Luck with this Battery Kit?
 

Has anyone had any luck/experience with the Anton Bauer ElipZ 10k Under Camera Mounted Battery Kit for the GL1/2? It looks like a great replacement for the standard battery changing woes if you want to limit camera downtime on day shoot.

I found it here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ist&sku=437763 and think it might be thhe answer to long day shooting.

This and a FireStore FS-4 Pro with 100 GB drive, and you never need to shut the camera off again!

Yup, I got this in one of my mags I get . .

Hmmm .. . ?

#1 - What wattage? I didn't/don't read a definitive reference to the amount of watts available? It says 75 watt hour. Is that 10 watts for 7.5 hours? I'm also presuming it is 10k as in kelvins?

#2 - Is the shoe mount needing to be in the HOT shoe? I don;t see a trailing wire? If so then that kinda defeats the object for me.

I really DO like the overall design - design IS important to me, but hopefully my 2 concerns above will be answered.

Graham Bernard

ElipZ 10K battery
 

The 10 K is for 10,500 mah. (7.2 volts X 10.5 ah = 75 watt hours) If you have a 10 watt camera it will run continously for over 7.5 hours.

If you are using the large OEM batteries that are 5400 mah and still run all day, then you should still get twice the run time of a fully charged ElipZ.

Or, be able to run the 10 watt camera and 10 watt Elightz for almost a full day. Personall usage will vary depending on shooting style and light use.

No it is not a "Hot Shoe" The shoe allows a quick release so the battery can be removed from the camera in a coule of seconds for easy breakdown/stowage.

The ElipZ 10K battery also has the exact hole configuration on the bottom of the battery so you can attach you tripod plate.

Anton Bauer & the GL2
 

Is anyone using Anton Bauer products (this or other series battery) with their GL2? Are they worth the investment? How is performance vs. stock options and real world MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure)?

Impact BP945 battery for GL2
 

Hello,
i've just bought a brand new bp-945 (6000mAh) battery for my canon GL2... and i've a weird problem - although I have fully discharged and recharged the battery, the camcorder battery indicators says it's only half-full. what does it mean? is it not fully charged? is the indicator wrong ?

TIA,
Alon.

In the title, you say "Impact". I assume this is the brand name of the battery? What makes me ask, is that I've noticed that my generic batteries will cause the GL-2's battery indicator to show about half capacity after only a couple minutes worth of usage. I get the expected amount of use time from the batteries, but the meter isn't right. Maybe that's what you're seeing?

well...
 

that's exactly what happens... so I guess it doesn't effect the battery performance, just the indicator, ah? so how do you know when the battery is going to be exhausted ? (it stays on the half-full indicator until it gets really half-full, or does the indicator has no meaning at all?)

quite annoying I must admit ... makes you feel that technology ain't that perfect yet ;)

thanks for the answer.
alon

The battery indicator is probably based on battery terminal voltage, which depends in part on the internal resistance of the battery as well as the charge state.

Experience is the best approach. Do some tests and watch what happens to the display as you run the camcorder, and watch when the camcoder shuts down on low battery. Can't expect Canon to have matched their display to correspond to third party battery characteristics.

Good evening,

I have three canon catteries and three jobber batteries. All of them in fact show fine on the in camera meter. Go figure???

Basic Battery Question.. Obies?
 

Hi, quick question.. I'm looking into getting extra batteries for my GL2.. the one the came with is.. just doesn't cut it. It's brand new, but after being fully charged, and filming for five minutes, the batter is down to 3/4th full.. and I don't get it. I need to be able to film for a least 2-3 hours, without having to worry about my battery dying in the middle of something important.

So.. are there particular batteries that are reliable? (I'd like model numbers to if possible)

I also would like to know.. if the charger that I have will work with any battery I buy, or will I have to buy a new charger? I have the Canon ca 920 battery/power adapater, and my battery is a 915.

Any help is greatly appreciated

BP-945's. You can get generic ones for $20 on Ebay, and yes, they work just as well as the Canon-branded ones do. At about one-fifth the price of the "official" batteries, you really can't go wrong.

but will i need to buy a new charger for that battery, or will it fit my canon charger?

You can use the standard canon charger you already have for the BP945 battery also.

Being doing this for 5 years with the BP945s. No problem.

When I first started out, there was ENOUGH power/time in the slim/supplied battery to allow me to do a quick "top-up" of my 945 and get going again. Now I have 2 XM2s and four BP945s - but with the extra camera I got that extra charger unit too.

Grazie

I agree. I've gotten 4 this way so far. The standard charger works well. I have a second charger for whenever I need to charge 2 batteries at once, or I need a charger at the studio as well as in the field.

Mark

The reason I asked about the charger, was because I was looking at a canon gl2 battery on ebay.. Dont' remember the model number, but it was a B "9$$" .. and it said 'works with a b 9$$ and 9$$ charger".. so I assumed that meant that the battery would only work with that particular charger..

But I assume if it fits on my camera, it should fit on my charger, right?

Technically i have two batteries right now, but they both are lower B ... numbers.. so I assume that means.. earlier models? or less powerful? I haven't used the second battery yet, but it came with the "package" of gl2 stuff i bought on ebay, and most of the accessories they gave me where.. not what they made them out to be, so I assume it's no good..

Ok, since we are on the subject of batteries, and this is a bit off subject, but of course the GL2 didn't come with an on board light.. they sell a gl-2 light, but it runs off of the battery of the camera.. But I think they sell lights that come with some type of battery pack that you stick in your pocket?
What type of camera light do you have? I don't want one that eats my battery, unless it's not that bad...

thanks :)

As long as it is a Canon BP9xx battery, it will work fine with the charger you already have.
Lower numbers (ex BP915 compared to BP945) means less capacity.
Other batteries like the BP500 series will NOT work with your camera.
I recommend you get at least one BP945 battery.
(There has been some non Canon batteries, equally or more powerful, than the BP945, mentioned in earlier threads some time ago. But I can't remember the names right now)

Lights:
The VL-3 light that draws power from the onboard camera battery is a 3watt light. It is okay up to about 7-10ft from the camera, but not as the only light source.
The VL-10 is a 10watt light that would need a separate battery. (BP9xx series, same as the GL2) This light can in some cases be too bright, and ex. blow out the forehead of people.
I have used both these lights, but only have the VL-10 right now.
With this light, I use the battery that came included with my XM2, and I use the BP945 for the camera.

I've had success over a number of years with Lenmar LIC941 batteries with both GL and XL series.

Don, how is this battery (capacity) compared to the Canon BP945?
The 945 is 4500mAh.

Lenmar rates it at 6000 mAh, no doubt a best-conditions rating.

I've never done a definitive comparison test, but subjectively it has lasts at least as long as the Canon BP945, if not longer, on a full charge. But I rarely shoot more than a tape's worth in a single session, and if I do change tape, I usually change to a fresh battery at the same time.

Thanks Don.
I guess both Jenna and I should check out the Lenmar battery.

And yes, those ratings are as you describe it "best-conditions rating".
But that goes for all brands, not only Canon or Lenmar.

Note that the LIC941 is not a good fit in the Canon XH A1 (marginally too large so it does not slide in/out reliably) in case you are considering an upgrade in the near future. The Lenmar LIC950G is more like 5200 mAh and may be a better fit for the XH A1.

Yes, there are several threads in the XH-A1 forum about non-Canon batteries not fitting.

Don, I actually have done fairly thorough testing of Lenmars, and found that they in fact deliver what their sticker claims within +/- 5%; this can not be said of the Ebay bought generics. Getting typically 60%-70% of their sticker claim.
HTH

Thanks Alex. Good to hear from you.

have you done any testing on degradation of Li ion over time; e.g., something like "you can typically expect the available capacity to fall off by 8% per year" as the battery ages.

Don, I only am familiar with the numbers supplied by Sanyo. They have it about 10%/year if the battery is stored fully charged, 3%/year if it is stored at 40% charge. What I personally observed, is if the pack fails, it happens very quickly, in catastrophic manner. It is not normal aging, but some kind of hard failure in the electronics in it, or one of the cells pops.

So it's between a BP9**.. and a Lenmar?

I suppose the VL-3 sounds better to me, I don't want a light that is to bright, just a sort of fill light for anything I film within 7-10 feet of like you said, BUT, I am a bit worried about it eating my battery, so are there other lights on the market that will fit my canon gl2? I like the idea of the light running on it's own battery in a way, but could I possibly find a softer light that does run on it's own battery? Or is the battery that the VL-3 takes up, not that much, so it wouldn't cut down my filming time by to much?

Thanks for answering my question about the charger, I noticed on ebay it's ALOT more expensive to purchase a battery with a charger, than just the battery alone, and without knowing I would have boughten one with a charger.. so thanks :)

A fill light helps to reduce contrast and to illuminate shadowy parts of the shot. The VL3 will most certainly NOT do that. In fact, in my experience what it will do is illuminate a face at 4>6 feet and then it drops off after 6 feet - that's my experince. If anything, where it IS working it would create MORE contrast with the shadowy parts still being low or dark. So, in my mind, the VL3 is the opposite to a fill light. One of the "advantages" of the VL3 is that it can be set in AUTO mode so it reduces the i8n-use period to a minimum.

However, you are asking the question that hits all of us at one time or another - "What IS the most appropriate lighting option for my needs?". Now often this is modified by budget. Like with mics - there ain't NO mic for ALL occasions - likewise, lights and usage are also often thought as being capable of doing ALL jobs. They can do MOST jobs but when it comes down to being selective about your lighting to create less grain, more definition and more fill, then the wallet often gets a hit. But sometimes this can be mitigated against with judicious finds on eBay or the like.

After 5 years I found an eBAy 50 Paglight. I got it for almost half price ( I think? ). And this was AFTER buying a piece of Cr$%p of a 20 minute usage piece of nonsense AND a PAglight C6 system. I now have this PAG50w wire to a lead acid battery. It works. It's not even ugly. This is far far cheaper than a battery-belt system - but LithIon, it ain't!

The other thing I keep forgetting to mention is that a fill-light works from the side - mostly 90 degs. IF you are asking about ON-camera lights, then they work, by definition, from the front. I guess what you are asking for, nit unreasonably, is a light that FILLS the scene/frame in front of you. Well, you need watts to do this and THEN you need something that will diffuse those watts DOWN. So, more watts to illuminate/fill and then slap on something that will reduce the overall illumination. Kinda contradictory - huh? If you look at ENG operatives interviewing politicians etc, they have BIG light heads and then diffusing stuff. But the end result is that the FACE of the talent is layered away from the background. Would you call that a fill? But it is illuminating the face nicely. The OTHER must have is a reflector and then someone to hold it. And this you will also see on more leisurely interviews - "Here, at "Buckingham palace" "White House" "UN", where you see the . . . in the background . . " that kinda of thing will sometimes stretch to a bloke/woman holding a reflector.

So, to recap:

a] Research - you are here, good! See what OTHERS on the ENG circuits do too!

b] Pragmatic - know your budget and maybe wait for the "right" thing to come along. It will!

Are you going to make mistakes? - Nah!! Of COURSE you are! Why should you be any different to any of us here? But hopefully you can mitigate against them too. Go see the other lighting forum here on DVINFO and buy Vic Milts "Light It Right!" instead of the VL3.

Cheers,

Grazie

thanks for the input Graham. I did see some more expensive camera lights for the gl2 on ebay, but they seemed.. well.. somewhat large, and perhaps a bit to bright. I know that for the best lighting I can't rely on the on camera light, but for situations in which I otherwise couldn't set up lighting (not that i have a lighting set up yet anyways) I think it would be in my favor to at least have some illumination. Maybe I will put it off for a while until I come across something that seems right for me, i'd just have to be in a situation where I wish I had SOME additional lighting, but I suppose that will kind help me determine what kind of light i will need in the end..

thanks again

I'm sure you're right, but since you can get 3 or 4 generics for the same money, you're still getting much more battery life at the same price point. :)

In other words, a battery with 60% capacity that costs 1/4 as much will still give you quite a bit more bang for your buck.

More bang if it meets the minimum requirement for runtime. Having to change batteries mid tape is not always possible for longer form events, or a higher sudden failure rate may not be an acceptable risk for some users.

You pays your money and takes your chances.

Agreed, Don. But I'll add that I've been using generic BP-945's for years, and have run into no more problems with them than I have had with Canon batteries. Also, I have shot numerous multi-hour events with these batteries without having to switch. Worst case, you buy two of them and switch to a fresh one when you switch to your third tape. I have one of these batteries that I have been using almost daily for several years and only very lately has it begun to show signs of holding less of a charge than it used to. I have never heard of anyone having any real issues with cheap batteries for these cameras.

Sure, you can spend more money if you're afraid of a catastrophic failure. You can get Anton Bauers if you want to get super-finicky. Spend the money if you want, but meanwhile I'll be getting the same images as you are and will only have spent a fraction of the money that you did in order to get them. :)

I'm not dissing anyone who wants the added peace of mind, I'm just sharing my experience for the benefit of those who would prefer to spend a little of their money on things other than camera parts every now and then. :)

In sum, everything I have experienced in connection with these cheap batteries suggests that your camera is just as likely (if not more so!) to crap out as the batteries are. Take that for what it's worth; as always, your mileage may vary.

INOV8 batteries
 

hi all, I've looked to see if there is any reference to these batteries on here, and couldn't find one.

http://www.inov8-memory.co.uk/batteries.php

they seem to have the onboard chip, and everything the originals have -
and do a 945 for £21

http://www.digiprintuk.com

do these take the risk out of buying completerly generic batteries whilst still being cheap and offering decent quality - anyone used them?

guess no ones ever heard of them then - didn't risk the cheapies after I found a hahnel bp945 equivalent on amazon for £28, cant go wrong at that price

When I first got my "Canon" BP945, £98, I looked around and ALSO found the HANEL option from Fotosense: http://www.fotosense.co.uk/

Something like 45 quid, then. When I received it and on closer inspection I noticed that BOTH the Fotosense battery AND the Canon BP945 (at £98!) are in a cover that BOTH have the "Hanel" word logo as part of the plastic-injection black cover! I've never forgotten that!

Can somebody confirm to me if Canon actually have a factory making these batteries? My feelings are that I maybe waiting a long time.

Grazie

I'm not 100% certain, but I believe Canon buys their batteries OEM. They might even buy them from a variety of makers.

In any case l I think the importance of whose name is on the battery largely boils down to where you go for warranty claims or who you sue if it explodes and burns your house down, or leaks prematurely and ruins your camera etc.

In such a case, I'd rather have "Canon" stamped on the battery!

But I don't usually spend the extra $$$ on Canon brand batteries because I don't think these are statistically likely events.

If I get a brand X battery and it seems to work OK for a reasonable period, I'll buy more of them. If not, I'll write it off to the cost of experience.

This was sold to me by my Canon authorised dealer and service agent; it was in a Canon sealed blister-pack but it had this Hahnel logo on the case!

Grazie

2 yr warranty on the hahnel seems pretty good anyway,

I dont mind paying for quality, but when the same high spec gear is available for a lot less I dont want to pay for a more expensive 'logo' on something.

I'l see how long this battery lasts anyway - just bought a rode videomic so I'll get out and test the thing.

It's impossible anymore to know who actually makes what. Everybody buys from everybody else, particularly in the computer business. Dell sells tape drives, but they don't make any. Some models of IBM's high end disk arrays are IBM designed, others are pieced together from different suppliers. Sometimes IBM and HP buy the same stuff from brand X and change the front bezels and market the same thing under different names. Bug chunks of HP printers are made by a company you've never heard of - because they don't sell under their own brand name but manufacure only as OEM to other companies. Companies like IBM etc buy tape cartridges from companies like Fuji Film and Maxell, re-brand them, and sell them - sometimes for less than the original maker can sell them. It's really common for companies to by some of their products from their competitors and rebrand them. Everybody wants a full product line, but nobody wants the costs of developing a full product line.

The purchasing companies however do test the stuff they buy and audit the manufacturing processes at their suppliers and stand behind the stuff they sell.

I'm a little surprised that Canon wouldn't have a Canon imprint on the battery, but at the price point we're looking at, the cost of a unique mold for the plastic cover might be prohibitive. Molds are very expensive and it isn't uncommon to spend a half million dollars for one - although a mold for something as simple as a battery shell could be pretty cheap. Molds for front bezels for rack mount or even consumer equipment on the other hand are quite costly.

Anyhow if it came in a Canon pack then it's a Canon battery!

Battery
 

I previously used a Keene BP941H Li-ion 4350 mAh 7.2v on my old XM1 camera. This battery will not fit on the XM2. Any reason?

Martin