Battery question (not which to buy)

This isn't advice on what external battery to buy thread.. But I was hoping someone could give me some advice on how exactly some of these batteries work.

If you buy a V mount battery and a V mount plate with "P tap outputs" that you can plug into the BMCC it should work? I'v never had to use a battery solution like this so I'm just trying to get my head around how it all works.

I'm looking for a solution that I can attach directly to tripod or even a small bag that I could keep on my waist so that I can move around and not have a bulky external battery stuck to the camera (as in directly attached to it which is why I'm not interested in the PB70)

I thought if I can get a V mount battery with V mount plate that has a P tap and DC cable I could get a longer DC cable nd pop the battery into a small bag? Or would it get to hot?

Hi,

you want something like this:

http://www.fastforwardtime.co.uk/dslr-r ... system-rig

We have this Lanparte pwer solution and it works perfect with the BMCC MFT. Allthough you'll have to customize one of the provided power cables with a connector that fits into the BMCC. Easy job.

Cheers

pro

So if I got something like that I could attach a V-mount battery and would I be able to put it into a small bag around my waist and have the cable running out of it to the camera? Or alternatively somehow strap it to my tripod?

I saw a review of someone using a Teradek SWIT to power the camera, he was able to plug it straight into the camera and pop it into his shirt and it would charge while he was walking around, I'm trying to keep my setup to a minimum.

Yup. I have that exact splitter, and I use it like you describe all the time. You might want a longer cable though, the ones it comes with are quite short.

Thanks Nick, could you recommend a cable? Also.. Should this work with any V-mount battery? I like the look of the one the Sony F5 uses.. Also.. What sort of bag do you use it with? THANKS

Also.. Are there any v-mount batteries that you can d-tap out of skipping the v-mount completely? Wish the Sony batteries could do that.

Yes, Lanparte batteries have a D-Tap out (http://www.lanparte.com/html/108.html).

I really like the idea of being able to go straight from the battery via d-tap to the BMCC.. I have never heard on Lanparte though, anyone got any experience with their batteries?

Any other brands that have a similar option?

I use the Switronix XP-L90S. It has a D-Tap out and USB out. You could power the camera directly from the battery if you choose to you just need a D-Tap to BMCC plug cord. The V Mount plate is handy because you can use it to mount the battery to rails, etc. using the V Mount plate attached to a battery plate slide like the one from Wooden Camera (compatible with Swit hole pattern). The V Mount plate has its own cord so that would free up the D-Taps on the battery and plate if you wanted to power additional accessories like an EVF, monitor, pre amp, etc. It is also handy to attach batteries to the back of cameras like Alexa, Red, etc.
If you need something with better form factor for hand held work on the BMCC is the Switronix PB70-BMCC, which you can mount directly to the bottom of the camera, and run the cord into the power port on the camera.

The Switronix PB-70 is a v-mount battery. It's just that switronix sells it with their own mounting and charging solutions that are cheaper than the universal options that are already out there. IIRC you could buy yourself a PB-70 with a v-mount plate in stead of using the contact block and then just use the switronix wall adapter to charge the battery in stead of buying the much more expensive charging station that you would need for a regular v-mount battery.

If cost is no issue, then you're better off going for a regular v-mount solution because of its industry standard mounting format.

This isn't advice on what external battery to buy thread.. But I was hoping someone could give me some advice on how exactly some of these batteries work.

If you buy a V mount battery and a V mount plate with "P tap outputs" that you can plug into the BMCC it should work? I'v never had to use a battery solution like this so I'm just trying to get my head around how it all works.

I'm looking for a solution that I can attach directly to tripod or even a small bag that I could keep on my waist so that I can move around and not have a bulky external battery stuck to the camera (as in directly attached to it which is why I'm not interested in the PB70)

I thought if I can get a V mount battery with V mount plate that has a P tap and DC cable I could get a longer DC cable nd pop the battery into a small bag? Or would it get to hot?

Basically, you are needing to feed a Direct Current 12 volt source to the camera. No matter what option you chose for feeding that Direct Current 12 volt power (whether v mount, Sony BPU, Laptop power batteries or even car batteries, you have to plan for the fact that the BMPCC uses a 2.35mm X .7mm (very tiny) DC barrel plug connector. The center of the tip (inside) is wired positive and the outside is wired negative. Even if you use a P tap outlet you will still have to wire that with a 2.35mm X .7mm DC barrel plug connector

Any DC powered appliance- camera, light, whatever, will only draw the amount of amperage it needs to run. As long as the current (12 volt) is correct, you could have a 3 amp source, a 20 amp source of a 100 amp source...the camera will still only draw the amount of amps it needs to run. For instance, houses in the united states are served with a 100-200 amp power source but a toaster only draws 1500 watts (about12 amps) when running

BUT, the longer the amp hour rating of the battery (the number of amps stored per hour of usage at a given amp draw) the longer you will be able to run the camera. Unfortunately, the greater the amp hour rating, also means the heavier and bigger the battery. So what you chose to power it depends on how light and small you want the power solution to be. The internal Nikon batteries have a small amp hour rating, a V mount or Anton Bauer battery has a much longer amp hour rating and a car or truck battery has an even longer amp hour rating...


PersonalIy, am planning a couple different options, all extremely light weight for run and gun, but with substantial run times. ( I also own the BMCC MFT so use these same power options (but with different DC connectors (5.5mm X 2.5mm barrel)

Ikan Battery plate

Ikan BP2T-SU.jpg (5.51 KiB) Viewed 5855 times

1) The first option is an ikan battery plate running a sony BPU 60 Lithium ion 12 volt battery. I am rewiring this to have the appropriate DC connector. I have drilled this plate to accept a 1/4 x 20 mount which allows me enormous range on how I will mount it. But in addition, I am wiring it with a coiled cable which will stretch to 1 meter so I can stick the battery in my photographic vest pocket and shoot away when hand held, or on monopod. The BPU 60 weighs less than a pound, is small enough it can be stuck in a pocket and should power the BBMPCC for a number of hours.

2) The second option is an NRG 12 volt nicad battery belt I own which accepts a cigarette lighter adapter or XLR. I picked up a cheap cigarette lighter cell phone charger that has the right DC tip and when hand held, shoulder rigged or on a monopod I will be able to pretty much shoot all day long with the battery belt with no problem.

I am on the road right now but plan to post images of all of these power options when I get it all rigged together and of course when I finally receive my BMPCC.

Thanks. I am still looking for a good battery solution and have been looking at the PB70 like you recommended. What I am curious about though is the "regulator block" that comes with it, do you need to use that? The battery itself seems to have a P-tap is it possible to go strap from P-tap on the battery itself to the BMCC? I'd like a cable longer than 12' which the power block thing has.

Anyone know how the PB70 compares to other solutions? I'm looking at several batteries at the moment but can't make up my mind (unfortunately I'm not in the position to test them) I'm also unfamiliar with all of the brands since this isn't something I'v had to urilize before.

I will link to the batteries I'm trying to decide between, some of the ones I am trying to decide between are from IDX (IDX claim they partnered with Sanyo/Panasonic to develop theirs), Teradek and Lanparte, either because they've been recommended or I'v seen them being used in videos about the BMCC, they all have P-tap because I'd love to be able to go straight from the battery to the BMCC and keep it as simple as possible, I'm hoping with a solution like this I can get a small waist pouch and put the battery in it while having the cable running out the pouch to the BMCC which will be on top of a monopod so I can move around easily.

Some IDX options
http://www.bhphotovi...Top Nav-Search=

Teradek options
http://www.bhphotovi...Top Nav-Search=

Lanparte
http://www.lanparte.com/html/108.html
(about $300)

I just wish Sony v-mount batteries had P-tap.. I'd just buy one of those. If anyone knows of some sort of solution for Sony batteries I'd be interested to see what it is. Thanks.

I went through the whole battery thing about a month ago looking at every solution in every way I could think of. I had a single Switronix PB-70 but I couldn't shoot for more than 2-3 hours. I usually power more than the camera so needed a flexible solution that would give me power for a long day and is legal to travel with on a plane.

Ended up with the Switronix XP-L90S. They've been running a special on them at B&H for about 2 months now. I got three batteries and a couple more of the inexpensive PB-70 chargers. I already had the Viewfactor plate with the V-Lock. In my case I wanted to power my older HDMI monitor as I really didn't have the dough to replace it just yet. That required an SDI to HDMI converter. I got the BM which then required a special 12V regulated cable. It opened the door to power distribution. Kinda like a breakout box. I can't say that I've completely solved it yet as I'm already using every D-tap leaving only the USB connection free. Some of the other plates have more choices for power and there's the Fly Pack which acts as a separate breakout box.

Really happy with the batteries. Much more power than the 70's.

Here are a few pics of the setup. Granted this is the full setup. I'll only use what I have to have so it can get much smaller. While I'm using the rails in this shot on a rail or a jib it all strips down. The PB_70 which I kept has a V-lock attachment that will screw into a super-clamp moving the weight to where ever you can attach the clamp. Must be a way to do this with the 90's as well.

Yes, Lanparte batteries have a D-Tap out (http://www.lanparte.com/html/108.html).

Sorry for a noob question but I was checking the battery manual found here:
http://www.lanparte.com/d/file/Products ... a04ee8.pdf

And the charging method 2 involves charging the battery directly into the D-tap. What power supply would be neccesary to charge it this way?