But if you don’t want to bother with any of that, read on for info about the main types of batteries used in film cameras.

AA batteries. Film cameras produced throughout the 1980s and 1990s (like the Pentax 645) often use AA batteries. They are the easiest of all batteries to find and purchase today. Just about every online retailer and brick-and-mortar corner store sells them. There are a ton of brands to choose from, but I recommend Eneloops if you also have other photo gear like flashes or small video lights. Eneloops are rechargeable (yay environment!) and last a shockingly good long while. I have some that are nearly a decade old and still hold a decent charge. They are more expensive than regular AAs of course but are totally worth the cash if you are a photographer.

2CR5 batteries. Another common battery used in film cameras produced during the ‘80s and ‘90s (like Canon’s EOS-1N and 650) is the 2CR5. Unlike AAs, however, the 2CR5 isn’t readily available in brick-and-mortar stores, so you should stock up from Amazon or wherever you dig digitally shopping before you take your camera on an important gig. I usually buy Panasonic’s version and get around 50ish rolls a battery—quite a lot of shooting. The battery looks large, but it isn’t as heavy as a pair of AAs.

Button cell batteries. These are used in a ton of cameras manufactured throughout the 1970s and early 1980s (like the Minolta XG1), and they come in a bunch of different varieties: LR44, SR44, CR1220, and so on. Again, consult your manual to find exactly which one you need. Like the 2CR5, button cell batteries can readily be purchased online, but I haven’t seen them in a corner store in many, many years. The batteries are quite small (hence the “button” part of the name) and light, and thus add practically no weight to the camera. Despite the diminutive size, button cells last awhile. Cameras from this period aren’t as electronic heavy as fully auto cameras from the ‘90s, so a five- or ten-pack of button cells will keep you shooting for quite some time.

One thing to be aware of: some film cameras (like a Canon Canonet) natively use a 1.35-volt mercury battery that is no longer available. Most of those cameras can instead take a modern 1.5-volt alkaline battery, but the metering will likely be hot and overexpose your photos. No biggie if you are shooting negative film, but you’ll be hosed if you are shooting slide.

No batteries. Yep, there are indeed some film cameras that don’t require any batteries at all. Such cameras are all-mechanical wonders that photographers really love, especially if they happen to be Leica’s super spendy rangefinders. If you’ve managed to inherit or purchase one, then celebrate away. Even some pedestrian cameras like Pentax’s venerable K1000 can also mostly function without a battery (its light meter won’t work without some juice), so again check your manual to see if you have lucked out.

The post Batteries for Film Cameras appeared first on scott locklear.

The first of course is that the pandemic disrupted global supply chains, and some of them still haven’t fully recovered. Film suppliers faced material shortages even before coronavirus upended the world, so it was inevitable that film prices would surge. (But, hey, at least we aren’t dead.)

The second is that shooting film has become really, really popular over the last few years. That is something to celebrate and embrace and encourage. Suppliers, however, haven’t been able to meet the skyrocketing demand. I don’t know if that’s because of the aforementioned materials problem or if it’s just not profitable at this point for film companies to increase production. The maths for figuring out economies of scale are totally beyond me.

I can though balance my checking account, and it isn’t looking good for my dwindling film supply. Way back in 2020, courtesy of a large tax refund, I purchased a fairly huge quantity of film that I promptly stashed away in the fridge and the freezer. I’ve been shooting from it ever since, but I’m down to the last 20 rolls or so. I thought it would be fun (or tragic) to compare what I paid for certain stocks in 2020 with what they cost now in 2023. I present you with the film-purchasing table of despair:

I think it’s the increase in Kodak Color Plus 200 that hurts the most. That was supposed to be the high-quality “budget” stock in Kodak’s line, but now it’s pretty much as spendy as everything else. Pro Image 100 is now Kodak’s best budget option if you can actually find it in stock and don’t need to shoot in the dark.

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