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Photo lithium

CR-V3 battery: equivalents & specs

The CR-V3 is a 3 volt lithium battery shaped like two AA cells fused side by side, 52.2 by 28 by 14.2 mm, with a hefty 3000-plus mAh. Early-2000s digital cameras from Olympus, Kodak and Pentax used it interchangeably with pairs of AAs.

CR-V3 battery drawing: 28.05 mm wide, 52.2 mm tall CR-V3 52.2 mm 28.05 mm
CR-V3, front view, drawn to scale: 28.05 mm wide, 52.2 mm tall.
Voltage
3 V
Size (D×H)
null × 52.2 mm
Chemistry
Lithium manganese dioxide (Li/MnO2)
Capacity
3000-3300 mAh

Same battery, other names

Every code below is the exact same cell as CR-V3. Any of them will fit and work identically.

CRV3ELCRV3KCRV3

Buying and replacement notes

The clever part of the CR-V3 design is that camera compartments built for it also accept two ordinary AA cells, which is how most owners eventually powered those cameras. The lithium pack still wins on capacity, cold performance and shelf life if you are reviving an old camera. A rechargeable RCR-V3 variant existed with li-ion chemistry at higher voltage; treat surviving stock with caution as it was never universally compatible.

Commonly used in

early digital cameras (Olympus, Kodak, Pentax)some GPS units

Need a replacement?

Shop CR-V3 batteries on Amazon →

⚠️ Keep away from children. Swallowed button batteries, especially 20 mm lithium coins, cause severe injury within hours. If a child swallows one, call the 24/7 National Battery Ingestion Hotline (US) at 800-498-8666 or poison control at 800-222-1222 immediately. What every parent should know.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use AA batteries instead of a CR-V3?
In nearly every device designed for the CR-V3, yes: the compartment takes either one CR-V3 or two AAs. Lithium AAs (Energizer Ultimate) come closest to the CR-V3's performance. The reverse is not guaranteed; a CR-V3 does not fit all two-AA compartments.
Is the CR-V3 still manufactured?
Production has dwindled with the cameras that used it, but stock from Energizer and generic makers remains available online. Check manufacture dates carefully; a cell that has sat for eight years has lost some capacity even with lithium's slow self-discharge.
What was the RCR-V3?
A rechargeable li-ion battery in the CR-V3 shape, popular briefly in the mid-2000s. Its higher voltage (up to 4.2 V fresh off the charger, feeding circuits expecting 3 V) caused problems in some cameras. If you find one today, verify your camera tolerated it before use.

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