# Minolta SRT 101 Battery Replacement



## RosalieAndrea

I own a Minolta SRT 101 and have purchased the replacement battery, Wein Cell 1.35V Mercury PX625, in the past but was wondering if anybody knows
if one of the following batteries could do the trick as well. The photo store I go to is a such a drive and want something
that can be purchased close to home.

Duracell Hearing Aid Batteries Easytab Da675b6 - CVS pharmacy
OR
Rayovac World's Longest Lasting Mercury-Free Hearing Aid Batteries Size 675 - CVS pharmacy


I develop and print my own photos here's a few from this camera: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosalie_andrea/sets/72157631154918852/


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## tirediron

Doesn't look like it to me, but there are lots of mail-order battery places; you should be able to order a dozen from your kitchen table.


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## RosalieAndrea

Darn thank you though.


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## compur

Hearing aid batteries can be made to work but, in some cases, may need some sort of adapter to account for differences in size to the PX625 battery. But, hearing aid batteries only last a week or so in use. There is also the MR-9 adapter which accepts a common 1.5v button cell and adjusts its output to about 1.35 volts. It fits any battery compartment that accepts the PX625 mercury cell.


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## cgw

Piles of DIY solutions, hacks and work-arounds for this problem. Start at photo.net and search "mercury battery." Wein cells are about the least economical alternative available. All zinc-air batteries are short-lived compared to the nearly-immortal merc PX-625. Places like Costco sell the 675 batts cheap. Exposing just one of the vent holes on these slows the reaction down a bit. Just don't sucker for the 1.5v alkaline "replacement" PX-625 that camera stores love to sell. Apart from the incorrect voltage, these have a variable discharge curve that affects meter accuracy. The old merc cells had a virtually flat discharge curve that meant they supplied the same voltage over their long life till they finally crapped out. 

The MR-9 adapter isn't cheap. The same $ buys a lot of 675 cells.

Love my old SRT 101. Minolta lenses are cheap and sharp. Get the killer 58/1.4 for available light.


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## compur

I bought a couple of MR-9s on eBay for $6 each from a Hong Kong seller  They are well made and work fine though I see he has raised his price since then.  I still think they are a good value as you don't have to keep replacing the zinc air hearing aid batteries which die quickly and suddenly.

If you use the MR-9 with a real *silver-oxide S76* battery rather than the common lookalike LR44/AG13 alkaline cell you will get a flatter voltage curve that is  more like the performance of the old mercury cells.


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## cgw

compur said:


> I bought a couple of MR-9s on eBay for $6 each from a Hong Kong seller  They are well made and work fine though I see he has raised his price since then.  I still think they are a good value as you don't have to keep replacing the zinc air hearing aid batteries which die quickly and suddenly.
> 
> If you use the MR-9 with a real *silver-oxide S76* battery rather than the common lookalike LR44/AG13 alkaline cell you will get a flatter voltage curve that is  more like the performance of the old mercury cells.



Did you actually test the voltage on the knock-off MR9? The C.R.I.S. versions are $37 each and deliver.


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## timor

Maybe instead of battery a light meter like this (no battery needed) will be a good solution:
Sekonic light meter L-398
If you so serious about film photography, this would be a good investment. I could see from your photostream that you have a lot of fun with camera, if I am not mistaking you are loading Duoflex with 35mm film ?


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## compur

cgw said:


> Did you actually test the voltage on the knock-off MR9? The C.R.I.S. versions are $37 each and deliver.



Yes and they work fine.  These adapters are quite simple and you can make one yourself if you are handy.  There is a link to the instructions on the Butkus site.


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