Canon old F1 battery adapter question

pharmboycu · Jul 21, 2011

Hi everyone!

I couldn't find the answer to this in the search, so I figured I'd ask.

I just installed the CRIS battery adapter in my F1 and noticed something-- the battery check function doesn't seem to work.

Before I get worried, I wanted to ask if using the battery adapter will prevent the battery check function from working properly? If that's the case, I'll use the camera and not worry about that not working but if it's supposed to work, I'm afraid that the metering accuracy may not be correct.

Any thoughts/opinions/experience?

Thanks in advance!

John

Rol_Lei Nut · Jul 22, 2011

If you're using a 1.5 or 1.55 volt battery in the adapter (preferably a silver cell), the adapter should furnish about 1.35 volts, exactly like a mercury battery.

There is no reason the battery check function shouldn't work (it always works on the several cameras I use a similar adapter with).

Either the battery check function in your camera is broken/out of adjustment or your source battery is far from volts(!!!?).

Basic question is, is the meter working? (check contacts and if your 1.5 volt battery is good. Is the battery inserted the right way round?).
If you don't have another camera or meter to compare it to, check it using the "sunny 16" rule.

I find such adapters a great solution to the often quoted and highly exaggerated "obsolete battery problem" many people talk about.
Compared to a mercury battery, which, depending on use, would last *several* or *many* years, a silver cell will need replacing after *only* a year or two.
Such a hassle...

Jeff Kubach · Jul 22, 2011

By mistake you might have the battery in backwards.

Jeff

Paul VanAudenhove · Jul 22, 2011

I'm not sure about the F=1, but the F-1n requires the ASA to be set at 100 and the shutter speed at 2000 for the battery check.

benjiboy · Jul 22, 2011

Paul VanAudenhove said:
I'm not sure about the F=1, but the F-1n requires the ASA to be set at 100 and the shutter speed at 2000 for the battery check.

This does apply to the original F1 too.

pharmboycu · Jul 22, 2011

Thanks so far everyone. I will triple re-check everything again after work, but I'm 99% sure the battery and adapter are in correctly. I have the F1 set to ASA 100 and shutter speed at 2000.

The meter works, however, I question the accuracy since the battery check doesn't work.

Since I don't have a handheld meter, I'll compare it to readings from the A1 and K1000 to see if they are all in the same ballpark.

I guess it wouldn't be unheard of for the battery check feature to go out but the actual meter to work... but I'd imagine this would be a rare case. It's a little nerve wracking, but I'll let ya'll know what happens when I get home.

Thanks again!

John

Pumalite · Jul 22, 2011

I use mine with an Air Zinc battery and it gives wonderful results. You have to use a rubber O-ring around the battery.

Ian C · Jul 22, 2011

In 2000 I bought a Nikon FTN. The previous owner had installed two 1.5v alkaline replacement cells in the old 625 size. The meter readings were inflated by about 3.5 to 4 stops.

I bought the Japanese-made CIRS converters with the 1.35V voltage regulator fabricated onto a silicon wafer and installed 1.55v silver oxide cells.

I compared the readings to those of my Minolta Flashmeter IV and found that the TN finder now reads just about the same as the Minolta meter. There is some variation, but no two meters read precisely the same and the TN finder uses obsolete cadmium sulfide photocells that never had the same response as the newer silicon photo diodes.

I wouldnt be too concerned about the battery check function. With the 1.35v converters, your meter is likely now reading as accurately as it can for its age, condition, and the type of photo cells it has.

frobozz · Jul 22, 2011

pharmboycu said:
I guess it wouldn't be unheard of for the battery check feature to go out but the actual meter to work... but I'd imagine this would be a rare case. It's a little nerve wracking, but I'll let ya'll know what happens when I get home.

I've actually had a couple of old F-1's in exactly this state. Usually it's just a matter of "push a little harder" especially if it's an F-1n where the battery check switch is spring-loaded to return to OFF when you release it. The contacts, which rarely get used, tarnish up and require a lot more pressure to make solid contact.

Duncan

pharmboycu · Jul 22, 2011

Well, I checked the F1 against the Pentax and the A-1. They each had nearly identical readings when metering the same scene. So, I'm fairly confident the metering is accurate and that it is either an issue of the battery check not working or an issue of "push harder" when moving the spring loaded selector switch. Since I'm not a big fan of pushing things harder when they won't turn (done some damage to things that way), I'm going to be content knowing the metering works and to be cautious I'll replace the battery every six months or so. Batteries, relatively speaking, are cheap and I'd rather go through a few extra batteries than tinker around with a camera that seems to be working well otherwise.

THANK YOU to everyone for your input. I sincerely appreciate it!

Now to send three rolls of Ektachrome off for developing... hope they turn out good!

John

Canon old F1 battery adapter question

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