What power supply can the digital camera GH5 use? Battery for GH5 can be divided into three types, including the original ones made by Panasonic, the external power source like v-mount batteries and grips, and the third-party ones from other brands. This blog will be categorized into these three parts, introducing their pros and cons, and talking about how to choose among these options.
- Original battery for GH5 4k digital cameras
- External power solution: V-mount power and battery grip for GH5 setup
- GH5 third-party battery pack
- Conclusion: Which is better, the original type, the external power, or 3rd party battery?
Original battery for GH5 4k digital cameras
Panasonic LUMIX GH5 uses the DMW-BLF19 for charging. With this 1860mAh 7.2V rechargeable lithium-ion power pack, you can also power your LUMIX GH3, GH4, GH5S, and G9 digital cameras, and use them to take hundreds of pictures on a single charge. DMW-BLF19 was created exclusively for the GH5 and a few other Panasonic cameras and might not be compatible with any other electrical products. The GH6 can utilize it, although there are certain limitations to the battery supply. DMW-BLK22, the Panasonic GH5 II battery, is officially used by GH6, as does the S5.
Why do so many people choose the expensive official kind?
- Warranty: The official warranty of the camera is available in case of battery-related failures.
- Capability: The official kind has the sufficient and suitable capacity to support more than two hours of photographic work, and it has a low self-discharge rate that allows it to maintain its charge even when not in use.
- Safety: The pack does have the required capacity to ensure that the use process is safe and stable, following the safety guidelines for lithium-ion batteries, and can be charged effectively with a standard Panasonic GH5 battery charger.
- Others: The power supply unit does not trigger any warning messages on the camera as some third parties do.
External power solutio: v-mount battery and battery grip for GH5 setup
You can charge the GH5 camera with a powerful external battery through the USB Type-C charging port, or via the D-tap/P-tap slot. Here we introduce two types of external power solutions for your gears: V-mount battery and battery grip.
What are v-lock mount external battery and battery grip?
- V-lock battery for GH5: It’s a considerable choice for those who are often used for a full day of shooting or have multiple devices in one rig. They possess three characteristics, one is featuring a convenient v-lock design for flexible mounting and quick release, second is the high capacity of up to 100Wh, 150Wh, and even 200+Wh for high-power studio equipment, third is that v mount battery for GH5S is heavy yet compact and portable size comparing to others of the same capability.
- Battery grip: It is a camera attachment that enables it to carry extra power to increase the camera's operating time. This new accessory does give the GH5 suchlike SLR, DSLR, mirrorless, and BMPCC cameras a much more solid appearance for individuals who are hesitant to use a portable device at a job site. The improved power performance is surely the most important component.
How do you choose between the two types?
If your camera setup is simple, it might initially seem like a better investment than the grip. If you have a large photography setup, then a GH5 v mount battery is more appropriate.
- Specification table of four v-mount camera batteries for GH5 at Moman
|
|
Power 70 |
Power 99 |
Power 140 |
Power 420 |
|
Price(USD) |
(Not Available) |
$119.00 Regular price$149.00 |
(Not Available) |
(Not Available) |
|
Capacity |
70Wh |
99Wh |
140Wh |
420Wh |
|
Output ports |
D-tap*1, BP*1, Type-C*1, USB-A*1 |
D-tap*2, BP*1, USB-A*1 |
D-tap*1, BP*1, Type-C*1, USB-A*1 |
D-tap*2 |
|
Total Output |
100W, 8A |
200W, 15A |
150W, 12A |
250W, 20A |
|
Dimension(mm) |
105*79.6*37.3 |
73*49*100 |
105.0*79.6*55.5 |
100*154*80 |
|
Weight |
417g |
530g |
713g |
2071g |
A premium grip can cost you about 300 dollars, and a large-capacity v-lock external battery, like the Moman Power 70 with 70Wh, and the most powerful one Moman Power 420 with 420Wh capacity, they are far more powerful than the grip even it is the Panasonic GH6 battery grip in terms of capacity and several outputs, while the price difference is not far. But to support the mounting rods and plates, you will then need to add more camera rigging.
Also, a v-mount camera battery will unavoidably expand the overall size of a camera that you may have chosen because of its small size. So, if you have many accessories yourself at the beginning or propose to build one, it is the perfect one for you in this case. For a lightweight and portable kit, you can choose a thin and small type like the Moman Power 70 weighing 417g. For simultaneous charging of multiple devices, you can choose the larger capacity Power 99 or Moman Power 140.
How to power GH5 with external battery？
When you use an external power source for charging, you don't have to take out the original internal one, just connect it directly, or through the charging cable. When you use v-mount batteries, you can purchase a D-tap to dummy battery cable like the Moman DF550, which is budget and practical. And when using an ergonomic battery grip like the Panasonic LUMIX DMW-BGGH5 for vertical shooting, you can simply attach it to the bottom of the camera via the bottom connector. Then the two will be connected via pins and start charging.
GH5 third-party battery pack
The original DMW-BLF19 pack is quite an expensive Panasonic GH5 battery type. The market is now open for third-party providers to provide completely compatible power packs at substantially cheaper rates thanks to this premium pricing approach. The cost of the real pack can be reduced by up to 70% by using generic replacement batteries. The major internet marketplaces provide a wide selection of reasonably cost DMW-BLF19 replacements from various suppliers.
Is it cheaper & better, or having a shorter life & safety issues?
- Pros:
- Cons:
The generic battery pack market fluctuates quite a bit, with new trade names appearing often while others go out of business. In any case, it appears from the current comparisons that the less expensive generic replacement battery packs perform worse than slightly more expensive ones in terms of achieving their rated capacity, maintaining their charge over time, or allowing for a large number of charge-discharge cycles.
Advices on using a third party battery for your GH5 camera
- In one word, it is safer to consider OEM (original equipment manufacturer) battery for GH5 if you have a sufficient budget, it is also more convenient and reliable. Third-party batteries have a small capacity and need to be replaced frequently, so see if this is a pain point for you.
- Buy one or two third-party batteries first to do some research and make sure they can accurately display the status level on the camera without errors popping up.
- Use a mix of the original ones from Panasonic and third party batteries in your GH4 external battery system, or GH5, GH6. Make sure you have the official one as a backup.
Conclusion: Which is better, the original type, the external power, or the 3rd party battery?
Many people will compare the official one and 3rd party, they have their advantages and disadvantages, one is too expensive, and the other is not reassuring enough. Why not think outside of the box and consider GH5 external batteries like grips and v-lock? Whatever the case, choose based on your needs and budget!
- Further reading: How to charge a camera battery?
