Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

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Todd Groves

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Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSat May 18, 2019 2:08 am

Does anyone have a recommended setup for powering the BMPCC4K with a V-mount battery? If so, what's the best wattage battery to use? Brand?

Michael L

Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSun May 19, 2019 3:20 am

I agree, a proper V-mnt plate, and a fat battery (+98Wh), is the best choice for run time. But for a smaller footprint, slightly more adaptable choice, I'm using the Core SWX Powerbase Edge kits. I wish they had more than 48Wh capacity, but they are available with two USB (A-type) slots, and a port for an LP-E6 "dummy" battery. Point being, if you broke the 12V port on the side of the camera, you could still power-up with the dummy battery in the camera, wired to the same Powerbase battery.
Also like the Q/R bracket (plastic, but sturdy), and the 1/4"20 threads on the V-mnt side. And the digital timer for run/charge time is priceless vs. 4-5 LEDs. Getting about 2.5-3h run-time on just the camera and a 48V phantom power mic. Various dummy batteries are available for other cameras, or with the Sony L-type, monitors/lights. Hoping the next generation has USB-c and 98Wh options, but doing fine with three of the lighter 48Wh versions currently.
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostMon May 20, 2019 6:12 pm

I have a couple IndiePro 95W V-mount batteries with D-Tap. It says it outputs 14.8V. Is that too strong? Which V-mount batteries have 12V choices that would work for the BMPCC4K?
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 12:40 am

Good. How long do you estimate my 95W battery would last if I only used it for the BMPCC4K camera?
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 1:42 am

Australian Image wrote:I'd say at least four hours if not five.


Thanks, Australian Image.
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Swissified

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 5:37 am

I went with the British Hawk-Woods mini M50 14.4V 50Wh Mini V-Lok. I have a 30cm cable when attached to a cage and a 90cm for putting in a bag or pocket.
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JordanWright

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 8:24 am

Swissified wrote:I went with the British Hawk-Woods mini M50 14.4V 50Wh Mini V-Lok. I have a 30cm cable when attached to a cage and a 90cm for putting in a bag or pocket.


How long does the hawk-woods mini last for you?
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Robert Niessner

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 10:29 am

The PCC4K draws around 21W + whatever you have to power on accessories like SSD (which can add up to 3W during recording).

So a fresh 50Wh battery gives you around 50Wh/21W = 2h 22m (let's say 2h plus a safe margin)
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Jeff_kirkland

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 12:51 pm

I have one of the cheap Rollux 120wh batteries and it's been performing well. I always carry a spare but I easily get through the start-stop of a full shoot day without flattening the battery so I've never had to swap the Rolux out and can't tell you exactly how long it lasts.


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Cooper

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostTue May 21, 2019 4:30 pm

For my use I got 2 "mini" 100Wh 5A batteries (air traffic limit) with 15v d-tap and 5v usb out on the batteries. I mount both batteries to my rig (could use more elegant mounting solution), use the d-taps for camera and monitor and the usb ports for led light and SSD when needed. camera + ssd and monitor + light.
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostWed May 22, 2019 12:07 am

Cooper wrote:For my use I got 2 "mini" 100Wh 5A batteries (air traffic limit) with 15v d-tap and 5v usb out on the batteries. I mount both batteries to my rig (could use more elegant mounting solution), use the d-taps for camera and monitor and the usb ports for led light and SSD when needed. camera + ssd and monitor + light.


Thanks, Cooper. Would you happen to have any links to where I could buy such batteries?
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Cooper

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostWed May 22, 2019 11:31 am

The batteries i got are fxlion square ones, there is a kit of two with charger included if you can find one, the local dealer where i bought mine didnt have those. But shopping around you might find similar products even a bit cheaper, then again price if kinda fixed on decent quality lithium products.
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostThu May 23, 2019 5:05 am

I already have a dual charger for when I bought two IndiPro V-mount batteries for my Aputure lights and Sumo Monitor. From what I've gathered from this thread, I may just get one or two more IndiPro batteries.
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mooreoth

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSat Jun 01, 2019 3:35 pm

So I've got a v-mount solution set up and working well except that the Pocket 4K only reads "AC power." Is there any way other than getting batteries that show remaining record time or percentage remaining to know how much juice is left in the battery? Outside of just guessing/estimating.
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostMon Jun 03, 2019 4:25 pm

mooreoth wrote:So I've got a v-mount solution set up and working well except that the Pocket 4K only reads "AC power." Is there any way other than getting batteries that show remaining record time or percentage remaining to know how much juice is left in the battery? Outside of just guessing/estimating.


I don’t have my P4K, yet. But, I’m looking to the V-mount solution as well. I think using the lights on the side of the V-mount battery itself may be your only/best recourse.
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mooreoth

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostMon Jun 03, 2019 4:32 pm

Todd Groves wrote:
mooreoth wrote:So I've got a v-mount solution set up and working well except that the Pocket 4K only reads "AC power." Is there any way other than getting batteries that show remaining record time or percentage remaining to know how much juice is left in the battery? Outside of just guessing/estimating.


I don’t have my P4K, yet. But, I’m looking to the V-mount solution as well. I think using the lights on the side of the V-mount battery itself may be your only/best recourse.


Yeah almost certainly thanks.
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Dmytro Shijan

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostMon Jun 03, 2019 4:46 pm

Maybe this is not a true V-Mount but very flexible 18650 battery enclosure solution. It outputs same voltage as any V-Mount battery.
Single unit is 50Wh but if connected in parallel it can output 100Wh, 150Wh and so on... More info here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71520&start=100#p511717

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSat Jun 08, 2019 5:37 am

What do people recommend for a simple plate that one can attach a Hawk-woods VL-M50 battery to:

http://www.hawkwoods.co.uk/Prods/Product/VL-M50

I have a 8Sinn Half Cage all I need is a plate that can be screwed to half-cage with two screws. I have the cable and battery. The plate just needs to be that no other function - just a flat piece of metal with several 1/4", or 3/8" Mounting Holes.
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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSat Jun 08, 2019 6:14 am

Hawkwinds Power Adopter and NP-F990 is 74wats and should get over 3.5 hours i believe.
http://www.hawkwoods.co.uk/Prods/Product/DV-BM4
http://www.hawkwoods.co.uk/Prods/Product/DV-F990

or their BPU solution is 98watts which should be over 4.5 hours.
http://www.hawkwoods.co.uk/Prods/Product/BP-BM4
http://www.hawkwoods.co.uk/Prods/Product/BP-98UX

That's certainly similar to the power of the smaller V-Mount batteries.
I guess it's a matter of ergonomics.

They do have 150Watt mini V-mount
http://www.hawkwoods.co.uk/Prods/Product/VL-M150
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSat Jun 08, 2019 3:09 pm

Why is there no pricing on the Hawkwoods web site for their batteries?
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Jeffrey D Mathias

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSat Jun 08, 2019 3:48 pm

I like to use the P4K with a lot of flexibility. I have a UMP if I'm going to have a bunch of weight rigged. For power I got an IndiPRO Tools D-Tap to Canon LP-E6-Type Dummy Battery Coiled Cable to use with one of my Core SWX HyperCore 98 Gold Mount Batteries (have several for the UMP.) The battery goes into a Porta Brace Padded Battery Pouch (CA-BATT) which can go onto my belt with the Velcro loops or over my shoulder with a camera strap. Also the Samsung T-5 disk can go into the pouch as well. Yes there is another cable (USB3.1) but I have not found it to be an obstruction. The disk is small and light enough that I may make a mount for it on the camera, but the battery stays separate.
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Craig Seeman

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSun Jun 09, 2019 1:25 pm

Todd Groves wrote:Why is there no pricing on the Hawkwoods web site for their batteries?

Some manufacturers, if they don't do direct sales, don't list prices, probably out of respect to direct to public businesses.

B&H has Hawk-Woods prices.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?s ... hawk-woods
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Todd Groves

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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSun Jun 09, 2019 3:46 pm

Craig Seeman wrote:
Todd Groves wrote:Why is there no pricing on the Hawkwoods web site for their batteries?

Some manufacturers, if they don't do direct sales, don't list prices, probably out of respect to direct to public businesses.

B&H has Hawk-Woods prices.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?s ... hawk-woods


Thanks for this link, Craig. Much appreciated.
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Re: Best way to power P4K with a V-mount battery?

PostSun Jun 09, 2019 4:03 pm

Australian Image wrote:You can get something like this: https://tinyurl.com/y5mur3g2

Image


Thanks Ray, I see another similar one from SmallRig, neither of which I can source locally. I will look when in the UK.

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