Light Meters and Mercury batteries

[wes_massengill]

I would like to purchase a medium priced, used meter as supplimentary backup to my Yashica 124G meter. I am told to be careful in that many of the good meters, such as the Gossen Luna-Pros require the mercury battery, which is no longer legal/available. Also, the alkaline replacements will not hold the constant voltage as the mercury cells do, which can lead to problems. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

[grunzweig photography]

Hi, I purchased a replacement battery for my Luna Pro,a Wein cell, from a local Palo Alto California photo store Keeble and Suchatt. I have been using it for about 7months with no problems. I checked it

against my spotmeter using a grey card target and it is right on.

 

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ken

[martin_f._melhus]

From what I've seen in Shutterbug, CRIS Camera Services sells

a gizmo that takes a SILVER 76 battery, and puts a little shell

over it with microelectronics that produce a 1.35 V output. The

shell mimics the size of the PX625 (or PX13, I don't know if they

are the same.) It's called the MR-9 Adaptor, and runs $29.95 + s&h.

 

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Their number is 800/216-7579, fax 602/940-1329

Address 250 N. 54th St./Chandler, AZ 85226

 

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I've never used one, so I can't recommend them as such, but I have

heard of them before seeing this ad (Shutterbug, Feb 1998, pg 270,

bottom left corner of page.)

 

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Anyone out there with experience with this device?

 

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Regards,

[kip_babington]

Wes, my Luna Pro SBC is my favorite meter and it uses a regular 9V battery. My experience with meter batteries is that they'll last forever but if they're not common (i.e., not AA, AAA or 9V) they will only die on Sunday or in a place far from a source for a replacement. Maybe your experience will be different. BTW, in the latest KEH catalog a Luna Pro SBC is listed for $189, while a regular Luna Pro in the same condition is $165 for black and $115 for gray (I'm not sure what the difference in color means.)

[wilf_lee]

Two years ago, I bought a Gossen Lunasix F that took 9V batteries. This leads me to believe that the newer meters have been modified to take 9V instead of mercury. As for using alkaline batteries, I've had this one for two years and have had no problems with battery voltage related problems.

[george_nedleman]

You guys are all missing the boat. I went through the Wein batteries at $9/per. and found out at a photo shop in San Fran that Bogen, dist of Gossen, (201) 818 0060-service dept, sells an adapter for readily available batteries (read cheap) to drop the voltage to the correct amount for about $18! It's great I've had it for about 6 mo and the meter reads right on.

[george_nedleman]

Go to the source. You guys are all missing the boat. I went through the Wein batteries at $9/per. and found out at a photo shop in San Fran that Bogen, dist of Gossen, (201) 818 0060-service dept, sells an adapter for readily available batteries (read cheap) to drop the voltage to the correct amount for about $18! It's great I've had it for about 6 mo and the meter reads right on.

[Spearhead]

Mercury batteries *are* available, just not in the US and Japan. I have found them in Canada, Spain and Mexico in the last three years. Given the lifetime of a battery in a meter (long), it seems there is a fairly simple solution. Go somewhere, or find a friend going somewhere, or find a friend outside the US, and get mercury batteries. All of the other solutions are compromises, be it lifetime or cost.

[peter_caplow]

I bought a pair of the MR-9 adaptors from C.R.I.S. for my Gossen Luna-Pro. They were slightly fatter than the original mercury cells and I couldn't get the cover for the battery compartment to screw back on. I could catch a thread on the cover and make the electrical contact but I didn't do any extensive testing to see if the meter was accurate. However, the battery test indication was way off. I tried the MR-9's in a Minolta SRT-202 and a meter that attaches to a Leica M3. In both cases, the battery test was off and the meter needles wavered a lot when a reading was being taken. I returned the MR-9's to C.R.I.S. and they refunded the purchase price but not the S&H.

[andrew_morang]

Mercury PX-625 batteries may be available in the USA if you are lucky to find an importer. A year ago, I saw a small electrical goods shop on Canal Street in Chinatown, New York City, with a sign that stated "Unusual batteries available." Amazingly, they had mercury 625 cells imported from China - only $4 each. I bought a few. Now the bad news: when I returned to NY last autumn, the little store was gone, replaced by a clothing emporium. I am sure that someplace in Chinatown, the mercury batteries are still available, but it may be a chore to find a supplier.

 

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For photographers: Chinatown is a fantastic place for photographs. Go on a rainy or foggy day when the light is soft.

 

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Andy

[martin_f._melhus]

Another option is to go to a camera show. I found a guy at one

who sold me 5 Varta PX625 batteries for $3 each. He had something like 40 of them, several different brands. However, he didn't have

a sign saying that he was selling them; I just noticed them in a bag

on the table, and asked. This is probably the simplest way for

anyone not living in an incredibly remote area to get Mercury batteries. Note that they are now illegal to sell, but not illegal

to have.

 

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Regards,

[dante_stella]

Cris is overcharging. Get the insert from Gossen. I think it's about $18, and you get it for free if you get your meter serviced.

 

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So is Wein. I bought two at $5 each and realized that they are just metal washers wrapped around 1.35V zinc-air hearing aid batteries (usually DA675). Reuse the washers and each cell can be "replaced" for $1. It's cheaper than alkalines, has the right voltage and lasts about 6 mos. Just make sure that they have a way to get air (many battery covers are ventilated anyway).