Great video, Caleb. Couple notes for people who want to go further: -Batteries of this type range from 14.4V to 14.8V. This shouldn't present problems for most usages, but something to keep in mind when purchasing. -Watts is amps multiplied by volts (P=A*V) So, if the information isn't listed you can tell the wattage by multiplying the current by the voltage. -This is why the larger cells also scale their current, because if the voltage is constant at 14.8, then a 95 watt battery will have around 6 amps (95/14.8), and the 160 watt battery will have ~10 amps (160/14.8), etc.
It's 'worse': A fully charged V-lock battery goes up to 16,8 Volt (4,2 Volt, the full-state-of-charge of 1 lithium-cell, times 4 in series) and fully depleted their voltage goes down to about 12,8 Volt, but especially the 'fully-depleted' level slightly varies with the manufacturer ánd cell-age/condition. The difference in voltage should not pose ANY problem for equipment. Equipment that can't handle anything between 12 and 17 Volts, is not designed to be powered by a V-lock battery.
weeardguy and in that case; probably isn’t video gear that’s anywhere near “professional” :o Or am I mistaken on this? E.g; follow focus System, Monitor, TX, camera, etc
@@shadi5885 To be honest, I don't know for sure. The Blackmagic Video Assist for example, only takes a 12 Volt input for external power, where I would have found anything between 8 to 17 Volts more logical (8 Volts as these monitors are powered by the most shittiest choice of batteries, the Canon LP-E6, 17 Volts for the upper limit explained before). But I can't exactly consider Blackmagic Video Assist's 'not professional' equipment. It could very well be a space issue: a converter that can handle a bigger difference of voltage on its input, usually needs more components to make sure it's stable under both a low input-voltage condition as well as a high input voltage one. I'm close to re-celling my own V-lock batteries (which involves resetting the Battery Management System IC by computer as well) and after reading about the battery management IC used in my batteries (which have gone below the critical discharge level and thus have been flagged 'permanent failure' by this IC, which prevents charging and discharging forever until one recells them and resets the IC), I ever more get the feeling that the '90 Wh thingy' is mostly a software related issue, as the management IC is so sophisticated: it knows exactly how much energy was pumped into the cells and also knows extremely precise how much energy was used during a total discharge cycle. As you have to tell the device the chemistry of the cells and even the maximum current, it makes it easy to just program the device different: tell the IC the cells are completely drained after using (let's say) 1,5 amp for an hour, while in reality, your cells have a 3 Amp-hour rating. It's not bad they combine four cells to distribute the current, but I get the feeling part of the power rating is most likely down to software and not actual 'better cells'. It would make manufacturing the batteries more expensive as they would have to stock different cells. It also shows why my standard V-locks have a maximum discharge current of 4 Amps while a few of my other ones, so called 'hi-discharge' types, feature a 6,6 Amp discharge rating...
@Gerald Undone, So if I want to connect a camera light, a camera, a monitor, maybe a teleprompter etc. to one battery, I should add up of each device the ampere usage, and the sum total should not exceed the amperes indicated on the battery? I wonder why devices and batteries always indicate voltage, if voltage is only used to deduct wattage (and thus battery life). Why not indicate wattage straight away instead?
@@andrekloer You are right about the total sum of current. For safety, I would hold a 25% safety margin on the total current. Not because it can damage the battery, but because the battery management system can be extremely tightly controlled: just ten milli-amps over the programmed limit, and the BMS cuts off supply to your gear. As most equipment works with some kind of converters inside (which use capacitors to smooth both in- and outcoming supply) the inrush current produced by these capacitors could push the BMS to its limit, while in total your total sum does not exceed the limit. Beware that gear could start to draw MORE current as battery voltage DROPS. The converters inside equipment (switchmode power supplies) just work this way. If a manufacturer is clever, he will state the worst possible current-draw, but if it only states current at the nominal voltage, the current will increase. The better battery brands do indicate a Wh-rating. 95 Wh is a pretty standard rating that quite a few airlines still allow in your carry-on. Everything above is usually a no-go: taking batteries in check-in luggage is usually prohibited unless you use the fire- and explosion proof cases (which are very expensive). The voltage is there to give some indication whether your battery is compatible with certain equipment. As a lithium-ion cell is at its nominal voltage at 3,6 to 3,7 Volt and 4 of them in series make 14,4 to 14,8 Volt, this is the standard voltage stated on the battery. But there are different types of cells. Usually, cells that can take some abuse (like, discharging them at twice their nominal current) have a slightly lower current capacity, while cells that are used in laptops (and most likely will never see a discharge-rate beyond their nominal current) have a higher capacity. But exchanging the cells from, let's say, a laptop battery to a pack for a battery powered drill will most likely result in direct failure of the laptop cells, as those are just not equipped to handle the stall currents of such devices that can easily go up to 30 Amps.
I'm just starting out on film-making [in my late 60s!!] Your videos have helped [and continue to help] me tremendously. You always explain things clearly and concisely and cover the stuff a new film-maker wants [and needs] to know. You have helped me find the right gear, avoid expensive mistakes, and learn the mechanics and art of film-making. Caleb, you are amazing! Thank you
It's uncanny how often you post a video at just the right time! Was literally learning about V-Mounts this morning and having trouble finding clear answers. You answered everything and then some. AS ALWAYS!! Thanks Caleb.
Caleb, what can you tell me about this... The Godox VL150, for example, says the DC Input is 16.8 VDC at 10A, yet can be run on a 14.8V v-mount battery. How can the light require a higher voltage than the batteries supply but still run just fine?
I don't know the definitive answer to your question, but my guess would be that it is like with SD-cards. Working with less writing speed than is officially recommended might work, but not in extreme conditions. I used to work with an Aputure 120dII and sometimes it would just go out running on a V-Mount Battery. My guess after this video is that it didn't meet the qualifications and worked somehow, but not reliably.
V-mount batteries usually supply anything between 12 Volts (completely depleted, not every battery can take this) and 16,8 Volt (fully charged). 14,4-14,8 Volt is the nominal open-clamp cell voltage of a lithium cell (3,6 to 3,7 Volt) x 4 (as there are 4 cells in series) 16,8 Volt as stated on the light is the max voltage rating (in reality, it's probably even higher, as designing equipment with such a tight tolerance is usually not a good idea) but consider it a maximum one better not surpasses.
I wish this video existed 3 years ago. I figured it all out on my own eventually, but not before I'd spend money on stuff that didn't work. For example, I destroyed some large NP-F batteries while trying to power an Aputure 120T via a NPF > V mount adapter. For the benefit of those who don't know, you will be able to run the 120d/t to about 75% brightness, but go beyond that and the NPFs will die immediately. And in my case they were unrecoverable. V mount batteries are a pain to carry around, but you definitely need them to power powerful lights like the bigger COB lights. I wish I started out powering everything off V mount, then the problem of multiple batteries and battery charges is gone. Great information in this video that every serious newbee should know sooner rather than later. Thanks Caleb.
But can you power up a camera like that? I'm just researching for npf to v-mount plates to power my pocket 4k. I just saw a couple of rigs where the camera got the juice from the v-mount adapter's d-tap. So it should work, right? thanks!
I cannot get over how GOOD this video is ! ... wow..... So hang on, instead of buy one one of these really overpriced USB charger things on Amazon to charge your iPhone etc, you could buy one of these huge batteries, with an adapter and have something that is 10x more powerful.... who knew ! So many possibilities. I need to watch this again to have it all sink in. Great video !
@Evan Jones Yes, but there are huge differences. Most V-lock batteries have extensive safety-features inside and have a VERY accurate indication of their remaining charge. They will protect themselves against undervoltage, damaged cells, dangerous undervoltage (this usually means end of story: the BMS inside the battery will protect it FOREVER against charging and discharging) overcharging and such. Those cheap jump-starter things... I would not trust their short-circuit capabilities and certainly also not the rest of the safety-features. And no, those batteries in jump-starter thingies are NOT the same batteries. Those are Lithium polymer flat-pack batteries. Those usually do not have ANY trouble supplying tenths of amps when shorted, while good quality 18650 Li-ion cells are limited anywhere between 600 mA to about 12 Amps of discharge current in short-circuit mode (that's just down to the way the cells are made) Pair that with the limitation set by the BMS (most batteries have cells that can supply more current than the pack can deliver) and you're talking about totally different quality.
Great video! was wondering if the v-mount plate acted as a protection for electrical issues while connecting multiple devices together on the same battery. It seems if not you would have to connect power, then hdmi to avoid problems
The thing I like about you, and im sure you've heard this before, but you get right to the point and you're very wise in your craft. I've just switched from the canon 80D to the GH5S and I kinda went nuts and bought a bunch of accessories and a rig and the whole shabang. Thanks for all the information you spread on here and i'm pretty sure i'll be purchasing your tutorial on the GH5S. Cheers.
Looks like you raided my gear closet for this one :-) One note worth mentioning, if you have a rail mounted system with a V-mount powering multiple devices, it makes for a super-quick setup (assuming you can put it away mostly or fully assembled). Another important note, you should have a multi-meter to test the output voltage and polarity of any ports coming off the battery adapters. I've fried a panel LED when I fed it 16v from the battery tap that was supposed to be 12v.
It's worth mentioning for V-mount battery chargers that the cheaper ones that accept several batteries will only charge them one at a time. And they can take a while. Also, how are you finding the Fotga plate? I found out that the UPS is basically a lie and regretted not shelling out a bit more for the Lanparte plate which has more outputs.
I went with the dual NP-F to V-Mount adapter since I had a few other things running from them already. Simplified charging and swapping batteries. Ddual NP-F970s easily power my large 880 led main light - just make sure if you're using the larger devices to use 970s or something in that range. 550s overheated due to the current draw quite quickly (the larger the NP-F, the more cells are in parallel to increase max current).
Hello Shooter from the past. I’m from the future! I wanted to ask you if you could make a more recent video about this topic? It was an amazing information and I stayed wanting for more!! Like what kind of cable are used for this? Can I leave the original batteries in the camera and monitor for example for “extra” power? So that this V mount battery charge the original batteries on the equipment? An example of how calculate how much the battery would last feeding all that setup you got there in the tripod would have been nice too! Thanks!!
I have a V mount rig for my GH4 camera, Feelworld Monitor, on cam light, etc. I love it except for the fact my GH4 dummy battery on the 7.2V rail of the Battery Plate throws an error and the camera shuts down. Plenty of juice there when checked with a multi-meter so I’m stuck using stock batteries for the camera still.
7,2 Volt is rather low for external supply. A fully charged lithium battery puts out 8,4 Volts. Most of the times, converters in the camera will lower the voltage even further (with 3,3 Volt and 5 Volt being the most obvious), but as available voltage drops, the in-camera converters will draw more current to keep their output up. If the 14,8 Volt to 7,2 Volt converter inside the batteryplate can not supply enough current, it's end of story. Digital camera's are notorious for drawing high peak currents. Batteries supply them without any problem, but converters need to be up to the job. Both in maximum available current and in peak-current (and then they have to be able to act fast enough when peak-current is drawn). At 7,2 Volt, I think maximum supply-current should be around 2,5 Amps. Don't get me wrong, there are good plates out there, but I doubt it can deliver such currents on the 7,2 Volt output...
To add to this story (as I now know what my GH5 does current and voltage-wise): 7,2 Volt will just make the camera shut down. Somewhere at 7,6 Volt or so, it will stay alive (tested with a 3 Amp- capable lab power supply). Peak currents when taking a picture are short but high: the meter on the power supply isn't quick enough, but probably would exceed the maximum range if it could react fast enough. Setting it to videomode at that voltage, it just shuts down and tries to reboot again, drawing significant peak-currents up to 2,5 Amps.
To elaborate further about TSA restrictions, you can carry as many batteries under 98Wh as CARRY-ON, but CANNOT put them into CHECKED baggage. However, ...." with airline approval, devices can contain larger lithium ion batteries (101-160 watt hours per battery), but spares of this size are limited to two batteries in CARRY-ON baggage only. This size covers the largest aftermarket extended life laptop batteries and most lithium ion batteries for professional-grade audio/visual equipment."
Caleb HELP! I'm trying to hook up a vmount battery to my Panasonic UX90. I can't find a cable that connects Dtap to 12v eiaj-04 on my camcorder. Both the dtap 2.1mm and 5.5x2.5mm 12V and 5.5x2.5mm 12V connectors I found on amazon are not compatible.
Awesome. I've stayed away from v mount batteries due to the high cost. So i didnt even bother learning about them Now i know there are affordable options. Thanks so much. Ry from Dubai
Great explanation of v-mount batteries! Very new to this field. I have one light, the UL 150. Will use for remote work(away from corded power source). Will also be flying(airplane). What battery is rated for airlines, yet also powerful enough for one UL 150? Should I get two lower-wattage batteries, or just one higher-wattage battery?
I appreciate this video so much! I recently purchased a Godox vl 300 and was confused as to which batteries I should buy for it. Now I know what to look for! Thanks!
Thanks for the video! Just a heads up, some of your links are Anton Bauer Gold Mount, while others are V-Mount. Some less-experienced viewers might not know to double-check this incompatibility.
Can you tell me what your main light is modified? The light looks really nice and soft. Is it behind a diffuser or a soft box of some kind? Thank you! And this video was EXTREMELY helpful and educational. Huge help.
What if the battery doesn’t have amps listed? I bought a couple of V mount batteries to power an Aputure 120d II. I can only turn the light up to 93% or so before it trips a circuit (or whatever the correct term is). I can run on the battery for an hour at 90%, though. I grabbed the battery to check the amps and it’s not specified. The specs on the battery are 14.8V, 177Wh, and 12000mAh. There is no amps designation. And this is an awesome video. I already watched it twice because this was exactly the tutorial I needed.
Hey Caleb, I have a CAME-TV 99 Wh, 14.4 v-mount battery that I am planning to use with my Sony A7IV. I have powered it up and everything seems to work fine. The battery has two D-tap connections and one USB-C. I want to power my Zoom H8 with this as well as there are no electric outlets near me where I record church services and one camera battery will not record the entire service in 4K, which is what the church wants. How can I power the Zoom H8 with this CAME-TV battery? Thanks for all your hard work. This video was very informative, even four years later.
Oh bro! Thank you SO MUCH for making this video. I was getting so frustrated because I'm using V-lock batteries for the first time with a Blackmagic URSA and have NO idea how they work. Thanks for making it super simple. Rock on, bro!
Hi I am a regular viewer of your channel and I do take your views as real ones. I recently viewed your reviews about V-Mount batteries and I am excited about it. After viewing your reviews I bought one Smallrig V mount battery adapter plate and I am planning to use it for my rig. I am using a Sony A7C camera with a Atamos Ninja V monitor. After buying the Smallrig V mount, I realize that I need a dummy battery and a power code for the Ninja V. There are a bunch of Dummy batteries available in Amazon. But afraid to buy and use. Then I went through your channel in search for a review about Dummy Battery. But I couldn't find one. If we buy some cheap dummy battery and use it, there are chances that it may fire the camera itself. In this regard, I need a genuine review about dummy battery and cables and your honest suggestions. It will help lots of people like me in finding a proper Dummy battery and cables. Kind regards
D and O Lighting is awesome. Their customer service is great too. I ordered the v mount 190 batteries and the dual charging station. Its back ordered though. So. I’ll have to wait a bit before I get mine. Just a heads up. Don’t buy the kit they sell. If you break up the order and just buy two batteries and the charging unit separately you’ll have more money. Just a tip. 🙂
Awesome review man! Very detailed info on V-Mounts. I love D&O’s gear, I’ve got tons of the batteries! I’m looking forward to your review of the LED light.
Hi Caleb. Just so everyone knows the SOONWELL V Lock Mounting Plate Power Supply Splitter with 15mm Rod Clamp LP-E6 Battery Adapter DC Coupler for Camera you post a link to does not work with a Panasonic GH4. I bought one and had to return it. Thanks for your post on batteries.
Father Bless me, for I have committed the Sin of charging my phone for a THOUSAND years! Excellent video Caleb, loving it, right in time for me to get some V mount batteries.
Just to make sure I do the thing right , so you can plug all these devices to D-tap splitter connected to the battery, it won’t harm any of the deceives even if they don’t need the same voltage?
@@LisaSamaritan Amperage will be Voltage divided by Resistance. The resistance of the human body is quite high. A 14.4V will not shock you unless you are touching it to your tongue or something. So first you need a much higher Voltage to get started. Now if you touch a 120V A/C source current will start flowing through you and it actually doesn't take many Amps to kill you.
I came here hoping to find out what charger to use because the title says "EVERYTHING" you need to know about V-mount batteries. Unfortunately, the brick charger was not covered with much detail other than to say you can get one for about $50. What are the specifications for a brick charger that will work on a 14.8 v-mount battery? Output voltage? Why not include a link for that? It seems you provided a link for everything else. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.
Does the dtap to usb adapter need another step down adapter to make tiny usb lights work or you can just plug any usb device in & rock on? 2nd, can I convert my 220v AC powered bulb+softbox light that plus into the wall to V-mount battery powered lights if yes, how? lastly, since v batteries output 14v, do I need to step it down with an adapter to power a 20v DC ledlight? you know the usual ones with that round barrel plug that goes into the back of the led panel. Any detailed answer will be appreciated, thanks
Please include model numbers in your links. As a Canadian, often I am directed to a Canadian Amazon and not all these items are available here, so I have to go looking on the US site or B&H but I don't know what to search for. A model number would be very helpful.
Thank you for a great tutorial. I have one question, I use the original bmpcc for roughly 80 percent of my interview film. Until now, I have only used it while plugged into an outlet. I would love to take it on the road and would like to know if the original bmpcc would work with the appropriate DTAP adapter with the newer under mount batteries by Bauer and Core SWX. I would prefer not to build out this camera horizontally.
I purchased the 190s directly from D&O. 1 of the 2 was DOA and will not take a charge. For 2 weeks I’ve got no response from emails to customer service and no answer of response from calling the provided number. It sucks to throw money away. Now I’ve got to spend more money on a different brand so I can power my 300d.
Question - do you consume MORE power by turning OFF and turning ON the D300 just to save battery life??? ie if you turn it On/Off/On several times... do you actually run LESS than an Hour and a Half because the Start Up consumes MORE power than the actual run?
When using the dummy battery to power your camera, is there a concern with potential shorting? Other folks have warned to use dummy batteries that have surge protectors within, but the links you have do not appear to have them.
I am attempting to build a v-mount battery charging box on the cheap, with the v-mount d-tap cables from each supplier plugged into a 10 plug surge protector so that they can all charge at the same time, each battery supplies 14.8V with a capacity of 95wh. Each battery pulls 10 amps according to the manufracturers site. Would this work? As I don't want to blow the regular household 110 outlet or burn a fuse. Please let me know.
You cant be putting that much power in and out of these batterys, it will fry it. Its recomended that if you need to charge it to hook other equipment directly into a wall. A lot of cameras have this feature just make sure you're converting to the right volts
Can you comment on V-mount plates? Are the different outputs 7.2 etc... totally isolated from each other. Up to now, I could not find a manufactor or brand who gives this information. Hooking up camera and monitor on the same D-tap could burn your hdmi port
This was really helpful. I’ve been using dual NP-F batteries with a v mount adapter to power my lights (Dracast 500s) because it seemed like v mounts were really expensive. But less than $100 for a good v mount battery is pretty reasonable. And it’s probably more durable than NP-Fs
This question may be too product specific, but do you know if these batteries will work with the rotolight aeos? It uses v mount batteries, at least 95Wh. The light has a flash/strobe function that the manufacturer claims will cause some batteries to shut off as a short circuit protection. I have no doubt the batteries would work in continuous mode, just not sure about the flash mode. Thanks.
I know it's late, but I really recommend just buying a bigger battery. 95 Wh batteries cut out at 4 to 6,6 Amps, which is very close to the maximum current drawn by the stated light (as 200% the light output in strobe mode compared to the normal mode most likely increases the current at least 2,5 to 3 times (as LEDs hardly provide much more light when pushed beyond the nominal currentlimits, plus the losses in converting power inside the light)
I came back to see this video to get better idea on charging the batteries, but it wasn't explained well. Google search gave info that D-tap on the battery (or the battery plate?) is a budget way to charge them or a dedicated charger plate as a more expensive way. But I found no info on D-tap itself being used as output rather then input. I ordered one battery to be used to power a dslr rig, but I'm not looking forward to cash out for a dedicated charger. Is it viable just to use universal charger like IMAX B6 to charge the battery via D-tap? Does it make any difference whether to plug a charger to D-tap on battery itself or on a battery plate?
Thank you for the great video 📹 If battery plate out put of single 7.2V, can it be made dual and can be used of in 2 ways? For camera and small led light or monitor 🤔 Who sells the cable
Hi Caleb, I recently purchased a Colbor CL 100 and a V-mount battery. I wanted to power up the strobe with the v-mount battery but I had no idea about how to connect the battery to the light. There's only one way to connect to this light and with the v-mount battery, I don't have a proper cable. I don't have a D-tap but even if I get it, I will still need the right cable to connect from the battery to the light. What cable do I need?
Can you use a V-Mount battery on a rig without a battery plate; in other words does the d-tap port on the V-mount battery have output or is it usually just for charging?
I went with the Soonwell V mount plate for my Sony FS5 II. The plate didn't come with a power cable for the camera. What can I use to convert the 14v d-tap on the plate to 12v.
hey Caleb. You have the talent to explain things really specifically and to the point, without wasting time. Thank you for sharing. One question: is it save to use higher voltage charger/battery to charge a phone, or camera. I am confused between wattage, voltage, amperage. Also I'm in Germany. Here the sockets are 230-240V in the US, I guess they are 110V. So it is really important either to use a converter while traveling OR buying from other parts of the world. I was just concerned, if I get a V-mount battery, can I use it to charge camera from USB port, and also gimbal and other stuff. Do I need to be concerened volts and ampere? OR just make sure that the battery is at least capable of providing at least the minimum AMPs required to run for a decice. After watching your other video about DSTE NP-F750 batteries, which you told and I checked, really are purchasable for €34 (2 batteries-each having capacity of 5000 mAh, means 10k mAh for €34). These V-Mount batteries; i don't know, they just don't look feasible, cost wise, 6600 mAh. And one 6600 mAh V-mount cost around €125 here. I guess the only reason to use V-mount is that it can supply power to other devices as well while the DSTE cannot. Is it right, or is there a way we can use of DSTE batteries in order to supply power no just to the camera with dummy battery, but also to charge a phone, etc? Thanks very much. You are doing an amazing Job! Kind regards,
Generally airlines have a carry-on limit of 100Whr per lithium ion battery due to the flammable nature of li-ion. That applies to power banks and anything else as well. Anything larger in capacity runs a risk of being automatically banned. But the TSA website says otherwise - "Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours may be allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval, but are limited to two spare batteries per passenger. Loose lithium batteries are prohibited in checked bags. For more information, see the FAA regulations on batteries." - but is full of vague mumbo jumbo. Therefore it is always best to check with your airline BEFORE purchasing the ticket!
@@leticiali Some manyfacturers even supply tables showing what is allowed per airline and what not (I'm in Europe and the rules even differ GREATLY per airliner in Europe: some only allow 1 V-lock battery under 100 Wh per passenger) My best advice: just don't take V-locks with you but rent them on location if you can.
Great Video! One question I am struggling with. If I have my V battery set up and Im running a monitor and other accessories, how can I run continuous power in the studio (I have a C70)? I can't really find a V mount dummy battery. I have a mounting plate with multiple outs (SmallRig 3204) and a SmallRig VB99s. Can I run an AC adapter directly into that mounting plate? Thanks!
Thanks caleb. I'm confused on the maths can you help please? I cant find a watts rating for my camera (sony a7iii), only a volts 5v. So how do I know what Wh to get for this camera? I want it to power the camera as well as my Atomos Shinobi monitor which has operating power of "5.8V - 7.2V" and input voltage of 6.2-16.8V and the following is stated under "continuous power": 2600mAh - 1.5hrs, 5200mAh - 3hrs, 7800mAh - 6hrs. Totally confused on the maths especially not having any Wh or mAh stated for the a7iii as far as i can find. Furthermore does the plate slide onto 15mm rods I'm guessing? How do you attach it to your rig? Sorry for so many questions haha thanks
Not sure if I missed it but unclear of what type of connectors are available for V-mount batteries powering cameras. For example, Sony cameras is it simply D/P-tap ---> NPF?
Usually they have one or more d tap output connector that you can use with the right plug to use different devices. Sometimes they also have usb 5V output and 7.2 or 8.4 or 12v female plugs too.
I’m at a lose. I have a rig around a v mount Shape D-Box power disruption plate. But I getting a TON of noise in my audio make it completely unusable. Here’s my set up: A Black Magic Video Assist 12g powered using the d tap. A Sony A7iii through a dummy battery to the 8v connector. And, a Sound devices Mix Pre 3 through the usb connection. I’m thinking this is a ground loop issue... but I have no idea. I’m super disappointed with the noise and not being able to use the d Box as advertised. Any advice?
Great video. Can you tell me please, is the fotga battery plate also standard V mount plate. Because I see that the fotga conectors for v mount battery are different than the other plates that you put in the link. Regards
Hi, I have questions! Can any V-Mount Charger charge any V-Mount battery? I have a pair of Dracast V-Mount batteries; I am sure they just slapped their logo on a generic set of batteries. I don't know what there battery chemistry is. Also, I am in the process of buying some Watson V-Mount batteries; they are high capacity, 15Amp Continuous Draw, Lithium-Ion Batteries, with a 4 place charger. If 1 of the 2 chargers goes bad, can I charge all the batteries with the other charger? Mathew
Great video, Caleb.
Couple notes for people who want to go further:
-Batteries of this type range from 14.4V to 14.8V. This shouldn't present problems for most usages, but something to keep in mind when purchasing.
-Watts is amps multiplied by volts (P=A*V) So, if the information isn't listed you can tell the wattage by multiplying the current by the voltage.
-This is why the larger cells also scale their current, because if the voltage is constant at 14.8, then a 95 watt battery will have around 6 amps (95/14.8), and the 160 watt battery will have ~10 amps (160/14.8), etc.
It's 'worse': A fully charged V-lock battery goes up to 16,8 Volt (4,2 Volt, the full-state-of-charge of 1 lithium-cell, times 4 in series) and fully depleted their voltage goes down to about 12,8 Volt, but especially the 'fully-depleted' level slightly varies with the manufacturer ánd cell-age/condition.
The difference in voltage should not pose ANY problem for equipment. Equipment that can't handle anything between 12 and 17 Volts, is not designed to be powered by a V-lock battery.
weeardguy and in that case; probably isn’t video gear that’s anywhere near “professional” :o
Or am I mistaken on this?
E.g; follow focus System, Monitor, TX, camera, etc
@@shadi5885 To be honest, I don't know for sure. The Blackmagic Video Assist for example, only takes a 12 Volt input for external power, where I would have found anything between 8 to 17 Volts more logical (8 Volts as these monitors are powered by the most shittiest choice of batteries, the Canon LP-E6, 17 Volts for the upper limit explained before).
But I can't exactly consider Blackmagic Video Assist's 'not professional' equipment. It could very well be a space issue: a converter that can handle a bigger difference of voltage on its input, usually needs more components to make sure it's stable under both a low input-voltage condition as well as a high input voltage one.
I'm close to re-celling my own V-lock batteries (which involves resetting the Battery Management System IC by computer as well) and after reading about the battery management IC used in my batteries (which have gone below the critical discharge level and thus have been flagged 'permanent failure' by this IC, which prevents charging and discharging forever until one recells them and resets the IC), I ever more get the feeling that the '90 Wh thingy' is mostly a software related issue, as the management IC is so sophisticated: it knows exactly how much energy was pumped into the cells and also knows extremely precise how much energy was used during a total discharge cycle. As you have to tell the device the chemistry of the cells and even the maximum current, it makes it easy to just program the device different: tell the IC the cells are completely drained after using (let's say) 1,5 amp for an hour, while in reality, your cells have a 3 Amp-hour rating.
It's not bad they combine four cells to distribute the current, but I get the feeling part of the power rating is most likely down to software and not actual 'better cells'. It would make manufacturing the batteries more expensive as they would have to stock different cells.
It also shows why my standard V-locks have a maximum discharge current of 4 Amps while a few of my other ones, so called 'hi-discharge' types, feature a 6,6 Amp discharge rating...
@Gerald Undone, So if I want to connect a camera light, a camera, a monitor, maybe a teleprompter etc. to one battery, I should add up of each device the ampere usage, and the sum total should not exceed the amperes indicated on the battery?
I wonder why devices and batteries always indicate voltage, if voltage is only used to deduct wattage (and thus battery life). Why not indicate wattage straight away instead?
@@andrekloer You are right about the total sum of current. For safety, I would hold a 25% safety margin on the total current. Not because it can damage the battery, but because the battery management system can be extremely tightly controlled: just ten milli-amps over the programmed limit, and the BMS cuts off supply to your gear.
As most equipment works with some kind of converters inside (which use capacitors to smooth both in- and outcoming supply) the inrush current produced by these capacitors could push the BMS to its limit, while in total your total sum does not exceed the limit.
Beware that gear could start to draw MORE current as battery voltage DROPS. The converters inside equipment (switchmode power supplies) just work this way. If a manufacturer is clever, he will state the worst possible current-draw, but if it only states current at the nominal voltage, the current will increase.
The better battery brands do indicate a Wh-rating. 95 Wh is a pretty standard rating that quite a few airlines still allow in your carry-on. Everything above is usually a no-go: taking batteries in check-in luggage is usually prohibited unless you use the fire- and explosion proof cases (which are very expensive).
The voltage is there to give some indication whether your battery is compatible with certain equipment. As a lithium-ion cell is at its nominal voltage at 3,6 to 3,7 Volt and 4 of them in series make 14,4 to 14,8 Volt, this is the standard voltage stated on the battery.
But there are different types of cells. Usually, cells that can take some abuse (like, discharging them at twice their nominal current) have a slightly lower current capacity, while cells that are used in laptops (and most likely will never see a discharge-rate beyond their nominal current) have a higher capacity. But exchanging the cells from, let's say, a laptop battery to a pack for a battery powered drill will most likely result in direct failure of the laptop cells, as those are just not equipped to handle the stall currents of such devices that can easily go up to 30 Amps.
I'm just starting out on film-making [in my late 60s!!] Your videos have helped [and continue to help] me tremendously. You always explain things clearly and concisely and cover the stuff a new film-maker wants [and needs] to know. You have helped me find the right gear, avoid expensive mistakes, and learn the mechanics and art of film-making.
Caleb, you are amazing! Thank you
Thank you so much for the support!
It's uncanny how often you post a video at just the right time! Was literally learning about V-Mounts this morning and having trouble finding clear answers. You answered everything and then some. AS ALWAYS!! Thanks Caleb.
Haha! Happy to be of service Ryan!
I'm in the same boat, this was perfectly timed for me, does he have a spy bot out there tracking us?
Seriously, me too! Perfect timing Caleb 💯
Right!? I was just doing research yesterday. I think Caleb is working with Google and can see all my web searches and amazon browsing history haha!
Same with me. I was researching vmount for a black magic pocket cinema 4K
Caleb, what can you tell me about this...
The Godox VL150, for example, says the DC Input is 16.8 VDC at 10A, yet can be run on a 14.8V v-mount battery. How can the light require a higher voltage than the batteries supply but still run just fine?
I don't know the definitive answer to your question, but my guess would be that it is like with SD-cards. Working with less writing speed than is officially recommended might work, but not in extreme conditions. I used to work with an Aputure 120dII and sometimes it would just go out running on a V-Mount Battery. My guess after this video is that it didn't meet the qualifications and worked somehow, but not reliably.
V-mount batteries usually supply anything between 12 Volts (completely depleted, not every battery can take this) and 16,8 Volt (fully charged).
14,4-14,8 Volt is the nominal open-clamp cell voltage of a lithium cell (3,6 to 3,7 Volt) x 4 (as there are 4 cells in series)
16,8 Volt as stated on the light is the max voltage rating (in reality, it's probably even higher, as designing equipment with such a tight tolerance is usually not a good idea) but consider it a maximum one better not surpasses.
@@weeardguy Excellent info, thanks for sharing.
@@NewLayer You're welcome ;)
I wish this video existed 3 years ago. I figured it all out on my own eventually, but not before I'd spend money on stuff that didn't work.
For example, I destroyed some large NP-F batteries while trying to power an Aputure 120T via a NPF > V mount adapter.
For the benefit of those who don't know, you will be able to run the 120d/t to about 75% brightness, but go beyond that and the NPFs will die immediately. And in my case they were unrecoverable.
V mount batteries are a pain to carry around, but you definitely need them to power powerful lights like the bigger COB lights.
I wish I started out powering everything off V mount, then the problem of multiple batteries and battery charges is gone.
Great information in this video that every serious newbee should know sooner rather than later.
Thanks Caleb.
Oh wow! Yeah I wouldn't recommend powering a light like that off NP-F batteries. Could cause a fire if you're not careful with current!
Just getting a 120d mk2. Was thinking of getting a V plate to use some of my high power Sony NP-F batteries. Will they work for a while? 5 minutes?
But can you power up a camera like that? I'm just researching for npf to v-mount plates to power my pocket 4k. I just saw a couple of rigs where the camera got the juice from the v-mount adapter's d-tap. So it should work, right? thanks!
I cannot get over how GOOD this video is ! ... wow..... So hang on, instead of buy one one of these really overpriced USB charger things on Amazon to charge your iPhone etc, you could buy one of these huge batteries, with an adapter and have something that is 10x more powerful.... who knew ! So many possibilities. I need to watch this again to have it all sink in. Great video !
@Evan Jones Yes, but there are huge differences. Most V-lock batteries have extensive safety-features inside and have a VERY accurate indication of their remaining charge. They will protect themselves against undervoltage, damaged cells, dangerous undervoltage (this usually means end of story: the BMS inside the battery will protect it FOREVER against charging and discharging) overcharging and such.
Those cheap jump-starter things... I would not trust their short-circuit capabilities and certainly also not the rest of the safety-features.
And no, those batteries in jump-starter thingies are NOT the same batteries. Those are Lithium polymer flat-pack batteries. Those usually do not have ANY trouble supplying tenths of amps when shorted, while good quality 18650 Li-ion cells are limited anywhere between 600 mA to about 12 Amps of discharge current in short-circuit mode (that's just down to the way the cells are made)
Pair that with the limitation set by the BMS (most batteries have cells that can supply more current than the pack can deliver) and you're talking about totally different quality.
Good timing! Just digging into V-Mount for my Ursa Mini Pro
Great video! was wondering if the v-mount plate acted as a protection for electrical issues while connecting multiple devices together on the same battery. It seems if not you would have to connect power, then hdmi to avoid problems
The thing I like about you, and im sure you've heard this before, but you get right to the point and you're very wise in your craft. I've just switched from the canon 80D to the GH5S and I kinda went nuts and bought a bunch of accessories and a rig and the whole shabang. Thanks for all the information you spread on here and i'm pretty sure i'll be purchasing your tutorial on the GH5S. Cheers.
Looks like you raided my gear closet for this one :-) One note worth mentioning, if you have a rail mounted system with a V-mount powering multiple devices, it makes for a super-quick setup (assuming you can put it away mostly or fully assembled). Another important note, you should have a multi-meter to test the output voltage and polarity of any ports coming off the battery adapters. I've fried a panel LED when I fed it 16v from the battery tap that was supposed to be 12v.
This is super handy! Just getting into V mount batteries now as I'm slowing building out the camera rig to incorporate more things.
It's worth mentioning for V-mount battery chargers that the cheaper ones that accept several batteries will only charge them one at a time. And they can take a while.
Also, how are you finding the Fotga plate? I found out that the UPS is basically a lie and regretted not shelling out a bit more for the Lanparte plate which has more outputs.
I went with the dual NP-F to V-Mount adapter since I had a few other things running from them already. Simplified charging and swapping batteries. Ddual NP-F970s easily power my large 880 led main light - just make sure if you're using the larger devices to use 970s or something in that range. 550s overheated due to the current draw quite quickly (the larger the NP-F, the more cells are in parallel to increase max current).
Very thorough video for those of us that are still closer to novice than expert.
Thank you
Hello Shooter from the past. I’m from the future! I wanted to ask you if you could make a more recent video about this topic? It was an amazing information and I stayed wanting for more!! Like what kind of cable are used for this? Can I leave the original batteries in the camera and monitor for example for “extra” power? So that this V mount battery charge the original batteries on the equipment? An example of how calculate how much the battery would last feeding all that setup you got there in the tripod would have been nice too! Thanks!!
I have a V mount rig for my GH4 camera, Feelworld Monitor, on cam light, etc. I love it except for the fact my GH4 dummy battery on the 7.2V rail of the Battery Plate throws an error and the camera shuts down. Plenty of juice there when checked with a multi-meter so I’m stuck using stock batteries for the camera still.
7,2 Volt is rather low for external supply. A fully charged lithium battery puts out 8,4 Volts. Most of the times, converters in the camera will lower the voltage even further (with 3,3 Volt and 5 Volt being the most obvious), but as available voltage drops, the in-camera converters will draw more current to keep their output up.
If the 14,8 Volt to 7,2 Volt converter inside the batteryplate can not supply enough current, it's end of story. Digital camera's are notorious for drawing high peak currents. Batteries supply them without any problem, but converters need to be up to the job. Both in maximum available current and in peak-current (and then they have to be able to act fast enough when peak-current is drawn).
At 7,2 Volt, I think maximum supply-current should be around 2,5 Amps. Don't get me wrong, there are good plates out there, but I doubt it can deliver such currents on the 7,2 Volt output...
To add to this story (as I now know what my GH5 does current and voltage-wise): 7,2 Volt will just make the camera shut down. Somewhere at 7,6 Volt or so, it will stay alive (tested with a 3 Amp- capable lab power supply).
Peak currents when taking a picture are short but high: the meter on the power supply isn't quick enough, but probably would exceed the maximum range if it could react fast enough.
Setting it to videomode at that voltage, it just shuts down and tries to reboot again, drawing significant peak-currents up to 2,5 Amps.
To elaborate further about TSA restrictions, you can carry as many batteries under 98Wh as CARRY-ON, but CANNOT put them into CHECKED baggage.
However, ...." with airline approval, devices can contain larger lithium ion batteries (101-160 watt hours per battery), but spares of this size are limited to two batteries in CARRY-ON baggage only. This size covers the largest aftermarket extended life laptop batteries and most lithium ion batteries for professional-grade audio/visual equipment."
thomaskazuya I thought you could have these batteries of some size in checked baggage as long as they are installed in a device.
And now you have your own v mount batteries
Congrats man!
Little things we don't obviously think about.... but very useful and important to know!!!!
Please could you show the set up with the 300d? As this would be super helpful and much easier and cheaper than buying an inverter and big battery :)
Caleb HELP! I'm trying to hook up a vmount battery to my Panasonic UX90. I can't find a cable that connects Dtap to 12v eiaj-04 on my camcorder. Both the dtap 2.1mm and 5.5x2.5mm 12V and 5.5x2.5mm 12V connectors I found on amazon are not compatible.
Awesome. I've stayed away from v mount batteries due to the high cost. So i didnt even bother learning about them Now i know there are affordable options. Thanks so much. Ry from Dubai
Great explanation of v-mount batteries! Very new to this field. I have one light, the UL 150. Will use for remote work(away from corded power source). Will also be flying(airplane). What battery is rated for airlines, yet also powerful enough for one UL 150? Should I get two lower-wattage batteries, or just one higher-wattage battery?
I appreciate this video so much! I recently purchased a Godox vl 300 and was confused as to which batteries I should buy for it. Now I know what to look for! Thanks!
You literally always make videos right when I'm looking into something lol. Thank you
Ha! Glad I could help out!
Thanks for the video! Just a heads up, some of your links are Anton Bauer Gold Mount, while others are V-Mount. Some less-experienced viewers might not know to double-check this incompatibility.
Can you tell me what your main light is modified? The light looks really nice and soft. Is it behind a diffuser or a soft box of some kind? Thank you! And this video was EXTREMELY helpful and educational. Huge help.
What if the battery doesn’t have amps listed?
I bought a couple of V mount batteries to power an Aputure 120d II. I can only turn the light up to 93% or so before it trips a circuit (or whatever the correct term is). I can run on the battery for an hour at 90%, though. I grabbed the battery to check the amps and it’s not specified.
The specs on the battery are 14.8V, 177Wh, and 12000mAh. There is no amps designation.
And this is an awesome video. I already watched it twice because this was exactly the tutorial I needed.
Hey Caleb, I have a CAME-TV 99 Wh, 14.4 v-mount battery that I am planning to use with my Sony A7IV. I have powered it up and everything seems to work fine. The battery has two D-tap connections and one USB-C. I want to power my Zoom H8 with this as well as there are no electric outlets near me where I record church services and one camera battery will not record the entire service in 4K, which is what the church wants. How can I power the Zoom H8 with this CAME-TV battery? Thanks for all your hard work. This video was very informative, even four years later.
Oh bro! Thank you SO MUCH for making this video. I was getting so frustrated because I'm using V-lock batteries for the first time with a Blackmagic URSA and have NO idea how they work. Thanks for making it super simple. Rock on, bro!
whats that cage for the inferno
Hi
I am a regular viewer of your channel and I do take your views as real ones. I recently viewed your reviews about V-Mount batteries and I am excited about it. After viewing your reviews I bought one Smallrig V mount battery adapter plate and I am planning to use it for my rig. I am using a Sony A7C camera with a Atamos Ninja V monitor. After buying the Smallrig V mount, I realize that I need a dummy battery and a power code for the Ninja V. There are a bunch of Dummy batteries available in Amazon. But afraid to buy and use. Then I went through your channel in search for a review about Dummy Battery. But I couldn't find one. If we buy some cheap dummy battery and use it, there are chances that it may fire the camera itself. In this regard, I need a genuine review about dummy battery and cables and your honest suggestions. It will help lots of people like me in finding a proper Dummy battery and cables.
Kind regards
D and O Lighting is awesome. Their customer service is great too. I ordered the v mount 190 batteries and the dual charging station. Its back ordered though. So. I’ll have to wait a bit before I get mine. Just a heads up. Don’t buy the kit they sell. If you break up the order and just buy two batteries and the charging unit separately you’ll have more money. Just a tip. 🙂
SO useful! I feel like I've been ignorant of this for far too long. Especially for someone who's been working with V-mounts for almost 5 years
Awesome review man! Very detailed info on V-Mounts. I love D&O’s gear, I’ve got tons of the batteries! I’m looking forward to your review of the LED light.
Hi Caleb. Just so everyone knows the SOONWELL V Lock Mounting Plate Power Supply Splitter with 15mm Rod Clamp LP-E6 Battery Adapter DC Coupler for Camera you post a link to does not work with a Panasonic GH4. I bought one and had to return it. Thanks for your post on batteries.
Father Bless me, for I have committed the Sin of charging my phone for a THOUSAND years! Excellent video Caleb, loving it, right in time for me to get some V mount batteries.
Now this is super helpful. Generally I am not a big fan of battery videos but this one explains a whole system. Very well done! :)
Great overview! Everything I needed to know to re-learn about V-mount batteries
Just to make sure I do the thing right , so you can plug all these devices to D-tap splitter connected to the battery, it won’t harm any of the deceives even if they don’t need the same voltage?
Can the batteries kill you if you have it outside in rain or metal rod touch? I heard it takes 1 amp to kill a human!
10mA could kill someone if unlucky... The muscles gets cramped and you are unable to let go/get away from the power source.
@@LisaSamaritan Amperage will be Voltage divided by Resistance. The resistance of the human body is quite high. A 14.4V will not shock you unless you are touching it to your tongue or something. So first you need a much higher Voltage to get started. Now if you touch a 120V A/C source current will start flowing through you and it actually doesn't take many Amps to kill you.
10 amps will usually just give you a severe shock. Between 100-200 mA is lethal.
You just solved a thousand problems in one. Thank you!
I came here hoping to find out what charger to use because the title says "EVERYTHING" you need to know about V-mount batteries. Unfortunately, the brick charger was not covered with much detail other than to say you can get one for about $50. What are the specifications for a brick charger that will work on a 14.8 v-mount battery? Output voltage? Why not include a link for that? It seems you provided a link for everything else. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.
What about a review of the IndiPro Tools 98Wh Porta-pak battery and charger? This looks like a viable alternative to a V mount and it is only $100!
Thank you for this video… I got a lot out of … putting together my rig. Already at the website looking at batteries that can support The Canon Eosm50
Great video, I have a 120d mkii and was wondering which v mount to get for it and I think I found the answer. BIG THX
I literally just bought the Aputure 120d and I was in need of a video like this to help me choose which battery to buy 😃
Thanks for making this video. Exactly what I needed to know, and shockingly, not that many videos out there to explain this.
Does the dtap to usb adapter need another step down adapter to make tiny usb lights work or you can just plug any usb device in & rock on? 2nd, can I convert my 220v AC powered bulb+softbox light that plus into the wall to V-mount battery powered lights if yes, how? lastly, since v batteries output 14v, do I need to step it down with an adapter to power a 20v DC ledlight? you know the usual ones with that round barrel plug that goes into the back of the led panel. Any detailed answer will be appreciated, thanks
Please include model numbers in your links. As a Canadian, often I am directed to a Canadian Amazon and not all these items are available here, so I have to go looking on the US site or B&H but I don't know what to search for. A model number would be very helpful.
Thank you for a great tutorial. I have one question, I use the original bmpcc for roughly 80 percent of my interview film. Until now, I have only used it while plugged into an outlet. I would love to take it on the road and would like to know if the original bmpcc would work with the appropriate DTAP adapter with the newer under mount batteries by Bauer and Core SWX. I would prefer not to build out this camera horizontally.
I purchased the 190s directly from D&O. 1 of the 2 was DOA and will not take a charge. For 2 weeks I’ve got no response from emails to customer service and no answer of response from calling the provided number. It sucks to throw money away. Now I’ve got to spend more money on a different brand so I can power my 300d.
Do a video in wireless transmitter options! Since you already have one there. Long range vs short range etc
@DSLR Video Shooter, you linked to a Gold Mount charger instead of a V-Mount charger.
Question - do you consume MORE power by turning OFF and turning ON the D300 just to save battery life??? ie if you turn it On/Off/On several times... do you actually run LESS than an Hour and a Half because the Start Up consumes MORE power than the actual run?
When using the dummy battery to power your camera, is there a concern with potential shorting? Other folks have warned to use dummy batteries that have surge protectors within, but the links you have do not appear to have them.
I am attempting to build a v-mount battery charging box on the cheap, with the v-mount d-tap cables from each supplier plugged into a 10 plug surge protector so that they can all charge at the same time, each battery supplies 14.8V with a capacity of 95wh. Each battery pulls 10 amps according to the manufracturers site. Would this work? As I don't want to blow the regular household 110 outlet or burn a fuse. Please let me know.
Great vid, thanks! Very much helpful! Do you also have a review about that d&o light over there? Looks interesting!
Is there anything out there that lets you use AC wall power instead of v-mount batteries? Or an adapter that lets you charge while using the battery?
You cant be putting that much power in and out of these batterys, it will fry it. Its recomended that if you need to charge it to hook other equipment directly into a wall. A lot of cameras have this feature just make sure you're converting to the right volts
Can you comment on V-mount plates? Are the different outputs 7.2 etc... totally isolated from each other. Up to now, I could not find a manufactor or brand who gives this information. Hooking up camera and monitor on the same D-tap could burn your hdmi port
Hi Caleb. Thanks for the comprehensive video. I wonder how the NP-F system you showed compare to, say the 95WH V-mount?
Thanks
Curious question, when you get your rechargeable battery for the first time in the mail, how long does the charging time take from start to finish?
This was really helpful. I’ve been using dual NP-F batteries with a v mount adapter to power my lights (Dracast 500s) because it seemed like v mounts were really expensive. But less than $100 for a good v mount battery is pretty reasonable. And it’s probably more durable than NP-Fs
Fantastic video Caleb. I am looking for a V-mount battery for the Canon R5C. Do you have any recommendations?
Is the D Tap connection on the V-Mount plate for charging the battery, or is it only charged through the connection on the battery itself?
I do have a question. Which one would work great with the BMPCC4K? How many hours do you think I could get out of it?
This question may be too product specific, but do you know if these batteries will work with the rotolight aeos? It uses v mount batteries, at least 95Wh. The light has a flash/strobe function that the manufacturer claims will cause some batteries to shut off as a short circuit protection. I have no doubt the batteries would work in continuous mode, just not sure about the flash mode. Thanks.
I know it's late, but I really recommend just buying a bigger battery. 95 Wh batteries cut out at 4 to 6,6 Amps, which is very close to the maximum current drawn by the stated light (as 200% the light output in strobe mode compared to the normal mode most likely increases the current at least 2,5 to 3 times (as LEDs hardly provide much more light when pushed beyond the nominal currentlimits, plus the losses in converting power inside the light)
Hey, how about using L-series with V-series double plates? What's the good bad and ugly on doing that?
Friend, is this battery good for Aputure 120D II?
Congratulations on the channel! Soon I will be member. Tks!
I came back to see this video to get better idea on charging the batteries, but it wasn't explained well.
Google search gave info that D-tap on the battery (or the battery plate?) is a budget way to charge them or a dedicated charger plate as a more expensive way.
But I found no info on D-tap itself being used as output rather then input.
I ordered one battery to be used to power a dslr rig, but I'm not looking forward to cash out for a dedicated charger.
Is it viable just to use universal charger like IMAX B6 to charge the battery via D-tap? Does it make any difference whether to plug a charger to D-tap on battery itself or on a battery plate?
Thank you for the great video 📹
If battery plate out put of single 7.2V, can it be made dual and can be used of in 2 ways? For camera and small led light or monitor 🤔
Who sells the cable
I still have the fs700 myself! Very capable camera, and it looks cool in videos.
Great video! Good work! 👍
Hi Caleb,
I recently purchased a Colbor CL 100 and a V-mount battery. I wanted to power up the strobe with the v-mount battery but I had no idea about how to connect the battery to the light. There's only one way to connect to this light and with the v-mount battery, I don't have a proper cable. I don't have a D-tap but even if I get it, I will still need the right cable to connect from the battery to the light.
What cable do I need?
Just got my 195 for the 300d and was searching to find other ways to my v mount thanks you came through on time now I'm off shopping 👍
Nice!!!
Where do you plug the charger into the batter, the d-tap female plug?
great video, but were are the links to the equipment??
Perfect, just what I was looking for, thanks.
Thank you. This was very helpful!
Liked the video before watching and I don't normally do that. I knew it was going to be useful, as always.
Can you use a V-Mount battery on a rig without a battery plate; in other words does the d-tap port on the V-mount battery have output or is it usually just for charging?
I went with the Soonwell V mount plate for my Sony FS5 II. The plate didn't come with a power cable for the camera. What can I use to convert the 14v d-tap on the plate to 12v.
hey Caleb. You have the talent to explain things really specifically and to the point, without wasting time. Thank you for sharing. One question: is it save to use higher voltage charger/battery to charge a phone, or camera. I am confused between wattage, voltage, amperage. Also I'm in Germany. Here the sockets are 230-240V in the US, I guess they are 110V. So it is really important either to use a converter while traveling OR buying from other parts of the world.
I was just concerned, if I get a V-mount battery, can I use it to charge camera from USB port, and also gimbal and other stuff. Do I need to be concerened volts and ampere? OR just make sure that the battery is at least capable of providing at least the minimum AMPs required to run for a decice.
After watching your other video about DSTE NP-F750 batteries, which you told and I checked, really are purchasable for €34 (2 batteries-each having capacity of 5000 mAh, means 10k mAh for €34). These V-Mount batteries; i don't know, they just don't look feasible, cost wise, 6600 mAh. And one 6600 mAh V-mount cost around €125 here. I guess the only reason to use V-mount is that it can supply power to other devices as well while the DSTE cannot. Is it right, or is there a way we can use of DSTE batteries in order to supply power no just to the camera with dummy battery, but also to charge a phone, etc?
Thanks very much. You are doing an amazing Job!
Kind regards,
So is there a mount that can be used for A6500?
3:56 I was just about to ask that lol, how many can you carry on airplanes? Does it mean you can't travel with an aputure 300d??
Generally airlines have a carry-on limit of 100Whr per lithium ion battery due to the flammable nature of li-ion. That applies to power banks and anything else as well. Anything larger in capacity runs a risk of being automatically banned.
But the TSA website says otherwise - "Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours may be allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval, but are limited to two spare batteries per passenger. Loose lithium batteries are prohibited in checked bags. For more information, see the FAA regulations on batteries." - but is full of vague mumbo jumbo.
Therefore it is always best to check with your airline BEFORE purchasing the ticket!
@@leticiali Great info, thanks!
@@leticiali Some manyfacturers even supply tables showing what is allowed per airline and what not (I'm in Europe and the rules even differ GREATLY per airliner in Europe: some only allow 1 V-lock battery under 100 Wh per passenger)
My best advice: just don't take V-locks with you but rent them on location if you can.
Would be great to run an Aputure 120D II off of those NPF style batteries so as not to have so many kinds of batteries around. Have you tried it?
Can you charge the battery with D-Tap while it's mounted and powering a camera or LED light?
Can you please provide a link to the adapter @ 08:55? Thank you.
Great Video! One question I am struggling with. If I have my V battery set up and Im running a monitor and other accessories, how can I run continuous power in the studio (I have a C70)? I can't really find a V mount dummy battery. I have a mounting plate with multiple outs (SmallRig 3204) and a SmallRig VB99s. Can I run an AC adapter directly into that mounting plate? Thanks!
Thanks caleb. I'm confused on the maths can you help please? I cant find a watts rating for my camera (sony a7iii), only a volts 5v. So how do I know what Wh to get for this camera? I want it to power the camera as well as my Atomos Shinobi monitor which has operating power of "5.8V - 7.2V" and input voltage of 6.2-16.8V and the following is stated under "continuous power": 2600mAh - 1.5hrs, 5200mAh - 3hrs, 7800mAh - 6hrs.
Totally confused on the maths especially not having any Wh or mAh stated for the a7iii as far as i can find.
Furthermore does the plate slide onto 15mm rods I'm guessing? How do you attach it to your rig?
Sorry for so many questions haha thanks
Not sure if I missed it but unclear of what type of connectors are available for V-mount batteries powering cameras. For example, Sony cameras is it simply D/P-tap ---> NPF?
Usually they have one or more d tap output connector that you can use with the right plug to use different devices.
Sometimes they also have usb 5V output and 7.2 or 8.4 or 12v female plugs too.
I’m at a lose. I have a rig around a v mount Shape D-Box power disruption plate. But I getting a TON of noise in my audio make it completely unusable. Here’s my set up: A Black Magic Video Assist 12g powered using the d tap. A Sony A7iii through a dummy battery to the 8v connector. And, a Sound devices Mix Pre 3 through the usb connection. I’m thinking this is a ground loop issue... but I have no idea. I’m super disappointed with the noise and not being able to use the d Box as advertised. Any advice?
How long do you recommend I should charge my battery for? My last one just broke from being over charged
So if I wanted to power my 60w led that only connects to wall outlet, would I be able to adapt it to also be able to use Vmount battery?
Dtap connector works also for charging? I thought that works only for output
Great video. Can you tell me please, is the fotga battery plate also standard V mount plate. Because I see that the fotga conectors for v mount battery are different than the other plates that you put in the link.
Regards
Hi,
I have questions! Can any V-Mount Charger charge any V-Mount battery? I have a pair of Dracast V-Mount batteries; I am sure they just slapped their logo on a generic set of batteries. I don't know what there battery chemistry is. Also, I am in the process of buying some Watson V-Mount batteries; they are high capacity, 15Amp Continuous Draw, Lithium-Ion Batteries, with a 4 place charger. If 1 of the 2 chargers goes bad, can I charge all the batteries with the other charger?
Mathew
I've never thought about that - how do you travel with V-Mount batteries? When airlines only allow a maximum of 100Wh when travelling with batteries.
Right on time for my new rig makeover. Great video Caleb!
Boom!
Very informative 👍 Still don't fully grasp the wattage and amperage deal but you did a great job with the video
Thanks man!