cameron_sawyer Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Does anyone have concrete experience using the MR-9 adapter in a CL or M5? Is the meter as accurate as with the original mercury cells? The Wein cell seems like a poor choice for cameras which are used occasionally -- once you expose them to air, they start running down regardless of whether they are being used or not. And it seems like the voltage is not an exact match for the mercury cells. Any practical experience, guys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 My local repair guy adjusted something on my CL and glued a little piece of gel filter over the cell. I now use 625 alkaline batteries and the camera seems to agree OK with my Weston Master and Gossen meters as well as my Bessa L. My exposures seem fine. The batteries last a long time and are easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claude_batmanghelidj Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 You can buy an adapter that changes the voltage. You can then use (LR44) batteries, (I think). Anyway, it exists, and it is very cheap way to solve the problem. I picked one up in Tokyo for less than $30 new. The batteries that slip in the adapter which looks like a hollowed out Mercury cell, are less than a dollar a piece here in Japan. I wuold give you more info, but the adapter is in my leicaflex that I shipped to Britain for a repair estimate. It definitely exists, and corrects the meter to run like it would with Mercury cell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_aitken Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I use an adapter made and sold by a Dutch gentleman called Frans De Gruijter in my CL. The adapter allows the use of easy to find SR44 cells and works great, exposures are bang on and it's a lot cheaper than the other options. This PDF by Frans has all you need to know on the subject: http://www.rolleiclub.nl/batt-adapt-US.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furcafe Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Claude, I believe you & Cameron are referring to the C.R.I.S. adapter (http://www.criscam.com/mr9.htm). I recently bought 1 for my Contarex Super & it seems to work fine in comparison w/my few remaining PX 625 mercury cells. I have no experience using the MR-9 w/any Leica cameras, however. BTW, the De Gruijter information mentioned by Andy is very informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameron_sawyer Posted October 4, 2004 Author Share Posted October 4, 2004 So Claude, Andy, you've used the adaptors, and they give you accurate exposure over the life of the battery? Reading the materials from that Dutch guy you see how great those mercury cells were and so why they were specified in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_barton Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I have a CRIS adp that I have used for over 4 years now in my M5 and it works just fine.... bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronald_moravec1 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 The wein cells life can be greatly extended if you recover the air holes when not in use. The CRISS adapter and the silver cell are thicker than the mercury cell and the cover did not screw down completely on my M5. With my SL, the exposures were accurate for for light, but not in sun. Some diode in the adapter does not pass enough current for bright light reading in some cameras. The adapter works fine in my Rollei 35. The M5 was sold before I realised there was a problem in high light, so I can`t tell you that model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy_skopar Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Will the CRIS adapter fit into an MR meter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_craig1 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 No - use the Dutch adapter - superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pensacolaphoto Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 My camera man added some resistor to the CL and now the meter works well with a non-Mercury cell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_b._elmer Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I tried the - rather expensive - CRIS adapter on CL and MR, and my immediate impression was that they seemed to work OK, but I had no chance of thoroughly testing the combinations in different light situations. When asking for advice from Leica in Solms on the matter, I got the answer that Leica recommends the use of the WeinCell MRB625 1.35 V mercury-free battery to replace the PX 625 and PX 13 batteries, and, furthermore, Leica does NOT recommend the use of the CRIS adapter. Following Leica's advice, I have installed Weincell MRB625 batteries in my CL and my SL2MOT as well as in my Leicameter MR. They do work perfectly and will probably do so for a year or more, so I see no idea whatsoever in changing back to the CRIS adapter, the function of which seems uncertain in the light of the above answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_pinkerton1 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Used CRIS adapters for years in SL's, work great for me. Covering, uncovering the Wein cells was too much of a hassle and they didn't last long enough to suit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 The CRIS adapter with battery is about .005" thicker than the PX625 mercury battery it replaces so I've heard that it is a tight fit in some CL cameras. It worked fine in mine, I used it for about a year. Metering was spot on and the same silver oxide battery lasted the entire time. Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Frans' "Dutch" adaptor -- perfect & it fits. I've got three of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huw_finney Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Just uncover one of the holes in a zinc air (wien, same thing 5x the cost) cell, they last longer. Obtainable as hearing aid batteries (sic) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaijin Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Do not use the LR44 battery with the C.R.I.S. MR-9 adapter. The correct battery to use is a 386. The LR44 battery is thicker than a 386 and will cause problems with fit in some cameras. I usually find the 386 batteries in drug stores (Rite Aid here locally). I used the C.R.I.S. adapter in my CL for a couple of years until I had it CLA'd by DAG and he recalibrated the meter to take the current PX625 1.5 volt battery. I have seen no difference in metering using the C.R.I.S. adapter and 386 compared to using it now with a 1.5v 625 since being recalibrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_balko3 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 When a camera is in for a CLA, most service shops will recalibrate the meter circuitry for a 1.5 volt silver cell at no additional charge. The LR 44 cell is smaller in diameter and slightly thinner than the mercury cells so you'll need an o-ring to keep it centered in the battery chamber and possibly a metal disc or thin washer to make up for the missing thickness. No big problem really, I'm doing this in a Leicaflex SL than Sherry Krauter recalibrated for me. There is a silver battery, the S625PX, These are available through some of the specialist battery sellers on the web. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claude_batmanghelidj Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Now, I am thoroughly confused! I never did have much of a chance to use the SL with the adapter, before sending it off. So I am not really offering that much of an informed opinion to anyone; it seemed to work. I need to take a good look at it when I get it back. The other problem, with the SL, is that the little metal contact tab in the battery well is susceptible to becoming brittle and breaking. One more damn problem to deal with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey L.T. von Glück Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Go with the Dutch adaptor. Frans is a gentleman to deal with and order turnaround time is very quick. I bought two as backups when my supply of refrigerated PX625's runs out. Jeffrey L. T. von Gluck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25asa Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 http://www.criscam.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CCS&Category_Code=MBA Theres the link for the 625 battery adapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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