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08-24-2022, 03:51 AM   #1
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Pentax KM Battery

Hey everyone, I was recently talking with a seller looking into buying a Pentax KM. He said that the camera has been revised and everything is working. However, he said that the meter could not be used (or at least not reliably) because the cameras were made to use a Mercury battery which isn't made anymore. I talked about the LR44 which is supposed to work on the KM and also is 1.5V and he told me that the results aren't the same because the Mercury one lasts way longer.

So is this really the case, and is the KM meter not trustworthy with LR44 batteries? On the subject, I also own a k1000, should I trust it with LR44s and how often should I change them?

Thank you.

08-24-2022, 06:49 AM - 2 Likes   #2
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Absolutely not the case. The KM uses the same batteries as all the other K series (and M series)... one 1.5V battery....MS76 is better but Alkaline work as week. I'd be leary of any seller saying this...even if its an honest mistake, it show the seller knows nothing about the camera and leave everything else in the description suspect.

From the manual....

BATTERY INSERTION

Open the battery chamber cover with a coin. Insert the battery with (+) side facing out. For replacement, use

Eveready S76E or Mallory MS76H or equivalent.

CAUTION

The battery is like a phonograph record. It can be damaged by skin acids. Handle by the edges with a dry cloth only. Be sure the battery is cleaned with the cloth before insertion into the camera. The battery is not rechargeable. Do not throw dead battery into a fire, as it may explode. Also, keep it beyond the reach of small children. When not actually measuring the light, be sure that the lens is covered at all times. Leaving the lens cap off for an extended period will exhaust the battery.

Set the shutter speed dial to B (bulb) position. Turn the ASA dial to ASA 100. Look at the meter needle through the viewfinder. If the needle is in "up" position and remains steady, the battery is good: if it does not, replace the battery. Check the battery frequently. And take spares with you when traveling.

Last edited by tonyzoc; 08-24-2022 at 06:58 AM.
08-24-2022, 07:40 AM   #3
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Firstly be aware that the KM is almost exactly the same camera as the K1000, and the battery is only used for the metering. The K1000 was the sucessor to the KM and lacked a few of the KM's minor features to save costs. The meter circuits are identical.

LR44 batteries will be fine in a KM/K1000, although the SR44 will be even better - LR44 are alkaline and the SR44 are silver oxide. The meter circuits of these cameras are such as to be not sensitive to the small difference in battery voltage between mercury and alkaline or silver. How long the batteries last for has nothing to do with the meter accuracy. Here is a previous thread on the subject.

k1000 battery ???? - PentaxForums.com

PS : After seeing tonyzoc's post - he is absolutely right and mentions a S76E battery. That is an equivalent battery. Unfortunately different battery manufacturers use different designations for the same thing.

Last edited by Lord Lucan; 08-24-2022 at 07:49 AM.
08-24-2022, 12:12 PM   #4
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I use LR44s and SR44s interchangeably in my K1000 as I tend to buy them cheap... they also go in the cat laser and a number of other things I have around the house.

I've noticed that a lot of "SR44s" that I've bought are actually "LR44s", which is annoying...

Both work fine in the K1000.

Of course, with the K1000, the biggest determinant of how long the battery lasts is how you store the camera.
Stored in daylight with no lens cap? batteries will die in a day... since the meter switch runs on light...

I normally store mine with the battery removed, which solves that and the potential corrosion issue...

The same should be true for the KM.

-Eric

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