Mamiya RB 6x8 power back - battery drain?

[tkamiya]

I have an Mamiya RB power back for 6x8. It has 4 AA batteries inside the back.

Can someone tell me what to expect for battery life? Is it important that I move the switch to "OFF"? How good/bad is the self-drain?

 

[TareqPhoto]

First, how you use that back on RB? i mean i know that RB is 6x7, do you use the back on another camera larger than 6x7?

Second, that depends on the quality of the battery itself and also the usage and temp maybe, you are well knowledgable than me, you should know those, i have rechargeable batteries from 3 or 4 brands, the best 2 were Sanyo Eneloop and Pearstone, Eneloop live longer though, i had 4 AA of them on my 580EXII flash since last year and still they have run, i don't use the flash more than once or less per month, but the battery didn't drain faster as some other batteries, Pearstone also have that lie milage too but it drained quicker than Eneloop, maybe another idea is that when you don't use the battery just take it out from the device, not sure that will save the life of the battery power but who knows, scientific people should answer you.

 

[tkamiya]

First, later RB is capable of doing 6x8. Somewhere in Pro-S time, Mamiya changed its design a bit. If you get a 6x8 power back, you can get a full 6x8 on vertical orientation. If you go to landscape mode, corners are clipped a little but still usable.

Second, I know all that. Some devices has a very little drain and in those cases, it isn't really necessary to power the switch OFF every time. I just don't know if this power back is such a device.

 

[CGW]

Unless it's especially awkward, I just remove batteries from gear I'm not using regularly. Swapping 4AAs in/out of the RB drive back isn't all that demanding. Got into the habit after I bought that renowned battery vampire, the Nikon MD-11 motor drive, that sucks its own AAs and the camera's battery dry if left on.

 

[TareqPhoto]

Well then, buy just normal alkaline normal batteries more than once and give it a try and watch it, sure within time passing you will know more about the device effect with the batteries life.

 

[tkamiya]

Do we have anyone with actual experience with this back???

 

[Andre Noble]

Yes, although I shouldn't do this - leave the batteries in back during PROLONGED periods of disuse - the battery life in the 6x8 backs is excellent (longer than a year of disuse and still work well). Remember to turn power switch off.

 

[tkamiya]

Thank you Andre.

Have you ever left the switch on ON position? Will it drain the battery fast?