Playing with the cam I figured the supplied battery is really weak - hardly for about half hour (though 'm playing between various modes rather then just plain video shooting). Also, the battery indicator doesn't show it is low while the camera suddenly shuts down (persumably due to battery exhausted) and I have to recharge it back. I woudl expect at least battery indicator on LCD would show it is going low prior to camera's self-shut-down.

Is that normal ?

It seem long-lasting one is a must.

Alex

My battery icon in the LCD has 4 bars going across it. When three are gone the battery is about to go quick. Yes, the supplied battery is short on life. That is why I took Allan's advice and purchased the next size up. Just a bit of information that I am sure you probably know but just in case, There is a adapter that hooks up to the charger and camera that lets you run your camera on the A/C outlet. It will save your battery life and you can play around with the camera a bit longer. At least while you are by a plug.

So Paul did you purchase the one available in US for GS70 or an original GS100-intended from Japan ?
How long it runs ?

What batteries are available for GS100 (including waist one) ?

Alex

I got the original when I got my cam from Allan

besides of regular one the cam come equipped with, right ?

I guess I'll have to go a battery route prior to any other camera-related purchases (probably except of bag and firewire things).

Alex

Yes, other than the one that came with it.

Alex,
Some people here, including me, bought the same battery
cga-du21(GS70 battery, which also fits for gs100) from one guy from ebay. Its working wonderful for me.
You can look at our previous discussions here!

www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13238

If this link doesnt work then go to GS100 accessories list thread.

Thanks, will check this option (link didn't work - will look further in the thread you mentioned.

BTW, does the cam has some kind of power save mode where it will shut down the cam if no operation was performed during specific time period ?

It seems to is happening in my case. The cam switches off every other 5-7 minutes while the battery still showing full. I switch On again and it repeats over. (if no operation was initilized during last several minutes.

Alex

Alex GS100 use same batteries as GS10 (Europe) GS50, GS70 - smaller size than older series eg. MX5000.

As I noted in other post power save function doesn't save only your power but also your poor tape which is in contact with the heads while in standby. I think it's 5 minitus.

I was frustraited for the power save activating even using the AC adaptor but it's better then ruining your tape.

Standby is 5 minutes? What's the complaint? My JVCs shut down after 2 minutes! So I got to work fast with those menus, otherwise I'll have to start all over again! My VCRs also shut-down after 2 minutes. :(

Frank, no compliants. :-)
I was just confused by that feature. I do not remember noticing one in the translated documentation (did I miss it somewhere ?), but the cam was switching accidently while the battery level on LCD still showed full. I was frustrated a bit thinking the defualt battery that comes with the cam is so weak that even fully charged it is going flat within 10-15 minutes, so put it in recharge every time the cam has switched itself off.
However, one time I just switched teh cam ON immediately upon it went to Off and revealed battery level still on Full - that raised the idea of some kind if power save mode rather then battery exhausting ! Now battery life seems to be much more reasonable
(still going 3/4 of capacity after about 10 minutes of recording intemittent and lots of playing with settings and features.

Thanks for your response, Alex

There's a quick start mode which reactivates the cam much more quickly, but it means the battery is in use the whole time. I just ran my waist battery down over a six-hour period - shot not quite three hours of tape over that period and kept the cam in quick start mode in between shots.

Thanks Patricia, can you please elaborate that Quick Start button functioanility ?

Alex

Best explanation is page 29 of the GS70 manual, with follow-on notes on p. 86.

Here's a few places you can get replacements and/or upgraded batteries...

http://www.battery-pro.net/camcorder/panasonic/vw-vbd140.htm

also (from apparently the same people...)

http://www.batteries-depot.com/camcorder/panasonic-vw-vbd140.htm

or even these guys.

http://www.powersmarthk.com/mamodel.php?fclasscode=2&fb_babrand=PANASONIC

Thanks, unfortunetaly they do not ship outside US (and I'm overseas).

I've heard there is a source for the batteries in Honk Kong and some of our fellows bought a pair of 2010 mAh batteries for about 100 % fom him.

Any info ?

Alex

Out of those links, how sells the better built batteries? I recall someone posting a battery link somewhere that actually made Pana batteries for Pana, but also sold them directly, and cheaper but without the Pana logo. :)

I'm looking to buy some cheap batteries for my JVCs. That's why I'm asking. When it says, "JVC" on them, they are way too crazy expensive---locally anyway.

Well, the actual price difference isn't that great. B&H sells these 2010 mAh batteries for GS70 (the one compatible with GS100)
for just about 10-15 US$ more (though out of stock right now).

I remember someone mentioned purchasing a few batteries from certain soucre in Honk Kong (via Ebay ?) and they turedn to be fully functional and new but for half price !

Would be interested to figure that link.

Alex

Alex

Here is the link, Better You have to search the forum, before asking again and again, LOL ;-)

anyway here is the link for ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3048704767&category=15056

I bought two from him. It works great.

Thanks, sorry, next time will make a searh first.

Alex

Sorry, but the link doesn't work for some reason, I'll try o search Ebay.

http://www.sabahoceanic.com is already selling the equivalent of VBD140 and VBD140. Not as low as the Hong Kong seller but still cheap. Check their link.

Frank, they also sell equivalent batteries for JVC.

Last time I asked them, the cells are made in Japan but the batteries are assembled somewhere else.

ooops.. I meant VDB140 and VBD210

Thanks Allan, bookmarked the page.

Alex

Thanks Allan. I see they're located in Las Vagas.

Are these batteries any good?

I didn't find the larger batteries for the MX300 there, just for the MX350. Are they the same batteries between these 2?

Also, I couldn't find the larger batteries for the GR-DVL9500, but I saw one for the GR-DVL9600---the same, right?

Yes, I'm curious whether there is a larger capacity on-camera battery then VBD210, or in order to get an uninterrupted operation for longer time one have to go for waist-type battery.

Alex

Yes, I'm curious whether there is a larger capacity on-camera battery then VBD210

As far as Pany Japan is concerned, there is NONE


or in order to get an uninterrupted operation for longer time one have to go for waist-type battery.

YES. Available only in Japan I believe.
This is just my observation. I think the rest of the world are more interested on this huge battery than the Japanese market. Except for the pros or those who shoot video for a living, I cannot imagine ordinary Japanese users to be carrying around a 400 gram battery on their waist, while say, shooting home videos, sports festivals, traditional festivals, events, or while sightseeing or just having fun. But if you really need LONG battery life, this is the only way to go.

Yeah, right, as I said :just out of curiousity" :-)

now I see the standard battery life is not that bad as thought, so once I'll acquire a longer one I'll be set.

Alex

<<<-- Originally posted by Samuel Raj : Alex

Here is the link, Better You have to search the forum, before asking again and again, LOL ;-)

anyway here is the link for ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3048704767&category=15056

I bought two from him. It works great. -->>>


I dont know why the links are not working, when we click the link enclosed by the VBCODE [ u r l ], it adds automatically one more http// after the original one, so its not working. Even the copy paste of the link seems not working because the VBCODE adds three dots in between, so that also doesnt seem to work.

I should have posted this in some other topic, but wanted to let you know that links are not working.

Actually, the first time I saw a waist battery on anyone other than a news person was on a Japanese tourist in Waikiki. I thought he looked strange. Now I'm happy to look strange, too, because there is no way I could have gotten the three hours of footage I got over a six hour period without the waist battery. And it doesn't add much weight to the camera, for which I'm grateful, because holding that camera in low light conditions with a WA on was already enough to create sore arms.

Never mind Samuel, I already figured the seller on Ebay.
Will be contacting him soon.

Thanks anyway, Alex

What makes to me wonder Patricia, is how do you manage (and others) to make through such long shooting session with small cam without solid shoulder support ?

I think if I would do commercial video (events, for instance) no doubts I would use shoulder camera, even though the cam itself is much more heavy. Once on shoulder you earn stability and wieght is spread better making considerbly less strain on your arm.

Regards, Alex

Well, Alex, the secret is not doing anything commercial. This is all for fun, no one expects it to look like TV or real movies. And I am looking around for a stabiliser, but not a shoulder support or tripod.

The waist battery rules...

I spent all last week in London. I never had to recharge the waist battery till I got home...

While I didn't really shoot all that much because I was at work in the office most of the time, the waist battery did make life very simple for me on the trip.

I did get time on the weekends to go down to the Tower Bridge and got some shots of David Blain hanging up there in his plexiglass box...

He's attempting to stay in the box for for 44 days with no food (only water).

Patricia, I would be interested how you will end up lookig for a stabilizer. Chances I'll go this route also in some future (or perhaps will end up with soem kind of shoulder support/chest brace)

Alex

Alex, you can build your own shoulder stabilizer/brace. A friend of mine built a beaut for his GL1---he since sold the cam though. As far as tripods go, I really like the Manfrotto 055pro legs and 128RC head. It's a tad expensive, but it's not to heavy to lug around, and it's quite stable. The head's nice and smooth too. I put a deposit on one the other day. I should be picking it up by the weekend. I miss my 075B/136 set-up, but it was just not practical for carrying around. Great studio rig, however!

Thanks Frank.
As far as talking about tripods - remember - I a photo shooter and only then comes video. :-)

Manfrotto 055 is my workhorse (besides of monopod) with two heards (141RC and ballhead). If I'll really need a tripod shooting - I'm set. Will think about your suggestions of buiding my own shoulder support...

Regards, Alex

The 055 is quite good. I also take more pics than video. I usually don't use a tripod, but with video, it's pretty much a must.

Regarding photography, these days I'm only doing 35mm SLR pics. I wished I had a large format and a good rangefinder---actually, I love rangefinders. Both are out of my budget; and I'm sure my FM2T is going to outlast me---unlike those miniDV cams!

Yeah, to video I came just in a few last months ocne our little dauther begun to walk (only then we with my wife realized how much we wuold miss not recording her rushing around).
Until then I used to shoot for 7 years, ran thruogh several setups (mostly of Minolta) until a year ago settled up on Canon:
EOS-3 + 28-70/2.8L, 70-200/2.8L, 550EX and accessories. Once shooting carefully, the quality is incredable.

Alex

A 28mm manual lens is going to be my next lens purchase, though I don't know how often I'm going to use it. There are shots I've missed because the lack of one. I look for older manual lenses, but in new-like shape. So far e-bay seems to be the best place to find these. Canon makes some good lenses---from the tests I've read. Some of the Nikon gems have long been dropped for the newer auto-focus stuff. I prefer focusing manually, since I'm not usually in a big rush. If auto fucus SLRs are anything like the auto focus in cams, I'll pass.

Oh, Frank, I see you completely out of tthis world... :-))
AF in SLR has done a leap ahead of what has been thought about AF a decade ago.
Most of contemporary SLRs (even the most consumer one) are featured by very sophisticated and responsive AF capable of locking and tracking fast sports.
Some of pro AF SLR are specifically tuned for really fast and resposive AF, featured by multi AF points you're able to choiose from and several AF modes to cover pretty much every situation, but in most demanding low-light conditions (in which case you would be also struggling focusing manually).

I know, careful manual focusing skill is oneof the most highly valuable for the photographer (and there might be the cases where very careful manual focusing may outperform AF in precision due to natural AF pinpoint tolerance), but rankly, I can hardly think abot such cases. May be I became too lazy to swithc over to manual, but I leant AF and specific AF issues of the camera (as well my previous Minoltas), so can only think about manual in really low-light or low-contrast situations where AF would struggle more then would my eye.

Regards, Alex

Thanks for the education, Alex. I have buddies with high end digital still cameras, along with all the great---new---lenses. What I noticed is that for the most part, they take some nice shots. What I also noticed is that they take some not so nice shots because of the auto everything. But..., if they want to capture the moment, and fast, well, let's just say that they leave me behind in the dust! Ahh, I recall my early days of shooting 100 ASA B&W print and 25 ASA color slides; and then later came my my Super8. The pain, the pain of it all.... :-)

Well, Frank, you know even the most sophisticated camera system will not cover for photographer's absense of skills.
Often people have enough cash to fork otu for the "latest and gratest" paying lots of cash to latest, most capable SLRs and digital SLRs, but proudly holding the stuff hanging on thei neck take nothing but mediocre snapshots worth of cheapest P&S. On the other hand, I know amateurs that used to own old manual stuff and I was never capable of producing such wonderful images even with my advanced camera and high quality optics.

Its not the cam, but the person behind one... :-)

Regards, Alex