell Labs, and will help me solder them into place. :D

If you don't want to do it yourself, have your repairman put them in.

-Dan

[rover]

I have a Minolta SRT-101, with the old mercury battery still being used. Although it isn't dead yet, I think I should upgrade the battery in case it goes dead in the middle of shooting.

Should I go with the C.R.I.S.S. adapter, or should I send my camera in to John Titterington so that he can put in a diode to correct the voltage to fit a modern 1.5v battery. Or are there any other better options?


I just openned this post after the PMs.

John Titterington serviced my SRTs, I highly recommend him for a good fair priced service of your camera if you decide to do so.

[JeremyLangford]

So did he recalibrate the battery the same time he cleaned out your camera? Thats what I was hoping he was going to do, but I guess I should have asked him to do that because he didn't touch the battery.

I just openned this post after the PMs.

John Titterington serviced my SRTs, I highly recommend him for a good fair priced service of your camera if you decide to do so.

[rover]

Yeah, that was part of his standard service. I am surprised he didn't do that for your camera. Call him and ask, can't hurt.

[JeremyLangford]

Yeah, that was part of his standard service. I am surprised he didn't do that for your camera. Call him and ask, can't hurt.

Wait a minute. Maybe it was.

My battery says PX625A Alkaline Cell.

Is that a new 1.5v battery or the original PX625 cell?

[rover]

I think your problem is solved!!!!

http://www.zbattery.com/px625a.html

[JeremyLangford]

I think your problem is solved!!!!

http://www.zbattery.com/px625a.html


Oh Man! Thats ausome!

So you're saying that John recalibrated my meter, and put a brand new 1.5v battery in when he fixed up everything else right?

WOW! Thats such a relief.

My SRT-101 is done being worked on now. I feel like it couldn't be in any better condition.

All thanx to John Titterington.

Heres his site for all that want to completely refurbish their cameras, and modernize their meter system to a modern battery like me and Rover did. He did a great job.

http://www.geocities.com/~titterington/camera-repair/index.html

[rover]

One of my favorite Ebay sellers too, over 4000 feedback comments, 100% positive.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZtitterington

Weekly fully refurbished manual slr equipment, I see mostly Minolta, Canon and Pentax in his listings, but have seen some Oly stuff too.

[FallisPhoto]

So he will recalibrate the meter for me or whatever to make a 1.5v battery work?

Would you reccomend him over John Titterington?

http://www.geocities.com/~titterington/camera-repair/index.html

John Titterington did a great job of cleaning out my entire camera and fixing my self-timer.

From his website: "The new mercury free 1.35 volt batteries do not work well in the Minolta SRTs. Their shape causes them not to make good contact with the battery cap. We suggest using a 1.5 volt 625A battery and having the metering system recalibrated to this new voltage."

This sounds good, at first glance, but if you think about what he is actually saying for more than a moment, it is wrong on so many levels I hardly know where to begin. The problem and the solution are both misstated, and quite badly.

The problem is not that the new batteries don't fit. They do, and he must be talking about C.R.I.S. MR-9 adapters instead. Oh, wait a minute, most of them are built out of the shells of used 625A batteries. The "problem" must be that you have them turned the wrong way, so the slot in the side is where the battery contact in the camera is trying to hit. He can't be talking about Wein cells, because those are exactly the same size as the original mercury batteries (unless he is just plain lying; I wonder if that could be it).

The actual problem is that the cameras were designed to run on a really rock steady 1.4 to 1.35 volts. Mercury batteries had a negligable voltage curve (1.4 to 1.35 volts over their entire lives) and were so steady that hardly anyone but Yashica (and only a few kinds of Yashicas at that) saw fit to put voltage regulation circuitry into the cameras that used them. The #625A alkaline cells he recommends start off at 1.5 volts (roughly), but they have a steep voltage curve, steadily losing voltage over their entire lifespan. You get about a week or two, somewhere toward the beginning, when they are between 1.4 and 1.35 volts and will work right, but before and after that the voltage is either going to be too high or too low. Regardless of how your light meter is calibrated, they won't work right with it, because the voltage level is not constant. There are even a few cameras that can be damaged by the higher initial voltage from a 1.5 volt alkaline cell. You can't adjust for it either, because your meter's response will be non-linear according to the light level if the voltage is either too high or too low. If this is not the case, you have a Yashica, it is a G-series, it never used #PX625 mercury batteries and it will run on anything between 4 and 6 volts.

The solution to this problem? Well, there are several. Fundamental to all of the ones that work is that you have GOT to start with a battery that has a steady voltage curve. This pretty much means mercury batteries, silver oxide batteries or zinc/air batteries. Then you have to get a voltage out of it that is between 1.35 and 1.4 volts.

Solution #1:
Just get a new mercury battery. They are still being made overseas, in several third world countries. Getting them into the country is a problem, but a few do turn up here from time to time.

Solution #2:
(the one that the C.R.I.S. adapters use): Modify a 1.5 volt silver oxide battery with a schottky diode in order to get 1.4 - 1.35 volts. Silver oxide batteries, unlike alkaline batteries, produce a fairly level voltage curve. It isn't quite as level as a mercury battery's, but close enough that it isn't going to cause much in the way of problems. However, one problem is going to be noticable: If you need to draw a lot of current, it won't be able to keep up if you are using a small battery. The most commonly noticable effect of this is that the battery check light on a Canonet won't work well with a C.R.I.S. MR9 adapter (if at all).

Solution #3:
Instead of modifying the battery, modify the camera to use a 1.5 volt silver oxide battery. You can either recalibrate the meter (on some cameras) or solder a schottky diode in series with the battery. This will NOT work with a #625A (alkaline) battery. The Varta brand #625A batteries only work well in cameras with bridge circuitry, like a few Yashicas. You need a #675 or #357 silver oxide battery, adapted for size (or you can get a new battery holder and solder it in).

Solution #4:
The Wein Cell. Wein makes 1.4 volt zinc/air batteries in #625 size. They are no different from other zinc/air batteries except that they are the right size and they only have 2 holes in them to admit air instead of the more normal 4. Basically, they are #675 zinc/air batteries with two holes missing and wearing collars. They also cost more than normal zinc/air cells -- a lot more. This leads us to ...

Solution #5:
Use a smaller, normal, inexpensive 1.4 volt zinc/air hearing aid battery and adapt it to size. The guys who make the C.R.I.S. adapter have also attempted to capitalize on this method by making an adapter strictly for size, but frankly you can save a good bit by just digging the middle out of a dead Wein cell. If you don't even want to spring for a couple of Wein cells (use them until they die and then dig the middles out and use them as adapters for #675 zinc/air hearing aid batteries) then a #11 rubber O-ring (about $2 at a hardware store) will work as an adapter for size. You may have to wrap a bit of aluminum foil around part of it in order to get a good electrical contact in some cameras, depending on where the battery contacts are. The #675 zinc/air hearing aid batteries only last about two weeks, but then they only cost about a buck each, and they are, environmentally speaking, relatively friendly, so who cares? In photography, that is a drop in the bucket. This is what I use in my Minoltas (I have an AL-F and a Hi-Matic 7S).

[kuzano]

The PX625A batteries are ALKALINE... Good for about a week of steady use before the voltage curve becomes too low for proper metering...

1) Result ... Pay to get the meter recalibrated $$$$$
2) Now the camera needs 1.5 volts.
3) Use Alkaline and the battery is no longer correct, as long as it would be for the old 1.35 setting.


Sounds like a waste of money to me. You need to use one of the solutions that have a flatter curve on the voltage AND correctly puts out a measured 1.35 volts for the camera to operate correctly.

If you have the camera recalibrated, You still need to find a battery and battery adaptor the has a flat 1.5 voltage curve. Alkalines will not do it for you.

So, WHY recalibrate the camera. Find a 1.35 volt silver oxide solution.

THAT's WHY I USE THE WEIN CELLS. They are correct for the solution, even if they don't live as long, or are expensive. From everything I have read, the Schotky and other diodes are not consistently the same.

Tail wagging dog.....

[JeremyLangford]

My meter was recalibrated for a 1.5v battery, and also had a PX625A Alkaline Cell put into it.

If Alkaline Cells are so bad, then what do you suggest doing, now that my meter is already recalibrated?

Is there any type of 1.5v battery made that has the right voltage curves for my meter to work properly and that will work in my already recalibrated meter?

The PX625A batteries are ALKALINE... Good for about a week of steady use before the voltage curve becomes too low for proper metering...

1) Result ... Pay to get the meter recalibrated $$$$$
2) Now the camera needs 1.5 volts.
3) Use Alkaline and the battery is no longer correct, as long as it would be for the old 1.35 setting.


Sounds like a waste of money to me. You need to use one of the solutions that have a flatter curve on the voltage AND correctly puts out a measured 1.35 volts for the camera to operate correctly.

If you have the camera recalibrated, You still need to find a battery and battery adaptor the has a flat 1.5 voltage curve. Alkalines will not do it for you.

So, WHY recalibrate the camera. Find a 1.35 volt silver oxide solution.

THAT's WHY I USE THE WEIN CELLS. They are correct for the solution, even if they don't live as long, or are expensive. From everything I have read, the Schotky and other diodes are not consistently the same.

Tail wagging dog.....

[FallisPhoto]

My meter was recalibrated for a 1.5v battery, and also had a PX625A Alkaline Cell put into it.

If Alkaline Cells are so bad, then what do you suggest doing, now that my meter is already recalibrated?

Is there any type of 1.5v battery made that has the right voltage curves for my meter to work properly and that will work in my already recalibrated meter?

Get a 625 sized wein cell, dig the middle out (it is a 675 zinc/air battery in an adapter), and get a 675 silver oxide battery. Use the shell of the wein cell as an adapter.

And next time do some research.

[JeremyLangford]

Why can't I just use a 1.5v Silver Oxide battery that doesn't use the zinc/air thing that is know to last a month at a time?

[Kim Coxon]

If your meter has been adapted for 1.5v, then you are far better off using silver cells. The discharge is linear whereas the is a noticeable drop with alkaline. Having said that, both will last a similar length of time and 625 silver cells can be very hard to find.

If your meter has been adjusted for 1.5v, then using Wein cells or zinc air will give incorrect meter readings and shouldn't be used.

Kim

Why can't I just use a 1.5v Silver Oxide battery that doesn't use the zinc/air thing that is know to last a month at a time?

[Bill58]

If I had one or even two or three cameras that took differant CRIS/ Kanto adapters, I'd opt to get them adjusted for 1.5 V Silver Oxide batteries. Then you would have to worry about ever losing the adapter.

I went the adapter route solely because I have too many cameras and it's more economical to use 4 adapters than have all the cameras "fixed."

BTW--I bought my adapters from Kanto/ JP instead of CRIS because the former were a great deal more friendlier/ helpful. I got my batteries from http://www.batteryguys.com/

[rover]

You guys have my head spinning.

I think when my batteries go I am going to replace them with what John put in my camera. If I remember correctly he put in a Varta battery, what ever that is.

[Kim Coxon]

Just to spin your head a bit more, Varta do both alkaline and silver versions of most of their batteries. The "number" tables tend not to help as they intermix both silver and alkaline.

Kim

You guys have my head spinning.

I think when my batteries go I am going to replace them with what John put in my camera. If I remember correctly he put in a Varta battery, what ever that is.

[Ronald M]

I have to laugh at this mercury battery environment problem. It was solvable by recycling the batteries. And there are coal plants dumping 10,000,000+ time the amount of mercury into the air which gets into the water and food eventually.

Today the same forces are pushing the compact fluorescent light bulb, loaded with mercury .

Why don`t I understand?

[FallisPhoto]

Why can't I just use a 1.5v Silver Oxide battery that doesn't use the zinc/air thing that is know to last a month at a time?

You can if you can find one. I think that they stopped making them in 625 size though. If you can't, the thing to do is to use the case of a Wein cell for an adapter for size and put a silver oxide battery in it (a #675).

[FallisPhoto]

You guys have my head spinning.

I think when my batteries go I am going to replace them with what John put in my camera. If I remember correctly he put in a Varta battery, what ever that is.

The Varta is an Alkaline battery and will only work right with cameras that have voltage regulating bridge circuitry (certain of the Yashicas).

[FallisPhoto]

Just to spin your head a bit more, Varta do both alkaline and silver versions of most of their batteries. The "number" tables tend not to help as they intermix both silver and alkaline.

Kim

Do they still make the silver version of the 625? I had heard that was no longer available from anyone.

[FallisPhoto]

I have to laugh at this mercury battery environment problem. It was solvable by recycling the batteries. And there are coal plants dumping 10,000,000+ time the amount of mercury into the air which gets into the water and food eventually.

Today the same forces are pushing the compact fluorescent light bulb, loaded with mercury .

Why don`t I understand?

It is called symbollism. In recent times it has become more important than substance. Remember how Clinton got elected because he could "feel our pain?" (he didn't actually do anything about it, just felt it, while diddling interns to ease the pain). We also have an educational system whose end goal is now to make kids feel good about themselves rather than to teach them anything useful. Clinton now wants to "help" family farmers by eliminating their subsidies. This is, no doubt because the huge agribuinesses are feeling threatened by Ma and Pa Kettle.

It is kind of like vegetarianism: it isn't really very healthy or good for you, but it sure seems like it ought to be, and is very profitable for all sorts of scam artists.

[Kim Coxon]

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_s625px.htm ;)

Kim

Do they still make the silver version of the 625? I had heard that was no longer available from anyone.

[shadowfox]

I just got a Leitz-minolta CL that I need an adapter for. Is Jon Goodman's adapter similar to Frans de Gruijter's homemade one?

I think so, the difference is Jon Goodman is in the US.

[FallisPhoto]

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_s625px.htm ;)

Kim

Well, that solves a number of problems. If they are making it again, then a recalibration would work. I can stop digging the middles out of Wein cells too.

[JeremyLangford]

Well, that solves a number of problems. If they are making it again, then a recalibration would work. I can stop digging the middles out of Wein cells too.

How long should one of those last?

[FallisPhoto]

How long should one of those last?

You really need to go back and read my first post -- the long one.

A Wein cell is a zinc/air battery, but how long a zinc/air battery lasts has nothing to do with the solution I proposed. What I proposed was to dig the middle out of the battery, so you only have metal (it isn't a battery anymore, just a shell). Into the hole, where you dug the middle out, you put a #675 silver oxide battery. It is 1.5 volts and can last in a camera about as long as it can last in a wristwatch or anything else (about a year, with normal use). All the shell of the Wein cell does is make the smaller #675 battery fit right. However, one of the other posters says that there is a company that has started making #625 silver oxide batteries again (Duracell and Energizer stopped making them years ago). This means you don't have to gut a Wein cell to make an adapter but can just drop in a #625 silver oxide battery (it is already the right size). If your camera has been calibrated for 1.5 volts, this will be the perfect solution.

The Varta #625A battery, that the repairman recommended, is also a 1.5 volt battery, but it won't work right for more than a week or two. He has apparently only understood half of the problem (getting something in there that will fit and is close to the right voltage). He has failed to take voltage curves into account though. The reason it won't work right is because, as time goes by, an alkaline battery steadily loses voltage. After two weeks, it might have dropped to 1.3 volts. The next week, it might have dropped to 1.2 volts, and so on. Since the meter relies on a steady constant voltage for accuracy, your meter will become more and more innaccurate, and how inaccurate will depend on the light level. In low light, after about a month, it will be really wildly off, although it will maybe only be a little off in strong light.

Silver oxide batteries, unlike alkaline batteries, supply a steady, constant voltage right up until they abruptly die and that is what he should have put in there.

[JeremyLangford]

I understand all that completely now. Thank you.

I hope shipping costs aren't too bad to ship one of those #625 silver oxide batterys to the U.S. I don't live in the UK.

Ill probably end up ordering one with some money I get after christmas. Either that or Ill just make an adapter like you suggested. That doesn't seem too hard to do.

You really need to go back and read my first post -- the long one.

A Wein cell is a zinc/air battery, but how long a zinc/air battery lasts has nothing to do with the solution I proposed. What I proposed was to dig the middle out of the battery, so you only have metal (it isn't a battery anymore, just a shell). Into the hole, where you dug the middle out, you put a #675 silver oxide battery. It is 1.5 volts and can last in a camera about as long as it can last in a wristwatch or anything else (about a year, with normal use). All the shell of the Wein cell does is make the smaller #675 battery fit right. However, one of the other posters says that there is a company that has started making #625 silver oxide batteries again (Duracell and Energizer stopped making them years ago). This means you don't have to gut a Wein cell to make an adapter but can just drop in a #625 silver oxide battery (it is already the right size). If your camera has been calibrated for 1.5 volts, this will be the perfect solution.

The Varta #625A battery, that the repairman recommended, is also a 1.5 volt battery, but it won't work right for more than a week or two. He has apparently only understood half of the problem (getting something in there that will fit and is close to the right voltage). He has failed to take voltage curves into account though. The reason it won't work right is because, as time goes by, an alkaline battery steadily loses voltage. After two weeks, it might have dropped to 1.3 volts. The next week, it might have dropped to 1.2 volts, and so on. Since the meter relies on a steady constant voltage for accuracy, your meter will become more and more innaccurate, and how inaccurate will depend on the light level. In low light, after about a month, it will be really wildly off, although it will maybe only be a little off in strong light.

Silver oxide batteries, unlike alkaline batteries, supply a steady, constant voltage right up until they abruptly die and that is what he should have put in there.

[kuzano]

Jeremy,

Your problem, and the solutions, do not explain well when related in this type of format.

Let me create a bit of an analogy for you.

Let's say you take your 30 year old car into the shop for a repair. After looking over your car, the Service Manager says to you....

"well, the giffengander that powers your hoofenschnovel is no longer servicable. And, they quit making the particular giffengander about 15 years ago. Now, there are still people who insist on driving examples of your archaic car. Therefore various people have derived a number of solutions, none of which are perfect, in varying degrees of imperfection. If you use any one of these solutions, you will not be able to drive your car as fast, or steer it as well, or, if it works correctly, it will not do so as long as it used to. But, the car will still operate, and if you follow the various rules of each solution, you will get where you want to go. Sorry, Jeremy, but we DO NOT have a solution that comes anywhere close to the original operating conditions of your aged vehicle when it was new!!!!!!!!!!"

Now, if you really want a 100% working solution, the choice you have to make is to retire that old klunker and buy a new $40,000 hybrid or similar, which by the way, probably won't last nearly as long as you have make the car you are driving now last.

[JeremyLangford]

Are you saying that I should buy a newer camera?

I am not going to do that. I think my camera is better built that lots of new cameras.

I agree with you on the fact that I cant get a solution as good as the mercury batterys, and I never expected you guys to think me up a perfect solution.

I was just trying to learn about the different options I had.

Jeremy,

Your problem, and the solutions, do not explain well when related in this type of format.

Let me create a bit of an analogy for you.

Let's say you take your 30 year old car into the shop for a repair. After looking over your car, the Service Manager says to you....

"well, the giffengander that powers your hoofenschnovel is no longer servicable. And, they quit making the particular giffengander about 15 years ago. Now, there are still people who insist on driving examples of your archaic car. Therefore various people have derived a number of solutions, none of which are perfect, in varying degrees of imperfection. If you use any one of these solutions, you will not be able to drive your car as fast, or steer it as well, or, if it works correctly, it will not do so as long as it used to. But, the car will still operate, and if you follow the various rules of each solution, you will get where you want to go. Sorry, Jeremy, but we DO NOT have a solution that comes anywhere close to the original operating conditions of your aged vehicle when it was new!!!!!!!!!!"

Now, if you really want a 100% working solution, the choice you have to make is to retire that old klunker and buy a new $40,000 hybrid or similar, which by the way, probably won't last nearly as long as you have make the car you are driving now last.

[colyn]

CRIS <snipped out> it is such a clean solution.

The environmentalists are worried about a battery with a minute amount of mercury but ignore the large scale dumping in our landfills of mercury vapor light bulbs used in city street lights as well as other items that contain large amounts of mercury.

These items contain far more mercury than a camera battery.

A clean solution in my opinion is to outlaw all or none..

[crawdiddy]

Jeremy, since you have already had your camera modified, you might consider acquiring some sort of hand held light meter. You can experiment with it, to compare your SRT's meter, as the battery ages. Then you can judge for yourself how best to manage your SRT's metering.

A good hand held meter is a handy (ooh, sorry) thing to have anyway. Or, another camera with builtin meter would work also.

My head is spinning, along with several other posters'.

[kuzano]

Are you saying that I should buy a newer camera?

I am not going to do that. I think my camera is better built that lots of new cameras.

I agree with you on the fact that I cant get a solution as good as the mercury batterys, and I never expected you guys to think me up a perfect solution.

I was just trying to learn about the different options I had.

I'm sorry and I apologize. I generally post on forums where the posters have a sense of humor. I find that to be less the case here. I am surely going to have to tone down my posts and stick to business. But, OTOH, I tend not to stick around where there's no fun. So, I may not be here long. ;<)

[FallisPhoto]

Are you saying that I should buy a newer camera?

I am not going to do that. I think my camera is better built that lots of new cameras.

I agree with you on the fact that I cant get a solution as good as the mercury batterys, and I never expected you guys to think me up a perfect solution.

I was just trying to learn about the different options I had.

Actually, you can still buy a mercury battery. They turn up at camera shows every now and then, mostly smuggled in from China and India. They will be expensive, and they are illegal, but you can get them. Thing is, your camera's meter has been recalibrated to 1.5 volts, so those won't work in it anymore.

[FallisPhoto]

I'm sorry and I apologize. I generally post on forums where the posters have a sense of humor. I find that to be less the case here. I am surely going to have to tone down my posts and stick to business. But, OTOH, I tend not to stick around where there's no fun. So, I may not be here long. ;<)

Sarcasm, particularly understated sarcasm, just doesn't come across well when written, unless it is really in-your-face blatent, because you really need to hear the tone of voice to know it is intended as sarcasm.

[FallisPhoto]

Jeremy,

Your problem, and the solutions, do not explain well when related in this type of format.

Let me create a bit of an analogy for you.

Let's say you take your 30 year old car into the shop for a repair. After looking over your car, the Service Manager says to you....

"well, the giffengander that powers your hoofenschnovel is no longer servicable. And, they quit making the particular giffengander about 15 years ago. Now, there are still people who insist on driving examples of your archaic car. Therefore various people have derived a number of solutions, none of which are perfect, in varying degrees of imperfection. If you use any one of these solutions, you will not be able to drive your car as fast, or steer it as well, or, if it works correctly, it will not do so as long as it used to. But, the car will still operate, and if you follow the various rules of each solution, you will get where you want to go. Sorry, Jeremy, but we DO NOT have a solution that comes anywhere close to the original operating conditions of your aged vehicle when it was new!!!!!!!!!!"

Now, if you really want a 100% working solution, the choice you have to make is to retire that old klunker and buy a new $40,000 hybrid or similar, which by the way, probably won't last nearly as long as you have make the car you are driving now last.

Actually, I think they still make giffenganders in China and India. You'd have to smuggle them out though.

[kuzano]

I knew that they had outsourced the technical support for Giffenganders to those two countries (a close friend who is a talented Giffengander/Hoofenschnovel technician recently lost his job due to this outsourcing). It's going to be interesting to know that the next Giffengander he, or I, have to replace will come from India or China. Frankly, I would prefer the East Indian lead-free variant.

And again, Jeremy, if you are still reading my posts, I did not intend to offend in any way.

Lars

[crawdiddy]

It is called symbollism. In recent times it has become more important than substance. Remember how Clinton got elected because he could "feel our pain?" (he didn't actually do anything about it, just felt it, while diddling interns to ease the pain). We also have an educational system whose end goal is now to make kids feel good about themselves rather than to teach them anything useful. Clinton now wants to "help" family farmers by eliminating their subsidies. This is, no doubt because the huge agribuinesses are feeling threatened by Ma and Pa Kettle.

It is kind of like vegetarianism: it isn't really very healthy or good for you, but it sure seems like it ought to be, and is very profitable for all sorts of scam artists.

I am amazed that Bush did not solve all the problems created by Clinton, in these past 7 years. Perhaps if he hadn't been so preoccupied with the war, he could have banned fluorescent tubes which contain mercury. That way, we could continue to be dependent on Saudi oil. Exxon/Mobil doesn't make any money off of energy efficient lighting.

What the heck does that have to do with solving the problem of cameras designed for mercury batteries?

[rover]

What the heck does that have to do with solving the problem of cameras designed for mercury batteries?

Nothing and there are plenty places on the web to discuss Georgie and Willy, this little thread about batteries does not have to be one of them.

[crawdiddy]

rover, you quoted me, but not FallisPhoto. hmmmm.......

[rover]

How petty.

Get my point and stop trying to figure out if I am blue or red.

[Bill58]

Haven't you guys "beaten that dead horse to death"?

[rover]

Haven't you guys "beaten that dead horse to death"?


I will quote that!!!

Yes, so lets leave the poor beast alone.

[FallisPhoto]

What the heck does that have to do with solving the problem of cameras designed for mercury batteries?

It has to do with symbolism over substance, a topic Colyn introduced.

"The environmentalists are worried about a battery with a minute amount of mercury but ignore the large scale dumping in our landfills of mercury vapor light bulbs used in city street lights as well as other items that contain large amounts of mercury."

Banning mercury batteries is a token effort, taken more for political purposes -- something they can point to -- than it ever was intended to deal with the real problem. "Feel-your-pain" Slick Willie was the absolute all-time master of that, Other symbollism over substance practitioners bow down to him as a god, so of course I used him as an example. Incidentally, I don't like Bush either.

[crawdiddy]

It has to do with symbolism over substance, a topic Colyn introduced.

"The environmentalists are worried about a battery with a minute amount of mercury but ignore the large scale dumping in our landfills of mercury vapor light bulbs used in city street lights as well as other items that contain large amounts of mercury."

Banning mercury batteries is a token effort, taken more for political purposes -- something they can point to -- than it ever was intended to deal with the real problem. "Feel-your-pain" Slick Willie was the absolute all-time master of that, Other symbollism over substance practitioners bow down to him as a god, so of course I used him as an example. Incidentally, I don't like Bush either.

Mercury batteries were outlawed presumably because there are viable alternatives to them, and mercury in landfills is a problem. Mercury vapor lighting and fluorescent tubes which contain mercury are not banned because they are extremely efficient relative to incandescent lighting. And most of our electricity is produced by carbon-emitting fossil fuels. Many notable scientists, and other smart people, believe the reduction of greenhouse gases, by using less electricity, is a worthwhile effort, even though the logistics of mercury disposal is currently lagging. The original point I responded to seemed to be that if mercury batteries were banned for environmental reasons, that mercury lighting should be banned for the same reason. The poster seemed to either blame Bill Clinton for banning mercury batteries, or to imply that Clinton pioneered special-interest politics. The point I made in response is that mercury batteries and mercury lighting, are similar in the respect that they both contain mercury, and dissimilar in other ways. As I said, there are alternatives to mercury batteries. Mercury-containing lighting saves electricity, and thus contributes to solving a problem. So the two are really different. I mentioned smart people earlier, who agree with efforts to reduce carbon emissions. There is another group who have not embraced this effort wholeheartedly, the global warming denyers. One of those people is George W. Bush.

By responding, and by mentioning the W word, I may have my post deleted, as has been done to a previous post of mine by one of the moderators. I have been labeled as petty by another.

I am relatively new to this forum, having joined a couple of months ago. As I told the moderator who deleted my post, I want to know the rules, so that I can follow them. If others toss around political views casually, and I am censored for responding, then I don't understand. I know this isn't a "political forum." But I don't think all political content whatsoever is banned. I know the political comments of FallisPhoto were not censored. I suppose I'll see if mine are censored again.

[rover]

Hows about if you both just let this one pass. Political statements in a general forum like ours simply lead generally to the gutter. We can't solve anything here, so we are better off just sticking to what we have in common, Leica vs Zeiss, Canon vs Nikon, RF vs SLR. (Note, digital vs film is not on that list)

[Kim Coxon]

I am not an expert in US law but under European law, mercury batteries themselves are not illegal. It is only illegal to manufacture them or import them. If you come across a genuine stock of old mercury batteries, it is perfectly legal to own them and to use them. Common sense really, they are going to be disposed of anyway so you may as well use them first. Using them doesn't cause a problem.

Kim

Actually, you can still buy a mercury battery. They turn up at camera shows every now and then, mostly smuggled in from China and India. They will be expensive, and they are illegal, but you can get them. Thing is, your camera's meter has been recalibrated to 1.5 volts, so those won't work in it anymore.

[crawdiddy]

Hows about if you both just let this one pass. Political statements in a general forum like ours simply lead generally to the gutter. We can't solve anything here, so we are better off just sticking to what we have in common, Leica vs Zeiss, Canon vs Nikon, RF vs SLR. (Note, digital vs film is not on that list)

Agreed. I accept the olive branch. I'll drop it, and resume my campaign against the larger demon, DSLRs.

*edit* Yes, I'm only joking.

[rover]

Thank you.

[Chris101]

Rover, you make moderating look so damn easy!

[rover]

Rover, you make moderating look so damn easy!


Well, you have to see some of the things I type when I get up too early in the morning. I am a grumpy ******* before I have my coffee. The backspace key saves me very often.

[rover]

Ooooh, I typed a no no. :eek:

[Kim Coxon]

Maybe I should delete it. :angel:

Kim

Ooooh, I typed a no no. :eek:

[FallisPhoto]

I am not an expert in US law but under European law, mercury batteries themselves are not illegal. It is only illegal to manufacture them or import them. If you come across a genuine stock of old mercury batteries, it is perfectly legal to own them and to use them. Common sense really, they are going to be disposed of anyway so you may as well use them first. Using them doesn't cause a problem.

Kim

The ones I am talking about have been illegally smuggled into the country. Occasionally, you can find them at vintage and antique camera shows.

[FallisPhoto]

Agreed. I accept the olive branch. I'll drop it, and resume my campaign against the larger demon, DSLRs.

*edit* Yes, I'm only joking.

I am perfectly willing to do that. I just resented the poster assuming I was a supporter of Bush. I'm way to the right of him.

[rover]

So, with that we close another chapter of this square dance.

One Step to the Left...

Two Steps to the Right......


;)

[rpinchbeck]

Before this thread goes completely sideways, I'd like to ask if anyone knows of a source for BAT83 Schottky Diodes? I've tried in the past but could not locate a source in North America unless I was willing to purchase a large quantity.

Cheers,

Russ Pinchbeck

[FallisPhoto]

Before this thread goes completely sideways, I'd like to ask if anyone knows of a source for BAT83 Schottky Diodes? I've tried in the past but could not locate a source in North America unless I was willing to purchase a large quantity.

Cheers,

Russ Pinchbeck

Last time I checked, which was a few years back, Radio Shack sold packages of 10. You might do better searching for an NTE585 diode. Some thing, but many of the electronic firms here seem to prefer to call it that.