Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: ynp on October 11, 2008, 08:53:36 am

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: ynp on October 11, 2008, 08:53:36 am

Hello, all the Contax users!

One of my friends is using the Contax 645 with the Leaf65 (bought at dtgweb, thanks you Jordan) here in Russia.
His original Contax batteries do not keep the charge. He was trying to use some after-market solutions, such as 2CR5 6v,
and he is not happy.
We cannot find original batteries in Russia. What generic 6v batteries do you use? Where I can order them?
Thank you,
Yevgeny

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: rainer_v on October 11, 2008, 11:21:30 am

Quote from: ynp

Hello, all the Contax users!

One of my friends is using the Contax 645 with the Leaf65 (bought at dtgweb, thanks you Jordan) here in Russia.
His original Contax batteries do not keep the charge. He was trying to use some after-market solutions, such as 2CR5 6v,
and he is not happy.
We cannot find original batteries in Russia. What generic 6v batteries do you use? Where I can order them?
Thank you,
Yevgeny

i use rechargeable 2cr5 litium batteries. they work many hours with the contax and are small enough to have spare batteries in the pocket. they work so well that i rarely use my battery grip. the battery grip ( hard to find, but they exist in ebay )  would be the second option. the battery grip can be filled with 4 AA batteries plus one 2cr5. puttting in hi capacity AAs allow shooting a full day, together with the 2cr5.

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: Khun_K on October 11, 2008, 11:45:03 am

Quote from: rainer_v

i use rechargeable 2cr5 litium batteries. they work many hours with the contax and are small enough to have spare batteries in the pocket. they work so well that i rarely use my battery grip. the battery grip ( hard to find, but they exist in ebay )  would be he second option. the battery grip can be filled with 5 AA batteries plus one 2cr5. puttting in hi capacity AAs allow shooting a full day, together with the 2cr5.

Hi Rainer, perhaps there is a typo, the battery grip, which I use often, require 4 X AA cell, plus the 2Cr5 cell on the grip.  There is a power switch, allow the use to select between the AA cells and the 2Cr5 cell.  Since the weight of 2Cr5 is so little, I usually just keep it there, but primary use rechargeable AA cells.  When I shoot 220 film, I can go up to 10 rolls even with the vacuum magazine, so that is around 320 shots.  Now with the P45+ digital back, it almost runs forever before the camera reminds you to need to replace the cells because the power consumption is so little.

Regards, K

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: Anthony R on October 11, 2008, 12:28:20 pm

I would get over 800 shots easily using the SANYO 2CR5 PHOTO LITHIUM BATTERY. I never had a better lasting battery than those, even vs rechargeables. I used these
LM-KIT2CR5  $21.97  LENMAR - NoMEM 2CR5 Lithium Rechargeable Battery Charger & 2CR5 Rechargeable Lithium Battery System-1 also. I got them at http://www.thomas-distributing.com (http://www.thomas-distributing.com). I don't remember where I got the Sanyo lithiums, but they were a great deal ordered online. I think I bought 50 at once. Sun battery or something or other.

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: ynp on October 11, 2008, 02:22:00 pm

Thank you all! very good advice!
I will try to Google the the SANYO 2CR5 PHOTO LITHIUM BATTERY and other unrechargeables. We have here only Energizer brand, I was unable to find anything else.
I think that we need some rechargeable batteries and a 6v charger for them.
I googled and found the CV-BP2CR5  on some sites, are they good?

Thank you, AnthonyR,  for the information on the LM-KIT2CR5 charger kit.

@ Khun_K and rainer_v: Many thanks! I will try to find a grip as well.

What battery  I should be  looking for: lithium versus NiMH?
Thank you all again<
Yevgeny

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: Khun_K on October 13, 2008, 09:41:12 am

Quote from: ynp

Thank you all! very good advice!
I will try to Google the the SANYO 2CR5 PHOTO LITHIUM BATTERY and other unrechargeables. We have here only Energizer brand, I was unable to find anything else.
I think that we need some rechargeable batteries and a 6v charger for them.
I googled and found the CV-BP2CR5  on some sites, are they good?

Thank you, AnthonyR,  for the information on the LM-KIT2CR5 charger kit.

@ Khun_K and rainer_v: Many thanks! I will try to find a grip as well.

What battery  I should be  looking for: lithium versus NiMH?
Thank you all again<
Yevgeny

One more thing about the grip is that is also allow the use of the hand strap, I don't find it that important but many like it, especially shoot outdoor.  To me the importance to have the battery grip is to also use the "L" plate which make it a lot more stable when shooting vertical, even it is on a heavy studio stand. The camera is then becoming more balanced.  When I shoot outdoor and have to use a heavy Ring Flash and a heavy lens such as 45-90 Vario-Sonnar, shooting vertical with the battery grip is a lot easier than without.

Regards, K

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: Carsten W on October 13, 2008, 12:55:41 pm

Does anyone have a good source for these batteries in Europe (Germany)?

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: tho_mas on October 13, 2008, 02:50:26 pm

Quote from: carstenw

Does anyone have a good source for these batteries in Europe (Germany)?

-> google.de ... "2CR5 6v akku" ...
rechargebale:
http://www.akkushop.de/2cr5-powerset-schne...cr5-p-1672.html (http://www.akkushop.de/2cr5-powerset-schnellladegeraet-inkl-liion-akku-2cr5-p-1672.html)
http://www.digitalland.de/xanario_pinfo.ph...0796e780698750e (http://www.digitalland.de/xanario_pinfo.php?xP=Set_2CR5_Akku__Ladegeraet&shop_ID=2&sessID=4e073e3a92d4aa6750796e780698750e)
battery:
http://www.preisroboter.de/ergebnis3152818.html (http://www.preisroboter.de/ergebnis3152818.html)
http://www.amazon.de/Varta-2CR5-Lithium-Fo...h/dp/B00005NPS2 (http://www.amazon.de/Varta-2CR5-Lithium-Fotobatterie-1-500mAh/dp/B00005NPS2)
http://www.my-batterieshop.de/product_info...4e66f9e7d55ed80 (http://www.my-batterieshop.de/product_info.php?info=p9103_Panasonic-Photo-Power-2CR5-6V.html&XTCsid=2238e6416c431fb824e66f9e7d55ed80)

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: Carsten W on October 13, 2008, 04:53:57 pm

Quote from: tho_mas

-> google.de ... "2CR5 6v akku"
...

Sorry, got the hint. I am ordering two Sanyo Photo Lithium batteries and two Panasonic 1600 mAh batteries from amazon.de. Let's see how they do.

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: revaaron on October 13, 2008, 10:22:41 pm

I just got the battery grip and loaded it with 4 AAs.
I'm worried though cause rechargable AA's are 1.2V not 1.5V

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: evgeny on October 14, 2008, 01:26:52 am

I use rechargeable 2CR5 batteries from http://www.thomas-distributing.com (http://www.thomas-distributing.com)
I have two spare batteries in the bag, just in any case. This weight much less than the grip with batteries.

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: revaaron on October 14, 2008, 01:36:35 am

I would have said td, but that's an american company, not EU.

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: revaaron on October 14, 2008, 11:10:28 am

also, more different rechargeables means more different chargers.

Title: Battery for Contax 645
Post by: Carsten W on October 15, 2008, 03:17:41 pm

Quote from: carstenw

Sorry, got the hint. I am ordering two Sanyo Photo Lithium batteries and two Panasonic 1600 mAh batteries from amazon.de. Let's see how they do.

Well, my best laid plans have been laid to waste. I bought two Sanyo 2CR5s from one dealer, at 11,50 Euro each, and two Panasonic 2CR5s from another dealer, for 3,50 Euro each, and meant to compare them to see which was the better deal. Instead, I was shipped four Panasonics, 2 for 11,50 each and two for 3,50 each... I will write back to elektromeile24.de and see if I can't get them to swap them for real Sanyos, or take them back.