Batteries
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ydgmdlu
Veteran
The 7D uses the LP-E6 battery, the same one used by the 5D Mark II. No other official batteries exist. Third party batteries exist that work fine, but there are two caveats: First, the official Canon batteries have chips in them that communicate information to the camera, including the remaining charge; third party batteries don't, and so you will not know how much charge is left in such a battery. Second, in my experience with third party batteries for camcorders, they have potential quality issues that cause them to die even when there's supposed to be some charge left in them.
Example: I had two very different third party batteries that would seemingly die at around 75% depletion, but then when placed in the charger for just a minute, they would start working again, for the remaining 25%. I don't know if this is a common issue, but I've had it with two different batteries purchased at two different times (from different places, I think) for two different camcorders.
I'd still buy third-party batteries, though. They're so cheap; you can get a pair for a third or half the price of a single Canon LP-E6. They need to use their own special charger though, so buy a package that includes a charger.
Example: I had two very different third party batteries that would seemingly die at around 75% depletion, but then when placed in the charger for just a minute, they would start working again, for the remaining 25%. I don't know if this is a common issue, but I've had it with two different batteries purchased at two different times (from different places, I think) for two different camcorders.
I'd still buy third-party batteries, though. They're so cheap; you can get a pair for a third or half the price of a single Canon LP-E6. They need to use their own special charger though, so buy a package that includes a charger.
Thanks! I think I am going to stick to the LP-E6's for the information which I find necessary. But thanks for such a detailed post.
I found that the charger is the LC-E6, and B&H has both the charger and the batteries for the best price and with no shipping or tax. Unfortunately the charger is out of stock. I think I am going to start off with three batteries and two chargers since I need it to be dependable and will use it in the freezing cold.
LC-E6 Charger - $60.-
LP-E6 Battery - $70.-
Do you know how long it takes for the LP-E6 to charge from fully drained?
I found that the charger is the LC-E6, and B&H has both the charger and the batteries for the best price and with no shipping or tax. Unfortunately the charger is out of stock. I think I am going to start off with three batteries and two chargers since I need it to be dependable and will use it in the freezing cold.
LC-E6 Charger - $60.-
LP-E6 Battery - $70.-
Do you know how long it takes for the LP-E6 to charge from fully drained?
Perry Wilson
Well-known member
how long will the battery last while shooting 1080/24
ydgmdlu
Veteran
You know, the 7D does include an LP-E6 battery and charger. I think that the charging time is like two or three hours though. You can get an hour to an hour and a half on one charge. But you should be using Live View as sparingly as possible.
Perry Wilson
Well-known member
well since I will be using the Zacuto Z-Finder and that means live view all of the time, looks like I will be investing in a battery grip
Exactly. The question isn't how to make a few batteries last but how many it will take.
An alternative would be an external monitor. (Phillip Bloom just said that the 7D works at higher than 480 but not full HD, and doesn't change aspect ratio while recording). Monitors can be powered separately.
I am not so lucky. I will use the Z-Finder with the 3" for my own stuff but will likely rent a monitor for projects that end up shooting on our camera.
Something else would be if there was a way to power the camera with external source. That would solve a lot of issues coupled with a nice set of batteries for light weight, hand held, etc.
Personally, I am starting out with three batteries and two chargers. But I already plan to get the grip soon, with possibly an other three batteries. That would give me three "bigger batteries" which might work together with the two chargers. It would also increase the life of the batteries by spreading cycles across more of them, otherwise they might die out very early if you work then hard. Since I am not sure about how much of a work horse this camera will be, I am starting slow.
Thank you! Maybe someone can give us their estimate so we can all develop a more defined figure to go by for our personal calculations.
This is the other very important side, necessary to figure your personal needs.
So, how long each battery lasts in a narrative environment?
That means that the camera is always on. Unless it can shut down and power up with EVERY SINGLE setting the same as you last left it. But since that is not likely. The live view can be turned off only for short periods. You are always either setting a shot up or actually shooting. An idle set is not a set, it is an expensive theme party.
ydgmdlu
Veteran
You know, you can use the optical viewfinder while you're setting up the shot. Then use live view to check the exposure and maybe focus before recording. I just don't see why you need to have live view on almost all of the time. The exposure settings and camera configuration are independent of live view. Turning off live view does not entail turning off the camera. Without live view, the camera consumes very little power. On the 5D Mark II, the settings don't change when you power-cycle the camera. I don't expect the 7D to behave any differently.
Why would you assume that the settings would change?
Why would you assume that the settings would change?
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Sounds very promising! I guess I completely forgot about the EVF! Probably since we've had to deal with the lack of one in all cameras that cost many, many more times as much as this camera.
That should be quite a bit of savings based on what you are saying!
I meant OVF. Yes, the lighting will require the live view and that's what takes the longest.
But at least finding the shot won't. Though for that you sort of also need DoF to be accurate on the OVF. Is it accurate?
ydgmdlu
Veteran
Not really. You can determine roughly where you're going to put your lights and where to point them without using live view. You can also use an old-fashioned, hand-held light meter to find your exposure without live view; that way, you don't even have to use live view until just before you record.
It is. Why wouldn't it be? The image that you see through the viewfinder is straight through the lens, and DOF is a property of the lens. The whole point of an SLR is to allow a photographer to see the exact image that will be recorded by the film or sensor (exposure excluded).
You should be able to do shoot all day long in a narrative environment with just three batteries, if you're smart about when to use live view. You can even easily manage with just two.
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So I guess you just agreed to come DP/Gaffer for me whenever I feel like it, no questions asked. Sweet. But first let me see your reel.
ydgmdlu
Veteran
You'll have to fly me from Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles at your expense. I just might look forward to it, since I have a bunch of friends there that I've been meaning to see again. :beer:
Anyway, I'm just saying that in the film world, there are no conveniences like "live view." Sure, there's video assist, but exposure is still set by the hand-held light meter. Us video guys are just spoiled.
Anyway, I'm just saying that in the film world, there are no conveniences like "live view." Sure, there's video assist, but exposure is still set by the hand-held light meter. Us video guys are just spoiled.
Not spoiled, we are simply on a different day and age. Light ratios are light ratios, and if you know how your camera behaves at any given ISO then you can most definitely light "the old and trusted" way. But can see it and I want to see it.
I am not a DP, nor do I intend to become one. It is easy for me to look at a highly accurate representation of the recorded image and point things out to the DP when they don't feel right for the move I am trying to evoke. Also, I color correct and it helps me make sure I know I will be able to push it to where I need it to after I become used to the limits of the codec.
I think I made up my mind and I am going to get four batteries total, a grip, and the second charger. Otherwise, I feel like I can't say I have a camera, not if I don't feel it is dependable and it might run out of juice half way through. I just hope I don't need to get a third pair of batteries, but if that's what it takes for me to forget about battery consumption... if that is what allows me to focus on my craft... then so be it. I want to focus on other things.
I hated having three batteries and only one charger for my HVX, and it sounds like 6 batteries would be close to the equivalent here. It costs more, but we don't need adapters, we don't need four times the light, so on so forth. I mean, look at the price of this darn thing! Its ok if it has a few "weak spots", or needs a few more accessories. The math still works on its favor. I don't think I will regret it, especially when it is below 0 Fahrenheit outside.
I am not a DP, nor do I intend to become one. It is easy for me to look at a highly accurate representation of the recorded image and point things out to the DP when they don't feel right for the move I am trying to evoke. Also, I color correct and it helps me make sure I know I will be able to push it to where I need it to after I become used to the limits of the codec.
I think I made up my mind and I am going to get four batteries total, a grip, and the second charger. Otherwise, I feel like I can't say I have a camera, not if I don't feel it is dependable and it might run out of juice half way through. I just hope I don't need to get a third pair of batteries, but if that's what it takes for me to forget about battery consumption... if that is what allows me to focus on my craft... then so be it. I want to focus on other things.
I hated having three batteries and only one charger for my HVX, and it sounds like 6 batteries would be close to the equivalent here. It costs more, but we don't need adapters, we don't need four times the light, so on so forth. I mean, look at the price of this darn thing! Its ok if it has a few "weak spots", or needs a few more accessories. The math still works on its favor. I don't think I will regret it, especially when it is below 0 Fahrenheit outside.
PaPa
Major Contributor
so back to batteries....
www.addvxuser.com
I have heard good and bad things about the third party batteries, but like you said, for that price, may as well pick up a few. I would get 2-3 canons and another 3-5 of the third parties to have on backup/standby
www.addvxuser.com
I have heard good and bad things about the third party batteries, but like you said, for that price, may as well pick up a few. I would get 2-3 canons and another 3-5 of the third parties to have on backup/standby