Canon A series Battery

[mike_clinard1]

I had a number of A series Canon cameras back in the late 70’s and eventually moved to digital. Been thinking about getting back into film and picking up an A-1 camera. My question concerns the battery, specifically the PX28, which originally was a silver oxide battery. Now they are lithium. I seem to remember back then the lithium batteries caused the internal metering to be off. Canon recommended using only silver oxide batteries.  I don’t see this recommended any more on the latest A-series camera blogs.I did find this on the KEH website.

Special Note: The AT-1 is the one camera in the A series line that MUST have a silver-oxide battery; no lithium or alkaline substitutes should be used.

[Ken Katz]

A quick Google search shows PX28 batteries available in alkaline, lithium and silver oxide varieties.  If they are all 6 volt then I would expect they all work, unless there is a specific issue.  I would always calibrate an old meter (or old camera) against a meter that you know is reliable.

I haven't opened up my A-1 in years to see what flavor battery it has.

[Ken Katz]

Had a moment waiting for my oven to reach its set temperature, and looked up the AT-1.  Looks like that camera, along with the entire A series is happy with alkaline 4LR44 batteries. 

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film96.html

Generally cameras that don't use mercury cell batteries have circuitry that provides stable voltage to the meter throughout the battery's life.

[mike_clinard1]

Thanks Ken for the quick reply.

[Tony-S]

I use a lithium 6v in my F-1N with no problems so I suspect A series are fine, too. 

[gwhitegeog]

Yes, it's not like the problem with the old discontinued PX628 mercury cell for the old F1 etc, where the new silver oxide ones are the wrong voltage (1.5v versus 1.35v if I recall). I bought a pack of 12 x PX28s online last year. They are all alkaline and give a nominal 6v an work fine with new F1, A1 etc.

GW

[mike_clinard1]

I found a reference from Canon where they recommend the PX28 silver oxide battery due to less battery drain and also differences in exposure metering. I don’t really understand the technical side of it, but I ordered PX28 silver oxide batteries for my A-1 and AV-1 cameras.

[Bettendorf]

3 hours ago, mike_clinard1 said:

I found a reference from Canon where they recommend the PX28 silver oxide battery due to less battery drain and also differences in exposure metering. I don’t really understand the technical side of it, but I ordered PX28 silver oxide batteries for my A-1 and AV-1 cameras.

If that reference is as old as the A-1 and AV-1, then I'm sure they where comparing silver oxide to the ubiquitous alkaline batteries (PX28A) in use at the time.

As far as I remember, Lithium Ion (PX28L) didn't exist at the time, thirty five or so years ago.  One that delivers a correct and steady voltage is what's important. 

And 28L certainly fills that bill.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Bettendorf

[BeBu Lamar]

Canon A-1 manual recommended both the silver oxide and alkaline batteries. I would consider Canon to be incompetent if they released a camera in that period of time 1979 and need precise battery voltage for accurate metering. It's simply not the case. 

Edited June 24, 2023 by BeBu Lamar

[zakslm]

This thread reminded me of battery observations I recall having when I used the original AE-1 for about 10 years from shortly after it's introduction until the mid 80's .  

I recall that the when the silver oxide batteries were even slightly depleted (maybe even fresh) the needle in the viewfinder "bounced" for a split second or maybe longer before settling on an f stop.  I also noticed that I had exposure problems or inaccuracies (I shot a lot of slide film back then) if I took the shot before the needle stopped bouncing.  My "fix" for this problem was to wait for the needle to settle before releasing the shutter.  Not ideal for quick action or grab shots, but it worked for me as I recall.

When the alkaline batteries came out and I started to use them, I noticed that the "needle bouncing" stopped.  The needle settled quickly and the exposure was accurate.  The alkalines may not have lasted as long, but they were less expensive and eliminated a problem.

I always carried an extra battery (or 2) including one in the extra battery clip on the neckstrap that came with my camera.  On my honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, my new wife and I were sitting on the beach or by the pool and someone came up to me and asked, "Can I borrower your camera battery?"  I think he was also on his honeymoon and he had an A series camera with a dead battery.  It seems the shops in Puerto Vallarta back then didn't carry or ran out of PX28 series batteries. I gave him the extra battery stored in the neckstrap clip and told him he could keep it (I had another one in my camera bag) and he was ecstatic.  A few days later, we opened the door to our hotel room and found an envelope with the battery and a very nice "thank you" note from the guy.  

[dave_thomas8]

I change batteries so infrequently in my A-1 as to have trouble remembering what they are. But the same PX28 style is used in my Bronica SQ-A. Especially since I have no metering finders for it, I find the alkaline does the job. Howsomever, there was a note from Bronica somewhere along the way that said silver oxide and alkaline were OK, but actually recommended against lithium. I've not seen an authoritative analysis of the reason for that. It may be, since that was early in the proliferation of lithium cells that some weren't of very high quality, or perhaps those from sketchy suppliers had less than a full load of chemicals resulting in shorter service life; dunno!

The cool thing is in the 1980s when I was using the camera more, it seemed one had to go to a camera store or mail order PX28 alkalines. Now that they are used in dog collars and such, my local Ace Hardware has them.

[Tony-S]

Just a follow-up; lithium battery in my A-1 works just fine! Ilford Delta 100, Perceptol 1+1 for 17 min at 68F.

[glen_h]

On 6/24/2023 at 12:02 PM, dave_thomas8 said:

I change batteries so infrequently in my A-1 as to have trouble remembering what they are. But the same PX28 style is used in my Bronica SQ-A. Especially since I have no metering finders for it, I find the alkaline does the job. Howsomever, there was a note from Bronica somewhere along the way that said silver oxide and alkaline were OK, but actually recommended against lithium. I've not seen an authoritative analysis of the reason for that. It may be, since that was early in the proliferation of lithium cells that some weren't of very high quality, or perhaps those from sketchy suppliers had less than a full load of chemicals resulting in shorter service life; dunno!

I remember knowing about the DL1/3N that I used in my Nikon FM, not so long after the FM came out.

The FM is not sensitive to voltage.  As long as the LEDs light, it is said to be correct.

(There is no "low battery" indication.  It either works or doesn't.)

As well as I remember it, the lithium cells are less constant in voltage than others.

The lithium cells are 3V, compared to the (about) 1.5 for others.

All else being equal, though it probably isn't, they should last twice as long.

 

The PX28 and PX28A are four cells in one package.  The PX28L is two cells.

Note the other name for them: 4LR44, as it is the size of four LR44 cells.

For some cameras,  you could stuff four LR44 into the compartment.

(Not so easy for the ones that are under the mirror.)

 

Otherwise, I have mostly been using alkaline cells in my old cameras.

Even ones designed for mercury cells, as it is usually close enough for

black and white film.  Also, they shouldn't cost more than the camera.