LOL! You guys (me included) who have tons of cheapo brand batteries for your PD150s are not gonna be happy when you put them on your new FX1/Z1 because after 2 seconds they go to sleep. :(

Only REAL Sony batteries will power your new baby.

I bought a third party battery for my FX1 that was listed on the B&H website.

Sure hope it works.

I have tried 2 after market brand batteries on the FX1 and neither of them worked. But I can still use them to power my Sony camera lights.

One brand is the "Monster Power Cell" and the other is "Lenmar".

When you try to put after market batteries in your FX1/Z1 it powers up for a few seconds and then turns off. The LCD reads "use Sony info-lithium batteries"

Just curious... whether you bought the FX1 or the Z1U, basically you've shelled out much more than a couple thousand dollars on your new baby. Why would you feed it anything but the best batteries and tape that money can buy?

I've used third-party batts in an XL1 before, but only after it was a couple of years old and had paid for itself a few times over. Seems to me that for something brand new like a $3900 HDV camera, you'd want to stay away from the third-party stuff and stick with the name-brand Sony batts. Just my take on it,

I found out the same thing today. I had ordered and jsut got in this morning (3) 950 equivalents for my FX1 and they did the same thing. "Use InfoLithium Battery" message pops up befoer shutdown. It must have some circuit that checks for the Infolithium chip. Powers up for a few seconds and then powers down and displays the above message. I didn't think about using them to power the light. Anybody use these on camera lights? Are they effective? I am just a "consumer", the target for this camera allegedlly. Should I consider getting one? I was considering the 10/20 watt one that uses either the L or M batteries.

At B&H Sony Price : $ 82.95

HVL-20DW2 20-watt Video Light - for use with L Series Batteries

Any feedback would be appreciated

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Whipple : I found out the same thing today. I had ordered and jsut got in this morning (3) 950 equivalents for my FX1 and they did the same thing. "Use InfoLithium Battery" message pops up befoer shutdown. It must have some circuit that checks for the Infolithium chip. Powers up for a few seconds and then powers down and displays the above message. I didn't think about using them to power the light. Anybody use these on camera lights? Are they effective? I am just a "consumer", the target for this camera allegedlly. Should I consider getting one? I was considering the 10/20 watt one that uses either the L or M batteries.

At B&H Sony Price : $ 82.95

HVL-20DW2 20-watt Video Light - for use with L Series Batteries

Any feedback would be appreciated -->>>


You need to get one of the larger batteries to power the 20w light. The smaller batteries only power 10w. And my after market batteries crap out at the 20w setting after about 15 minutes.

Yeah, maybee for good reason Sony is making sure we don't use crap batteries on the new cams.

Looks like Sony is taking it upon themselves to keep their customers from blowing up their camcorders with off-brand batts... thereby selling more of their own brand of batts, heh.

I guess you could look at this in one of two ways. A conspiracy theorist would say that Sony is just making sure you're spending money on their batts and nobody else's. But on the other hand, I have heard some stories of cheap off-brand batts frying a camcorder, creating a fire hazard, even causing personal injury (read: exploding). So while Sony is making sure your battery budget dollars go to them, they're also looking out for the safety and welfare of the camcorder... and the operator.

I suppose I need to update my Sony HDV pages to reflect this information.

By the way, nobody gave me the reply I was expecting... "because I spent all my money on the camera! Cheap batteries were all I could afford!"

Originally posted by Chris Hurd
Just curious... whether you bought the FX1 or the Z1U, basically you've shelled out much more than a couple thousand dollars on your new baby. Why would you feed it anything but the best batteries and tape that money can buy?
Well Chris, I've used nothing but 3rd party batteries in my GL2 for the past few years and have had great success at a fraction of the cost.

So my expierence with third party batteries has been very good, which is why I picked the one listed on B&H's site when I ordered my camera.

If it doesn't work, I'll send it back and get the real deal.

Well when I ordered my FX1 they didn't have any Sony batt. so I have no choice, I order 2 Power2000 6000mah, and they work fine, just not as long as my old NPF960.
I would stick with Sony if I could.

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd : By the way, nobody gave me the reply I was expecting... "because I spent all my money on the camera! Cheap batteries were all I could afford!" -->>>


he, he... this is exellent Chris!

The words/sound of REAL cinemaniac (in absolutelly positive way/meaning!).

filip

Well, I GUESS I GOT LUCKY.....

Cause I just bought 2 of these inexpensive 5600mah $19.99 puppies that lasts about 7.5 hours each with LCD (says 381 minutes on the lcd). I'm sure the mileage will vary, but if they do 4 hours, I'm fine.

No shut down, no cut off or anything. (so far)

But then again, I made sure I bought some batteries that were LithiumInfo compatible:

"These batteries fully support the INFO technology Sony relies on to display the battery usage. They can also be charged by any standard charger compatible with F-series (F550 F750 or F960), plus they can be charged directly on the camcorder. "

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3870857177&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOAB:US:6

(get it direct from their website, not ebay)

P.S.
Maybe that warning is only on the Consumer FX1, and they turned it off for the Pro Z1U model??? If that's the case...the justification for getting a Z1U over an FX1 is just adding up day after day. *smile*

- Shannon W. Rawls

kewl, thanks Shannon

Thanks for that info Shannon!

Curses that I bought an $80 battery! :(

Here's the website of the Ebay selller:

http://www.power101.com/

Please include the info when you report not only about the brand and model of battery, but also whether you have an FX1 or Z1. Perhaps the FX1, being artificially crippled in several other ways, is also crippled in terms of only accepting certain batteries and perhaps the Z1, being the "pro" model, doesn't have the same degree of "safety" limitations.

Isn't it a good thing that at least this time Sony allows us to use any brand of tape. I know most of us will use the Sony tapes and stick to them. Still, it's good to have the choice.

Then again... has anybody tried other tapes? <GRIN>

If we don't put our foot down, the next thing you know the audio and video connectors or the tripod thread might be non-standard...

"Cause I just bought 2 of these inexpensive 5600mah $19.99 puppies that lasts about 7.5 hours each with LCD (says 381 minutes on the lcd). I'm sure the mileage will vary, but if they do 4 hours, I'm fine."

Yeah mine said the same thing but it will drop down very fast as you use it so it is not accurate, don't trust it, bring extra batt. on your shoot.

<< I made sure I bought some batteries that were LithiumInfo compatible >>

I think Shannon has hit dead center on the key to this little mystery.

Sony has always been greedy when it comes to things like this. I had one of the first sony discmen and lost the standard AC adaptor but they had rigged it so you couldn't go to radio shack and by a replacement for $5, you had to order a new AC plug from them for close to the cost of the cost of the player its self. They're a great company but boy can they be sleazy.

Betsy,

Maybe great products - not so great a company.

Some years back (during the VHS - Beta war) some friends of ours were doing tests for a number of products. They would try different brands. Different kinds of mayonaise - different restaurants - etc. One time they were to go to electronics stores and express interest in a VCR. If the clerk pushed Beta, he-she would receive $100 (as I recall). I guess I continue to be suspicious.

Did we really need the memory stick? How much do you think the FX-1 would cost if it weren't for the HD-10?

is someone cappable to TEST how both cameras behave when used SAME type of batteries?

i mean will i.e. certain battery with certain parameters work LONGER on FX1 then on Z1?

thanks,

filip

> will i.e. certain battery with certain parameters
> work LONGER on FX1 then on Z1

The two cameras are so similar that I really doubt such a thing could happen, just like with the PD170/VX2100, PDX10/TRV950... surely the Phantom power circuit, which is probably the main physical difference due to the XLR inputs, consumes almost no power at all. The slight increase in tape speed when operating in DVCAM mode also means nothing in terms of power difference.

thank you ignacio.


filip

Actually the Z1 use more power when you have both lcd and viewfinder on.

> Actually the Z1 use more power when
> you have both lcd and viewfinder on.

Ahhh yes that makes sense. You can't do that on the FX1, right?

maybe this is stupid question but did anyone tryed the difference between shooting NTSC vs PAL - of course in terms of battery life!

i didn't... so maybe anyone with Z1?

filip

FWIW, the Power 2000 battery that I bought from B&H for my FX1 seems to work just fine.

<<<-- Originally posted by Bryan McCullough : FWIW, the Power 2000 battery that I bought from B&H for my FX1 seems to work just fine. -->>>


sorry - this is possibly obvious for someone, but not for me. what FWIW stand for?

thanks,

filip

I think it stands for "For What It's Worth".

thanks ignacio.

On a related note, there are several adapters that allow you to run a VX-2000/PD-150 from an Anton Bauer or V-Mount professional battery. Since this camera is a bit more of a power hog, and I would often use a mount such as a DVRig Pro or Stasis style shoulder mount, it would be useful to run off those batteries for counterbalance and longer runtimes.

Any guidance on what the possible issues are, or what 3rd party manufacturers would have to do to make this kind of rig possible?

I wish I would have read this thread before I made this purchase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3873831005&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

I got 2, hopefully they'll work ok...or back on ebay they'll go

"whether you bought the FX1 or the Z1U, basically you've shelled out much more than a couple thousand dollars on your new baby. Why would you feed it anything but the best batteries and tape that money can buy? "

Tapes I can understand given the seriousness of dropouts on the HDV cameras, but unless Sony can demonstrate that their batteries are functionally better then a generic battery should work exactly the same as a Sony battery. I've used generic batteries on my Canon camcorders for several years and have never had a problem doing so.

my 7800 mah battery arrived today...well, one of two did...and it works in my Z1U! $39 each, too.

I stuck it on, turned the cam on and ran it through it's functions for about 5 minutes before I put it on the charger.

The batts that didn't work, did the camera function at all?

Thanks!

<<<-- Originally posted by Sean M Lee : my 7800 mah battery arrived today...well, one of two did...and it works in my Z1U! $39 each, too.

I stuck it on, turned the cam on and ran it through it's functions for about 5 minutes before I put it on the charger.

The batts that didn't work, did the camera function at all?

Thanks! -->>>

The batteries that did not work for me only worked long enough to power the cam up and then turned off after a few seconds. You get a message that says "use Sony info lithium batteries" so it looks like you have nothing to worry about.

Where did you order yours from?

Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3873831005&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT)

$39 each, 6.98 shipping for 2

Sean, keep us posted on the reliability of the batteries. How long are your run times so far?

J

Hey Guys,
I've been using 2 of the big power2000 ($50 each) batteries listed on the FX1 product page from B&H. They work great! I have put them from full charge to empty 3 or 4 times each.

Here's the interesting thing:
They do not work on my VX-2000 and I get the error you guys get "info-lithium ONLY"

I found that if I leave the power setting to "camera" and take the battery off than snap it back in place, 2 out of 3 times the camera won't give the warning and functions normally.

My 2 c,
Eric James

I agree with Chris: I would be terrified to use a non-Sony battery in my Z1U - or in the TRV-9 for that matter. Why? Because the world is chock-full of rip-off batteries, that's why! Seems like batteries are one area that has been attacked very successfully by the schlock-product artists.

I call some of these things "fake batteries." They look like batteries but they don't really feel heavy enough...and they work for about five minutes. I'm talking about the no-name double-A batteries that the delis here in New York push - not about camcorder batteries. But I'd be surprised if the bad-guys have not made 'fake' battteries for us, too. Of course I'll never know because I'll buy ONLY sony batteries for my sony cameras.

OK here's my main question for this post:
What about using OLD Sony batteries (from our VX machines) that don't have that "L" on them that I see on the new little 'included' battery that came with the Z1U. What's the diff?