Minox 35 GT underexposing

[Carl_Berg]

I just got myself an old Minox 35 GT. Seems to be in good condition and it came with the battery adaptor that enables you to use non-mercury batteries.
The two batteries that were in the camera when I bought it are CR-1/3N, which looks pretty much like two SR44's on steroids.

As always when i buy a new old camera, i just A/B'd the cameras metering with my far more thrustworthy hand held Minolta IV F. However, the Minox gives my more than twice as fast shutter speeds. I also compared the metering with my Olympus OM2, which gave me pretty much the same results as the Minolta meter.

Naturally, my first thought was that the batteries in the Minox were old, so i bought new. Unfortunately I couldn't find any CR-1/3N (I have never seen these before), so I went for four SR44's instead, but the meter will still not give me the right shutter speeds. Can this be because of the slightly higher output four SR44's gives compared to the 5.6 volt mercury cell that the camera was made for?

I guess I could just set it to a lower ISO-rating to compensate for the meter, but since the seller told me that the camera was in full working condition, I'm thinking of returning it to him.

Or is it just a battery problem?

 

[darkosaric]

Same problem I have with my minox - I use 4 LR44 batteries. Lower ISO on camera (or develop little longer, if you use B&W film), and that is it, don't return it, it is fun little camera

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

Just playing the Devil's advocate here, but are you sure that your Minolta and the Minox are metering the same scene/area? They could have very different meausuring angles.

Also, is the indicator in the viewfinder off, or also the shutter speeds themselves? In the first case, annoying, but won't affect your pictures.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

The Minox 35 is somewhat unique that the meter needle visible in the viewfinder is a separate circuit from the shutter speed. The meter indication can be off from what the shutter speed actually is. Best to time your shutter speeds to determine if the meter is accurately measuring the scene.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

The Minox 35 is somewhat unique that the meter needle visible in the viewfinder is a separate circuit from the shutter speed.

The same arraignment is used in the Olympus XA.

 

[Jeff L]

I have a Minox GT and from the beginning I had to set the meter to ISO 200 when I had 400 in the camera. I just lived with it.

 

[Carl_Berg]

I compared it with the Olympus again, and now it gives me more accurate results. I'll probably just shoot a test roll and see if it underexposes or not. Too bad the suns only up for a couple of hours per day around here.