Sony Lithium Ion Battery Life

[Anton Strauss]

anyone know how many years I could expect out of new Sony BP-GL95 Li-Ion

I am currently using Anton Bauer Hytron 140, they are very heavy

I am also looking at the Anton Bauer Dionic Anton/Bauer - Products - Dionic 90
However, these may only live 1 - 2 years

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Anton Strauss

I am also looking at the Anton Bauer Dionic Anton/Bauer - Products - Dionic 90
However, these may only live 1 - 2 years

I currently use 4 of these with a different camera system all together and the first 2 are now just over 2 years old with no "death" in sight, although OCCASIONALLY I need to double check to ensure they ACTUALLY took a charge in the first place. My 3rd and 4th Dionics are approaching 2 and 1.5 years respectively. All still holding full charge in terms of run time compared to new, give or take 10%.

[Anton Strauss]

good to know, that means I can keep my current Anton Bauer interactive charger

[Tim Bradley]

I shot a Doco and we were supplied AB Dionic batteries. We originally were given 6 batteries. Over the 120 days shooting we had 3 die on us. The shooting environment was rather harsh and the batteries were constantly bounced around being charged via a charger setup to charge the bats while we were travelling to the next location.

[Christopher Young]

[QUOTE=Anton Strauss;1535318]anyone know how many years I could expect out of new Sony BP-GL95 Li-Ion


Anton ~

If you have a look at the following site this table will give you a good run-down on what to expect from different battery chemistrys. The third heading down will give you an average on the number of charge cycles per chemistry. Work out the battery life on your average usage / charge cycles.

Chapter 2: Battery Chemistries

Another great battery information resource is:

Battery charger and battery analyzer experts - Cadex Electronics Inc.

They don't make batteries so have no vested interest other than they are one of the world leaders in charger / analyzer design.

[Anton Strauss]

looks like I may get new AB Hytron 100, they last 2 years longer than my Hytron 140 which are now almost dead after 150 charge cycles
Anton/Bauer - Products - HyTRON 100

I also have AB ProPac 14 that are now 6 years old and they still work like new, but they are only 60wh

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Anton Strauss

I also have AB ProPac 14 that are now 6 years old and they still work like new, but they are only 60wh

REALLY?!?! I have nothing but bad luck with ProPac and TrimPacs so I just plain old won't use 'em. Interesting discussion.

[Don Bloom]

I had nothing but good luck and lots of use with my Dionic90s. I loved my Hytron 120s but at 5.5 pounds each they had to go. They were killing me. After a job I would walk with my right shoulder 3 inches lower than my left. ;-)

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

at 5.5 pounds each they had to go. They were killing me. After a job I would walk with my right shoulder 3 inches lower than my left. ;-)

That's why they invented tripods, old timer! <sly wink>

[Don Bloom]

is that what those things are for? ;-)
The last couple of years I used FS cams I spent a lot of time on the legs but lets face it, there are times when it just doesn't work so I'd force myself to get off the pod and after one very long and difficult wedding season plus getting a year older, I gave up the Hytrons. When I went to the Dionics it was like a whole new world. <sings---I feel pretty, I feel pretty....> well maybe not that but it prolonged my using FS cams for another 3 years. Finally had to give it up.

[Shaun Roemich]

Makes a HUGE difference as well depending on just HOW the camera is naturally balanced: I find that big batteries help to balance out unwieldy front heavy cameras. When I first started shooting news using BetaSX series cameras, I found them SERIOUSLY front heavy compared to the dockable BetaSP cameras I had been using so the BPL-90 Sonys were a Godsend, even though they were heavier than the BPL-60s JUST because they "rotated" the centre of gravity back onto my shoulder more and out of my hands.

[Don Bloom]

Yep, agreed. I always had at least 1 receiver hanging off the back of the camera to help balance it, sometimes I had 2. Remember stacking the bricks (NP1s) 3 or 4 on the back end. Yikes. I can't even remember, weren't the run times like 30 or 40 minutes? Short short short.
Ah the good old days. NOT! ;-)

[Shaun Roemich]

NP1 "chocolate bars" were indeed good for JUST over 30 - 40 minutes or ONE BetaSP tape with focusing and waiting around a bit. I'm pretty sure THAT is why the Standby switch was implemented on early dockables/one piece camcorders...

The 13.2v and later 14.4v variants were BETTER but I'm glad we weren't stuck with 45 minute run times these days...

Of course, one could always wear a battery belt! That would give you at LEAST 2 hours... ;>

[Don Bloom]

Originally Posted by Shaun Roemich

NP1 "chocolate bars" were indeed good for JUST over 30 - 40 minutes or ONE BetaSP tape with focusing and waiting around a bit. I'm pretty sure THAT is why the Standby switch was implemented on early dockables/one piece camcorders...

The 13.2v and later 14.4v variants were BETTER but I'm glad we weren't stuck with 45 minute run times these days...

Of course, one could always wear a battery belt! That would give you at LEAST 2 hours... ;>

yes and they also served as weight belts for scuba diving as well as weighing down people you might want to make 'disappear' into the lake.

[Anton Strauss]

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

I had nothing but good luck and lots of use with my Dionic90s. I loved my Hytron 120s but at 5.5 pounds each they had to go. They were killing me. After a job I would walk with my right shoulder 3 inches lower than my left. ;-)

yes, I also want lighter, if I can get 2-3 years out of the Dionic, I would prefer them over the heavy Hytron