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on Aug 13, 2021 15:57:29 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 13, 2021 15:58:11 GMT by lumiworx
A number of recent posts have touched on battery power, battery type substitutions, voltages, and power curves, etc. I came across a section of the Contax N1 manual dealing with batteries used in the P-8 external power pack, and thought it might be useful to highlight some of the details. I realize this may be specific to one accessory on its face, but it provides a good gauge of 3 battery types in use at the time these were produced, and how they compare on output results, according to Yashica's internal testing routines. The types listed are... alkalines, lithium (not lithium-ion), and nickel hydrogen (an early rechargeable).  The nickel hydrogen batteries are a little bit like nickel–metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, but the chemicals used are stored under pressure. The power ratings and curves are similar to those same NiMH rechargeables (i.e., Eneloop, etc.) and they'll perform pretty close overall, so you can substitute one for the other. Another useful resource for getting battery data... WikiPedia's list of battery types, and if you do a search in your favorite internet search engine for a battery type's product data sheet (not the safety data sheet) it will give you lots of power data from the manufacturer of a specific battery. There's a 'power target range' that most makers use, but not all of them will be all that similar to each other as a hard and strict standard measurement except for the output voltage under load for each type (AA = 1.5v, or Lantern Dry Cell = 6v, etc.). |
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on Aug 13, 2021 20:55:36 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 19, 2021 22:54:03 GMT by biggles3
All very helpful information lumiworx - thank you. The reference to the P-8 takes me back; I used one in my clothing with various Contax models in the winter and the P8-D in the summer where cool temperatures were not an issue and its rubber gaskets afforded a good degree of protection from rain. The only downside of the P8-D is its weight but it has a strong, metal belt clip so it's not a big issue. It remains the only Contax power source for cameras that uses D-cells. As a footnote, the only Contax camera for which I have a dedicated AC Adapter is the Contax 645 but until writing this, I had never thought of trying to use it with the likes of the N1, AX, etc. But thought is master of the deed...I feel a trial coming on. The only early Contax cameras that could be powered by mains adapters were the RTS, RTS Fundus and RTSII but only if they were attached to motor drives and linked to the Contax AC Controller, using the Power Adapter supplied with the PMD or W6 drives. All very useful when taking lots of product or fashion shots in studios back in the late 1970s and '80s. |
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on Aug 19, 2021 22:19:33 GMT
Posted: Aug 19, 2021 22:19:33 GMT
This reminded me of the helpful info in the Nikon COOLPIX 4600/5600 manual. These cameras can take FOUR kinds of AA batteries -- a real plus in my book -- and it estimates the number of pictures for each type.
Two AA alkaline
Two AA lithium
Two AA nickel manganese
Two AA nickel-metal hydride
It points out that the lithium are the best, and alkaline the worst -- but adds that alkaline results vary a lot based on the manufacturer.
I've given up on using any alkalines in the camera due to how poorly they last -- but in a pinch, I can always find them.
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on Aug 20, 2021 18:34:14 GMT
Posted: Aug 20, 2021 18:34:14 GMT
I have recently been reminded while testing items for sales, that some photo gear does not like substitutes. A Canon Power Grip for A series cameras refuses to do anything other than allow the test cycle to be run when using anything other than alkaline AA's.
I don't have any NiCad's (I threw all those out decades ago) or standard Lithiums to test with, and I don't think there were any other types in regular use when these winders were made, so none of my rechargeable types will cycle the winder for regular duty. I have to assume that there are plenty of devices that just aren't designed to accept anything beyond a particular specification. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any other way to know for sure what will work, until you pop in something and try it.
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on Aug 21, 2021 11:08:21 GMT
Posted: Aug 21, 2021 11:08:21 GMT
[...] some photo gear does not like substitutes. [...] Sometimes it's even worse than that, I'm afraid; a couple of months ago I thought my Contax G2 had given up the ghost when a pair of fresh brand X lithium CR2's failed to power it up. However, it then turned out that a fresh set of brand Y batteries worked. Complete mystery to me... 
(Not the first time though that my G2 behaved in a rather particular fashion as to the choice of batteries.)
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