Battery type 2CR5: Compatible cameras

The 2CR5 is a 6-volt lithium photo battery using lithium manganese dioxide chemistry (Li-MnO2). Its name reveals its construction: the plastic casing contains two 3-volt CR15400 lithium cylindrical cells connected in series. Dimensions: 45 × 34 × 17 mm. The cell was developed in the mid-to-late 1980s, primarily by Panasonic and Sanyo, to meet the high power demands of the autofocus SLRs that were emerging at the time. The autofocus motor, automatic film transport, and built-in flash require significantly more energy than the light meters in the classic button-cell cameras of the 1960s and 1970s.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, the 2CR5 was the standard battery for motorized autofocus SLR cameras: nearly 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 related models), Pentax SFX and Z-1 / Z-10 / Z-20, Contax 645, AX, N1, and RTS III, Nikon F50 / N50, and Nikonos RS. You can find the complete searchable compatibility list of 85 camera models at the top of this page.

Yes. Unlike the mercury-containing button cells of the pre-electronic era, the 2CR5 is still readily available. Brand manufacturers such as Duracell, Energizer, Panasonic, and Varta still produce it; it is easy to find at specialist photography retailers and online shops. However, it has largely disappeared from the shelves of German drugstores and supermarkets due to low mass-market demand. Common equivalent designations: DL245 (Duracell), EL2CR5 (Energizer), KL2CR5 (Kodak), ANSI standard 5032LC. For an unopened branded cell, manufacturers typically specify a shelf life of 10 years. The self-discharge rate of lithium manganese dioxide chemistry is below 1% per year.

Significantly shorter than the shelf life might suggest, because cameras that use 2CR5 batteries draw noticeable power through the autofocus motor, film transport, and especially the built-in flash. Depending on usage, around 15 to 50 rolls per cell is realistic. Those who mostly shoot without flash will get considerably more; those who constantly trigger the pop-up flash during family photography will be closer to the lower end. As the voltage drops, most 2CR5 cameras reliably switch to an energy-saving mode or lock the shutter release, so a battery failure causing film loss in the middle of an exposure is rare.