Great video, Caleb. Couple notes for people who want to go further: -Batteries of this type range from 14.4V to 14.8V. This shouldn't present problems for most usages, but something to keep in mind when purchasing. -Watts is amps multiplied by volts (P=A*V) So, if the information isn't listed you can tell the wattage by multiplying the current by the voltage. -This is why the larger cells also scale their current, because if the voltage is constant at 14.8, then a 95 watt battery will have around 6 amps (95/14.8), and the 160 watt battery will have ~10 amps (160/14.8), etc.
It's 'worse': A fully charged V-lock battery goes up to 16,8 Volt (4,2 Volt, the full-state-of-charge of 1 lithium-cell, times 4 in series) and fully depleted their voltage goes down to about 12,8 Volt, but especially the 'fully-depleted' level slightly varies with the manufacturer ánd cell-age/condition. The difference in voltage should not pose ANY problem for equipment. Equipment that can't handle anything between 12 and 17 Volts, is not designed to be powered by a V-lock battery.
weeardguy and in that case; probably isn’t video gear that’s anywhere near “professional” :o Or am I mistaken on this? E.g; follow focus System, Monitor, TX, camera, etc
@@shadi5885 To be honest, I don't know for sure. The Blackmagic Video Assist for example, only takes a 12 Volt input for external power, where I would have found anything between 8 to 17 Volts more logical (8 Volts as these monitors are powered by the most shittiest choice of batteries, the Canon LP-E6, 17 Volts for the upper limit explained before). But I can't exactly consider Blackmagic Video Assist's 'not professional' equipment. It could very well be a space issue: a converter that can handle a bigger difference of voltage on its input, usually needs more components to make sure it's stable under both a low input-voltage condition as well as a high input voltage one. I'm close to re-celling my own V-lock batteries (which involves resetting the Battery Management System IC by computer as well) and after reading about the battery management IC used in my batteries (which have gone below the critical discharge level and thus have been flagged 'permanent failure' by this IC, which prevents charging and discharging forever until one recells them and resets the IC), I ever more get the feeling that the '90 Wh thingy' is mostly a software related issue, as the management IC is so sophisticated: it knows exactly how much energy was pumped into the cells and also knows extremely precise how much energy was used during a total discharge cycle. As you have to tell the device the chemistry of the cells and even the maximum current, it makes it easy to just program the device different: tell the IC the cells are completely drained after using (let's say) 1,5 amp for an hour, while in reality, your cells have a 3 Amp-hour rating. It's not bad they combine four cells to distribute the current, but I get the feeling part of the power rating is most likely down to software and not actual 'better cells'. It would make manufacturing the batteries more expensive as they would have to stock different cells. It also shows why my standard V-locks have a maximum discharge current of 4 Amps while a few of my other ones, so called 'hi-discharge' types, feature a 6,6 Amp discharge rating...
@Gerald Undone, So if I want to connect a camera light, a camera, a monitor, maybe a teleprompter etc. to one battery, I should add up of each device the ampere usage, and the sum total should not exceed the amperes indicated on the battery? I wonder why devices and batteries always indicate voltage, if voltage is only used to deduct wattage (and thus battery life). Why not indicate wattage straight away instead?
@@andrekloer You are right about the total sum of current. For safety, I would hold a 25% safety margin on the total current. Not because it can damage the battery, but because the battery management system can be extremely tightly controlled: just ten milli-amps over the programmed limit, and the BMS cuts off supply to your gear. As most equipment works with some kind of converters inside (which use capacitors to smooth both in- and outcoming supply) the inrush current produced by these capacitors could push the BMS to its limit, while in total your total sum does not exceed the limit. Beware that gear could start to draw MORE current as battery voltage DROPS. The converters inside equipment (switchmode power supplies) just work this way. If a manufacturer is clever, he will state the worst possible current-draw, but if it only states current at the nominal voltage, the current will increase. The better battery brands do indicate a Wh-rating. 95 Wh is a pretty standard rating that quite a few airlines still allow in your carry-on. Everything above is usually a no-go: taking batteries in check-in luggage is usually prohibited unless you use the fire- and explosion proof cases (which are very expensive). The voltage is there to give some indication whether your battery is compatible with certain equipment. As a lithium-ion cell is at its nominal voltage at 3,6 to 3,7 Volt and 4 of them in series make 14,4 to 14,8 Volt, this is the standard voltage stated on the battery. But there are different types of cells. Usually, cells that can take some abuse (like, discharging them at twice their nominal current) have a slightly lower current capacity, while cells that are used in laptops (and most likely will never see a discharge-rate beyond their nominal current) have a higher capacity. But exchanging the cells from, let's say, a laptop battery to a pack for a battery powered drill will most likely result in direct failure of the laptop cells, as those are just not equipped to handle the stall currents of such devices that can easily go up to 30 Amps.
I'm just starting out on film-making [in my late 60s!!] Your videos have helped [and continue to help] me tremendously. You always explain things clearly and concisely and cover the stuff a new film-maker wants [and needs] to know. You have helped me find the right gear, avoid expensive mistakes, and learn the mechanics and art of film-making. Caleb, you are amazing! Thank you
I wish this video existed 3 years ago. I figured it all out on my own eventually, but not before I'd spend money on stuff that didn't work. For example, I destroyed some large NP-F batteries while trying to power an Aputure 120T via a NPF > V mount adapter. For the benefit of those who don't know, you will be able to run the 120d/t to about 75% brightness, but go beyond that and the NPFs will die immediately. And in my case they were unrecoverable. V mount batteries are a pain to carry around, but you definitely need them to power powerful lights like the bigger COB lights. I wish I started out powering everything off V mount, then the problem of multiple batteries and battery charges is gone. Great information in this video that every serious newbee should know sooner rather than later. Thanks Caleb.
But can you power up a camera like that? I'm just researching for npf to v-mount plates to power my pocket 4k. I just saw a couple of rigs where the camera got the juice from the v-mount adapter's d-tap. So it should work, right? thanks!
I cannot get over how GOOD this video is ! ... wow..... So hang on, instead of buy one one of these really overpriced USB charger things on Amazon to charge your iPhone etc, you could buy one of these huge batteries, with an adapter and have something that is 10x more powerful.... who knew ! So many possibilities. I need to watch this again to have it all sink in. Great video !
@Evan Jones Yes, but there are huge differences. Most V-lock batteries have extensive safety-features inside and have a VERY accurate indication of their remaining charge. They will protect themselves against undervoltage, damaged cells, dangerous undervoltage (this usually means end of story: the BMS inside the battery will protect it FOREVER against charging and discharging) overcharging and such. Those cheap jump-starter things... I would not trust their short-circuit capabilities and certainly also not the rest of the safety-features. And no, those batteries in jump-starter thingies are NOT the same batteries. Those are Lithium polymer flat-pack batteries. Those usually do not have ANY trouble supplying tenths of amps when shorted, while good quality 18650 Li-ion cells are limited anywhere between 600 mA to about 12 Amps of discharge current in short-circuit mode (that's just down to the way the cells are made) Pair that with the limitation set by the BMS (most batteries have cells that can supply more current than the pack can deliver) and you're talking about totally different quality.
It's uncanny how often you post a video at just the right time! Was literally learning about V-Mounts this morning and having trouble finding clear answers. You answered everything and then some. AS ALWAYS!! Thanks Caleb.
The thing I like about you, and im sure you've heard this before, but you get right to the point and you're very wise in your craft. I've just switched from the canon 80D to the GH5S and I kinda went nuts and bought a bunch of accessories and a rig and the whole shabang. Thanks for all the information you spread on here and i'm pretty sure i'll be purchasing your tutorial on the GH5S. Cheers.
Awesome. I've stayed away from v mount batteries due to the high cost. So i didnt even bother learning about them Now i know there are affordable options. Thanks so much. Ry from Dubai
Looks like you raided my gear closet for this one :-) One note worth mentioning, if you have a rail mounted system with a V-mount powering multiple devices, it makes for a super-quick setup (assuming you can put it away mostly or fully assembled). Another important note, you should have a multi-meter to test the output voltage and polarity of any ports coming off the battery adapters. I've fried a panel LED when I fed it 16v from the battery tap that was supposed to be 12v.
To elaborate further about TSA restrictions, you can carry as many batteries under 98Wh as CARRY-ON, but CANNOT put them into CHECKED baggage. However, ...." with airline approval, devices can contain larger lithium ion batteries (101-160 watt hours per battery), but spares of this size are limited to two batteries in CARRY-ON baggage only. This size covers the largest aftermarket extended life laptop batteries and most lithium ion batteries for professional-grade audio/visual equipment."
Oh bro! Thank you SO MUCH for making this video. I was getting so frustrated because I'm using V-lock batteries for the first time with a Blackmagic URSA and have NO idea how they work. Thanks for making it super simple. Rock on, bro!
I went with the dual NP-F to V-Mount adapter since I had a few other things running from them already. Simplified charging and swapping batteries. Ddual NP-F970s easily power my large 880 led main light - just make sure if you're using the larger devices to use 970s or something in that range. 550s overheated due to the current draw quite quickly (the larger the NP-F, the more cells are in parallel to increase max current).
D and O Lighting is awesome. Their customer service is great too. I ordered the v mount 190 batteries and the dual charging station. Its back ordered though. So. I’ll have to wait a bit before I get mine. Just a heads up. Don’t buy the kit they sell. If you break up the order and just buy two batteries and the charging unit separately you’ll have more money. Just a tip. 🙂
Caleb, what can you tell me about this... The Godox VL150, for example, says the DC Input is 16.8 VDC at 10A, yet can be run on a 14.8V v-mount battery. How can the light require a higher voltage than the batteries supply but still run just fine?
I don't know the definitive answer to your question, but my guess would be that it is like with SD-cards. Working with less writing speed than is officially recommended might work, but not in extreme conditions. I used to work with an Aputure 120dII and sometimes it would just go out running on a V-Mount Battery. My guess after this video is that it didn't meet the qualifications and worked somehow, but not reliably.
V-mount batteries usually supply anything between 12 Volts (completely depleted, not every battery can take this) and 16,8 Volt (fully charged). 14,4-14,8 Volt is the nominal open-clamp cell voltage of a lithium cell (3,6 to 3,7 Volt) x 4 (as there are 4 cells in series) 16,8 Volt as stated on the light is the max voltage rating (in reality, it's probably even higher, as designing equipment with such a tight tolerance is usually not a good idea) but consider it a maximum one better not surpasses.
Father Bless me, for I have committed the Sin of charging my phone for a THOUSAND years! Excellent video Caleb, loving it, right in time for me to get some V mount batteries.
This was really helpful. I’ve been using dual NP-F batteries with a v mount adapter to power my lights (Dracast 500s) because it seemed like v mounts were really expensive. But less than $100 for a good v mount battery is pretty reasonable. And it’s probably more durable than NP-Fs
Awesome review man! Very detailed info on V-Mounts. I love D&O’s gear, I’ve got tons of the batteries! I’m looking forward to your review of the LED light.
I appreciate this video so much! I recently purchased a Godox vl 300 and was confused as to which batteries I should buy for it. Now I know what to look for! Thanks!
Hello Shooter from the past. I’m from the future! I wanted to ask you if you could make a more recent video about this topic? It was an amazing information and I stayed wanting for more!! Like what kind of cable are used for this? Can I leave the original batteries in the camera and monitor for example for “extra” power? So that this V mount battery charge the original batteries on the equipment? An example of how calculate how much the battery would last feeding all that setup you got there in the tripod would have been nice too! Thanks!!
It's worth mentioning for V-mount battery chargers that the cheaper ones that accept several batteries will only charge them one at a time. And they can take a while. Also, how are you finding the Fotga plate? I found out that the UPS is basically a lie and regretted not shelling out a bit more for the Lanparte plate which has more outputs.
Caleb HELP! I'm trying to hook up a vmount battery to my Panasonic UX90. I can't find a cable that connects Dtap to 12v eiaj-04 on my camcorder. Both the dtap 2.1mm and 5.5x2.5mm 12V and 5.5x2.5mm 12V connectors I found on amazon are not compatible.
Great video! was wondering if the v-mount plate acted as a protection for electrical issues while connecting multiple devices together on the same battery. It seems if not you would have to connect power, then hdmi to avoid problems
Hi I am a regular viewer of your channel and I do take your views as real ones. I recently viewed your reviews about V-Mount batteries and I am excited about it. After viewing your reviews I bought one Smallrig V mount battery adapter plate and I am planning to use it for my rig. I am using a Sony A7C camera with a Atamos Ninja V monitor. After buying the Smallrig V mount, I realize that I need a dummy battery and a power code for the Ninja V. There are a bunch of Dummy batteries available in Amazon. But afraid to buy and use. Then I went through your channel in search for a review about Dummy Battery. But I couldn't find one. If we buy some cheap dummy battery and use it, there are chances that it may fire the camera itself. In this regard, I need a genuine review about dummy battery and cables and your honest suggestions. It will help lots of people like me in finding a proper Dummy battery and cables. Kind regards
What if the battery doesn’t have amps listed? I bought a couple of V mount batteries to power an Aputure 120d II. I can only turn the light up to 93% or so before it trips a circuit (or whatever the correct term is). I can run on the battery for an hour at 90%, though. I grabbed the battery to check the amps and it’s not specified. The specs on the battery are 14.8V, 177Wh, and 12000mAh. There is no amps designation. And this is an awesome video. I already watched it twice because this was exactly the tutorial I needed.
Thanks for this video. Now I understand how v-mount batteries work and how to use them. Plus, now I know that I actually NEED to buy a v-mount battery.
Hey Caleb, I have a CAME-TV 99 Wh, 14.4 v-mount battery that I am planning to use with my Sony A7IV. I have powered it up and everything seems to work fine. The battery has two D-tap connections and one USB-C. I want to power my Zoom H8 with this as well as there are no electric outlets near me where I record church services and one camera battery will not record the entire service in 4K, which is what the church wants. How can I power the Zoom H8 with this CAME-TV battery? Thanks for all your hard work. This video was very informative, even four years later.
Great explanation of v-mount batteries! Very new to this field. I have one light, the UL 150. Will use for remote work(away from corded power source). Will also be flying(airplane). What battery is rated for airlines, yet also powerful enough for one UL 150? Should I get two lower-wattage batteries, or just one higher-wattage battery?
Thanks for the video! Just a heads up, some of your links are Anton Bauer Gold Mount, while others are V-Mount. Some less-experienced viewers might not know to double-check this incompatibility.
I have a V mount rig for my GH4 camera, Feelworld Monitor, on cam light, etc. I love it except for the fact my GH4 dummy battery on the 7.2V rail of the Battery Plate throws an error and the camera shuts down. Plenty of juice there when checked with a multi-meter so I’m stuck using stock batteries for the camera still.
7,2 Volt is rather low for external supply. A fully charged lithium battery puts out 8,4 Volts. Most of the times, converters in the camera will lower the voltage even further (with 3,3 Volt and 5 Volt being the most obvious), but as available voltage drops, the in-camera converters will draw more current to keep their output up. If the 14,8 Volt to 7,2 Volt converter inside the batteryplate can not supply enough current, it's end of story. Digital camera's are notorious for drawing high peak currents. Batteries supply them without any problem, but converters need to be up to the job. Both in maximum available current and in peak-current (and then they have to be able to act fast enough when peak-current is drawn). At 7,2 Volt, I think maximum supply-current should be around 2,5 Amps. Don't get me wrong, there are good plates out there, but I doubt it can deliver such currents on the 7,2 Volt output...
To add to this story (as I now know what my GH5 does current and voltage-wise): 7,2 Volt will just make the camera shut down. Somewhere at 7,6 Volt or so, it will stay alive (tested with a 3 Amp- capable lab power supply). Peak currents when taking a picture are short but high: the meter on the power supply isn't quick enough, but probably would exceed the maximum range if it could react fast enough. Setting it to videomode at that voltage, it just shuts down and tries to reboot again, drawing significant peak-currents up to 2,5 Amps.
Can you tell me what your main light is modified? The light looks really nice and soft. Is it behind a diffuser or a soft box of some kind? Thank you! And this video was EXTREMELY helpful and educational. Huge help.
Quit would ya. I can't afford to watch anymore of your videos.. I'm well beyond what I need and into the wants.. J/K Caleb. Great info and your reviews/presentations are always top notch. God bless you sir and keep em coming.
Does the dtap to usb adapter need another step down adapter to make tiny usb lights work or you can just plug any usb device in & rock on? 2nd, can I convert my 220v AC powered bulb+softbox light that plus into the wall to V-mount battery powered lights if yes, how? lastly, since v batteries output 14v, do I need to step it down with an adapter to power a 20v DC ledlight? you know the usual ones with that round barrel plug that goes into the back of the led panel. Any detailed answer will be appreciated, thanks
Just so you know the Movo you posted is supposedly garbage and many complain that most V mount batteries do not fit on it. Alos the D-tap look input on it is not D-tap nor P-tap and nobody knows what it is for. And the Fotga does not loo to have any D-tap inputs at all...? That basically looks like the Soonwell is the only proper one but looks really plasticky? Have you tried the Indipro tools one by any chance? Looks closer to a better product but they do not ship overseas.
I'm not trying to split hairs or anything but this channel is called DSLR video shooter and they haven't talked about a DSLR since I started subscribing
I purchased the 190s directly from D&O. 1 of the 2 was DOA and will not take a charge. For 2 weeks I’ve got no response from emails to customer service and no answer of response from calling the provided number. It sucks to throw money away. Now I’ve got to spend more money on a different brand so I can power my 300d.
Just to make sure I do the thing right , so you can plug all these devices to D-tap splitter connected to the battery, it won’t harm any of the deceives even if they don’t need the same voltage?
hey Caleb. You have the talent to explain things really specifically and to the point, without wasting time. Thank you for sharing. One question: is it save to use higher voltage charger/battery to charge a phone, or camera. I am confused between wattage, voltage, amperage. Also I'm in Germany. Here the sockets are 230-240V in the US, I guess they are 110V. So it is really important either to use a converter while traveling OR buying from other parts of the world. I was just concerned, if I get a V-mount battery, can I use it to charge camera from USB port, and also gimbal and other stuff. Do I need to be concerened volts and ampere? OR just make sure that the battery is at least capable of providing at least the minimum AMPs required to run for a decice. After watching your other video about DSTE NP-F750 batteries, which you told and I checked, really are purchasable for €34 (2 batteries-each having capacity of 5000 mAh, means 10k mAh for €34). These V-Mount batteries; i don't know, they just don't look feasible, cost wise, 6600 mAh. And one 6600 mAh V-mount cost around €125 here. I guess the only reason to use V-mount is that it can supply power to other devices as well while the DSTE cannot. Is it right, or is there a way we can use of DSTE batteries in order to supply power no just to the camera with dummy battery, but also to charge a phone, etc? Thanks very much. You are doing an amazing Job! Kind regards,
Thank you for the great video 📹 If battery plate out put of single 7.2V, can it be made dual and can be used of in 2 ways? For camera and small led light or monitor 🤔 Who sells the cable
I came here hoping to find out what charger to use because the title says "EVERYTHING" you need to know about V-mount batteries. Unfortunately, the brick charger was not covered with much detail other than to say you can get one for about $50. What are the specifications for a brick charger that will work on a 14.8 v-mount battery? Output voltage? Why not include a link for that? It seems you provided a link for everything else. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.
Price / capacity V-mounts are actually not that much more. Sure, smaller batteries are cheaper ... because they are smaller. But keep in mind that it is not like you buy a small empty bucket vs a big empty bucket. Batteries are pieces of technology.
While V-mounts are expensive, they are not that much more expensive than comparable options. I can power my entire rig (camera, monitor, MixPre) from a single battery for half a day - sometimes even a full day, and that battery cost me less than $200. To power all these things with NPF's would have taken at least 10-12 batteries - at a cost of $20 each - for a total of $200-$220... Difference is, I don't have to carry around 12 batteries... Same cost, same running time, 1 battery vs. 12... You do the math.
Hi Caleb. Just so everyone knows the SOONWELL V Lock Mounting Plate Power Supply Splitter with 15mm Rod Clamp LP-E6 Battery Adapter DC Coupler for Camera you post a link to does not work with a Panasonic GH4. I bought one and had to return it. Thanks for your post on batteries.
Here is another crazy idea. I know you're a bit of DIY guy. I have a battery for my e-bike. It is a 500wh beast. Lots of people have e-bikes with huge batteries. Could these batteries be adapted to run cameras or lights? Interesting!
I am attempting to build a v-mount battery charging box on the cheap, with the v-mount d-tap cables from each supplier plugged into a 10 plug surge protector so that they can all charge at the same time, each battery supplies 14.8V with a capacity of 95wh. Each battery pulls 10 amps according to the manufracturers site. Would this work? As I don't want to blow the regular household 110 outlet or burn a fuse. Please let me know.
Great video, Caleb.
Couple notes for people who want to go further:
-Batteries of this type range from 14.4V to 14.8V. This shouldn't present problems for most usages, but something to keep in mind when purchasing.
-Watts is amps multiplied by volts (P=A*V) So, if the information isn't listed you can tell the wattage by multiplying the current by the voltage.
-This is why the larger cells also scale their current, because if the voltage is constant at 14.8, then a 95 watt battery will have around 6 amps (95/14.8), and the 160 watt battery will have ~10 amps (160/14.8), etc.
It's 'worse': A fully charged V-lock battery goes up to 16,8 Volt (4,2 Volt, the full-state-of-charge of 1 lithium-cell, times 4 in series) and fully depleted their voltage goes down to about 12,8 Volt, but especially the 'fully-depleted' level slightly varies with the manufacturer ánd cell-age/condition.
The difference in voltage should not pose ANY problem for equipment. Equipment that can't handle anything between 12 and 17 Volts, is not designed to be powered by a V-lock battery.
weeardguy and in that case; probably isn’t video gear that’s anywhere near “professional” :o
Or am I mistaken on this?
E.g; follow focus System, Monitor, TX, camera, etc
@@shadi5885 To be honest, I don't know for sure. The Blackmagic Video Assist for example, only takes a 12 Volt input for external power, where I would have found anything between 8 to 17 Volts more logical (8 Volts as these monitors are powered by the most shittiest choice of batteries, the Canon LP-E6, 17 Volts for the upper limit explained before).
But I can't exactly consider Blackmagic Video Assist's 'not professional' equipment. It could very well be a space issue: a converter that can handle a bigger difference of voltage on its input, usually needs more components to make sure it's stable under both a low input-voltage condition as well as a high input voltage one.
I'm close to re-celling my own V-lock batteries (which involves resetting the Battery Management System IC by computer as well) and after reading about the battery management IC used in my batteries (which have gone below the critical discharge level and thus have been flagged 'permanent failure' by this IC, which prevents charging and discharging forever until one recells them and resets the IC), I ever more get the feeling that the '90 Wh thingy' is mostly a software related issue, as the management IC is so sophisticated: it knows exactly how much energy was pumped into the cells and also knows extremely precise how much energy was used during a total discharge cycle. As you have to tell the device the chemistry of the cells and even the maximum current, it makes it easy to just program the device different: tell the IC the cells are completely drained after using (let's say) 1,5 amp for an hour, while in reality, your cells have a 3 Amp-hour rating.
It's not bad they combine four cells to distribute the current, but I get the feeling part of the power rating is most likely down to software and not actual 'better cells'. It would make manufacturing the batteries more expensive as they would have to stock different cells.
It also shows why my standard V-locks have a maximum discharge current of 4 Amps while a few of my other ones, so called 'hi-discharge' types, feature a 6,6 Amp discharge rating...
@Gerald Undone, So if I want to connect a camera light, a camera, a monitor, maybe a teleprompter etc. to one battery, I should add up of each device the ampere usage, and the sum total should not exceed the amperes indicated on the battery?
I wonder why devices and batteries always indicate voltage, if voltage is only used to deduct wattage (and thus battery life). Why not indicate wattage straight away instead?
@@andrekloer You are right about the total sum of current. For safety, I would hold a 25% safety margin on the total current. Not because it can damage the battery, but because the battery management system can be extremely tightly controlled: just ten milli-amps over the programmed limit, and the BMS cuts off supply to your gear.
As most equipment works with some kind of converters inside (which use capacitors to smooth both in- and outcoming supply) the inrush current produced by these capacitors could push the BMS to its limit, while in total your total sum does not exceed the limit.
Beware that gear could start to draw MORE current as battery voltage DROPS. The converters inside equipment (switchmode power supplies) just work this way. If a manufacturer is clever, he will state the worst possible current-draw, but if it only states current at the nominal voltage, the current will increase.
The better battery brands do indicate a Wh-rating. 95 Wh is a pretty standard rating that quite a few airlines still allow in your carry-on. Everything above is usually a no-go: taking batteries in check-in luggage is usually prohibited unless you use the fire- and explosion proof cases (which are very expensive).
The voltage is there to give some indication whether your battery is compatible with certain equipment. As a lithium-ion cell is at its nominal voltage at 3,6 to 3,7 Volt and 4 of them in series make 14,4 to 14,8 Volt, this is the standard voltage stated on the battery.
But there are different types of cells. Usually, cells that can take some abuse (like, discharging them at twice their nominal current) have a slightly lower current capacity, while cells that are used in laptops (and most likely will never see a discharge-rate beyond their nominal current) have a higher capacity. But exchanging the cells from, let's say, a laptop battery to a pack for a battery powered drill will most likely result in direct failure of the laptop cells, as those are just not equipped to handle the stall currents of such devices that can easily go up to 30 Amps.
I'm just starting out on film-making [in my late 60s!!] Your videos have helped [and continue to help] me tremendously. You always explain things clearly and concisely and cover the stuff a new film-maker wants [and needs] to know. You have helped me find the right gear, avoid expensive mistakes, and learn the mechanics and art of film-making.
Caleb, you are amazing! Thank you
Thank you so much for the support!
I wish this video existed 3 years ago. I figured it all out on my own eventually, but not before I'd spend money on stuff that didn't work.
For example, I destroyed some large NP-F batteries while trying to power an Aputure 120T via a NPF > V mount adapter.
For the benefit of those who don't know, you will be able to run the 120d/t to about 75% brightness, but go beyond that and the NPFs will die immediately. And in my case they were unrecoverable.
V mount batteries are a pain to carry around, but you definitely need them to power powerful lights like the bigger COB lights.
I wish I started out powering everything off V mount, then the problem of multiple batteries and battery charges is gone.
Great information in this video that every serious newbee should know sooner rather than later.
Thanks Caleb.
Oh wow! Yeah I wouldn't recommend powering a light like that off NP-F batteries. Could cause a fire if you're not careful with current!
Just getting a 120d mk2. Was thinking of getting a V plate to use some of my high power Sony NP-F batteries. Will they work for a while? 5 minutes?
But can you power up a camera like that? I'm just researching for npf to v-mount plates to power my pocket 4k. I just saw a couple of rigs where the camera got the juice from the v-mount adapter's d-tap. So it should work, right? thanks!
I cannot get over how GOOD this video is ! ... wow..... So hang on, instead of buy one one of these really overpriced USB charger things on Amazon to charge your iPhone etc, you could buy one of these huge batteries, with an adapter and have something that is 10x more powerful.... who knew ! So many possibilities. I need to watch this again to have it all sink in. Great video !
@Evan Jones Yes, but there are huge differences. Most V-lock batteries have extensive safety-features inside and have a VERY accurate indication of their remaining charge. They will protect themselves against undervoltage, damaged cells, dangerous undervoltage (this usually means end of story: the BMS inside the battery will protect it FOREVER against charging and discharging) overcharging and such.
Those cheap jump-starter things... I would not trust their short-circuit capabilities and certainly also not the rest of the safety-features.
And no, those batteries in jump-starter thingies are NOT the same batteries. Those are Lithium polymer flat-pack batteries. Those usually do not have ANY trouble supplying tenths of amps when shorted, while good quality 18650 Li-ion cells are limited anywhere between 600 mA to about 12 Amps of discharge current in short-circuit mode (that's just down to the way the cells are made)
Pair that with the limitation set by the BMS (most batteries have cells that can supply more current than the pack can deliver) and you're talking about totally different quality.
It's uncanny how often you post a video at just the right time! Was literally learning about V-Mounts this morning and having trouble finding clear answers. You answered everything and then some. AS ALWAYS!! Thanks Caleb.
Haha! Happy to be of service Ryan!
I'm in the same boat, this was perfectly timed for me, does he have a spy bot out there tracking us?
Seriously, me too! Perfect timing Caleb 💯
Right!? I was just doing research yesterday. I think Caleb is working with Google and can see all my web searches and amazon browsing history haha!
Same with me. I was researching vmount for a black magic pocket cinema 4K
The thing I like about you, and im sure you've heard this before, but you get right to the point and you're very wise in your craft. I've just switched from the canon 80D to the GH5S and I kinda went nuts and bought a bunch of accessories and a rig and the whole shabang. Thanks for all the information you spread on here and i'm pretty sure i'll be purchasing your tutorial on the GH5S. Cheers.
Good timing! Just digging into V-Mount for my Ursa Mini Pro
Awesome. I've stayed away from v mount batteries due to the high cost. So i didnt even bother learning about them Now i know there are affordable options. Thanks so much. Ry from Dubai
Very thorough video for those of us that are still closer to novice than expert.
Thank you
Looks like you raided my gear closet for this one :-) One note worth mentioning, if you have a rail mounted system with a V-mount powering multiple devices, it makes for a super-quick setup (assuming you can put it away mostly or fully assembled). Another important note, you should have a multi-meter to test the output voltage and polarity of any ports coming off the battery adapters. I've fried a panel LED when I fed it 16v from the battery tap that was supposed to be 12v.
To elaborate further about TSA restrictions, you can carry as many batteries under 98Wh as CARRY-ON, but CANNOT put them into CHECKED baggage.
However, ...." with airline approval, devices can contain larger lithium ion batteries (101-160 watt hours per battery), but spares of this size are limited to two batteries in CARRY-ON baggage only. This size covers the largest aftermarket extended life laptop batteries and most lithium ion batteries for professional-grade audio/visual equipment."
thomaskazuya I thought you could have these batteries of some size in checked baggage as long as they are installed in a device.
Oh bro! Thank you SO MUCH for making this video. I was getting so frustrated because I'm using V-lock batteries for the first time with a Blackmagic URSA and have NO idea how they work. Thanks for making it super simple. Rock on, bro!
I went with the dual NP-F to V-Mount adapter since I had a few other things running from them already. Simplified charging and swapping batteries. Ddual NP-F970s easily power my large 880 led main light - just make sure if you're using the larger devices to use 970s or something in that range. 550s overheated due to the current draw quite quickly (the larger the NP-F, the more cells are in parallel to increase max current).
And now you have your own v mount batteries
Congrats man!
D and O Lighting is awesome. Their customer service is great too. I ordered the v mount 190 batteries and the dual charging station. Its back ordered though. So. I’ll have to wait a bit before I get mine. Just a heads up. Don’t buy the kit they sell. If you break up the order and just buy two batteries and the charging unit separately you’ll have more money. Just a tip. 🙂
SO useful! I feel like I've been ignorant of this for far too long. Especially for someone who's been working with V-mounts for almost 5 years
Caleb, what can you tell me about this...
The Godox VL150, for example, says the DC Input is 16.8 VDC at 10A, yet can be run on a 14.8V v-mount battery. How can the light require a higher voltage than the batteries supply but still run just fine?
I don't know the definitive answer to your question, but my guess would be that it is like with SD-cards. Working with less writing speed than is officially recommended might work, but not in extreme conditions. I used to work with an Aputure 120dII and sometimes it would just go out running on a V-Mount Battery. My guess after this video is that it didn't meet the qualifications and worked somehow, but not reliably.
V-mount batteries usually supply anything between 12 Volts (completely depleted, not every battery can take this) and 16,8 Volt (fully charged).
14,4-14,8 Volt is the nominal open-clamp cell voltage of a lithium cell (3,6 to 3,7 Volt) x 4 (as there are 4 cells in series)
16,8 Volt as stated on the light is the max voltage rating (in reality, it's probably even higher, as designing equipment with such a tight tolerance is usually not a good idea) but consider it a maximum one better not surpasses.
@@weeardguy Excellent info, thanks for sharing.
@@NewLayer You're welcome ;)
This is super handy! Just getting into V mount batteries now as I'm slowing building out the camera rig to incorporate more things.
Father Bless me, for I have committed the Sin of charging my phone for a THOUSAND years! Excellent video Caleb, loving it, right in time for me to get some V mount batteries.
Little things we don't obviously think about.... but very useful and important to know!!!!
You literally always make videos right when I'm looking into something lol. Thank you
Ha! Glad I could help out!
This was really helpful. I’ve been using dual NP-F batteries with a v mount adapter to power my lights (Dracast 500s) because it seemed like v mounts were really expensive. But less than $100 for a good v mount battery is pretty reasonable. And it’s probably more durable than NP-Fs
Awesome review man! Very detailed info on V-Mounts. I love D&O’s gear, I’ve got tons of the batteries! I’m looking forward to your review of the LED light.
Now this is super helpful. Generally I am not a big fan of battery videos but this one explains a whole system. Very well done! :)
You just solved a thousand problems in one. Thank you!
I appreciate this video so much! I recently purchased a Godox vl 300 and was confused as to which batteries I should buy for it. Now I know what to look for! Thanks!
I literally just bought the Aputure 120d and I was in need of a video like this to help me choose which battery to buy 😃
Thanks for making this video. Exactly what I needed to know, and shockingly, not that many videos out there to explain this.
Hello Shooter from the past. I’m from the future! I wanted to ask you if you could make a more recent video about this topic? It was an amazing information and I stayed wanting for more!! Like what kind of cable are used for this? Can I leave the original batteries in the camera and monitor for example for “extra” power? So that this V mount battery charge the original batteries on the equipment? An example of how calculate how much the battery would last feeding all that setup you got there in the tripod would have been nice too! Thanks!!
Great overview! Everything I needed to know to re-learn about V-mount batteries
It's worth mentioning for V-mount battery chargers that the cheaper ones that accept several batteries will only charge them one at a time. And they can take a while.
Also, how are you finding the Fotga plate? I found out that the UPS is basically a lie and regretted not shelling out a bit more for the Lanparte plate which has more outputs.
Caleb HELP! I'm trying to hook up a vmount battery to my Panasonic UX90. I can't find a cable that connects Dtap to 12v eiaj-04 on my camcorder. Both the dtap 2.1mm and 5.5x2.5mm 12V and 5.5x2.5mm 12V connectors I found on amazon are not compatible.
Been waiting years for this video
Great video! was wondering if the v-mount plate acted as a protection for electrical issues while connecting multiple devices together on the same battery. It seems if not you would have to connect power, then hdmi to avoid problems
Liked the video before watching and I don't normally do that. I knew it was going to be useful, as always.
Hi
I am a regular viewer of your channel and I do take your views as real ones. I recently viewed your reviews about V-Mount batteries and I am excited about it. After viewing your reviews I bought one Smallrig V mount battery adapter plate and I am planning to use it for my rig. I am using a Sony A7C camera with a Atamos Ninja V monitor. After buying the Smallrig V mount, I realize that I need a dummy battery and a power code for the Ninja V. There are a bunch of Dummy batteries available in Amazon. But afraid to buy and use. Then I went through your channel in search for a review about Dummy Battery. But I couldn't find one. If we buy some cheap dummy battery and use it, there are chances that it may fire the camera itself. In this regard, I need a genuine review about dummy battery and cables and your honest suggestions. It will help lots of people like me in finding a proper Dummy battery and cables.
Kind regards
What if the battery doesn’t have amps listed?
I bought a couple of V mount batteries to power an Aputure 120d II. I can only turn the light up to 93% or so before it trips a circuit (or whatever the correct term is). I can run on the battery for an hour at 90%, though. I grabbed the battery to check the amps and it’s not specified.
The specs on the battery are 14.8V, 177Wh, and 12000mAh. There is no amps designation.
And this is an awesome video. I already watched it twice because this was exactly the tutorial I needed.
Perfect, just what I was looking for, thanks.
Great video, I have a 120d mkii and was wondering which v mount to get for it and I think I found the answer. BIG THX
Thanks for this video. Now I understand how v-mount batteries work and how to use them. Plus, now I know that I actually NEED to buy a v-mount battery.
Since my V-Mount came in the mail today, this should be timely!
Hey Caleb, I have a CAME-TV 99 Wh, 14.4 v-mount battery that I am planning to use with my Sony A7IV. I have powered it up and everything seems to work fine. The battery has two D-tap connections and one USB-C. I want to power my Zoom H8 with this as well as there are no electric outlets near me where I record church services and one camera battery will not record the entire service in 4K, which is what the church wants. How can I power the Zoom H8 with this CAME-TV battery? Thanks for all your hard work. This video was very informative, even four years later.
As always, excellent review, nicely presented and edited. Thank you so much . Big fan here
I still have the fs700 myself! Very capable camera, and it looks cool in videos.
Great explanation of v-mount batteries! Very new to this field. I have one light, the UL 150. Will use for remote work(away from corded power source). Will also be flying(airplane). What battery is rated for airlines, yet also powerful enough for one UL 150? Should I get two lower-wattage batteries, or just one higher-wattage battery?
Please could you show the set up with the 300d? As this would be super helpful and much easier and cheaper than buying an inverter and big battery :)
Caleb, you're the man.
Just got my 195 for the 300d and was searching to find other ways to my v mount thanks you came through on time now I'm off shopping 👍
Nice!!!
Right on time for my new rig makeover. Great video Caleb!
Boom!
Thanks for the video! Just a heads up, some of your links are Anton Bauer Gold Mount, while others are V-Mount. Some less-experienced viewers might not know to double-check this incompatibility.
I have a V mount rig for my GH4 camera, Feelworld Monitor, on cam light, etc. I love it except for the fact my GH4 dummy battery on the 7.2V rail of the Battery Plate throws an error and the camera shuts down. Plenty of juice there when checked with a multi-meter so I’m stuck using stock batteries for the camera still.
7,2 Volt is rather low for external supply. A fully charged lithium battery puts out 8,4 Volts. Most of the times, converters in the camera will lower the voltage even further (with 3,3 Volt and 5 Volt being the most obvious), but as available voltage drops, the in-camera converters will draw more current to keep their output up.
If the 14,8 Volt to 7,2 Volt converter inside the batteryplate can not supply enough current, it's end of story. Digital camera's are notorious for drawing high peak currents. Batteries supply them without any problem, but converters need to be up to the job. Both in maximum available current and in peak-current (and then they have to be able to act fast enough when peak-current is drawn).
At 7,2 Volt, I think maximum supply-current should be around 2,5 Amps. Don't get me wrong, there are good plates out there, but I doubt it can deliver such currents on the 7,2 Volt output...
To add to this story (as I now know what my GH5 does current and voltage-wise): 7,2 Volt will just make the camera shut down. Somewhere at 7,6 Volt or so, it will stay alive (tested with a 3 Amp- capable lab power supply).
Peak currents when taking a picture are short but high: the meter on the power supply isn't quick enough, but probably would exceed the maximum range if it could react fast enough.
Setting it to videomode at that voltage, it just shuts down and tries to reboot again, drawing significant peak-currents up to 2,5 Amps.
Wow, great video man! I didn't know I could power a lot of things with one battery. This is great!!
Can you tell me what your main light is modified? The light looks really nice and soft. Is it behind a diffuser or a soft box of some kind? Thank you! And this video was EXTREMELY helpful and educational. Huge help.
Do a video in wireless transmitter options! Since you already have one there. Long range vs short range etc
Quit would ya. I can't afford to watch anymore of your videos.. I'm well beyond what I need and into the wants.. J/K Caleb. Great info and your reviews/presentations are always top notch. God bless you sir and keep em coming.
Does the dtap to usb adapter need another step down adapter to make tiny usb lights work or you can just plug any usb device in & rock on? 2nd, can I convert my 220v AC powered bulb+softbox light that plus into the wall to V-mount battery powered lights if yes, how? lastly, since v batteries output 14v, do I need to step it down with an adapter to power a 20v DC ledlight? you know the usual ones with that round barrel plug that goes into the back of the led panel. Any detailed answer will be appreciated, thanks
Just so you know the Movo you posted is supposedly garbage and many complain that most V mount batteries do not fit on it. Alos the D-tap look input on it is not D-tap nor P-tap and nobody knows what it is for.
And the Fotga does not loo to have any D-tap inputs at all...? That basically looks like the Soonwell is the only proper one but looks really plasticky? Have you tried the Indipro tools one by any chance? Looks closer to a better product but they do not ship overseas.
Very informative 👍 Still don't fully grasp the wattage and amperage deal but you did a great job with the video
Thanks man!
I'm not trying to split hairs or anything but this channel is called DSLR video shooter and they haven't talked about a DSLR since I started subscribing
I purchased the 190s directly from D&O. 1 of the 2 was DOA and will not take a charge. For 2 weeks I’ve got no response from emails to customer service and no answer of response from calling the provided number. It sucks to throw money away. Now I’ve got to spend more money on a different brand so I can power my 300d.
Just to make sure I do the thing right , so you can plug all these devices to D-tap splitter connected to the battery, it won’t harm any of the deceives even if they don’t need the same voltage?
whats that cage for the inferno
hey Caleb. You have the talent to explain things really specifically and to the point, without wasting time. Thank you for sharing. One question: is it save to use higher voltage charger/battery to charge a phone, or camera. I am confused between wattage, voltage, amperage. Also I'm in Germany. Here the sockets are 230-240V in the US, I guess they are 110V. So it is really important either to use a converter while traveling OR buying from other parts of the world.
I was just concerned, if I get a V-mount battery, can I use it to charge camera from USB port, and also gimbal and other stuff. Do I need to be concerened volts and ampere? OR just make sure that the battery is at least capable of providing at least the minimum AMPs required to run for a decice.
After watching your other video about DSTE NP-F750 batteries, which you told and I checked, really are purchasable for €34 (2 batteries-each having capacity of 5000 mAh, means 10k mAh for €34). These V-Mount batteries; i don't know, they just don't look feasible, cost wise, 6600 mAh. And one 6600 mAh V-mount cost around €125 here. I guess the only reason to use V-mount is that it can supply power to other devices as well while the DSTE cannot. Is it right, or is there a way we can use of DSTE batteries in order to supply power no just to the camera with dummy battery, but also to charge a phone, etc?
Thanks very much. You are doing an amazing Job!
Kind regards,
Another very helpful video. Very informative as always. Thank you.
Thank you for this video… I got a lot out of … putting together my rig. Already at the website looking at batteries that can support The Canon Eosm50
V G information on v-mount. Great explanation on battery Thankyou
great video, but were are the links to the equipment??
Brilliant!… I'd never heard of V-mount Batteries till now.
Great vid, thanks! Very much helpful! Do you also have a review about that d&o light over there? Looks interesting!
Thank you so much for this. It's all I needed!
Excellent thank you, all my questions answered!
Thank you for the great video 📹
If battery plate out put of single 7.2V, can it be made dual and can be used of in 2 ways? For camera and small led light or monitor 🤔
Who sells the cable
Thanks Caleb!!! Great informative vid and nicely presented.
Hi Caleb.. can you over charge your v mount? I’m having issues after accidentally charging over night
Such an informative video! Great help!
Thank you.
What about a review of the IndiPro Tools 98Wh Porta-pak battery and charger? This looks like a viable alternative to a V mount and it is only $100!
Can you charge the battery with D-Tap while it's mounted and powering a camera or LED light?
This was SO useful! Thanks man.
Fantastic video Caleb. I am looking for a V-mount battery for the Canon R5C. Do you have any recommendations?
I came here hoping to find out what charger to use because the title says "EVERYTHING" you need to know about V-mount batteries. Unfortunately, the brick charger was not covered with much detail other than to say you can get one for about $50. What are the specifications for a brick charger that will work on a 14.8 v-mount battery? Output voltage? Why not include a link for that? It seems you provided a link for everything else. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.
So have you not had the burnt HDMI problem powering all from 1 battery?
They don't seem expensive... they ARE expensive :/
As far as v mount batteries go, these are very affordable.
Price / capacity V-mounts are actually not that much more. Sure, smaller batteries are cheaper ... because they are smaller. But keep in mind that it is not like you buy a small empty bucket vs a big empty bucket. Batteries are pieces of technology.
Having to change only one battery for your whole rig only once or twice during the shoot day is entirely worth it.
There are any way to use V Mount Batteries with Fuji X-t3?
While V-mounts are expensive, they are not that much more expensive than comparable options. I can power my entire rig (camera, monitor, MixPre) from a single battery for half a day - sometimes even a full day, and that battery cost me less than $200. To power all these things with NPF's would have taken at least 10-12 batteries - at a cost of $20 each - for a total of $200-$220... Difference is, I don't have to carry around 12 batteries... Same cost, same running time, 1 battery vs. 12... You do the math.
I do have a question. Which one would work great with the BMPCC4K? How many hours do you think I could get out of it?
Just the video that I need. Thanks a ton!
See you next Tuesday!
Hi Caleb. Just so everyone knows the SOONWELL V Lock Mounting Plate Power Supply Splitter with 15mm Rod Clamp LP-E6 Battery Adapter DC Coupler for Camera you post a link to does not work with a Panasonic GH4. I bought one and had to return it. Thanks for your post on batteries.
Where do you plug the charger into the batter, the d-tap female plug?
Here is another crazy idea. I know you're a bit of DIY guy. I have a battery for my e-bike. It is a 500wh beast. Lots of people have e-bikes with huge batteries. Could these batteries be adapted to run cameras or lights? Interesting!
@DSLR Video Shooter, you linked to a Gold Mount charger instead of a V-Mount charger.
Friend, is this battery good for Aputure 120D II?
Congratulations on the channel! Soon I will be member. Tks!
Very awesome and good to know. Thanks for sharing!
Very well explained
Thanx man, now I know what to order ;)
I've never thought about that - how do you travel with V-Mount batteries? When airlines only allow a maximum of 100Wh when travelling with batteries.
I am attempting to build a v-mount battery charging box on the cheap, with the v-mount d-tap cables from each supplier plugged into a 10 plug surge protector so that they can all charge at the same time, each battery supplies 14.8V with a capacity of 95wh. Each battery pulls 10 amps according to the manufracturers site. Would this work? As I don't want to blow the regular household 110 outlet or burn a fuse. Please let me know.
Details video as always! Thank you🙏
You should make a rig for the Eos R, I would definitely see that
Hello, which one should I get for my Panasonic G85? I use a dummy batt out.
Ahhh, where was this video literally five days ago when I was looking for it from you?! ;)
hi! great video! looking to find out how you got your vlocks to work with your camera... what cables would you suggest and voltage too