- How many types of external camera batteries are there?
- What do you need to know about a battery?
- How large an external outdoor power source do you need?
- What else to consider when buying a photography power supply?
How many types of external camera batteries are there?
Many beginners may wonder what batteries the cameras use. Except for the original one, there are two options for replacement or alternation.
- The NP-F series: Various models for you to choose from but may be too expensive to afford for some people.
- The third-party: A lot cheaper but quality and stability cannot be guaranteed.
The internal one alone is unable to support the work of a long time shooting, as well as the power needs of a large number of packed equipment and the whole setup, so the external camera battery on this generated the demand and supply. We will briefly divide it into three categories here, and talk about their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.
Power bank: Small, cheap, but limited
This type is commonly used to charge devices with small power needs for cell phones and tablets, with capacities ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 mA. If you want to apply it to the camera itself, that may be feasible, but letting it undertake the needs of other equipment, such as fill light, and gimbal, is a little strained. What’s more. you may need to find out whether your camera has a built-in battery charger. The Power station has different sockets of different types, so it is not suitable for most cameras and their accessory devices.
V lock battery: Compact, universal, and easy-to-install
V-mount camera battery is currently one of the most popular among photographers, charging for everything from cameras to lights. It's small yet strong, and the standard current and voltage are suitable for most modern photographic equipment. Its optional capacity is also suitable. In addition, it has a convenient mounting method with firm mounting and quick release. If you want to build your photography rig, it is indispensable. You can find out more about it in this real and detailed external camera battery review of Moman Power 99 below.
- Review video: How does it look when a v mount camera battery is installed on your Rig?
Power station: Powerful yet bulky and expensive
This kind of backup power can have a variety of applications, such as temporary power outages in the house for some appliances to continue to run, such as temporary power for medical equipment, or for charging camping equipment. The type of part used for photography as an external battery pack for DSLR cameras and others will be smaller, and there will be a special cooling system and different capacity output for various uses. When you take it out to shoot, you can only put it on the floor or table, the long wire may cause inconvenience. If not professional film production, the average photographer will rarely choose this one.
What do you need to know about a battery?
Three factors you should learn about for better choices and use before your purchasing.
1. Voltage is a measurement of both the quantity of distinct cells
The internal cells that make up a battery determine part of the power source’s quality. Generally speaking, the DSLR external battery has more cells when the voltage is higher. This implies that when comparing a 40V to a 20V pack, the former will often have more cells, which means higher accessible power capacity.
2. Lithium-Ion is one of the battery types that is rechargeable, stable, safe, and environment-friendly
It is a well-known kind of video camera external battery that provides a steady supply of energy. The two fundamental advantages of lithium-ion batteries are that they charge rapidly and discharge uniformly whether they have low remaining. Non-lithium kinds start strong but progressively lose strength. When using those older batteries, you could tell yours was almost dead since your tool started to malfunction gradually.
3. Capacity (Amp hours/Ah rating) describes how much charge is kept inside
In general, the more energy is stored the higher the number. Ah ratings have an impact on the tool's performance and runtime. Simply simple, more "fuel" and longer run periods equal more watt-hours. You may require a portable battery source, whose power capacity should be considered carefully to ensure that it is enough given the extensive daily usage of your gadgets.
How large an external outdoor power source do you need?
A battery has many factors. The one determines how good it is and whether it is worth buying is the ability to recharge. What we call capacity is outstandingly vital. Below we will make a v mount battery comparison among the three products of different sizes from the Moman PhotoGears Store, talking about their actual applications.
Table: three Moman V-locks of different sizes and capacity
|
|
Moman Power 70 |
Moman Power 99S |
Moman Power 140 |
|
Price (USD) |
(Not Available) |
$169.00 Regular $199.00 |
(Not Available) |
|
Capacity |
70Wh |
99Wh |
140Wh |
|
Nominal Voltage |
14.4V |
14.8V |
14.4V |
|
Dimension (mm) |
105*79.6*37.3 |
110*75*56 |
105.0*79.6*55.5 |
|
Weight |
417g |
550g |
713g |
|
Carry on plane |
√ |
× |
× |
|
Check with luggage |
√ |
√ |
√ |
From this form, we can see that the size of the capacity also affects the size and weight of the v-lock mount external battery, but they are both considered compact and portable compared to other types and shooting devices. Because of this difference, the price and the regulation of battery on flight will also be different. Let's take a closer look at what applications these three sizes of power are suitable for.
Moman Power 70 for monitors, gimbals, laptops
- Moman Power 70 is suitable for many cameras from Canon, Sony, Panasonic, and other brands. At the same time, it's ideal for powering up external screen monitors, handheld stabilizers, and laptops.
- It's the smallest capacity and lightest of the MP series currently on sale. It's 70wh/4900mAh high-density capacity makes it store 40% more power than those of the same size.
- Even with the addition of accessories like an external camera battery charger for v-mounts, cable, and adapter, MP 70 will not give your device a big burden and can be easily and effortlessly mounted on top of cameras, or any gimbals, tripods, or poles.
Moman Power 99S for Bmpcc, DSLRs, mirrorless, digital cameras
- It enjoys broad compatibility, being the external battery for Blackmagic pocket cinema camera, Canon 70D, Sony A7S3, Sony FX3, and RED Red Komodo such as cameras. Also, it can charge LED lights like COLBOR CL60&CL100. It applies to field photography, studio vlogging, outdoor interviews, and video filming.
- Moman Power 99S of 99Wh has four kinds of output ports, including BP interface, D-tap, USB-A, and Type-C, supporting an output power of up to 190 watts.
- It can be replenished within 3 hours by the PD fast charging. Through the screen display on it, you can see the precise battery status by percentage, and not just the four or five-level indicators.
Moman Power 140 for video lights and pro camcorders
- The Moman Power 140 large v mount camera battery has a capacity of nearly 40Wh more than the 99S, making it more versatile. It’s perfect for lighting for the outdoor video shoot, high-capacity cameras like Canon C300, and professional camcorders for filmmaking and documentary shooting.
- Although its capacity is much larger, it is well controlled in terms of weight and volume and is still lightweight and mini. You can fix it to the standing pole studio light by the v mount battery plate, or use hot shoe mount and rods to build your photography setup.
- Full introduction video for Moman Power 140 v mount battery system
What else to consider when buying a photography power supply?
1. Price: Buy a budget-friendly one with quality assurance
The cost can be the determining factor in your decision to buy it or not. Cheaper portable ones could be more prone to breakage or lack after-sale support. Therefore, if you're going to buy anything to charge your pricey electronics, you might as well think about spending more money on an option that will satisfy you in the long term.
2. Size: It affects the carrying, installation layout, use experience
Although the majority of external camera batteries available today are often compact and easy to carry, you may still take this into account when making your decision. In general, it will be larger the higher the capacity. Some people do not see this to be a problem because purchasing a digital video camera battery is usually done to charge as many devices and times as feasible. However, some people like to opt for compact models that fit neatly in a tiny carry-on case.
3. Interface: Its quantity and type determine the devices you can charge
Naturally, it is advisable to choose an external camera battery with enough ports for the whole number of devices you use if you use numerous devices. You wouldn't benefit from buying an outdoor power supply with less-than-ideal connectors.
4. Safety: The premise of using any device is to ensure safety, especially the battery
Is owning an external battery for Blackmagic production camera truly safe given all the issues with news of exploding batteries? Although explosions are quite rare, it is important to purchase from a reliable and renowned charging solution supplier. Exploding ones are very uncommon since they provide sturdy batteries with safety mechanisms incorporated into them to prevent overcharging and overheating.
