Does anyone know if I use a battery with slightly different voltage than the one that comes with the M6 will effect the meter accuracy?

-- Mitchell Li (mitchli@pacbell.net), December 06, 2001

Answers

My only experience is that when using a lithium battery in a M6 classic, the meter reading is totally wrong during (approximately) the last film before battery death.

With silver batteries and M6 classic, or with Lithium battery and M6 TTL, no problem.

-- Lucien (lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), December 06, 2001.

which one is better for the m6ttl: lithium or silver?

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), December 06, 2001.

I think they are equally good in use but the lithium cells last longer when not in use (shelf life ~10 years).

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), December 06, 2001.

I've never had an exposure problem, ever, with Silver Oxide S-76 batteries. I've occasionally had grief with the Leica recommended (and supplied) CR 1/3 (?) lithiums. And never, ever, get tempted to use A76 alkalines. They just don't have a flat enough response curve through their life.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), December 06, 2001.

I have always used only a lithium 3V Battery (e.g. Duracell DL 1/3 N, Philips CR 1/3 N or Varta CR 1/3 N). Never, ever, had any problems with my TTL here. Apart from that, I somehow prefer the use and exchange and carrying around as spare of one such battery instead of continually two (i.e. 1.55V silver oxide type).

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), December 06, 2001.

IMO

M6 classic = silver M6 TTL = lithium

-- Lucien (lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), December 06, 2001.

I've almost always used the 3v lithiums in my 2 M6 classics since the batteries have been available, and never had any exposure errors. When they die, they just up and die. The advantage to the lithium is there's one less contact point (i.e. between the 2 silver oxide batteries) to worry about keeping clean, plus they last longer in storage. The voltage difference is inconsequential. Don't use alkalines. They lose voltage as they get used, and the meter readings will become inaccurate.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), December 06, 2001.

I use the fat lithium battery. When the battery becomes low, the LED's start to flash, this tells you it is time to replace the battery. This happended to me yesterday. I noted the exposure, changed the battery and rechecked the same exposure. Guess what, they were exactly the same! Lithiums hold there voltage over the life, but I bet the meter is tolerant of battery voltage fluctuations over a reasonable range. In any event, I bet the meter LED's start flashing before you start getting inacurate readings.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), December 06, 2001.

One reason to favor the less expensive silver batteries is that when we put the camera away in the bag with something depressing the shutter release, and the dial is not set to "B" or "off" the battery will run down no matter which battery you used. At least with the silver battery, it's cheaper.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), December 06, 2001.