Some vintage Polaroid Automatic Land cameras use a 4.5v battery. Back in the day, Polaroid recommended the Eveready #531 or equivalent. Unfortunately, this battery has not been manufactured for decades.
RadioShack.com sells a suitable substitute, the "Dantona 600mAh Alkaline Battery for Film Cameras":
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2715648
The Dantona costs $7.99 plus S&H.
It is only available online.
The negative contact is too easily pulled out of the cheap plastic housing.
Fortunately, an easy & economical alternative is readily available.
You'll need a screwdriver, scissors, electrical tape, and a cheap little flashlight. This flashlight takes three "triple A" (AAA) batteries. The battery holder is cylindrical. This is important.
This one cost $2.99 at Office Depot. Batteries included.
One AAA battery = 1.5v
Three AAA batteries = 4.5v
These aren't alkaline, but can be replaced with alkalines when dead.
1. Take the battery holder out of the flashlight.
2. Use the Phillips screwdriver to remove the battery holder from the camera.
3. Cut two pieces of electrical tape, each about three inches long. Have them at the ready.
4. Place one of the camera's battery contacts face down on the sticky side of a piece of tape. This means the contact part normally attached to the battery is stuck to the tape.
5. Hold the back of the battery contact, the flat side, against the contact on the battery holder. Make sure you attach positive to positive and negative to negative. Secure the tape to the sides of the holder.
6. Repeat for the other contact, making sure everything is secure. Set the holder in the compartment, make sure the wires are out of the way, and close it up.
Test (without film) by cocking the shutter in low light and listening carefully for the "double click"...
...or better yet, open the back, cock and fire the shutter, and watch the shutter open and close.
It works!
Benefits:
- easy to replace batteries
- cost-effective
- convenient
- no permanent modification
- works with bad/missing contacts