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David_ritchie
Tinkerer
Username: David_ritchie
Post Number: 77
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2011 - 11:59 am: | 
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Several years ago I bought several APS size cameras as I was impressed with their size. I finally bought 5 before I settled on one that I really liked. I was soon to discover that battery life is very short even though the battery may test slightly more than the 3 volts called for.This, I found, was true of all the cameras regardless of the brand. Has anyone else had this experience? Right now I have a lot of film in the freezer and several batteries in the closet and wondering if I should ditch it all and just use my PS digital camera. I appears that the minimum voltage is 3.1V. Could it be a problem with the lithium batteries like we saw for many SLRs in the earlier days of the lithium batteries. |
Canleikon
Tinkerer
Username: Canleikon
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2011 - 02:46 pm: |
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My advise is to forget APS, processing is costly and length of time at processor is "iffy" as I'm sure they prefer to process many rolls at once. I had several cameras and sold the last one a year ago. Put the entire lot on eBay or Craigslist and move on. Just my 2Cents through my own experience! |
David_ritchie
Tinkerer
Username: David_ritchie
Post Number: 78
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2011 - 07:22 pm: |
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Canleikon, I fully agree that these cameras have to go. However, I would not sell them to anyone until I know where the problem lies. I have checked several batteries and they all register in the "good" range when tested in a meter that draws current during the test. It may be that the camera requires much more current than the meter and therefore gives a false reading for
this use.These batteries are Duracell with an experation date of 2014, and therefore several years old and unable to put out the required amps. Only a guess.I tied one of the batteries in a brand new never used Minolta Vectis and got the same result. Therefore it appears that the next thing to try is a much newer CR-2 battery and see what happens. I hope someone else can offer some suggestion before I part money for a battery just to test. |
David_ritchie
Tinkerer
Username: David_ritchie
Post Number: 79
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 02, 2011 - 02:30 pm: |
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Update: I just spoke with people at Duracell and learned that a CR-2 lithium battery will lose power as it ages although it continues to show 3+ volts. As I suspected a battery tester which puts a load on the battery and tests "good" does not use the power that the camera requires.Thus you get a misleading reading. |
Pityacka
Tinkerer
Username: Pityacka
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 06:17 am: |
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David ritchie, I have just acquired 2x Minolta Vectis S1s, with three lenses, even though I use 35mm and med. format, normally. I have been pleased with their reults. Fresh CR2 batteries and there have been no problems. They are a useful camera to carry about. One point I noticed in your post is that you have kept APS film in the freezer. I was worrying about that due to the small metal parts at the bottom of the film canister. No harm done then, placing them in cold store, like 35mm/roll film ? |
David_ritchie
Tinkerer
Username: David_ritchie
Post Number: 80
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 09:21 am: |
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Pityacka, I finally obtained a new CR2 battery at Radio Shack but insisted on testing the CR2 in the camera before buying it. It worked, therefore my conclusion about low power even at 3+ volts seems to be valid. The film has been frozen now for a number of years and I have not gotten a chance to test it lately. However,earlier I have used this film after being frozen for a couple of months with no problem. I would not expect any problem now. |
Pityacka
Tinkerer
Username: Pityacka
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 05:15 am: |
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David ritchie, I have seen mention of a similar battery problem on another site, in connection with the Nikon F100. It could show the battery half full and it was not giving a true indication of the battery power. The camera would then switch off unexpectedly, and lock everything up. It caused the owner to think it was a malfunction, needing repair. Results from the S1 I bought have been good. Here in UK a lab. develops for £4-99 and supplies another APS film free. |
Canleikon
Tinkerer
Username: Canleikon
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 01:49 pm: |
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allow frozen film to reach room temperature to avoid stressing motor and battery. Test batter under load in meter that provides this function. |
Canleikon
Tinkerer
Username: Canleikon
Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 01:49 pm: |
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allow frozen film to reach room temperature to avoid stressing motor and battery. Test batter under load in meter that provides this function. |
David_ritchie
Tinkerer
Username: David_ritchie
Post Number: 81
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 04:21 pm: |
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Canleikon, thanks for your comments.Please note my earlier explanation that testing batteries in a meter that puts a load on the battery during test will probably give a misleading reading since the meter load is less than that used by the camera even though the voltsge shows 3+ volts.Test any new batteries in the camera before you leave the store. |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 255
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 - 09:25 am: |
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I have had similar problems with digital equipment of various sorts, in which it will not power up at all with a battery that's below par, even though it might continue to work after the battery goes lower. Some devices simply won't work at all when the batteries go low, and for years I've powered little flashlights with the discarded batteries from my wife's Nikon F100. When the Nikon spits them out they're still at something like 90 percent, good enough to keep a bulb shining for months. |
Pityacka
Tinkerer
Username: Pityacka
Post Number: 4
Registered: 05-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 - 04:38 am: |
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There was a Nikon F100 on ebay 2 weeks ago, and it was showing the 'Err'. The seller knew nothing about cameras, and although I asked 2 questions about it, she could not help re my queries. It sold for £50.00 - for parts or repair. I suspect it had something to do with the battery. I forgot about the auction, and probably missed out on a working F100.The S1 manual makes no mention of removing batteries when the camera is stored, yet Minolta and all other manufacturers recommend such. Anyone any views on this ? |
