Let's clear up the substitute battery situation!!!

**Alex** · June 10th, 2003, 05:59 PM

But does the battery supply power to the light meter
even when the camera is off? How does the light meter turn off the battery meter when the main battery is shut off?

**cameraguy** · June 10th, 2003, 06:48 PM

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 29, 2003 06:43 AM: Message edited by: cameraguy ]</font>

**BolexPlusx** · June 10th, 2003, 07:18 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by Forum-405:
But does the battery supply power to the light meter
even when the camera is off? How does the light meter turn off the battery meter when the main battery is shut off?</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

The theory goes that when you place the lens cap on the camera, the total darkness reduces the current draw from the battery so low that for all intents and purposes it is off. Although I am sure that some cameras with an on/off switch either bias a transistor to turn off the meter as well, or maybe the switches simply have a second set of contacts for the meter circuit.

The only camera that I own with a system On/Off switch doesn't have a seperate exposure cell, so I can't be sure.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 10, 2003 04:24 PM: Message edited by: BolexPlusx ]</font>

**sanderpander** · June 10th, 2003, 09:26 PM

How about a mountable unit that would: a)correct the voltage from 1.5 to 1.3 and b) stabilize the curent as well? I know a guy way good in electronics who might build that for me. It shouldn't be too big as well(in size and weight). How good of a solution does that sound like?

**BolexPlusx** · June 10th, 2003, 09:51 PM

Actually such a thing already exists:

http://www.classic-cameras.com/MR-9.htm

The Good Part:
This neat little adapter is a PX-13 sized shell that accepts a readily available silver photo cell, and reduces the output voltage to a regulated 1.35V so it acts exactly like the old mercury cell.

The Bad Part: It's $35 US (plus the silver cells)

The Ugly part: You'll need two of them.

If the money's not a problem, this is a good solution.

(a home grown solution is possible too, but wouldn't be as neat as this)

By the way, what Canon camera do you have?

**sanderpander** · June 10th, 2003, 10:48 PM

I checked the link. [img]eek.gif[/img] Looks mighty good!
Mine is a Canon 518 AutoZoom. I'm gonna dig into those neat little adapters and try to find out exactly how they work.

**sanderpander** · June 22nd, 2003, 07:02 PM

Alright. I think we have sorted it out. For the most part at least.
Conclusions:
1)the light meters are quite sensitive to voltage alterations, so you might want to feed it the correct volts
2)since some of the batteries are no longer in production, you can't always provide the correct voltage for your touchy light meter, but you can...
3)...get yourself one of these babies:http://www.classic-cameras.com/MR-9.htm
and have it made. Though they are pretty d*mn expensive, they look like a good solution.
4)have your friend the electronic/brain surgeon build one just like that for you and have it made.

That about wraps it up, or what!?

**Alex** · June 23rd, 2003, 01:23 AM

Well, since you've gone to such elaborate measures to make this easier on those that follow after you, I've e-mailed the battery company that Cameraguy provided a link to and asked them to....

----------------------------------------

Hello, your company was mentioned as offering a battery "solution" for Super-8 cameras on our Super-8 filmmaking forum.

http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...ic&f=405&t=764

Any chance you could devote a page to Super-8 cameras? It would be a TREMENDOUS help if you could start listing Super-8 cameras that would benefit from your aftermarket battery products.

Here is a link to the actual Super-8 forum.

http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...bb=forum&f=405

-Alex