FS700 Batteries Questions

M

m3rob

Active member
During a full day of shooting how many NP-F970 batteries do you usually end up using?

Also, I have read about really long charge times for the batteries. Does it really take about 8 hours to charge? My c100 batteries charge up in about 3 hours!

Thanks!
 
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The batteries last a long time, for camera batteries at least. I DP'd and operated a really long and demanding shoot for Disney semi-recently (16 hours with 13 hours of solid shooting on a sound stage) and I know that two NP-970s + the smaller stock battery worked out fine. In fact, I think I might have used only the 2 larger NP-970s. I tend to leave the camera on also, only turning it off for major set changes and breaks.

If you have the stock battery + two NP970s, you should be fine for most situations. With that said, I really only shoot staged / setup stuff. If you shoot reality TV or events, the batteries might go way faster.

Recharge isn't terrible. I think it's about 4 hours (5 max, but I doubt it) or so for the larger batteries on my Sony dual charger which I think charges faster than the charger that comes with it.
 
No question the 970 can go 3-4 hours easily. The only exception was when I shot here:

Octagon_Hall_Simpson_Co._KY.jpg

This 150 year old "haunted" place sapped the batteries of the entire crew at about 4 times the normal rate. My brand new NP 970 went about an hour. The lavalier batteries, according to the sound crew, needed replacing in 30-45 minutes. The crew had been warned by the home's owner (a veteran of many paranormal type shoots) to bring extra power, but skeptics that we were, didn't bring as much as needed. Kinda freaky!
 
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I typically don't change batteries more than once in a day's shooting. And that's a serious heavy duty full day.

On a less full day of shooting I don't swap batteries at all.

Mind you, I'm shooting the $25 knockoff batteries from Amazon (MaximalPower I think), and they do take 8 hours to charge, but they last all day. Same goes for the OEM kit battery I got with the camera. They take forever to charge, but you'll be able to shoot and shoot and shoot.

In my experience, Pansonic and Canon batteries charge faster, but they also burn up a lot faster.
 
I just bought a NP-F970 Chinese knock off for $50.
It appears to last as long as the Sony NP-F970.
 
I have the EA50 which uses the same batteries, and I guess the FS700 might draw a bit more power. But the battery that came with the camera NP-F770 (?) lasts a looong time. I used it all day on a 12 hour shoot in -3˚C. I was careful to turn the camera off and put it in the charger during the breaks though. Too bad Sony doesn't sell the smaller F770s seperately, as I feel I could easily manage with two of those. If one runs out take it out and charge it while you shoot with the other one, by the time you're out of the second one the first is gonna be plenty charged.
 
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