Battery adapter for Metz 45 CT 1, CT 3, CT 4, CL 4

• Replacement for the original battery holder: A 1:1 replacement for the Metz 45-39, which has no longer been available for years—insert it and you’re done.
• For rechargeable or disposable batteries: Ni-Mh version (7.2 V) for 1.2 V rechargeable batteries such as Eneloop, alkaline version (9 V) for 1.5 V batteries or 1.5 V Li-ion rechargeable batteries; each uses the flash’s correct input circuit.
• Doesn’t break like the brittle original: The original material becomes brittle after decades. This holder is newly manufactured.
• Quick battery replacement: Screw-off base, space for 6x AA cells (Mignon).

Safety instructions

Important: Never charge the cells in the original Metz charger. Charge rechargeable batteries externally, insert them into the holder, and you’re done.

Compatibility

• Metz 45 CT-1
• Metz 45 CT-3
• Metz 45 CT-4
• Metz 45 CT-5
• Metz 45 CL-1
• Metz 45 CL-3
• Metz 45 CL-4
• Metz 45 CL-4 Digital
• Metz 45 CL-5

Scope of delivery

• Battery adapter 1: For Ni-Mh / Ni-Cd (7.2 V): 1x battery holder
• Battery adapter 2: For alkaline / lithium (9 V): 1x battery holder
• Complete NiMH: 2x adapters + rechargeable batteries + charger: 2x battery holders, 12x AA rechargeable batteries, 3x battery storage boxes, 1x universal charger

Technical details

• Material: engineering plastic
• Color: Black
• Capacity: 6x AA cells (Mignon)
• Variants: Ni-Mh (7.2 V) or alkaline (9 V)
• Closure: Screw-off base
• Flash recycle time at full power: 12–15 s with high-capacity cells (our own measurement), around 8 s with low-resistance cells such as Eneloop Pro

Description

The original battery holder in the Metz 45 CT-1 and the other models in the Metz 45 series is made of plastic that becomes brittle after decades and eventually breaks. Metz no longer supplies replacements. This holder solves the problem: designed as a 1:1 replacement for the Metz 45-39, it keeps your handle-mount flash alive.

The Metz 45 series uses two separate input circuits internally, one for lower voltages (rechargeable batteries) and one for higher voltages (alkaline batteries). That’s why the holder is available in two variants: The Ni-Mh version (7.2 V) is designed for rechargeable 1.2 V batteries such as Eneloop and uses the circuit with the lower cutoff voltage. The alkaline version (9 V) operates with 1.5 V disposable batteries or 1.5 V Li-ion rechargeable batteries through the 9 V circuit.

Which cells provide short flash recycle times

How quickly the flash is ready again depends on the cells’ internal resistance, not their capacity. During recharging, the 45 draws a few amps, causing a high-resistance cell’s voltage to drop. We measured the Eneloop Pro 2500 and AmazonBasics High Capacity 2400 ourselves: 18 and 23 mΩ. For the Varta Recharge Accu Power 2600, the manufacturer states 35 mΩ at 1 kHz. High-capacity cells in the budget category are well above that: we measured Camelion 2700 at 84 mΩ.

This has a direct impact on the charging time. With six high-resistance cells in the budget category, we measured 12 to 15 seconds on the 45 at full power and around 3 seconds at half power; Metz specifies around 8 seconds for the original NC battery. Cells with low internal resistance such as Eneloop Pro or Varta 2600 come much closer to this original battery. For the alkaline version, Metz specifies 0.3 to 15 seconds with disposable batteries. The upper value applies at full power and gets longer as the batteries become more discharged.

How do you use an old handle-mount flash on a film camera?
Bene from Face of Light Photography explains in his English guide Flash Photography with Film Cameras how flash works with analogue cameras: calculating the guide number, auto apertures on a thyristor flash, cold shoe with sync cable, trigger voltage of older units. He runs his Metz 45 CT-1 with this basket in the alkaline version, bought himself and used on several shoots.