The new M6 is the Leica a la carte program reborn

[lmans]

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It is always good to have spare batteries. With any lite meter… be it in-camera or a handheld like my Sekonic master ll, how does one know the charge of any given battery?
 

A few months ago I was using my OM-1 and wasn’t quite sure about meter suggestion so I changed the battery. It made a huge difference. So other than knowing to change battery every xx months, what do others do?

for me… I rely on sunny 16 and my MA, but what about others? Or is there no tried/true method other than being aware of sunny 16 and how your meter reading is showing?

 

[Matlock]

26 minutes ago, lmans said:

It is always good to have spare batteries. With any lite meter… be it in-camera or a handheld like my Sekonic master ll, how does one know the charge of any given battery?
 

A few months ago I was using my OM-1 and wasn’t quite sure about meter suggestion so I changed the battery. It made a huge difference. So other than knowing to change battery every xx months, what do others do?

for me… I rely on sunny 16 and my MA, but what about others? Or is there no tried/true method other than being aware of sunny 16 and how your meter reading is showing?

 

What battery were you using in the OM-1?

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[Anbaric]

1 hour ago, lmans said:

A few months ago I was using my OM-1 and wasn’t quite sure about meter suggestion so I changed the battery. It made a huge difference. So other than knowing to change battery every xx months, what do others do?

The OM-1 was designed to use mercury batteries that put out a constant voltage of 1.35 V, but are no longer available. If you use alkalines, the voltage will start out too high and over time will end up too low, and your meter readings will change along with the voltage.

One solution is to use a smaller silver oxide battery with a voltage-converting adapter like this one:

https://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mr9_adapter.htm

Kanto Camera in Japan makes this type of adapter. Beware of cheap MR-9 adapters on ebay etc. that don't actually convert the voltage, just adapt the size (Kanto also makes some simple adapters of this type, so you have to check exactly what you are buying).

Another solution is to use zinc-air cells like Wein cells (or cheaper hearing-aid batteries), but these have a relatively short lifespan.

You can also have your OM-1 modified to use higher voltage silver oxide cells without a voltage-converting adapter as part of a service, see for example:

http://www.zuiko.com/

Edited December 10, 2022 by Anbaric

[Huss]

The M5’s meter accuracy is very dependent on the battery charge.  It is important to use the battery check function.  I have found that if the battery check function shows a weak cell eg the needle is touching the left side of the check area, or is just outside it, the meter reading will not be accurate.

Put in a fresh battery, and it becomes accurate.  Which is the whole point of that battery check!  FYI my M5 was converted by DAG to use modern batteries, so it was not a battery compatibility issue.

[ktmrider2]

Again, if I carry a manual camera,my go to metering since 1970 or so is incident.  And my experience is those small batteries last forever.   The meter arrived from Cameraquest less then two weeks before departure for Vietnam.  

[lmans]

8 hours ago, Matlock said:

What battery were you using in the OM-1?

I use the Wein Cells…. $15 a pop… last around 3 months . They are 1.35 so equal to the mercury battery. 

[Matlock]

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4 hours ago, lmans said:

I use the Wein Cells…. $15 a pop… last around 3 months . They are 1.35 so equal to the mercury battery. 

I have found that, sometimes, the Wein Cells expire rather early. I always use a MR-9 adapter and 386 silver oxide cell. Just make sure it is a genuine MR-9 adaptor.