Battery for Spotmatic SPII?

Brianog · 01-02-2009, 04:47 AM

Well, my Spotmatic arrived in the post this morning. It is very clean and I am very happy with it. There was no battery in the battery compartment. I tried to put in the standard battery I use in my K1000 but it doesn't fit. Does anyone know what type of battery goes in there? By the way, it is my first time to hold a Super Takumar lens and I have to say it 'feel' alone it way surpasses all my 'M' lenses.
Thanks
Brian

VF-19 · 01-02-2009, 05:33 AM

Spotmatics use mercury button cell batteries (which aren't made anymore) to power the meter. Luckly due to Pentax installing a bridge circuit, you have several of choices:

1) forgo the battery and use a lightmeter
2) Use a weincell replacement
3) Use a silver oxide battery
4) Order a replacement battery cover that lowers the voltage of silver oxide batteries and use it in combination with a silver oxide battery.

Also: here's Pentax Spotmatic II instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals
the link for the manual.

Enjoy your spotmatic!

Mike Cash · 01-02-2009, 05:33 AM

A bit of searching turned up a pdf with the information. I quote from it:

Silver oxide batteries that work are: Mallory PX-400 or RM-400-
R, Varta V394, Maxell SR936W or SR936SW, Renata 394, or any
type 392 equivalent.

Brianog · 01-02-2009, 07:46 AM

Thanks very much Mike and VF. I appreciate you both giving such helpful replies. I am off now to see if I can get silver oxide batteries. If the meter does not work I am quite happy to use a light meter.

Brianog · 01-02-2009, 02:35 PM

Here I am back again. I was not able to get replacement batteries locally so I ordered some on-line. I was just wondering how popular a choice it is not to use the spotmatic meter at all. To be honest that's the way I am beginning to incline. Even a small compact digital camera makes a good light meter. The whole 'alternative battery' thing seems a lot of hassle. Would love to hear any views on this.

I see now what all the hype about Super Takumar lenses was all about. My 55mm version feels like a pure gem.

Mike Cash · 01-02-2009, 06:18 PM

You owe it to yourself to burn at least one roll of color negative film outdoors using no meter at all. Just the good old Sunny 16 rule. It works surprisingly well.

VF-19 · 01-02-2009, 06:21 PM

I second that. My KX's lightmeter confirms the rule. ISO 200: Shutter speed of 1/250 and f16 works out almost perfectly.

ully · 01-02-2009, 09:59 PM

Same here, received SP1000 and no battery. So I ordered PX400 button battery from Freestyle. Got it today and works like a champ.

B&H also has them, they are silver oxide I believe.

Mike Cash · 01-03-2009, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by VF-19

I second that. My KX's lightmeter confirms the rule. ISO 200: Shutter speed of 1/250 and f16 works out almost perfectly.

My ESII was slightly overexposing, so I used Sunny 16 to "calibrate" it. On a bright sunshiny day with ISO 200 film, I set the aperture to f16 and adjusted the ISO dial until the meter showed approximately 1/200 shutter speed. Works great and didn't cost me a cent.

Brianog · 01-03-2009, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

You owe it to yourself to burn at least one roll of color negative film outdoors using no meter at all. Just the good old Sunny 16 rule. It works surprisingly well.

You are right Mike. I nearly always guess accurately what my exposure setting will be just by using the Sunny 16 Rule. But for some reason I never trust my calculations but wait for the meter to confirm what I have guessed. I imagine it would be scary and liberating to shoot a roll using just the Sunny 16.

HarryN · 01-03-2009, 09:20 PM

I use the meter in my SP-F all of the time, but actually, modern film is pretty forgiving of exposure, esp. for casual shooting.