Battery type 9V — Compatible cameras

The 9V block battery (official IEC designation 6LR61 for alkaline, 6F22 for zinc-carbon, also called PP3 in the UK, and MN1604 by Duracell) is a rectangular battery block measuring 48.5 × 26.5 × 17.5 mm with two snap connectors on the top. Inside, the alkaline version contains six individual 1.5V cells connected in series, while the lithium version has three cells of 3V each. The 9V block was introduced in 1956 by National Carbon (Eveready) for the first transistor radios — today it is one of the most widely available battery types worldwide, stocked everywhere in drugstores, supermarkets, and hardware stores.

9V blocks are mainly used in external exposure and flash meters as well as some rangefinder compact cameras from the late 1970s to the 1990s. By far the most important application is the Gossen meters from around 1975: Luna-Pro F, Lunasix F, Profisix, Mastersix, Multisix, Variosix F, Color-Pro, Colormaster 2F/3F, Spot-Master 1 and 2, and Ultra-Pro. Additionally, the Spiratone Spotmeter SPI and the SSS Flash Meter as well as the Kodak VR35 K12 use a 9V block. The complete searchable compatibility list with all 17 models can be found at the top of this page.

For Gossen and Spiratone light meters, the Lithium 9V (e.g. Ultralife U9VL-J) is the technically better choice, even though alkaline is significantly cheaper and available everywhere:

• Alkaline (Varta, Duracell, GP): About 550 – 600 mAh capacity, continuously dropping voltage over the entire lifespan, shelf life 5 – 7 years, risk of leakage with long storage in the device. Advantage: 1 – 2 EUR each, available in four-packs at supermarkets.
• Lithium (Ultralife U9VL-J): Around 1200 mAh — so double the runtime. Very flat discharge curve (~80 – 90% of capacity close to 9 V), 10 years shelf life, extremely low self-discharge, significantly lighter and cold-resistant. Advantage: insert and forget for years, no leakage. Disadvantage: 8 – 15 EUR each.

Unlike button cell cameras (PX625 etc.), the constant voltage drop in 9V devices is hardly critical: Gossen light meters from 1975 use internal voltage regulators and operational amplifiers that regulate the input voltage to a constant level. As long as the battery is above about 6 – 7 V, the measurement accuracy remains unchanged — after that, the battery test indicator warns you.