david_simonds Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Friends, I recently returned from a trip where I used the Rollei exclusively. I began with a fresh charge every day because by the end of the previous day it would read 2-4 and I did not want to get stuck in the middle of the day with no juice. I shot perhaps 4 rolls per day and switched off the meter between them. Do these batteries wear out or lose the capacity to hold a charge? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aoresteen Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Do you mean "120" rolls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted March 16, 2005 Author Share Posted March 16, 2005 Duh, my bad. 120, of course. And thank you for not offering the wise guy reply that "I do not get any 110 rolls from a charge." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wim_van_velzen Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Only when shooting below zero Celcius I got less than 10 films from one charge. Even at + 5 degrees I get more than 25 - 30. At higher temperatures I suppose about 40 to 50, but never really checked. <p> The batteries of my camera work as well as two years ago, when I got them new. <p> <a href="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl">Wim</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_z Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 And David, we are getting ready to get stunned by your images from your trip....:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskovacs Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 The 6008i uses a NiCd pack, correct? These do wear-out and lose ability to hold charge. Also, they exhibit a memory effect. By recharging when your batteries aren't flat, e.g. at 25%, you actually REDUCE their capacity so they die at 25%, rather than at 0% (permanently). The best quality battery chargers actually discharge your batteries fully before starting with the charging cycle, or you can build a rig to do this yourself. Its a PITA, but this is life before lithium ion rechargeables. I don't know the details of these particular batteries, but I have bought individual NiCd cells of the correct size to rebuild battery packs. This is the most economical way to do it and many places will do this work for a nominal fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 How old were your batteries, David? And were you shooting in very cold region? 4 rolls per charge is not much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCULUS New York Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Sounds like rebuild time if you are losing an overnight charge, David. On the other hand, you shouldn't have to recharge them each night. I don't use mine steadily enough to count, but it can sit for a month and not be the least bit phased, except for cold weather. For those times, I have the ultimate Homeland Security Threat Prompt: the battery extension cord that runs to your pocket and up to that big threatening camera. This keeps the battery warm and sends chills down the spine of wary rent-a-cops in public spaces. Rollei USA gets about $85 to rebuild the pack. There is a commercial (Maha, I think) charger that has a "recondition" mode, and features electronic probe leads, so that you can insert them into the correct pin slots, but the reference is at home. I'll try to find and relay. Yours might be salvageable if discharged/conditioned, but I doubt it. For the future (on a new pack) do NOT recharge it until it asks for it; and for this reason, you may want to invest in a second. And I can't recommend buying used on ePrey; prices get too high for dubious-life units. Better off to buy new or rebuild, so you know where you started--and they should last for years. I think the manual recommends charges every 6 mos. if unused. Cheers, Ray Hull PS: If you think NiCad is a dated/weak link, don't. You'll note that the latest AF models still use that same realiable power pack, even though it now has to drive lens focusing etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCULUS New York Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 David, It is the MAHA listed here: http://www.thomas-distributing.com/maha-mh-c777.htm You can google mh-c777 for more info or locations. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwstutterheim Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 I have bought a Maha charger too. There have been several reports of users who have successfully reconditioned their "near dead" Rollei battery pack. My advice would be to order the Maha first because it is a far better charger to use in future anyway and you can charge half discharged batteries as you are used to as long as you incorporate the discharge feature in the cycle. Run a few discharge/charge cycles with your old battery to see what is left of it. After judging the result, decide on an new battery. There are two suitable Maha chargers now. The cheeper old model which I have and a new one with a little display to show the voltage etc. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Ray, thanks for your suggestion. I think that my batteries (I have two) are kaput. I can actually lose a charge overnight. I will check into that option you mention and the rebuild. Your reference to the Rollei as that "big threatening camera" certainly rings true, particularly with the 45 finder, 90mm Schneider and a retracted monopod attached to it. I just got back from a trip to Israel where the Rollei seemed to attract as much attention as the sites. While walking in the Arab shouk (market), a merchant yelled to me, "I like your machine gun." Its a "bazooka" I told him. Alex Z, who commented above, met me in Jerusalem for some shooting (note the power of photo.net). He told me that as we passed a group of young soldiers, one of them commented, "Look at that camera. Who is he going to shoot with that." And they were toting automatic weapons. Frankly, I was surprised at how little difficulty I had going through security within the city and in the airports. But I have to say that shlepping around this rig, with the 50mm and 150mm in tow was a real effort. While I have had the camera for about a year, this was our first real excursion. On my last trip to Israel, I used my Contax G2 system. That whole kit with three lenses, I think, weighs than the Rollei owners manual. With auto focus and its small unobtrusive size it is a more agreeable traveling companion. But there is no way that these 35mm images can compare to the Rollei chromes. I shot about 30 rolls. Hopefully, there will be a few zingers that will have made the effort worthwhile. Unfortunately, the images that stand out most vividly in my mind are the ones that got away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Alex, as for being "stunned" by my images, you were there. You know I have no idea how to take a picture. I could not even get the film speed right.... And how come you only brought that little 35mm Canon. Bronica afraid to come out and play? Lakhiner, the batteries are probably 4-5 years old. Not really sure because I got the kit used. This was not a cold weather issue. Part of my shooting was in the Negev desert. Ferdi, thanks for your reinforcement of Ray's suggestion. I will check out the charger. At this point, the battery issue is more of an inconvenience. Between the two batteries, there is enough juice to shoot as many rolls as I am likely to in the course of a day. And as long as I can recharge them at night, I would be set. But if I electricity is not available, that would be a problem. How long do batteries usually last? Thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Ferdi, I checked out the Maha charger. It is not obvious from the images how the Rollei battery connection would fit into the charger. Can you advise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwstutterheim Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 David, <br><br>The contacts of the charger can be aligned in both vertical and horizontal directions and then fixed. The battery is moved to the contacts from the "third dimension" and securely held by a magnet. It is very easy to do, no problems at all. Take a look <a href="http://www.pindelski.org/equipment/Equipment4.htm">here</a>. Battery life depends on how they were handled in the past. I suppose 4-5 years is about the life expectancy. <br><br>Ferdi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Ferdi, thanks for the update. I will definitely get this charger. Can you suggest a method of charging the batteries once I get it to see if they can be rehabilitated. Or is it just a matter of hooking them up, letting the charger discharge them of any remaining juice, and see if they come back and retain a charge. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwstutterheim Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 <i> Or is it just a matter of hooking them up, letting the charger discharge them of any remaining juice, and see if they come back and retain a charge. </i> <br><br> The only thing you will have to do after placing the battery is press the discharge button. Somehow the charger is able to count the number of cells. The cells are then discharged to 1 V each, 8 V for the pack. In the camera this would show as "CHARGE" on the display when the camera is switched on. While shooting it is not very practical to run the battery down this far. Long before this point, it will show "CHARGE" after a few exposures and switch of. Switching on after a short pause will show a "bc=2" recovery. Etc. etc. This is why we need a charger with a discharge option. Rollei should have supplied it in the first place. As soon as 1 V per cell is achieved, the Maha starts recharging. I would do 2 or 3 discharge/ recharge cycles and see how the battery is doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Ferdi, much obliged. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_z Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Oh no David, getting around with the equipment you have no much experience with doesn't mean you don't know to make fine images. We all were in your boat once beginning a new photo equipment advanture, but one gains confidence with practice. Would I bring my Bronica with me for our shootout, I would certainly be fiddling with the camera probably much more then you (bearing in mind yours is featured by much more automaiton then my Bronica), and probably wouldn't be able to shoot effectively at all, All in all, doing street photography with all manual camera, (not to mention all the burden related to MF) isn't going to bring much fruits, especially bearing in mind lack of extensive experience with this particular equipment. Besides, street photography isn't my main point of interest. :-) But, I really hope you will have images from this trip to be proud of, despite all the fiddling with the camera, and the more you will use it the sooner it become second nature, you know. In fact, would we both opt for a dedicated photo session there appropriate for MF, no doubt my Bronica would be my choice over 35mm. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberto pastorelli Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 After readings what you wrote, I've bought a MAHA charger and today, after 3 descharge/recharge cycles (gradually going better) I have successfully reconditioned my "very near dead" Rollei 600X battery pack. Great suggestion, thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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