Getting started with V-Mount batteries is not a cheap investment. Even the cheapest V-Mount Battery + Charger Kit can easily run you well over $300+ Dollars. If you're looking to power up camera gear with a V-Mount battery, here's a closer look at a more affordable option using this adapter that can accept two common Sony L Series (NP-F) type batteries.
The V-mount adapter runs two 7.4V batteries in series to output between 13V-16V, and also has a d-tap connector if you plan to run a cable to power up optional accessories. The v-mount battery plate can be found via ebay (seen here).
V-Mount Battery Adapter for Sony L Series NP-F Batteries
In order to use these adapters properly and to get the best results, you should be using two exact batteries. Although you can find many aftermarket Sony L Series batteries for cheap, they will often come in different sizes, capacities, and ratings. I suggest buying them in pairs and labeling them together. Check out some of the Sony L Series Batteries via Amazon (found here).
Sony L Series NP-F550, NP-F750, NP-F960, NP-F570, NP-F770, NP-F970
nah
Can anyone recommend a particular battery and provide a link to one they have used for the F&V k4000? I'm looking for something that lasts a good while (higher milliamps). I've been on amazon and the few that i found got bad reviews and werent exactly what was ordered by the customer.
thanks for your help!
Emm
Post author@Alan Ting - You need both batteries in the adapter.
Alan Ting
will it run/function if only one sony battery is attach on it? or must use 2 to make it working
Emm
Post author@Rollsta - I wouldn't recommend it, as these aren't real V-mount batteries and the case may not be smart enough to detect how to properly charge these batteries.
Rollsta
Could I charge the batteries while on the V-mount adapter with this?
https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-V-Mount-Battery-Charger/dp/B00AUK7AIK/
Emm
Post author@Steve - The power requirements for the T2i are different than a 5D body. If you just want to power your Canon T2i take a look at this. httpss://cheesycam.com/lanparte-external-battery-power-for-canon-dslr-test/
Steve
Hey guys wondering can this also be used as a charger? Or can it be used through the V-mount plate on my rig as a charger?
Also I see in all the ads for this, it says for 5D kit and 5D3.. can it also be used for my T2i?
Thanks!
Food Biker
A huge thanks for the results, Apostolos...and Emmm for posting all this!
apostolos
I did a test on the CN-600s with a Beillen 150 Wh V-mount battery, and it lasts 3 hours. The cheapest 150Wh V-mount battery I see on Ebay, Lanparte brand, is about $200, and the Beillen --also Chinese-- is about $250. The dual-NPF solution is much more economical.
3 hours v-mount=$200-250
2 hours NPF+adapter=$110
4 hours NPF+adapter=$170
6 hours NPF+adapter=$230
The cost of the charger of course is a consideration. The V-mount charger of the Beillen charges the 150wh battery fairly quickly. I don't know how quickly a good charger, like the one Emm suggested would charge the NPF batteries.
Emm
Post author@apostolos - I have no idea how long it would take, but should be faster than those little boxes and you're running dual. Sometimes you get a dual charger with LED light kits also, which I think are still better than those little ones.
apostolos
Ouch, $80 clams +tax (now that Amazon charges tax). Is it worth it? How long would it take to charge these big NPF batteries, any rough idea?
Emm
Post author@apostolos - Ah ok, I have the other type that comes with a brick adapter that plugs into the wall. Here's a different dual charger https://www.amazon.com/Watson-Duo-Charger-Series-Batteries/dp/B00EHSLHEY/
apostolos
Emm, not sure what you mean. They are those cheapo chargers without a chord you get on Amazon/Ebay, with the prongs coming out of their body, and I plug them into a cheap power strip.
Emm
Post author@apostolos - Check the AC wall adapter you are using with your charging station. I notice these are sometimes really cheap or sometimes people end up using the wrong one and it will output very very low milliamps.
apostolos
Yes, I have the second generation CN-600s, with the more rounded back, the newer ones from what Emm has, Second test, right on two hours, to the minute, they died! I think this is a great option. So, for $110 ($50 for the adapter, and $30x2 for the batteries) you get two hours of runtime on the CN-600, which can almost get me through a wedding reception (as I don't have them on all the time at the reception). And for another $60 (two more batteries) you get another two hours, should you need them. The only downside is that these batteries take forever to charge. I'm not sure if it's the cheap-ass chargers I have, but they take almost overnight to fully charge. If anyone knows a reasonably-priced more efficient charger for NPF batteries, please let us know.
Food Biker
Great, Apostolos. Let us know your final value for your second test. It's a huge help.
Interpolating from your first run, I'm guessing that we'd be talking about 80 minutes of runtime with a 900 LED set, right -- as you used a 600 LED set?
apostolos
Whenever I do these runtime tests, I always miss it when the light goes out. I'll do a second test to verify this, but the two Maximal Power 7200 mAh NPF batteries, (or 53.3 Wh each) lasted about two hours at full power on a CN-600, with the same NPF to V-mount adapter Emm has.
Josef
Great find. I'm curious... This could be a great, relatively inexpensive option for powering the BMPCC.
I've got v mount plate and a battery, but with all the sony batts I inevitably have laying around, this could be a good solution to buying more expensive batts.
apostolos
Will do. The batteries I got are the Maximal Power 7200 mAh model, or 53.3 Wh, the rating for both is on the sticker on the battery.
Emm
Post author@apostolos - Give us a run time test on some fresh batteries. That's what everyone wants to see.
apostolos
Oh, come on dude, this was going to me my review, but you scooped me! 🙂 I got exactly that adapter with two identical Maximal Power batteries from Amazon. But I got the slow, free shipping from Amazon, so I just got them in. First chance I get I'll compare a CN-600 with this setup against one of the more popular V-mount Chinese batteries.
Food Biker
It keeps getting better, Emmm!
Guys - Please post what you get for runtimes...I posted some of the following in Emmm's earlier article this past week about the U-30 batteries...and this looks a lot more versatile battery-wise to go with the NP-F series. Trying to figure out what battery system to commit to buying for three 900 LED panels I have.
So, doing some of the math, I’m wondering if this is correct?
Refer to this: httpss://cheesycam.com/tekkeon-battery-900-led-test/
Emmm’s Tekkeon pack on the 900 LED panel.
58Wh/14.4V = 4000mAh
Runtime = 69 minutes.
So I’m wondering…in this case, with two ganged 7.2V batteries @ 7200mAh, I’m guessing that there’s 1.8x more power given the higher mAh here.
Therefore, we’d expect (69min)(1.8)=124.2 minutes…a whopping 2 hours on a 900 LED panel at full blast. Is my reasoning correct here?
Thanks everyone!
Anthony
Wish they made this like the old Sony DSR-200P triple battery box.
You could put three L Series batteries in it and it mounted to a v-lock style mount on the camera. The three batteries were in a box with a hinged door. You could still hot swap the batteries but it looked a lot neater.
Mark K.
Just received yesterday for led lights and works great so far. Will have to test these with my legit Sony NPF970 batteries to see how much runtime i can get on these bad boys. Its a perfect solution since i have FS100 cameras, you have made my week!
Archie
Emm and the folks at cheesycam - YOU ARE THE BEST!
I have these LEDs and was after 1 year was (sadly) about to buy 3 160 V mount batteries. That were to cost more than a camera..
This post just saved me HELL of a money, already have these sony batteries for small LEDs and Monitor.
Thanks a ton!
Emm
Post author@Jay Windland - Not all V-Lock batteries have the same rating, so it is possible to get longer run times from the Sonys. Even if you have more time on a v-lock, If you break it down to cost per minutes, the V-Lock battery would be several times more expensive.
Emm
Post author@Nicholas de Kock - It will depend on your batteries. Try this https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/electric/mah-to-wh.htm
Jay Windland
That's awesome. Do you think this would have any trouble powering up a Sony R5 4K recorder? Also, any idea how a pair of NP-F970's stacks up against a real V-Lock battery on overall running time? I would imagine you get somewhat less, but don't know how the math breaks down on the battery specs.
Nicholas de Kock
What kind of watt per hours would this be equivalent to?
Emm
Post author@Steven - Yes it should work as a standard V-mount battery (at 13V-16V).
Steven
Is it usable with the shoulder mount power adapter from Lanparte?