Cable for v mount plate to camera

Hey guys,

Blackmagic Production 4k camera owner here.

I just purchased and received this v mount plate;
https://www.amazon.com/Supply-System-Ad ... op?ie=UTF8

The problem I'm having is that none of the cables that came with the mount plate fit into the charging port on the camera. I know that I need to run from the 12 V(dc5521) 5A output on the mount plate into the charging port on the camera but I'm not sure what sort of cable I should be looking for. Could you guys give me hand? I would seriously appreciate it!

Thank you!

I would be careful with this, and test it for ground shorts before using it. Chinese units like this have previously fried BMCC and BMPC cameras. I would not use it. Just get a straight V lock plate or the Wooden Camera power distribution box, they have the correct barrel connector too. The BMPC can take from 12-16 volts in its power imput plug, so a plate with a regulated 12VDC out is not really required.
Cheers

I would be careful with this, and test it for ground shorts before using it. Chinese units like this have previously fried BMCC and BMPC cameras. I would not use it. Just get a straight V lock plate or the Wooden Camera power distribution box, they have the correct barrel connector too. The BMPC can take from 12-16 volts in its power imput plug, so a plate with a regulated 12VDC out is not really required.
Cheers

I appreciate the response but I'm not entirely sure what you're even suggesting I do. How would I go about testing for ground shorts anyways? What "straight v lock plates" are you even talking about
?

Not to be rude, but you also seem to be somewhat misinformed. This isn't exactly a "cheaply made" plate like the ones you're thinking of that have been known to fry cameras. This plate is a way safer bet than those plates. It's solidly built and well reviewed. The camera can take 12V-30V through the power input so there is nothing suggesting that using the 12V out on this plate would cause any harm to the camera. This one isn't even exactly "cheap" either. Plus, the majority of the brands that make mounting plates that are considered "higher end" such as Lanparte, IDX and Core SWX that are also known to make good, reliable equipment are all made out of Chinese factories. Also suggesting that I buy the Wooden Camera power distribution box is laughable. No way am I paying almost $1700 to mount a battery when I can safely mount one for under $200 and accomplish the same thing. Such an overpriced and unnecessary piece of equipment.

With all due respect I have already bought this v mount plate, its sitting right in front of me. I'm not asking for advice on whether or not I should buy it or use it, so this response doesn't answer my question. I need to know what sort of cable I should be looking for to be able to run from the 12V out on this mounting plate into the power input plug on the camera.

Sorry, not saying it is not good because it was made in China. Fotga camera accessories are not always that well made, from my past experience with this and Lamparte, and I would not compare them to IDX, which is very well engineered and well made products, and they cost more also. I have an IDX V mount battery that can hold a better charge than a Sony original.

For $150 you are going to get some type of compromise somewhere with this unit, as well made Pro models start at $400-600. Indie Pro gear seems well made also. I was omit saying previous experience with this type and level of plates (the ones in question were made Ikan, not exactly a "knock off" company either) caused issues with the BMCC and BMPC SDI port circuit, due to a "ground fault" issue in the plates, frying the ports. A regular V-mount camera plate starts at $95, and the IDX Multi D-Tap V-Mount Adapter Plate is a standard V-Mount battery plate with an exceptional total of five D-Tap outputs for powering accessories such as monitors and recorders is $150, which would be what I would choose for this type of plate, you fan readily get cables from DTap to other connections.

My point is, if you are only powering the camera from the battery, and no other accessories, you do not need a regulated 12VDC power distribution box, a standard V-Mount plate with a TDap port on it can be had for less, along with IndiePro DTap to BMCC cable, which will connect to your camera, and this will cost less that the power distro. plate you got. You will need to either have a custom cable made, or take one of the cables that came with this unit, and silver to correct size barrel connector on it.
Cheers

Sorry, not saying it is not good because it was made in China. Fotga camera accessories are not always that well made, from my past experience with this and Lamparte, and I would not compare them to IDX, which is very well engineered and well made products, and they cost more also. I have an IDX V mount battery that can hold a better charge than a Sony original.

For $150 you are going to get some type of compromise somewhere with this unit, as well made Pro models start at $400-600. Indie Pro gear seems well made also. I was omit saying previous experience with this type and level of plates (the ones in question were made Ikan, not exactly a "knock off" company either) caused issues with the BMCC and BMPC SDI port circuit, due to a "ground fault" issue in the plates, frying the ports. A regular V-mount camera plate starts at $95, and the IDX Multi D-Tap V-Mount Adapter Plate is a standard V-Mount battery plate with an exceptional total of five D-Tap outputs for powering accessories such as monitors and recorders is $150, which would be what I would choose for this type of plate, you fan readily get cables from DTap to other connections.

My point is, if you are only powering the camera from the battery, and no other accessories, you do not need a regulated 12VDC power distribution box, a standard V-Mount plate with a TDap port on it can be had for less, along with IndiePro DTap to BMCC cable, which will connect to your camera, and this will cost less that the power distro. plate you got. You will need to either have a custom cable made, or take one of the cables that came with this unit, and silver to correct size barrel connector on it.
Cheers

Again man I appreciate your response, but what you're saying just isn't making any sense to me.
In one breath you tell me that for $150 the gear wont be good and that the $150 Fotga mounting plate I bought is poorly made Chinese equipment. Then in the next breath you recommend that I go out and buy another piece of Chinese made equipment in the exact same price range. This makes no sense. There is nothing suggesting that its any better of a mount. Any by your own words it being price that low means it must be made "with compromises".

These things aren't exactly complex pieces of machinery. This is why I CAN rationally compare the Fotga mount to one made by IDX or even ones considered "higher end" which cost upwards of $600. They all do the same thing, and most of them are essentially the same product with a different name slapped on the front.

Listen man, I don't mean to be rude but this isn't helping me at all. I'm not here to argue about the build quality of Chinese gear. If you can give me instructions on how to check for shorts in this thing then that would be much appreciated, but my question was what sort of cable or adapter should I be looking for to run from the 12V out on the mount to the power input on the camera. If you don't know the answer then this banter is pointless.

Ryan, I do not mean say that it is not any good, only that similar low cost "regulated" power distribution boxes have caused issues, that is all. Fotga makes OK stuff, but it is not high end from what I have seen, and my comment was, I was not sure I would trust a low cost regulated power plate like this.

The IDX Multi DTap plate I referenced, it Not regulated, and may have some ground isolation between the DTap ports, but again, i have not checked them out personally, just going by IDX past experience of quality. A non regulated simple DTap VMount plate is not rocket science, the less expensive ones are just that, not as well made and will not hold up to daily use as long. They are not all the same product with just the name changed. That's like saying, "all the Cinema cameras are the same camera, with just their name changed!"

A properly built regulated power plate will have circuit isolation, a DC to DC power Converter (which are not all made equal either) and the better units have additional regulation and noise filtering, thismis what you pay extra for. There are ISO factories in China and there are non ISO factories making similar products, but not at the same quality level. Also quality control in non ISO factories is hit and miss.

Now, to test your power plate, you will need a VOM (volt ohm Meter) to test whatmrhenpiwermputputmon each port actually is, and that the ground connection is consistent. Also, test to see if the invisual ground connection in each output is common (the same) or they are isolated (better distro units have isolated grounds), you do,this by checking the continuity with the Ohm part of the meter to measure the resistance (if any) between the various ground pin connections.

The only way to check for power noise interference, is to record a normal scene, with good audio source using the camera's battery, then record the same thing using the power plate, and compadre the video and audio files from each. If they are the same, you should be good to go.

Hey all,

So I realize this is a few months later, but I agree with what Denny is trying to tell you. I just recently bought that same plate thinking it could work with any VMount battery and regulate my output to my few devices I power. I actually have a Lanparte plate and battery too (which I sadly never used for the 4 years I have owned it!). I have recently read that the Lanparte has had many issues frying devices since I purchased it, and likewise I have read mixed reviews on the Fotga device.

I think what Denny is eluding to is that some of these devices are made by Chinese companies in China cheaply to mimic quality built stuff. Some are made in China under stricter guidelines with QA, testing etc going on that the cheaper knockoffs tend to ignore to cut costs. Your mileage may vary. On Amazon the FOTGA gets great reviews, and for the purpose it is defined for (Sony vmount battery) I suspect that it might do well enough.

I am actually returning mine and purchasing a DBOX with LEMO output connectors, and will have some custom regulated cables made to power my devices. From what I have read, the likes of CORE, DBOX, etc are highly regarded in the industry, and even better they will be usable with future gear... e.g. stand the test of times as my cameras and such change over time.

Yes, it is a bit more expensive, but in the long run, the DBOX and similar can be adjusted with high quality cables, parts, etc to work with anything. The cheaper knockoffs tend to be throwaways a few years later as your needs change. Case in point, the LAnparte with its internal issues, and that I want better connections out of my distribution plate that dont pull out or bend/break, but also are regulated for me anyway, are worth the extra cost. Heck, I am just a hobbyist, but I want my gear protected with good quality all the way through.

Smart move Justin, thanks for the kind words.
Cheers

I think Denny's actual point (which got kinda lost!) is that a well made NON_REGULATED solution is probably a better bet than a cheap REGULATED solution given that the camera regulates the incoming DC anyway over a wide range and that these are likely to cost the similar amounts

ie beware of cheap solutions offering regulated outputs as they may not be well engineered- a simple plate with a Dtap is not regulated and only supplies a single port so will not have ground issues

I must admit I would like to know a bit more about the potential ground issues as well - Denny you often bring this up - can you shed more light on what the issues are?

the thing that perplexes me is a I don't see how ANY solution which is ultimately powered from a single source can actually have isolated grounds to different outputs - don't they all have to connect back to the negative terminal on the battery anyway?

eg the wooden camera Dbox thing doesn't seem to do anything especially clever on the electrical side from what i can see either -

however I could well be wrong - hoping to be educated

The Wooden Camera DBox has, as most well made power distribution boxes, a fuse protected backbone connector plate, taking the 12-18VDC inout from the 4-pin Mini Power connector, and distributes it to the various output ports connected. For regulated, WC incorporates a voltage regulation board attached behind the connector, and shrink wrapped in place.

Ground isolation, when used, is provided by the use of diodes, which only allow pieermto flow in one direction, preventing a back flow of power, that would occur if the ground and hot got shorted, or someone switched hot sand ground on a connected cable. This prevents attached gear from getting fried by the short. I have not seen a WC DBox backbone, so not sure how they are doing it. I do know it is fuse protected.

The original BDS power distribution box has isolated ground and power regulated outputs, which is why it started at $600 to $1200. The concept goes back to when high amp bsttereis were being used to power multi-equipment setups, requiring 24-VDC and 12-VDC in the field, so big car battery type banks were used, connected to the BDS with large cables, and Lemo connections onmthe BDS carried the power to individual pices of equipment, mostly audio back then. Then boxes were made to take the big video camera battery bricks, the size got smaller, and the rest is history...

A WC DBox starter kit is about $200 and comes with the backbone, a 4-pin XLR input, and angled 4-pin Mini to DTap cable to connect the box to a battery plate with a DTap connection, like the Gold mount or V Mount plates which screw to the top of the DBox. You then add the connectors of choice, for outputs.
I put together a basic DBox with Inez DTap and one 2-pin Lemo, and the cost came to $419. However, for $449 you can get a ready made DBox from WC with two DTap, 2-Lemo (12-VDC 2-pin) and one HDMI 5-VDC out for $449.00, which would be the way to go, for $30 more you get the additional connections, a no brainer in my book.
Cheers

The misconception of many people with no mechanical engineering education is that when things look similar that they are of similar quality. But under the hood there are a lot of things which can be made differently to save production costs.
You can choose an allloy of lesser quality with worse wear resistance, rigidity, hardness.
You can manufacture to worse (with bigger) tolerances.
You can manufacture coarse surfaces.
You can choose manufacturing processes which are faster but deliver worse quality.
You can save at quality control level.
You can use smaller cable diameters and leave out on safety features.

Denny, I am opting for the $550 model that comes with the VMount plate for the battery (thus powering the output ports), and a male vmount to mount the dbox to another vmount.. in my case I bought a small rig vmount connector that is pretty solid and will mount it all to that. The $550 option doesnt have the XLR in I dont think..but then, at least now, I dont need that that I know of.. I am powering an Atomos monitor and a consumer camera.. and possibly an audio recorder in some situations. That is it. I will have a custom 25 foot cable made to power my AX53 from one of the LEMO outputs, which I suspect wont be cheap either. But ultimately this setup seems to be the best bang for the buck they offer, while hopefully giving me the best of everything with regards to protection, solid build quality, easy to reconfigure/expand/change, and grow with whatever gear I look to purchase in the future. I really really like that not only is the thing a solid piece of metal and looks good, but that it is completely configurable. And that it has LEMO... I hate the bullet plugs my Lanparte has.. I have bent one one time and almost broke the connector in the plate. I do plan to put some sort of cable pinch near the plugs I use as well to keep them from being yanked/bent, like how I have my HDMI pinch on my Atomos cage.

That is a good plan also. I already have V mount and Gold Mount plates, with the DTap I can connect to the DBox, so will opt for the built up $449 Basic DBox.
Cheers

Kim, yes, yes they are, mainly because, like your camera controllers, theymare made in limited quantities.
For just powering the camera, I use a DTap dummy battery that is regulated to 7.4VDC. But then, I need to power the EVF or Monitor and the Sound Devices MixPre, so, now I need power for three Devices.
I can use my Gold Mount plate, and connect the dummy battery directly to the plate where a camera connection is supposed to be made, then use the DTap for the EVF, or power the EVF with its own battery, and use the DTap for the MixPre, which is what I do now.

I am making a shoulder rig for the Micro Cinema camera, using my Gold Mount plate/battery as a counter-balance, providing power to the EVF and camera. I use your SBus controller to control the camera, so the DB15 is being used for the Levitzer Micro controller. This leaves the dummy battery as the only way to power the camera, which will work for two connections. When,adding a third power request, then you need the BDS (battery distribution system) to insure proper distribution of,thempower with the required isolation to prevent a ground loop or other issue.
Cheers

Well I ordered my DBOX tonight. Kim, the one thing I like about the DBOX is that it is completely customizable. Each of the 6 slots can be replaced with any of a number of connectors. All are tied to the 10a fuze inside, and with the VMount plate, distribution of the battery is at least protected by the fuse. Each of the plugs you can order from Wooden Camera have regulators (or not, your choice) on the plugs themselves.. though they will build custom cables for you as well as I am having done for a plug for my Sony AX53 (it will sit 21 feet up from the battery and monitor).

For me, I think it is the solid build quality, protected power management, and ease of use of just sliding the battery on and things work that I like. There are other options for less, but WC DBox has fantastic reviews and their support is top notch. Ill add that the ability to customize the distribution module as my needs grow/change over time is also very nice to have. Most plates are all in one setups with no modularization so you would have to buy another plate for new cameras, gear, etc.

This DBox along with my CORE SWX dual battery vmount plate and a couple good CORE batteries should allow me to run for several hours with my minimal setup. Now all I need is a good dual battery charger and some good batteries. Got one on order to hold me over until I can scrape up more funds for more!

Thanks for the reminder Kim, I could add another cable to the DB15 for connecting power.
Thanks

For me, I think it is the solid build quality, protected power management, and ease of use of just sliding the battery on and things work that I like.

is it really 'protected' though?

a 10A fuse is a LOT - that's only going to protect you from a big short somewhere

the only module that is regulated is the 7.2v option from what I could see - the rest are all just simple connectors wired into the backbone - don't see any sign of 'ground isolation', and so on

not trying to say the dbox is bad or anything, just that it doesn't seem to offer any greater protection (save the 10A fuse) than the earlier solutions under discussion...

Thats true Stu. I guess the 10a is if you overload it with multiple devices at once and they draw too much. But for a single device, it could very well fry something. From what I have seen though, you can purchase regulated cables as well... or maybe I misunderstood that too.

Yes, regulated cables are available. Also, the fuse will still blow if a short occurs across one of the outputs.
If you are only using a 3 amp load, for example, you can always change the fuse for a 3.5 amp fuse to offer overload protection at that current flow. For best results, the fuse should match the load being used.
Cheers

The 10 amp fuse is to protect the battery (and keep it from becoming a portable arc welder) not the devices attached to it. I've been doing a lot of research into the Dbox lately and I believe Stu is correct, it's only the non 12v outputs that are regulated 5v, 7,2v, 24v, etc., On the Red version they specifically mention that the 12v Lemo connections are unregulated.

Correct on all counts Howie. On mtnaudio gear BDS, it was recommended to useba fuse slightly larger than the total amp draw on the battery. But, in the end, the fuse is protection for shorts.
Cheers

You can buy regulated and unregulated connectors. In a video, one of the guys for WC indicates that the regulation occurs in the plug itself. They may come unregulated, but you could for example get the empty box and configure it with regulated plugs as well.

Justin, the only regulated power options are Lemo/Arri 24-volt connectors and the 5-VDC USB connector. Their is also a regulated 24-VDC board formthe D-Box. All other connectors (D-Tap, 2-pin Lemo, etc) are unregulated. Their is not an option that I could find for regulated 12-VDC in the D-Box.
Cheers

Denny, I could be wrong.. Ill have to check my emails from DBOX directly..but I could have sworn they said they can custom make cables with regulation built in. They are not cheap.. but then it seems good quality gear is never cheap. I dont mind paying more if its good quality though.

I also thought that the connectors you can add to the DBOX could be regulated inside? I got my DBOX though and it is a sweet piece of kit! Going to stick to good quality batteries like CORE as well as I have a crappy China branded that came with my Lanparte rig and it is awful. At least it seems that way. Hoping to get a vmount charger soon and hoping I can use it to charge the lanparte.. but wouldnt be surprised if it didnt work.

WC will make custom regulated cables. You van also use DTap regulatedmcsbles from ImdiePro. But as far as I know, the only internally regulated voltage units are 24VDMC 4-pin Lemo and the 5-VDC USB connectors. There is an internal voltage regulated board listed, but it is 24-VDC also, as far as I know. You could contact WC and see if they also have a 12VDC regulated power board.
Cheers

Well, I got it all up and running. However, due to not finding a legitimate dummy battery for the AX53 yet, I am just using a battery on it. Which I was worried would die in an hour or so..but so far one battery has lasted 3+ hours.. after all I am only feeding the HDMI out. I want to explore turning off the LCD screen and see if that extends it. I have 3 batteries now for it, so as long as I can swap it out within the 1.2 hour games I record, I should be fine.

On a different but similar topic of powering things, I got my first experience recording with the full rig this weekend, and it did great for the most part. I need to figure out a better way to mount the monitor and battery stuff.. right now it is on some half baked clamps that hold on to the tripod and rotate with it as I pan left/right (turning the HiPod tripod handle... may need to look up HiPod LX21 to get an idea if it sounds confusing about turning a tripod ). So it turns everything. Most likely I need to bring a separate tripod/stand for the monitor and battery system so that I dont have to mount those and rotate them... which currently has me stepping over the tripod legs when going all the way left or right on a pan. Anyway.. so another way to avoid using the monitor screen is with some form of VR glasses. Turns out I had bought some over a year ago when I was gearing up to build a racing drone (that I never got around to doing despite buying all the parts, remote, etc).. and they have HDMI input. The screens are only 720p, but it works. So I can now power that (which has a 7.2v battery with it) and my monitor off the battery system and see the game via the glasses instead of staring at the monitor. They are not nearly as nice though as the monitor screen. I also want to see if I can turn off the monitor screen while using the glasses to save on battery usage.