Perhaps a new solution for the Spotmatic battery problem...

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Because I cannot use the PX675 replacement battery in my Spotmatic, it just doesn't have the right size, I have been thinking about a cheap and still usable battery for this nice Pentax.

I have found some 1.4V 675 "acoustic special" batteries made by Rayovac, UK.
These are not expensive. The problem is they neither do fit into the small and strangely shaped battery compartment of the Spotmatic.

Today I dared to try a tip that I got from my favourite seller (you know, the guy I regularly meet at the Solms fair). He said, it was easy to adjust this compartment to the bigger batteries. I just had to remove the white plastic part, so that the battery slides deeper into the cam body.
I just did that and it seems to work. Shocked

In order to fix the battery inside, I used some "blu-tack".

The first exposure comparisons with my EOS show similar results. Can this be a solution? Now, I will have to test that.

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

Carsten, please don't go too far and do any permanent damage just yet. Jes and I are working on finding a simple permanent modification to the camera circuitry so it will accept 387S 1.55v silver oxide cells. In the meantime, I found a battery that has the correct 1.35 voltage by using a voltage-reducing brass base. It's designed for Accutron watches but it fits the Spottie perfectly. I might try one myself:
http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_accucell1.htm

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Thanks, Peter!
Removing the plastic part won't do any permanent damage if done carefully.
So if you find a better solution, I can always go back. Wink

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

BTW, I have also revived the exposure meter of my Yashica-24, but this is another story... Wink