Carlos E. Martinez
March 19th, 2005, 06:43 PM
These days I have been shooting a documentary with a PD150, that really saved my job because my PDX10 didn't still make it here (Brazil).
But this specific camera had just two batteries available, one of them refusing to take charging anymore.
So this got me thinking again on alternative ways to power these cameras ad infinitum, without relying on AC or a lot of expensive batteries.
Maybe this is not a matter that might sound interesting to those who can order such stuff easily from B&H. But there's a practical angle to what I am going to propose for them too.
Power matters do not seem to have changed to much since I bought my Sony Hi8 years ago. Batteries are still 7.2v, still Li-Ion and only vary in current capacity. The latter is obvious when you consider the demands of LCD screens, particularly if they are large.
On my Hi8 camera, the cable going from the AC supply to the camera was detachable, and you could get gel batteries that used that same two-pin connector to plug that same cable. Voilá: external supply!
Greedy Sony could not allow that anymore, so now that cable is not detachable.
They also invented a system to prevent us from using third-party batteries: if your battery is not Info-Lithium ready, your camera may refuse to work.
But DC power is DC power, and you can go around that. The cable carrying the DC from the supply is a single supply type: just 8.4v goes through it. It's more than what the camera needs, but it also provides charging power.
DV cameras need much less than 8.4v or 7.2v to work fine. My Hi8 did fine with just 6v, as the internal regulators probably need just 5v to power its DC-DC circuits that feed the camera.
Guess what? DV cameras only need that too. And that goes for ALL prosumer DV cameras, whatever the brand. You just need to cut that DC cable and put some good connector in between. My preference goes for the XLR-4 types, so I won't plug a mic cable on it when I am in a non-thinking rush.
Then you can plug any 6v gel battery on the other side, as long as you provide the right XLR-4 connector. Even more: you can plug any NiMH battery, already coming in 7.2V versions for car-racing.
You can also provide external batteries which you can assemble yourself using six-1.2V cells in-series. Just pick say a D-type that has a 11 Amp capacity, and you will be able to use it for a whole day shooting! Less than $100 for the batteries!
What I am suggesting is certainly not new and probably others already are using such arrangements. In fact I would like to have some feedback from those that do and know of other battery options they found.
Carlos
But this specific camera had just two batteries available, one of them refusing to take charging anymore.
So this got me thinking again on alternative ways to power these cameras ad infinitum, without relying on AC or a lot of expensive batteries.
Maybe this is not a matter that might sound interesting to those who can order such stuff easily from B&H. But there's a practical angle to what I am going to propose for them too.
Power matters do not seem to have changed to much since I bought my Sony Hi8 years ago. Batteries are still 7.2v, still Li-Ion and only vary in current capacity. The latter is obvious when you consider the demands of LCD screens, particularly if they are large.
On my Hi8 camera, the cable going from the AC supply to the camera was detachable, and you could get gel batteries that used that same two-pin connector to plug that same cable. Voilá: external supply!
Greedy Sony could not allow that anymore, so now that cable is not detachable.
They also invented a system to prevent us from using third-party batteries: if your battery is not Info-Lithium ready, your camera may refuse to work.
But DC power is DC power, and you can go around that. The cable carrying the DC from the supply is a single supply type: just 8.4v goes through it. It's more than what the camera needs, but it also provides charging power.
DV cameras need much less than 8.4v or 7.2v to work fine. My Hi8 did fine with just 6v, as the internal regulators probably need just 5v to power its DC-DC circuits that feed the camera.
Guess what? DV cameras only need that too. And that goes for ALL prosumer DV cameras, whatever the brand. You just need to cut that DC cable and put some good connector in between. My preference goes for the XLR-4 types, so I won't plug a mic cable on it when I am in a non-thinking rush.
Then you can plug any 6v gel battery on the other side, as long as you provide the right XLR-4 connector. Even more: you can plug any NiMH battery, already coming in 7.2V versions for car-racing.
You can also provide external batteries which you can assemble yourself using six-1.2V cells in-series. Just pick say a D-type that has a 11 Amp capacity, and you will be able to use it for a whole day shooting! Less than $100 for the batteries!
What I am suggesting is certainly not new and probably others already are using such arrangements. In fact I would like to have some feedback from those that do and know of other battery options they found.
Carlos