Kickstart your Canon EOS with a motorbike battery.

[Robin Guymer]

You all know I'm crazy by now and I don't mind causing some Photrio controversy, so am bracing myself for getting it in the neck again.

Just bought a Canon EOS 50E with a fungus infected 28-105 Ultrasonic that no one else wanted on eBay. I like the challenge of a fungus lens and now have a nice collection of collector lenses that I have since restored to pristine users. Had no idea if this camera worked and not wanting to pay the excessive cost of the battery (which is worth more than the camera) I wondered if my Ducati battery would fire it up.

Found some 16mm clear plastic hose in the shed that when squeezed into shape fits nicely down the battery compartment. So a couple of slits in line with the terminals to hold the wires in place and hooked them up to the 6 volt Ducati battery. Worked a treat. Camera fired up and I was able to fully test all functions and shutter speeds sound good, crikey even the flash worked. Now I can fork out the $19 for a battery set or just walk around with the Ducati battery over my shoulder haha!. Photos attached.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Most of these cameras have voltage limiters, so you'll probably be ok. The Nikon MD-12 didn't, so there are quite a few stories of people doubling up the batteries & getting quite remarkable speeds out of it - until the FE2/ FM2 attached keeled over from being run twice as fast as intended!

 

[Lachlan Young]

His camera runs on 6V, he got a lead battery o 6V. I do not see any problem. nor any reason for controversy as expected by the OP.
He only needs to to get the polarity right.

Agreed - and quite a few professional camera systems in both 135 and 120 used to offer offboard battery containers to put inside clothing etc to prolong battery life in cold weather.

 

[AgX]

Most of these cameras have voltage limiters, so you'll probably be ok.

His camera runs on 6V, he got a lead battery of 6V. Maybe what you refer to is that a freshly loaded lead battery got a voltage of about 5% higher than nominal.

 

[Lachlan Young]

His camera runs on 6V, he got a lead battery of 6V. Maybe what you refer to is that a freshly loaded lead battery got a voltage of about 5% higher than nominal.

He could probably plug it in to a 12v battery without harm if the circuit design of the camera is designed to only allow the required voltage through.

 

[Cholentpot]

Whatever works man.

 

[pentaxuser]

Agreed - and quite a few professional camera systems in both 135 and 120 used to offer offboard battery containers to put inside clothing etc to prolong battery life in cold weather.

Lachlan, the added advantage is that if you had been able to buy an ex war dept flying suit you could plug that in as well and stay warm. I remember when Motorcycle Mechanics in the early 60s carried adverts for such things to plug into your motorbike battery for winter use on a motorbike. They were obtained from a warehouse in Coldharbour Lane in London.

pentaxuser

 

[MNM]

The batteries are only $7 USD for me so not worth the time messing around with hacks. Not surprised that they are more in Australia though.

Now that you have it going, will we see photos of the Bevel Drive Ducati?