DS-1/2 batteries... completely useless now?

RLangham · Dec 10, 2020

When I bought my F2SB they had at the same place a DS-2 "aperture control unit" that provides basic shutter speed priority on metered Nikon F2 bodies. They wouldn't sell it to me with the F2 because they didn't know what it was and the fact that I wanted it made them sure it was something very expensive.

Now, I'm not gonna argue the practicality of the unit. It's by all accounts a pretty awful solution that pales in comparison to the integrated modular AE systems on most late 70's pro SLR's like the Canon New F-1, to the extent that it was apparently mostly used for automated remote photography.

It's also exactly the kind of junk I like to mess around with. I'm interested to hear if anyone here ever used this ungainly beast, and in what applications, but my real question is... is there any way to get a battery for it? There isn't, is there? And the batteries from the old days are too old to recharge now, even with the special charger, right?

I'd go back and make an offer on it (it's still there) if I had any hope of being able to make it work, but as it is I don't think there is.

Donald Qualls · Dec 10, 2020

If you have a battery, it's most likely possible to replace the cells. I've done this with a 1998 vintage NiCd laptop computer battery, and was able to restore more than an hour of run time (original was only about 90 minutes when new). The variety of repair cells available, even in old NiCd technology, is staggering -- and nearly anything built with NiCd can be upgraded during this process to NiMH (same voltage, more capacity, less self-discharge, longer charge cycle life, less memory).

RLangham · Dec 10, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
If you have a battery, it's most likely possible to replace the cells. I've done this with a 1998 vintage NiCd laptop computer battery, and was able to restore more than an hour of run time (original was only about 90 minutes when new). The variety of repair cells available, even in old NiCd technology, is staggering -- and nearly anything built with NiCd can be upgraded during this process to NiMH (same voltage, more capacity, less self-discharge, longer charge cycle life, less memory).

Oh, hey, I have a 1998 laptop sitting around... a Thinkpad 500x I think. I don't have a charger for it though.

Here's my concern though... have you seen the rechargeable battery in question? It's a very odd size and as far I know it only went to that. It COULD be a bunch of cells plastic wrapped together but it could not be, I don't know.

Donald Qualls · Dec 10, 2020

Do you know the voltage? Divide by 1.2 to get the number of cells. Guaranteed, from the 1960s-1970s it'll be nickel cadmium. And it'll be small round cells, most likely like short C or AA cells (common designations might be "2/3 Sub C" for a cell with diameter between those, and shorter than a full sub C), with spot welded straps joining them in series to make up the required voltage.

RLangham · Dec 10, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Do you know the voltage? Divide by 1.2 to get the number of cells. Guaranteed, from the 1960s-1970s it'll be nickel cadmium. And it'll be small round cells, most likely like short C or AA cells (common designations might be "2/3 Sub C" for a cell with diameter between those, and shorter than a full sub C), with spot welded straps joining them in series to make up the required voltage.

If that's true it should be three cells, and yes, I'm seeing now that it is nicad.

Donald Qualls · Dec 10, 2020

Yep. NiMH is a direct replacement for NiCd in most cases, even the chargers are usually compatible. And there weren't any odd-shaped cells back then; they'll all be round, the only question is diameter and length (volume largely determines charge capacity).

RLangham · Dec 10, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Yep. NiMH is a direct replacement for NiCd in most cases, even the chargers are usually compatible. And there weren't any odd-shaped cells back then; they'll all be round, the only question is diameter and length (volume largely determines charge capacity).

Getting a charger would probably be the most difficult thing then... I wonder if the special fellows at that pawn shop will part with the DS-2 then...

Dirb9 · Dec 11, 2020

Easy way for new cells would be to get one from Sover Wong: https://soverf2repair.webs.com/DN1.htm . If you want to roll your own, it looks like they're 330H type cells, you'd need three of them. There's a number of DH-1 chargers on ebay, or again, if you're okay with making your own battery holder, you can buy a 3.6v NiCd charger and splice in some sort of battery holder. Props to you for wanting to give the DS-2 a shot, I'd agree it seemed a little kludge-y, but it's certainly cool to watch it move the aperture ring.

RLangham · Dec 11, 2020

Dirb9 said:
Easy way for new cells would be to get one from Sover Wong: https://soverf2repair.webs.com/DN1.htm . If you want to roll your own, it looks like they're 330H type cells, you'd need three of them. There's a number of DH-1 chargers on ebay, or again, if you're okay with making your own battery holder, you can buy a 3.6v NiCd charger and splice in some sort of battery holder. Props to you for wanting to give the DS-2 a shot, I'd agree it seemed a little kludge-y, but it's certainly cool to watch it move the aperture ring.

I might make an offer on it then.
So I haven't read the manual on the DS-2. Does it just continuously change the aperture as long as the meter's on?

ic-racer · Dec 11, 2020

DS-2 looks like a fascinating unit, I'd get it if I were you. I like that kind of stuff because of the nostalgia appeal. When that was new I only dreamed about it.
It does appears from pictures to have a large battery compartment. That opens to door to may power options.
Not an expert on this battery but if it is 6V then two lithium pancake cells might be the answer.

RLangham · Dec 11, 2020

ic-racer said:
DS-2 looks like a fascinating unit, I'd get it if I were you. I like that kind of stuff because of the nostalgia appeal. When that was new I only dreamed about it.
It does appears from pictures to have a large battery compartment. That opens to door to may power options.

The battery compartment is the large circular cap on the front of the unit near the aperture ring. The battery is about as wide as a C cell I think.

ic-racer · Dec 11, 2020

Maybe Donald will concur, but I power my Minolta QT with a common CR2025 3v lithium in a housing like this. I'd think something similar with two 3V lithium coin cells might work.

Chan Tran · Dec 11, 2020

RLangham said:
I might make an offer on it then.
So I haven't read the manual on the DS-2. Does it just continuously change the aperture as long as the meter's on?

The DS-2 will power the meter in the DP-3. The film advance level no longer turns the meter on or off. You can set the DS-2 to continuous adjusting the aperture or only when you push the button on the side.

RLangham · Dec 11, 2020

ic-racer said:
Maybe Donald will concur, but I power my Minolta QT with a common CR2025 3v lithium in a housing like this. I'd think something similar with two 3V lithium coin cells might work.

I think it's longer than that

Donald Qualls · Dec 11, 2020

That's a single 3V lithium cell, so to get 6V you'd need two of those. Those coin cells come in a wide variety of thicknesses, too, -- the first two digits are diameter in mm, last two digits is the thickness in tenths of a. Actually, I had a lithium cell that completely filled the battery compartment in my QT -- quite a bit bigger than a 2025, I think (replaced two alkaline coin cells). Unfortunately, either the cell I was sold was bad, or the electronics in the camera were completely dead (I presumed the latter).

I'd rather see anything originally made for rechargeable batteries use rechargeable batteries down the road, however -- if it had NiCd originally, NiMH is the preferred update. Chargers aren't hard to modify for the connector on the device.

ic-racer · Dec 11, 2020

No, not two of those, two of the cells within that, in a simple housing you need to construct.

The Excel is a cardboard tube and heat shrink tubing. Nothing really special.

RLangham · Dec 11, 2020

Chan Tran said:
The DS-2 will power the meter in the DP-3. The film advance level no longer turns the meter on or off. You can set the DS-2 to continuous adjusting the aperture or only when you push the button on the side.

When you say power the meter, do you mean the batteries in the body will become unnecessary?

Chan Tran · Dec 11, 2020

RLangham said:
When you say power the meter, do you mean the batteries in the body will become unnecessary?

Yes! The DS-2 supplies power to the viewfinder so the on/off function is on the DS-2 also.

DS-1/2 batteries... completely useless now?

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