After posting up the awesome deal going on with the BMPCC, I got a question about an external battery solution. BlackMagic Design has never made it easy to keep one of their cameras powered on for very long, and so any owner will be requiring an external power solution. If you're not into DIY, these external battery mounts from IndiPro Tools can help make your life a whole lot easier when trying to keep those cameras powered up.
Power Grid System Dual Battery Plate for Pocket Cinema Camera
The Power Grid System uses either two common Canon LP-E6 batteries, or two common Sony L-Series batteries to power up either your BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera or your larger BlackMagic Design Production 4K or original Cinema Camera. A rotating 15mm clamp conveniently attaches to your rig.
For those who want to attach XLR microphones directly to the BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera's 1/4" TRS Microphone input, another Power Grid System offers Dual L-Series battery power combined with a converter for XLR input to 1/4" TRS out (found here).
Power Grid & XLR Audio Box with Dual L-Series Plates for Blackmagic Cinema/4K Production Cameras
Not to be left out, there is also a Power Grid system for the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera with an XLR audio adapter if you want to feed the signal from an XLR microphone into the BMPCC (found here)
Power Grid & XLR Audio Box for Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Cameras.
Emm
Post author@Premini - That's a tricky little step up or step down adapter that you'd have to find. It may be easier to make a cable of your own.
Premini
Hi, i have the IndiPro solution for my Pocket camera and works just fine.
I now bought a Blackmagic 4k Camera which also needs a 12V input.
Problem I have is, the 12V connector for the BMPCC is not the same as BMPC 4K, is there an adapter somewhere? I dont want to buy another indypro 🙂
GT
We used one of these a lot on a set, the 1/4 20 connection is kind of crappy and broke, and the power cable eventually started to cut out after only a few shoots. I think this product is a decent, cheap solution, but I wouldn't depend on it for any critical roles, at least not without a backup.
Liam
Has anyone used the XLR inputs on this? Of course if there is no preamp in there then the xlr's will be completely useless, as the Pocket Cam has the most rubbish preamp in the known universe.
That said if it does work I'd really like one, but any way I can get one to the UK? Looks like shipping from B & H won't be cheap.
Thomas
This thing works pretty darn well on the pocket cinema cam. I've used it with the LP-E6 batts for 5-6 hours at a time, and never ran out of juice. Don;t know what the total run time would be, but we never hit it. Definitely works best with a rail set up, but the tightening knob unscrews to leave a 1/4"-20 threaded bolt that can be adapted to shoe mounts or cheeseplates. We also used a nano-clamp to hold it on the tripod leg. Didn't try the XLR input model, figured a dedicated preamp or separate recorder would work best.
robert
Yeah fair enough.
I understand people wanting more power. Butthat solution you put up a while ago (httpss://cheesycam.com/diy-blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera-12v-battery-plate/)works pretty well with a single SONY battery.
I like to try to keep the pocket small and have the wooden camera pocket cage. I'd much rather add this battery solution with something like a redrock micromount and two spuds to a top 1/4 20 than committing to rails.
If the gopro version with a single 15mm rod/single battery worked with the bmpcc I'd be all over it.
Emm
Post author@robert - Using two batteries is to get the voltage up past what a single battery can do. I think a single sony is somewhere around 7V, and the BMPCC native input is 12V (but can take up to 18V I believe). The idea is that the external battery is powerful enough to run the camera and charge the internal battery of the BMPCC. If you have to swap external batteries for some reason your camera can continue to run with the internal battery - giving you time to add a fresh set of externals without powering down.
robert
Is it true that you need two batteries? I think you should have the option or at least another version that powers with a single battery. A single SONY NP-F770 would be plenty.
Will the gopro/single battery version work with the pocket?
Emm
Post author@g martinez cabrera - I don't think the box is any type of preamp, so you can find other adapters for a GH4. I think the GH4 could really use a preamp for best quality, so you should look into possibly a Juicedlink preamp. Since the GH4 offers audio meters and headphone monitoring all you need is something like this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/893485-REG/juicedLink_rm202_Riggy_Micro_2XLR_Without_Phantom_Pre_Amp.html
g martinez cabrera
the xlr box wouldn't work on a GH4, would it?