Mamiya 645 Pro - Lithium battery compatibility?

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MattKing

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I have a Mamiiya 645 Pro that requires a six volt PX--28 battery. At the timee this camera came out, the two battery choices were alkaline and the longer life silver oxide batteries. Historically I used the silver oxide versions, but the availaability of reasonably priced, internet sourced, quantity purchases of the silver oxide versions seems to have dried up.
The manual for the later, 645 Pro--Tl (and 645e) iindicates that the Lithium versions of that battery are compatible with those cameras.
My question is: Does anyone on Photrio know whether I can use the Lithium versions in my camera?
I believe that the Users Group on the old Mamiya USA site had an answer to this question, but that site is long gone.
 

abruzzi

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I don’t know your camera specifically, but I use the lithium battery in several cameras that were designed for the silver or alkaline versions, so I doubt you’ll have issues (Bronica ETRSi and Pentax 67).
 
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You might also consider the lithium iron (lithium ferrophosphate) cells, which as well as being safer than lipo cells are also conveniently rated as 3.2 V and with no significant voltage drop until close to exhaustion.
 
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MattKing

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You might also consider the lithium iron (lithium ferrophosphate) cells, which as well as being safer than lipo cells are also conveniently rated as 3.2 V and with no significant voltage drop until close to exhaustion.
The PX-28 is a 6 volt cell. The lithium versions are probably made up of a set of smaller cells.
 

johnha

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I usually search for 4SR44 or 4LR44 (I can never remember the PX number) and usually find plenty (although some sold online are actually PX-28L - the L being Lithium).

I can't find the manual for my 645 Pro, but it's so similar to the Pro TL (and uses the same metered prism), i doubt there would be any problems - having said that I'd prefer to stick to 4LR44/4SR44s as I use them in various cameras.
 

jvo

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the manual says alkaline, silver oxide or lithium... i do remember reading somewhere that lithium batteries put out lower voltage as they expire and may effect some camera' operation.. although i've never had a problem with lithium and my 645. Then again, I change the battery annually.
 
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MattKing

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the manual says alkaline, silver oxide or lithium... i do remember reading somewhere that lithium batteries put out lower voltage as they expire and may effect some camera' operation.. although i've never had a problem with lithium and my 645. Then again, I change the battery annually.
Which version of the Mamiya 645 cameras do you have?
The manuals I have seen for the 645 Pro say alkaline or silver oxide.
The manual for the later version - the 645 Pro Tl - says alkaline, silver oxide or lithium.
As I understand it, lithium batteries were not reliably available (or even manufactured?) when the 645 Pro was the current model, so it isn't surprising that the older, 645 Pro manual doesn't recommend lithium batteries.
 

jvo

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Which version of the Mamiya 645 cameras do you have?
The manuals I have seen for the 645 Pro say alkaline or silver oxide.
The manual for the later version - the 645 Pro Tl - says alkaline, silver oxide or lithium.
As I understand it, lithium batteries were not reliably available (or even manufactured?) when the 645 Pro was the current model, so it isn't surprising that the older, 645 Pro manual doesn't recommend lithium batteries.


the manual i have is for the mamiya 645 pro - from mr. butkus... page 14... i couldn't find any date or version of the manual...
jvo
 
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MattKing

MattKing

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the manual i have is for the mamiya 645 pro - from mr. butkus... page 14... i couldn't find any date or version of the manual...
jvo
Thankyou! The manual versions I have - both from the internet and photocopied from an originally printed version - must have preceded Mike Butkus' current one, because they only list allkaline and silver oxide.
 
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