Sony light for the DVX

[DVX-Iceland]

Hi you all

I'm a DVX owner and loyal reader of this site which helped me a lot before buying my DVX in September. I mostly use the camera for gathering news footage on unforeseen events like fires and police matters that happen in the evenings or even at nighttime. At the public TV station where I work as a reporter we've been amazed be the quality of pictures that the DVX produces, even when using gain in those circumstances. My newsroom usually uses DVCPRO 25.

I need a on- camera light for my DVX, a small and a simple one. I have borrowed the handy Sony light.[http://www.amazon.com/o/dt/assoc/handle-buy-box=B000063Y74 /url] It's very convenient and useful to have two options for the level of lighting. I wish Panasonic would make one of those to use with DVX compatible batteries.

Does anyone know of an adapter or a way to use one with the Pana batteries. Or know of a similarly built light to use with our batteries. That way I can avoid buying new batteries and a different charger.

Unfortunately I'm not one of the handy-men able to build my own LED light that I've seen discussed and portrayed on this site with great impression. I'm just a reporter. ;D

[Guest]

whatever light you use, if you hook it to the panasonic camera batteries, it will drain them in a few minutes. Camcorder batts are not designed to run a light and will kill it very quickly. An excellent on camera light is made by Frezzolini (Frezzi) called a microfill, you can run these lights off a variety of batteries from Anton Bauer "brick" type batts to NP1's or anything in between. I used a Frezzi and power it with NP1 batts. I have 4 Aspen batts (they MUST be nicads for lighting application) and an IDX fast charger that can zap in back in an hour. I like this combo because it's light and flexible, you can use a lead acid brick type batt that will run a on camera light for hours, if you don't mind carrying it.

[DVX-Iceland]

Thanks for the reply Eric. I'll take a look at the Frezzi that you mention.

The Sony light that I'm talking about seems to work well with Sony batteries comparable to the Pana batteries. It lasts at least about 20 minutes with a batteryt of the bigger kind with twenty watts coming out of it.

What I don't like about the big batteries is the size of them and how big they are.
Excuse my lack of knowlegde but what kind of battery is NP1.