Best silver-oxide batteries

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BetterSense

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I have a Canon AT-1 that says to use only silver-oxide 6v batteries. Last time I was in a pinch so I bought a bunch of button cells at the store and stacked 4 of them up. But I dropped the camera last week and the door popped open and I lost the battery in the snow.
 

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B&Jdude

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If a camera store is not handy, the 544/PX28 batteries are also available at Radio Shack and Wal*Mart.
 

B&Jdude

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I suppose I should have mentioned that the batteries aren't cheap at either Wal*Mart or Radio Shack, but one can be picked up quickly there when needed. They should be cheaper at a camera store, but the cost of the gas and waste of time might offset that advantage.

I can get the batteries when I am at the nearest camera store (about 70 miles away) and stock up with some spares, but if I should happen to run out, those more expensive outlets are my emergency reserve (and the local Wal*Mart is open 24/7).

If you live near civilization, the batteries should be much easier to find, at a lower price.
 

Jon Shiu

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At a store called Big Lots they have a pack of 5 SR44 equivalent button silver oxide cells for $1.90. I picked up a few packs for spares.

Jon
 
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BetterSense

BetterSense

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I live in Dallas and I would call that civilization but neither the Wolf nor the walmart on coit road had them. Neither did the Wolf on preston. Maybe there are more photographers around where you live. Like I said I'll try radioshack or a battery store next.
 

MattKing

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John Koehrer

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Unless your camera has a problem, one battery will last for a long time depending on how much you shoot or how often you drop it. But a PX28 is much easier to find than an SR44.
 
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BetterSense

BetterSense

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Yes, I'm starting to wonder if a lithium 6v wouldn't work just as well. I mean I don't even think there were lithium batteries when the camera was made and owners manual was written. Would it work just as good? Maybe with a film-speed-setting fudge factor?
 

MattKing

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Yes, I'm starting to wonder if a lithium 6v wouldn't work just as well. I mean I don't even think there were lithium batteries when the camera was made and owners manual was written. Would it work just as good? Maybe with a film-speed-setting fudge factor?

The PX-28 is used in a lot of the Mamiya medium format cameras. Before they took it down, Mamiya USA used to have a Mamiya Users forum. One of the features on the forum was a table that showed which cameras could use a lithium battery, and which cameras could not. From that, I've always understood that the question of usability depends on the circuits in the camera, and the answer may be much more complex than just adjusting the film speed.

You may want to look for someone who repairs Canon cameras. They tend to be very familiar with battery requirements.

Matt
 

SamWeiss

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Yes, I'm starting to wonder if a lithium 6v wouldn't work just as well. I mean I don't even think there were lithium batteries when the camera was made and owners manual was written. Would it work just as good? Maybe with a film-speed-setting fudge factor?

Depends upon the camera... specifically, whether a drop in voltage from the battery (as they age and/or are depleted) matters.

Silver Oxide batteries will not drop their voltage much, until the very end at which time the voltage drops dramatically.

Alkaline batteries will slowly lower their voltage as they age.

Coincidentally, only a few hours ago I put the Varta battery linked above into my Freestyle cart... as I've spent the morning shopping for 6 volt batteries.
 
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