Battery type 2CR5 — Compatible Cameras

The 2CR5 is a 6-volt lithium photo battery with manganese dioxide lithium chemistry (Li-MnO2). The name reveals the structure: inside the plastic housing are two 3-volt lithium round cells of type CR15400 connected in series. Dimensions: 45 × 34 × 17 mm. The cell was developed mainly by Panasonic and Sanyo in the mid to late 1980s to meet the high power demand of the then newly emerging autofocus SLRs — autofocus motor, automatic film transport, and built-in flash require significantly more energy than the classic button cell light meters of the 60s and 70s.

The 2CR5 was the standard battery for motorized autofocus SLR cameras in the late 80s and 90s: almost the entire Canon EOS series (EOS 1, 5, 10, 100, 600, 650, 1000 and many variants), Minolta Dynax / Maxxum (3000i, 5000i, 7000i, 8000i, 9xi, 7xi, SPxi and siblings), Pentax SFX and Z-1 / Z-10 / Z-20, Contax 645, AX, N1 and RTS III, Nikon F50 / N50 and Nikonos RS. The complete searchable compatibility list with 85 camera models can be found at the top of this page.

Yes — unlike the mercury-containing button cells of the pre-electronic era, the 2CR5 is still regularly available. Brand manufacturers like Duracell, Energizer, Panasonic, and Varta still produce it; it’s easily found in photo specialty stores and online shops. However, it has largely disappeared from the shelves of German drugstores and supermarkets due to low mass demand. Common equivalent designations: DL245 (Duracell), EL2CR5 (Energizer), KL2CR5 (Kodak), ANSI standard 5032LC. For an unopened brand cell, the manufacturer typically states 10 years of shelf life — the self-discharge of the lithium manganese dioxide chemistry is under 1% per year.

Significantly shorter than the shelf life suggests — because cameras that use 2CR5 noticeably draw power through autofocus motor, film transport, and (especially) integrated flash. Realistically, depending on usage, about 15 to 50 rolls per cell. Those who mostly shoot without flash get much further; those who constantly trigger the pop-up flash in family reportage tend toward the lower end. When voltage drops, most 2CR5 cameras reliably switch to a power-saving mode or lock the shutter — a battery scare causing film loss in the middle of exposure is therefore rare.