CRIS adapter in a Leicaflex SL? Mine works

[jim_simmons]

Claude said something in a recent post about it being a well known

fact that the CRIS adapters don't work properly in an SL in high

light level situations. Well, I didn't know that. I did a test

tonight, and am wondering how my experience compares with others. I

used two different good mercury cells and a CRIS adapter/silver cell

in both an SL and a Gossen Super Pilot, both set at ISO 400. I

pointed them straight into my daylight flourescent light table and

got readings of 1/500 at f/8 to 8-1/2 on both the SL and the Gossen.

I would think that a light that registered 1/500 at 8 at ISO 400

would qualify as a reasonably high light level, no? Two stops

below "sunny 16," so maybe that's not enough light to register this

difference that Claude is talking about? Anybody got any

observations? I'll do the test again when the sun comes out again

here in N Carolina, but for today and tonight, my light table's been

the brightest light around.

[doug herr]

I don't get good battery checks with the C.R.I.S. adapter in my SL.

I'm re-calibrating my cameras for the 1.5-volt 625s silver cell. My

C.R.I.S. adapter is for sale, first $15 gets it. Shipping in the lower

48 included.

[jim_simmons]

Thanks, Doug. I was hoping you'd see my post. I guess I'll just do some more testing in more types of light and see if tonight's consistent results hold up in other situations. I've got three devices that use the mercury cells, so I'm hoping the CRIS adapters will allow me some consistency in how I use them.

[claude_batmanghelidj]

Jim, go back and take a look at my original post. I never said that. It was the other guy Roland Moravec that was complaining about the cris adapters. I don't even know what a cris adapter is. I have been using an adapter I bought here in Tokyo. It seems to work fine, but I need to get out and put my SL through its paces to see what the truth is. I have been mainly shooting digital, but I plan to keep the SL, so it would be nice to actually shoot with it!

[michael_b._elmer]

I asked Leica what to do when I could no longer get mercury batteries for my Leicameter MR, SL2Mot and CL. The answer was that Leica does not recommend the use of the CRIS adapter and that Leica instead recommends the use of the WeinCell MRB625. I have followed that advice and put away two CRIS adapters that to me did not seem to work in a fully convincing way.

[ronald_moravec1]

All I can say again is they didn`t work in sun light in three SL`s, but did work in open shade. I compared them with my Pentax digital Spot meter and Sekonic Studio DeLux. Some place between those points, the reading goes off. Naturally I compared it sunny 16 also.

 

The same adapter and battery works in my Rollie 35 and two clip on Leica meters.

 

Check yours carefully in full sun so nothing important to you gets ruined. If your adapter works, you have a better product than my CRISIS or maybe they have improved them as mine are 3/4 years old.

[paul_neuthaler]

I have these terrific convertors made by the Dutch guy -- I don't remember his nasme. They fit perfectly in the SL, SL2 & convert the voltage easily & cleanly. They cost $15 delivered.

[ed_balko3]

The CRIS adapters seem to have inconsistent performance with the Leicaflex SL. Some users report no problems, other find that the the adapters do not function properly in an SL. CRIS does not list the Leicaflex SL as being compatible in their data sheet.

 

My experience has that the CRIS adapters which I had did not function properly in a SL. I tried two adapters and two SL's and no combination worked properly in bright light (comparison with a mercury battery in either camera and a hand held meter).

 

I suspect the problem may be in batch to batch variation of the control circuitry components in the CRIS. Some components may have the current capacity needed for the SL, others may not. A second possibility is variation in the type of CdS photocell in the Leicaflex SL. There were two different types; the one originally fitted to the SL and a later type which replaced it in production units and as a repair replacement. My poor experience with the CRIS adapter in limited to the second (louvered) type.

[ben z]

Some friends of mine have Nikon Photomic meter prisms and found that the CRIS adaptors also give inconsistent results. Two guys had the meters recalibrated, but both were unhappy with the results from the 625 Alkaline batteries because the readings were accurate when the cells were new but started to get inaccurate as the battery was consumed. Since they had previously been using Wein cells (unhappy with high cost and short life) one of them read somewhere they could fit the silver oxide battery (like Leica M6 uses) into the adaptor washer that came with Wein cells, and they found that these give accurate readings throughout their life (Doug you may want to do that when you have your SL recalibrated since you shoot slide film). The third guy also kept the Wein washers, but uses hearing-aid batteries (about $1 each in packs of I think 12). He said he uncovers just one hole for some reason.

[gary_pinkerton1]

Used CRIS adapters for years in SL, no problems.

[claude_batmanghelidj]

Ah! I think I figured it out! Apparently the cells on the SL get funky over time. They work ok outside, but collapse in low light. Could it be that the adapter is fine, but the cell is bad?

[ed_balko3]

The SR44 type silver oxide batteries are smaller in diameter than the mercury cells and slightly thinner. To use them in a recalibrated SL, it is a simple matter to use an "O" ring around the circumference to center the SR44 and a thin washer to make up for the difference in thickness. Often worth the trouble as the SR44 and its clones are available virtually everywhere.

 

There is a simpler way to use a silver oxide cell. The S625PX silver oxide cell is exactly the same dimensions as the old mercury batteries and no spacers are needed.

 

Photobattery sells these:

 

http://www.photobattery.com/index.html#Btable

 

I'm a bit surprised that more people aren't aware that this battery exists.

[jim_simmons]

Sorry, Claude, about my confusion over your and Ronald's comments. Paul, do you have contact information on "the Dutch guy" you got your adaptors from? Thanks everyone for all the experienced answers.

[doug herr]

<I>S625PX silver oxide cell</I>

<P>

I've been converting my equipment to this battery. No problems with voltage drop, dimensions or calibration.

[ben z]

That's great. I'd heard of them but never actually seen one in the flesh. Read that Radio Shack sold them but the store near me couldn't find it listed. Is there anyplace other than the above linked source that sells them, and what manufacturer are they by?

[doug herr]

My last post could be interpreted in a couple of ways so just in case there was any misunderstanding when I wrote that there were no calibration problems, this means there's no problem calibrating the SL's meter to use the 1.5-volt 625s battery. I did not mean that calibration does not change when switching to the silver-oxide battery.

[jim_simmons]

Doug, do you do the calibration, or do you have it done for you? Is it a DIY type of thing, or something a pro needs to do?

[doug herr]

Jim, the calibration can be done at home if you have a fairly small screwdriver and a reference meter. I'm using my R8 as the reference.<P>

Behind the strip of leatherette on the front of the prism housing are three access holes for the meter's trim pots. I'll have to review my manual this evening, but one of the pots is to calibrate the battery test, another is for the high meter range and the third is for the low range. There's some interaction between the high- and low-range pots so it will take a few adjustment iterations.<P>

The procedure is to first be sure the film speed cam is adjusted properly: at 12 ASA and no lens on the camera the meter's follow loop should move its full range as you change shutter speeds from B to 1/2000 sec. You're in the right ballpark if the follow loop is horizontal at 1/60 sec. The film speed cam is under the film speed dial. To adjust this cam, remove the rewind crank by backing its setscrew out about one or 1.5 turns and unscewing it from its shaft. Using a spanner, remove the nut under the rewind crank. At this point the film speed dial will come out very easily and you don't want it to do that! Be sure you keep it in place, don't let it pop up. It's not a disaster if it comes out but it can be much more hassle to re-install it.

<P>

The cam is held in place with a ring which is loosened with a spanner. Once the ring is <U>slightly</U> loose you can turn the cam to adjust the follow loop. Tighten the ring, put the spanner nut back on, and re-install the rewind crank.

<P>

Next, calibrate the battery test. IIRC the battery test pot is on the film-advance end of the front of the prism. Adjust so that the needle points to the lower dot in the viewfinder when you press the battery test button. Next you adjust the high range, then the low range, to match your reference meter. Adjusting the low range will influence the high range, so go back to the high range pot and re-adjust, then re-adjust the low range again. Repeat until adjustments are negligible. Re-attach the leatherette strip with Pliobond or rubber cement.

[jim_simmons]

Thanks, Doug. I used to work in a movie factory in LA, so this sounds very doable to me. Not so confident in my "reference meter," though, a Gossen Super Pilot with a fresh mercury cell. Should be all right, though. I'll test the SL in bright light this weekend wtih the CRIS adapter and see how it does compared to the Gossen.

[jim_simmons]

Make that a movie CAMERA factory. Duh.

[chakara_sisowath]

Jim,

 

The "Dutch guy": Frans de Gruijter.

Also check this link - a very comprehensive explanation:

 

http://olympus.dementia.org/Hardware/PDFs/batt-adapt-US.pdf

 

The last page of the document has all the details to contact, purchase and pay the "Dutch guy". I bought 2 adapters from him to use in my Leicameters. It works fine.

[doug herr]

Jim, the high range pot is on the side closest to the rewind knob, and the low range pot is in the center. There's also some interaction between the high range pot and the meter test pot so it will take a few iterations there too. Figure on 15 minutes max for the whole routine.

[jim_simmons]

Well, I tested my SL in bright sun on a bright white sheet of paper this morning. At ASA 400, my SL (with CRIS adapter) said 1/2000 at f/16, and my Gossen (with good mercury cell) said 1/2000 at a hair below f/16. So I think I'll just thank the god of Mercury or whatever and let the sleeping dog lie.