Vivitar 220/SL ???

[BradS]

My mom called and said she is sending me (yet another) 35mm SLR outfit. I don't even know where she finds this stuff and I don't have the heart to tell her that I pretty much stopped using 35mm when my local lab closed several years ago. Oh well....

Anyway, I'm kinda excited about this one...I've done some reading on line, including reading the whole user manual at the butkus site, but there really isn't much info out there

My main question regards the light meter...I see that it was designed to use the now extinct PX675 mercury button cell.

Does anybody use this camera with a modern silver oxide cell? Is the meter off? and if so, by about how much?

Any other anectdotes are, of course, welcomed....


TIA.

 

[Nick Merritt]

The 675 cell is no problem -- go to any pharmacy and buy a pack of 675 size zinc-air hearing aid batteries. They're the correct voltage and physical size. Of course, they don't last very long (several weeks) but will do the job nicely.

Alternatively, you can use the silver oxide cells (SR44, MS76) and just set the film speed one stop slower (ISO 100 for 200 speed film, for example).

 

[ciniframe]

The camera has full mechanical control of shutter speed and aperture so the battery is only for the meter. If the meter is dead on not operating right you still can use the camera determining exposure by a handheld meter or by estimating exposure.

 

[camtec]

A very under rated camera. It uses Pentax screw mount lenses and utilizes stop- down metering. It has the same shutter as the Nikkormats. As I recall, it was made by Cosina.

 

[BradS]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[dynachrome]

I have a number of these. For some reason most of the 220SLs I have seen were black. The camera has the same metering system as the old Spotmatics (before the Spotmatic F and ES models). You have to re-set the small tab after each shot. Over time the tab wears and eventually will not click back into place. The camera is a little clunky with its shutter noise but is capable of good results. I used them mostly with a 55/1.8 SMCT.

 

[BradS]

The Vivitar kit arrived today. Black body with matching Vivitar 50mm f/1.8 lens. The camera seems huge in hand but, when compared side by side with the original spotmatic, it is not that much taller nor significantly heavier. Door seals are completely wasted but mirror bumper looks fine(?). Everything, including the light meter, seems to work as it should. It has common (silver-oxide?) 357 cell in the battery chamber. The meter works and seems reasonably accurate if a bit slow to respond. The lens is cosmetically beautiful but has mechanical issues that I can work around for now.

Serendipitously, two bricks of Arista Premimum arrived today as well. I've loaded the camera with some fresh film and am looking forward to giving it a go.