I just ordered this. For me, I think this is a better unit since it has both USB 2.0 and eSATA and easier to use with a hard drive. There's no cable to fool around with. The big problem with this unit is the shipping. It takes one week to gather all the information before shipping, for whatever reason it is, then about two weeks to reach destination.
V1U vs EX1
- Thread starter lahoozaa
- Start date
I just ordered this. For me, I think this is a better unit since it has both USB 2.0 and eSATA and easier to use with a hard drive. There's no cable to fool around with. The big problem with this unit is the shipping. It takes one week to gather all the information before shipping, for whatever reason it is, then about two weeks to reach destination.
basspig
Veteran
Lithium-ion batteries improve somewhat after the first dozen or so charge cycles. Then they ever so gradually deteriorate after a flat period of constant capacity. My BP-U30 showed 127 minutes when it was new. Now it charges up to 141 minutes capacity after the 20th cycle of use. So it's capacity seems to have increased with break in.
adolgin
DVXuser Sponsor
Actually, they do not. What you probaly experienced was the fuel gauge chip inaccuracy. The chip is built in into the BP style battery. While charging and discharging, the chip monitors the battery parameters, like temperature, voltage and current, and is trying to guess what the true capacity of the battery is. Periodically it makes corrections based on the battery prior performance. So in your case it decided at some point that it was wrong in its thinking, and increased its estimate of the battery capacity. With the Anton Bauer system, they even have a discharge function in their charger for periodic recalibration, making the process even more predictable and accurate.
As a beginner you need to go out and shoot lots of material as general practice. Tape is cheap and once you shoot it you can put it on the shelf. If you go tapeless you'll have to decide how to archive all your material, or maybe you discard what you know you don't want. V1-u is cheap and you could probably get a deal used. The HVX 200 would give you the opportunity to shoot tape and p2 for practise. The EX is the hot new camera. In the end you will have to decide how much you want to spend so you can learn.
basspig
Veteran
I thought that might be the case, but it is documented that certain battery types, particularly NiMH, are not optimal until after a few charge cycles have occured. In other words, they're discharge times are shorter for the first few cycles than after they've been in use for a while. Not sure if that applies equallty to L-ion, but it sure seems to be the case here. Those extra 15 minutes do make a difference though!
adolgin
DVXuser Sponsor
You are correct about the older chemistries. Li-Ion did not inherit this problem, instead brought some new ones 
like safety and the need for safety related electronics.
Here is the cycle life data as provided by Sanyo, on a typical Li-Ion cell.
http://www.dolgin.net/discharge-curve-LiIon.pdf
Best regards
like safety and the need for safety related electronics.Here is the cycle life data as provided by Sanyo, on a typical Li-Ion cell.
http://www.dolgin.net/discharge-curve-LiIon.pdf
Best regards
basspig
Veteran
Fascinating. What happens after 500 charge/discharge cycles? This chart only goes to 80% capacity and we can only guess. Does it take a nosedive, or continue along the trend for thousands of cycles?
My concern is that I'm charging the BP-U30 40-50X as often as the battery on my V1U, because the EX1 drains it so quickly and even when it's off. I'm lucky if I charge the V1U battery 4 times a year. But I can charge the XDCam battery 5-8 times a week in normal usage because it runs down so quickly and runs down even when the cam is off.
My concern is that I'm charging the BP-U30 40-50X as often as the battery on my V1U, because the EX1 drains it so quickly and even when it's off. I'm lucky if I charge the V1U battery 4 times a year. But I can charge the XDCam battery 5-8 times a week in normal usage because it runs down so quickly and runs down even when the cam is off.
by the way, sony has re-upped the free 8gb card offer til the end of october 2008. i saw it on their website when i was checking the status of my rebate.
to me this confirms my suspicion that nothing will change with this camera at NAB. i'll be checking out thier booth just incase, but historically Sony hasn't done anything like that this quickly.
to me this confirms my suspicion that nothing will change with this camera at NAB. i'll be checking out thier booth just incase, but historically Sony hasn't done anything like that this quickly.
adolgin
DVXuser Sponsor
Thousands of cycles? You are dreaming
500 is the number commonly used in the industry. The problem with U30 is it is of small capacity relative to the power drain it is asked to deliver. It works harder, and will wear out sooner because of it. U60 should be much better. In general, a battery should last 3 hours or longer for a given load to be comfortable.
HTH
500 is the number commonly used in the industry. The problem with U30 is it is of small capacity relative to the power drain it is asked to deliver. It works harder, and will wear out sooner because of it. U60 should be much better. In general, a battery should last 3 hours or longer for a given load to be comfortable.
HTH
Nik Manning
Well-known member
Sounds more and more like the Canon A1 is for you. Tripod, audio equipment, lighting equipment don't really change much cameras do. 2-5k cameras hold there value pretty well but higher priced cameras don't. People are selling XLH1's used for $4900 now! Maybe you should also consider a used XLH1.
basspig
Veteran
Thousands of cycles? You are dreaming
500 is the number commonly used in the industry. The problem with U30 is it is of small capacity relative to the power drain it is asked to deliver. It works harder, and will wear out sooner because of it. U60 should be much better. In general, a battery should last 3 hours or longer for a given load to be comfortable.
HTH
Wishful thinking.
I know 500 was considered realistic for NiCd, but with all the newfangled L-ion technology, I wondered if the cycles have increased.
Looks like the U30 will last a couple of months and then time to replace.
I do hope that eventually something larger than the U60 appears on the market, and also that Sony corrects the leakdown flaw in the camera. I was rather pissed the other day when I went out to do some shooting, and I found I had only 11 minutes of battery left. I could have sword that battery was fully charged the night before. And these batts ain't cheap, either..