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Sharp EL-811 & derivatives: Prinztronic MC85 & Prinztronic MC95

The Sharp EL-811, Prinztronic MC85, and Prinztronic MC95 are all similar, early hand-held calculators made by Sharp, though they have some significant differences.

Sharp EL-811

Sharp ELSI EL-811 (aka EL-811A)

Distinctive features: One of the first hand-held, battery powered calculators with memory function.

Technical details:
7.2 v (6x AA) rechargeable battery.

Display is 8 digits, green fluorescent tubes - this has normally shaped digits, not the more stylish digits of the Prinztronic MC85, below.
Multiplications and divisions are performed to 16 digits - the lower 8 digits are shown by pressing the <-> key.

4 functions, memory.

Main Integrated Circuits - Rockwell 10580CP (7223) & 10631PA (7225), here date coded to mid-1972.
115 mm x 172 mm x 43 mm (4.5" x 6.75" x 1.7").

Made in Japan.

About 1972.

The Sharp EL-811 is the second hand-held calculator model made by Sharp, after the EL-8, and shows the steady advance in the development of the integrated circuits since this model only uses two, and also has memory, against the four ICs of the EL-8.

Similar models under the Prinztronic name

Prinztronic was a trade name of Dixons, a British photographic and electronic chain store company, now merged into DSG. The history section of the DSG international website says "[The company] forged vital links with Japanese manufacturers who supplied Dixons directly with products often made to the company's own specification and sold under the brand name of "Prinz". Hard bargaining and bulk buying, predominantly in Japan, gave Dixons the competitive edge over its rivals".

    Prinztronic MC85

Prinztronic MC85

7.2 v (6x AA) rechargeable battery.

Display is 8 digits, green fluorescent tubes - note the unusual shapes of the digits, characteristic of the displays of some Sharp calculators of this period, and the half-height zero. The calculator above is displaying 23456780.
Multiplications and divisions are performed to 16 digits - the lower 8 digits are shown by pressing the <-> key.

4 functions, memory.

Main Integrated Circuits - Rockwell 10572PA and Sharp 10573SA, here date coded early 1972.
The operating manual gives a clock frequency of 125 KHz.

115 mm x 172 mm x 43 mm (4.5" x 6.75" x 1.7").

Made in Japan for Dixons International of Great Britain.

About 1972.

Apart from the colour and the badging, the case of the Prinztronic MC85 is identical to the Sharp EL-811, see below, though the integrated circuits are different.

Sharp had arrangements with Rockwell for the development of calculator integrated circuits, that Sharp would than manufacture. This calculator has two ICs in the same number series, one made by Rockwell and one made by Sharp.

Prinztronic MC95

Prinztronic MC95

7.2 v (6x AA) rechargeable battery.

Display is 8 digits, green fluorescent tubes - this has the normally shaped digits of the Sharp EL-811, not the more stylish digits of the Prinztronic MC85, above.
Multiplications and divisions are performed to 16 digits - the lower 8 digits are shown by pressing the <-> key.

4 functions, memory.

Main Integrated Circuits - Rockwell 10580PA and 10631PA, here date coded to mid 1972.

115 mm x 172 mm x 43 mm (4.5" x 6.75" x 1.7").

Made in Japan for Dixons International of Great Britain.

About 1972.

Price in early 1973 was £95 Sterling (about US$230).

Although the case of the Prinztronic MC95 is slightly different to the Sharp EL-811, having more stylish buttons, the integrated circuits are identical.

Vintage Calculators

© Text & photographs copyright Nigel Tout   2000-2010 except where noted otherwise.