View Full Version : Early Sony Mavica still camera help needed


Dave A
11-11-2013, 07:12 PM
Mods...I parked this here on the thin premise that this digital camera records in analog on a 2" mini-floppy disc from the 80's. Hope this passes the test. Feel free to move if you decide.

The problem. The camera was a doomed Sony product from the mid-80's. A MOS chip for the image but the recording was analog on a removeable 2" mini-disc that played back on an adaptor in NTSC only. No download. No file. Just watch it on a tv with the included RF adaptor as it jittered away on the screen. 50 or so shots per disc. Sony pulled it but I saved mine and I want to try to make it run again.

The problem is the 6vdc 400ma BP-1 NiCad battery long gone to powder. Photos below are in no particular order.

I talked to Grace at nicadlady.com and she was kind enough to cut it open for me and tell me that her stock of the cell wafers were long gone. Now I had an open battery but no cells.

I first tried 5 1.2vdc NiMh AAA batteries in series but the 750ma was too big for the tiny charger built in. It shut down after 5 seconds. I looked for NiMh AAAA batteries but they are rare in the 400ma range and only from Hong Kong.

The next trick was a 9v battery. They come in all sorts of construction. Early ones are stacked cells like in the powdery photo. Current alkalines are 6 AAAA in series inside the shell. Not rechargeable though. I took a flyer on a rechargeable 9v and opened it to find 7 1/4 size AAA inside all tabbed together. (7x1.2v = 9vdc). Most of these are in the under 350ma range but this one was not marked. I took two cells out and you can see the end assembly with the cells with the green wrappers at 6.2vdc at the tabs. It still shut down. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

Any suggestions? Otherwise I will drill a 1/8" earphone connector in to the camera shell and use an outside battery pack.

Electronic M
11-11-2013, 07:27 PM
Could the charger be malfunctioning?

Dave A
11-11-2013, 08:10 PM
Tom...I have thought about that but I have no way to check the adaptor. It doe measure 6.7vdc at the connectors for the battery charger. The camera can charge via the adaptor with the battery in place in the camera and if there is a battery in the charger. Same quit on both. Not sure how they interact and I have no adaptor spare. The adaptor does power the camera for playback just fine.